THE PCC OF GREAT AYCLIFFE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS for the YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023 Armstrong Accountanryy 68 Leander Diive Bol(Jon Tyne and Wear NE35 9LS CONTENTS Page Church information Independent Examinerfs Report Statement of Receipts and Payments statement of Assets and Liabilities Notes to the accounts Movement in funds Page1of7 THE PARISH OF GREAT AYCLIFFE CHURCH INFORMATION Diocese ORD Number 248711 Charity Commisslon Registration Numb8r 1131381 Bank Barclays Bank plc 1 Churchill Place London E14 5HP Independent Examiner Mrs L Armstrong Armstrong Accountancy 88 Leander Drive Henley Grange Boldon Colliery NE35 9LS Page2of7 INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT To the PCC of the Parish of Great Aycliffe This report on the financial slalemenls of the PCC for the year ended 310ecember 2023, which are sel out on pages 2 10 10, is in respect of an examination carried out in accordance with the Church Accounting Regulations 2006 and s 43 of the Charities Act 1993, Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner The charity's trustees are responsible for the P￿paratIOn of the accounts. The charity's Iruslees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 Ilhe Charities Acll and that an independent examination is needed. 1115 my responsibility to.. examine the accounts under secb'on 145 of the Charities Act, lo follow the procedures laid down In the general Directions given by the Charity Commission (under section 14515llbl of the Charities Act, and lo state whether particular matters have come lo my attention. Basis of independent examiner's statement My examination was carried out in accordance with genewl Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. 11 also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from the Iruslees concerning any such matters. The proTrdures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently no opinion is given as lo whether the accounts present 'Irue and fair, view and the report is limited to those matters sel out in the statement below. Independent examiner's statement In connection with my examination, no matter has come lo my attention".- 1. which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in, any material respect, the requirements.. lo keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act,. and to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the Charities Act, which has not been met. Signed Mrs L Armstrong Armstrong Accountancy 68 Leander Drive Henley Grange Boldon Colliery NE35 9LS Independent Examiner 5" May 2024 The Parish of Great Aycliffe Financial Statements for the year ended 31st December 2023 Receipts and Payments Accounts page3of7 Receipts Vnrestrfctsd Deslgnatsd funds R8Strfctsd Total Funds Total Funds Fund5 Fund8 2,023 2,022 Voluntary rgceipts Planned Giving Gift Aid donations Income Tax Recovery Open Plate collections Other voluntary receipts Donations and Appeals Sundry donations Community fund Legacies 30,657 353 31,010 37,114 137 3,851 8,576 9,143 11,698 9,143 11,698 2,108 7,572 782 10,661 3,993 718 30,000 45,726 12.769 11,565 1,500 30,000 107,886 10,074 8,862 61,960 68.614 Activities for generating funds Fetes Bazaars, other fund raising events Welcome café Church Hall lettings etc Cand￿S Baplismlwedding certificates and banns Inlernmenl of oshes Headstones Sundry income 11,407 4,804 24,248 344 258 2,771 14,179 4,804 24,248 344 258 11.448 13,253 107 5.877 197 319 130 31,331 349 320 41,730 349 320 44,502 2.771 Investment income Dividends Interest Surplusl-Deficit on investments 48 134 48 167 33 249 40 65 213 108 33 33 66 182 Church activitles Fees Magazines Grants Refunds Advertising Memorial tx)ok Gifts Parish youth Sundry Receipts 20.069 20,C69 236 14,741 181 375 84 1,639 70 1,273 38,669 17,709 297 21,013 1,017 150 250 236 14,250 491 181 375 84 1.639 70 1,273 24,113 553 40,989 14,556 Total receipts 127,985 63,120 191.105 140.826 Exeessl-Deficit of receipts OV9r payments Transfers between funds Cash at bank at 1 January 23 Cash at bank at 310ecember 23 19,161 23,193 42,339 13,733 19,177 38,338 16 49,749 ,942 68,942 111,281 55,209 68.942 The Parish of Great Aycliffe Financial Statements for the year ended 31st December 2023 Receipts and Payments Accounts Page4of7 Payments un￿striCted Deslgnated FLJnd$ Funds Restricted Funds Total Funds 2,023 Total Funds 2.022 Church activities Mission giving and donations Missionary & charitable giving Church Overseas Home missions & Church Societies Secular charities 390 3,277 3.667 250 1,806 967 1.556 4,579 683 1,073 683 4,350 3,277 Activities . related to chureh work Ministry Parish share Clergy Expenses Visiting clergy Clergy house Iwaterl Church running expenses Rent Church maintenance Hall running costs Major Repairs and decoration Upkeep of church services Copyright Licence DBS checks Holiday grant Parish children Community trip & entertainment Salaries Pensions Sundry Expenses Fees paid 39,600 460 1,297 403 19,572 528 8,373 39,600 460 1,297 403 19,572 978 9,790 48,600 413 28 683 20.035 1.785 5,492 160 6,458 1,168 428 60 450 1,417 844 32,877 872 833 459 14 33,749 833 459 14 180 523 180 382 126 16 566 400 3,239 780 775 14,051 926 938 1.800 3.502 112.287 3,458 780 1,096 8,919 840 913 5,651 756 94,950 3,458 780 1,487 8,919 840 913 5,651 756 131,508 392 Organist Vergers Hampers and gifts Equipment purchased 16 36,541 Cost of generating funds Costