THE PARISH CHURCH OF ST THOMAS GARSTANG
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL
for the
YEAR ENDED 31st DECEMBER 2022
Charity Commission Registration Number 1131324
THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST THOMAS GARSTANG
Administrative Information
The parish church of St Thomas Garstang is situated in Church Street, Garstang. It is part of the Diocese of Blackburn within the Church of England. The correspondence address is:-
St Thomas Parish Hall, Church Street, Garstang, Preston, PR3 1PA
The Parochial Church Council (PCC) registered with the Charity Commission on 24[th] August 2009. PCC members who have served during the year are:-
|Vicar of St Thomas Garstang|||
|---|---|---|
|Diocese of Blackburn|Revd. M Hutchinson|Appointed 3 February|
|Churchwardens|Dr T Sperring||
||D Brewin|Resigned 10 July|
|Deputy Warden|D Holmes||
|Diocesan Synod Representatives|||
||Dr T Sperring||
||J Matthew||
|Deanery Synod Representatives|||
||J Matthew||
||J Sawyer|Resigned 18 October|
||K Sperring|Resigned 31 March|
|Elected Members|J Blakely||
||N Brown||
||C Cunnane||
||C Gibb||
||J Gray||
||M Grimsey|Treasurer|
||J Hewitt||
||J Matthew||
||J Osborne|Appointed 24 April|
||J Sawyer|Resigned 18 October|
||K Sperring|Ordinand|
|||Resigned 31 March|
|||Reappointed 18 October|
|By Invitation|Revd. E Gray|Resigned 24 April|
|||Reappointed 16 May|
**Page 1**
THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST THOMAS GARSTANG
## **Trustees Annual Report for the year ended 31[st] December 2022**
## **Structure and Governance**
The method of appointment of members of the Parochial Church Council (PCC) is set out in the Church Representation Rules. The membership of the PCC consists of the incumbent, churchwardens and members elected by members of the congregation who are on the electoral roll of the parish. All members of the congregation are encouraged to be listed on the electoral roll.
The PCC met 10 times in the year including the Annual Parochial Council Meeting (APCM). All the meetings this year were in person, with an average attendance of eleven members per meeting.
The PCC has complied with the duty to have regard to the House of Bishops' guidance on safeguarding.
## **Aims and Purposes**
St Thomas' PCC has the responsibility of co-operating with the incumbent, the Reverend Michael Hutchinson, who took up his position in the church on 3[rd] February 2022. Together they promote the whole mission of the church, pastoral, evangelical, social and ecumenical, in the ecclesiastical parish.
The PCC aims to maintain a close relationship with Garstang St Thomas' school. The PCC also has the responsibility for the maintenance of St Thomas Parish church, St Thomas' Parish and Community hall and the car park in Church Street Garstang.
## **Objectives and Activities**
The PCC is committed to enabling as many people as possible to worship at our church and to become part of our parish community at St Thomas'. The PCC maintains an overview of worship throughout the parish and makes suggestions on how our services can involve the many groups that live within our parish. Our services and worship put faith into practice through prayer and scripture, music and sacrament.
When planning our activities for the year, The PCC have considered the Charity Commission's guidance on public benefit and, in particular, the supplementary guidance for the advancement of religion.
In particular, we try to enable ordinary people to live out their faith as part of our parish community through:
Worship and prayer; learning about the gospel; developing their knowledge and trust in Jesus
Provision of pastoral care for people living in the parish Missionary and outreach work
To facilitate this work it is important that we maintain the fabric of the church of St Thomas,
Page 2
## THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST THOMAS GARSTANG
the community hall and the car park. It is also important that we maintain a close relationship with St Thomas' school.
## **Achievements and performance**
## **Worship and Prayer**
This year the church has focussed on working together to encourage parishioners to return to the church after the Covid 19 pandemic and reaching out into the community to welcome new people into the church. This has been brought about by establishing strong links with local schools and encouraging parents and children to attend church and the Sunday Club.
We started the year with two regular weekly traditional services on Sunday and Thursday and an all age worship service once a month in place of the tradition Sunday service. From September we commenced a weekly, contemporary worship service on Sunday afternoons, which includes all age worship once a month. Sunday Club is available during both the morning and afternoon services, except during the all age services when the children are included and involved in the worship.
In addition to the regular services, there have been special services at the major festivals of Easter and Christmas and other occasions such as baby loss awareness week. These have been of both a traditional and contemporary style, the intention being to meet the diverse needs of the wide age range of our congregation. The church continues to serve the community and parishioners with wedding, baptism and funeral services.
All are welcome to attend our services. At present there are 189 (2021 - 186) parishioners on the church electoral roll. Attendance has risen gradually over the year with a good increase in both adults and children. Weekly average attendance when only two services were being held was 104 adults (2021 – 119 unrestricted and 60 during restrictions) and 16 children (2021 – 10). This increased to an average of 151 adults and 42 children when the new contemporary service began on Sunday afternoons in September. Weekly attendance figures are adversely affected by bad weather and boosted by Baptisms during services and additional services held mid week at Christian festivals. In addition to services in church, some services are recorded and available on You Tube. Links to these are emailed to people on request or they can be found online. This is of great service to those who cannot get to church services for any reason. Online services often get over 60 viewings. A small group meet for Morning Prayer in church on two or three mornings per week. Details of services both in church and online are advertised on the church website, social media and the Parish Magazine which is on sale through subscription or in church.
In addition to worship and prayer in church, there are two home groups where members of the congregation can meet regularly for bible study and prayer. There are other short term bible study courses throughout the year. There is also a group of church members who pray confidentially for the sick.
A book of condolence was made available in church and a presence maintained to support the community at a time of national grief upon the death of her majesty Queen Elizabeth 11. Page 3
THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST THOMAS GARSTANG
## **Deanery and Synod**
Three members of the PCC were sitting on the Deanery Synod at the beginning of the year, but two resigned during the course of the year, as shown on page 1. Two members sit on the Diocesan Synod. These provide an important link between the Parish and the wider structures of the church.
## **The Church and the St Thomas Parish and Community Hall**
We like our church to be open to our community for private prayer but it had been kept locked since the Covid 19 restrictions were in place and electronic equipment installed. It became possible to open it again each day from May, when a lockable cover was made for the electronic equipment. It is open from 9 am to 3:30 pm on weekdays.
In June the church was inspected for the quinquennial report. It was found that urgent repairs were needed to the vestry roof and these have been carried out. Other work of a less urgent nature was mentioned in the report and is to be carried out at a future date. The church hosted a Christmas tree festival and provided teas and a craft stall for visitors.
The fire regulations for the community hall have been updated, appropriate signage obtained and all users notified. Small maintenance work has been carried out by volunteers.
The St Thomas Church food bank has grown at a steady pace this year. There were about 100 people from 32 households being supported by the end of the year, including all ages and some with disabilities. There are over 40 volunteers made up of people from all the churches in Garstang and non church members. Food and cash is donated by local supermarkets and individuals. The Community hall was registered as a designated warm space towards the end of the year, on Monday mornings when the Food Club is open and a grant has been awarded by Lancashire County Council to support this.
Two fund raising events have taken place in the hall which brought in revenue for the church and welcomed people from the wider community. There were also two community fund raising events which benefited both church and community.
Church groups such as PCC, Sunday Club, Mothers Union and the Second Wednesday (ladies fellowship) make use of the hall for meetings and it is also hired out to local groups and individuals. The hall has become self financing again.
## **Pastoral Care**
Those who are sick in the parish can request a visit from the Reverend Michael Hutchinson or a member of his team, who will celebrate communion with them. A small group went out into care homes in the town, towards Christmas to sing carols and celebrate communion with the residents. This was welcomed by the residents and the team intend to build on this in the coming year.
**Page 4**
THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST THOMAS GARSTANG
## **Garstang St Thomas School**
Garstang St Thomas school has continued to thrive in 2022. The headteacher serves on the PCC, which helps to maintain a close working relationship between school and church. The school has extended the age range it caters for by opening a nursery for preschool children from the age of two. This opened in September for the start of the new school year and is doing well. This means that the school age range is now 2-11.
Children from the school have taken an active part in the new contemporary service on Sunday afternoons. They also held their nativity plays and carol services in the church. The Open the Book team have continued to go into school on Wednesday afternoons. Bible stories are read involving costumes, drama and participation by the children, to give a better understanding of the Bible.
## **Ecumenical Relationships**
The church is an active member of Garstang and District Christians Together. They held a carol service in December which was intended to be outdoor but the weather prevented it. A small sum was collected and donated to the local RVS lunch club for elderly single people. The church bank account is still holding in trust the funds belonging to the group.
Page 5
THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST THOMAS GARSTANG
## **Trustees Annual Report for the year ended 31[st] December 2022**
## **Financial Review**
The PCC authorised the use of online banking facilities from January for the main church bank account to facilitate easier monitoring of the account and speedier online payments. The PCC also decided to join the Parish Giving Scheme in July and to purchase a contactless giving station in October. These in addition to Standing orders, envelopes and cash have enabled the church to offer a diverse range of giving opportunities to the existing and new congregations and to visitors.
Total receipts on unrestricted funds were £121500 (2021 - £104178) including designated food bank funds of £5284. This is almost at the pre-pandemic levels. The voluntary receipts including gift aid totalled £71029 (2021- £57805) an increase of almost 23%. An anonymous gift of three gold coins was made to the church in July, which were sold for £4293 to help pay our Parish Share.
£117996 (2021-£88127) was spent from unrestricted funds to provide the Christian ministry from St Thomas Church. This includes £3734 of funds designated to the food bank.
In this accounting period £70000 (2021 – 55000) was paid to the Diocese in respect of parish share. We were awarded £20035 in Parish Share Support so fully met the amount requested by the Diocese again this year.
The liability owing to the Diocese remains at £234613. Note 17.
The diocesan Parish Share mainly provides the stipends and housing for clergy and support for parishes in lower income areas.
The mission and donations as noted in Note 11 has been enhanced by the payment of £505 to the Children's Society from collection boxes and the boxes collected at the Christingle service. There was also a collection after a service of prayer for Ukraine for the Disasters Emergency Committee Ukraine appeal of £104.
The net result for the year based on cash receipts and cash payments was an excess of income over expenditure of £3504 (2021-£16051). £2125 of the excess relates to grants received to support heating the church and the designated warm space in the community hall, which have been carried forward to pay winter heating bills.
The total cash at bank and held as cash at 31[st] December 2022 (note 13) was £38553 (2021£35049), which includes reserves of £17354 (2021 - £13890) held in Natwest PCC Building Fund and the CBF Church of England deposit Fund. £4901 of the total money is held by or on behalf of other groups within or connected to St Thomas Church.
## **Reserves Policy**
The above mentioned £17354 is the amount we currently hold in reserve, plus a float of about £2000 in each of the Hall account and Churchwardens account. We were saving £750 per month until June, when the PCC decided that we held enough for our potential needs. We aim to hold;-
Three times the average hall income - £2900 Three times the regular out goings from the Churchwardens account - £7350 Three times the average sum for regular maintenance bills - £600 Page 6
THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST THOMAS GARSTANG
A sum for potential bills of around £8000, for quinquennial repairs and because our heating boiler is quite old. An extra 10% for inflation Total required £20735. This is reviewed as necessary throughout the year.
## **Trustees Annual Report for the year ended 31[st] December 2022**
Approved by the PCC on and signed on their behalf by Revd. M Hutchinson (Vicar) ….............................................. M Grimsey (Treasurer) …..............................................
Page 7
## THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST THOMAS GARSTANG
## **Receipts and Payments Account**
|**Receipts and Payments Account**|**Receipts and Payments Account**||
|---|---|---|
|Notes
Unrestricted
Designated
Restricted
Endowment
Fund
Fund
Fund
Fund
Receipts
£
£
£
Voluntary Receipts
Planned Giving
39675
Collection at Services
7050
All other voluntary giving
1
14053
Gift Aid Recovered
10251
71029
Legacies
1000
Sale of Assets/Investments
14
4986
Activities for generating funds
2
6273
Investment Income
3
34
Church Activities
4
24011
Other Receipts
5
6217
Mission
6
651
4784
Grants received
7
2015
500
Total receipts
116216
5284
Payments
Church Activities
Parish Share
70000
Other ministry costs
8
5609
Church running Costs
9
20088
Parish Hall running costs
10
10630
Mission giving and donations
11
1372
3734
Other payments
12
6563
Capital Expenditure
0
Total
114262
3734
Excess of income over payments
3504
Cash at bank and in hand 1 January 2022
35049
Excess of receipts over payments
3504
Cash at bank and in hand 31 December 2022
38553||Total
Total
2022
2021
£
£
39675
33041
7050
5629
14053
8037
10251
11098|
|||71029
57805
1000
5000
4986
0
6273
3761
34
32
24011
21314
6217
3666
5435
2765
2515
9835|
||116216
5284|121500
104178|
|||70000
52000
5609
3407
20088
20481
10630
5451
5106
2639
6563
4149
0
0|
||114262
3734|117996
88127|
||3504
35049
3504
38553||
Approved by the Parochial Church Council on
and signed on its behalf by
Revd. M Hutchinson (Vicar)
….....................................................................
Mrs M Grimsey (Treasurer)
….....................................................................
The notes on pages 10-13 form part of these accounts.
Page 9
## THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST THOMAS GARSTANG
## **Financial Statement for the Year Ended 31 December 2022**
|Statement of Assets and Liabilities||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||Note|Unrestricted|Designated|Restricted|Endowment|Total|Total|
|||Fund|Fund|Fund|Fund|2022|2021|
|Cash Funds|13|||||||
|Bank Current Accounts||17920|3279|||21199|21159|
|Deposit Accounts||17354||||17354|13890|
|Other Monetary Assets|16|||||||
|Income Tax recoverable from gift aid||4077||||4077|5159|
|Investment Assets||||||||
|Investments at market value|14|475||||475|1218|
|Assets retained for church use|15|805704||||805704|811767|
|Liabilities|17|234613||||234613|234917|
Approved by the Parochial Church Council on and signed on it's behalf by
Revd. M Hutchinson (Vicar)
Mrs M Grimsey (Treasurer)
…................................................... …...................................................
The notes on pages 10-13 form part of these accounts.
Page 10
## THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST THOMAS GARSTANG
## Notes to the financial statements for the year ended 31[st] December 2022
## Accounting Policies.
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Church Accounting Regulations 2006 and the Charities Act 2011
The financial statements have been prepared on a cash basis and providing a statement of assets and liabilities as at the 31[st] December 2022.The financial statements include all cash transactions, assets and liabilities for which the PCC is responsible in law. They do not include the accounts of church groups that owe their main affiliation to another body.
## Funds.
Endowment funds are funds, the capital of which must be maintained until the capital project for which the endowment was donated is complete. The income arising from the investment may be used as unrestricted income as required.
Restricted funds represent (a) income from trusts or endowments which may be expended only on those restricted objects provided in the terms of the trust or bequest, and (b) donations or grants received for a specific object or invited by the PCC for a specific object. The funds may only be expended on the specific object for which they were given. Any balance unspent at the end of each year must be carried forward as a balance on that fund. The PCC does not usually invest separately for each fund. Unrestricted Funds are general funds which can be used for PCC ordinary purpose.
## Incoming resources.
Planned giving, collections and donations are recognised when received. Tax refunds from gift aid are recognised when received. Grants and legacies are accounted for when received and only included in the Statement of Assets when the PCC is legally entitled to the amounts due. Dividends and interest is accounted for when received. All other income is accounted for when received. All incoming resources are accounted for gross.
## Resources expended.
Grants and donations are accounted for when paid. In the Statement of Liabilities significant expenditure is recognised when due and is accounted for gross.
## Fixed Assets
Consecrated and benefice property is not included in the statement of assets and liabilities in accordance with the Charities Act.
Movable church furnishings held by the vicar and churchwardens on special trust for the PCC and which require a faculty for disposal are inalienable property, listed in the church’s inventory, which can be inspected at any reasonable time. Valuations have been included as at 31[st] December 2022. (Note115)
Investments are valued as at market value at 31[st] December 2022 and are listed in note 14.
Page 11
THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST THOMAS GARSTANG
THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST THOMAS GARSTANG
## **Financial Statement for the year Ended 31[st] December 2022**
## **Notes to the Accounts Receipts**
|1 All other Voluntary Giving
Donations
Churchyard Fund
Car Park receipts
Memorial Garden
Notice Sheets
Decorating appeal
2 Activities for generating funds
Parish Magazine
Fundraising Events
Sale of surplus equipment
3 Investment Income
Bank Interest
Dividends
4 Church Activities
PCC Fees (net of BDBF Fees)
Parish Hall Lettings
5 Other Receipts
Flower Fund
Church Groups
Miscellaneous
Refund of Utility Bills fr. BDBF
Garstang Christians Together
6 Mission
Bishop's Harvest Appeal
Ordination Fund
Foodbank
7 Grants received
Warm Space grant foodbank
Listed P of W
Heating Grant
All Churches grant
Wyre Council Covid19 Support|**2022**
£
4736
2725
6592
0
0
0
14053
1401
4743
129
6273
12
22
34
12405
11606
24011
317
3118
1664
1061
57
6217
385
266
4784 Designated
5435
500 Designated
390
1625
0
0
2515|**2021**
£
2037
668
3947
50
30
1305|
|---|---|---|
|||8037|
|||279
3482
0|
|||3761|
|||5
27|
|||32|
|||15727
5587|
|||21314|
|||190
1539
865
0
1072|
|||3666|
|||75
0
2690|
|||2765|
|||0
0
0
1500
8335|
|||9835|
Page 12
## THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST THOMAS GARSTANG
## **Financial Statement for the year Ended 31[st] December 2022**
## **Notes to the Accounts Payments**
|**e Accounts**||
|---|---|
|8 Other Ministry Costs
Other Fees
Organist
Vicarage Costs:- Council Tax
Water
Telephone/broadband
Old vicarage
Heat and Light
Travel Costs:
Clergy
Others
9 Church Running Costs
Electricity
Gas
Water
Insurance
WIFI
Cleaning
Repairs and Maintenance
Equipment
Churchyard Maintenance
Upkeep of Sevices
Car Park
Parish Office
10 Parish Hall Running Costs
Running Costs
Repairs and Maintenance
11 Mission Giving and Donations
Bishops Harvest Appeal/Ordination fund
Afrinspire
Brittish Legion
Childrens Society
Garstang Deanery
Other Charities
Foodbank payments
St Thomas School/outreach
Christians Together payments
12 Other Payments
Parish Magazine
Stationary and Consumables
Fund Raising Costs
Sundries
Flowers
Church Groups|2022
2021
£
£
72
1162
325
195
2844
896
572
9
506
680
916
465
374
0
0
0|
||5609
3407|
||1654
481
1794
1562
1057
1288
2279
2515
119
0
0
300
3822
8419
643
0
4097
2839
2468
1575
2155
1358
0
144|
||20088
20481|
||9937
4402
693
1049|
||10630
5451|
||651
75
60
0
0
125
0
32
18
43
210
0
3734 Designated
1173
356
247
77
944|
||5106
2639|
||983
1064
85
300
381
263
2404
857
395
194
2315
1471|
||6563
4149|
Page 13
## THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST THOMAS GARSTANG
## **Financial Statement for the year Ended 31[st] December 2022**
## **Statement of Assets and Liabilities**
## **Notes to the Accounts**
|**to the Accounts**||
|---|---|
|13 Cash and Bank Funds
PCC St Thomas Churchwardens Account
PCC St Thomas Parish Hall Account
PCC St Thomas Choir
Nationwide BS Sunday Club Closed
Royal Bank of Scotland – Second Wednesday
Natwest – Mens Fellowship
Mens Fellowship – cash
Flower Fund – cash
Youth Club – cash paid into CW acc
Sub Total
PCC St Thomas Building Fund
CBF Church of England Deposit Fund
Total|2022
2021
£
£
14124
12406
5442
7657
60
60
0
160
1147
439
296
296
67
0
63
91
0
50|
||21199
21159
15729
12265
1625
1625|
||38553
35049|
|14 Investments at Market value
R Dunderdale Charity
Charifund
Charinco
29 Units
87.659 Units
Market Value at 01 January 2022
451
161
Revaluation
-15
-24
Value when sold on 24 August 2022
436
137
2 ½ Consolidated stock sold 5 July 2015 – cash reclaimed 13 May 2022
Three Gold Coins – value when sold on 3 November 2022
Value of Investments sold - at date of sale
Held by Blackburn Diocesan Board of Finance
CCLA CBF deposit fund (Bennet C&CY)
St Thomas Sunday School 75 Shares
Value of Investments at 31 December 2022|2022
2021
£
£
612
571
-39
41|
|---|---|
||573
612
120
120
4293
0|
||4986
0|
||373
368
102
118|
||475
1218|
Page 14
THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST THOMAS GARSTANG
## **Financial Statement for the year Ended 31[st] December 2022**
## **Statement of Assets and Liabilities**
## **Notes to the Accounts**
|15 Assets Retained for Church use
Freehold
Inalienable
Church
Total
Land &
Historic
Equipment
Buildings
Assets
£
£
£
£
Book value at 1 January 2022
801751
10016
811767
Additions
Written Down
6063
-6063
Book value at 31 December 2022
801751
3953
805704
Freehold Land and Buildings comprise
New Parish Hall
Cost of Land in 2010
100245
Cost of Construction completed 2016
626506
Cost
726751
Car Park
75000
At Book value since 2010
801751
2022
2021
16 Debtors
£
£
HMRC re Gift Aid submitted
4077
5159
17 Liabilities
Blackburn Diocesan Board of Finance Ltd
Balance at 31/12/2021 per Diocesan statement
234613
Add Parish Share request in January 2022
90035
Less Allowances made by Diocese in 2022
-20035
Less Parish Share paid in 2022
-70000
Ballance at 31 December 2022
234613
Water-Plus
304
Total Liabilities
234613
234917|Freehold
Inalienable
Land &
Historic
Buildings
Assets
£
£
801751|Church
Total
Equipment
£
£
10016
811767
6063
-6063|
|---|---|---|
||801751|3953
805704|
Page 15
THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST THOMAS GARSTANG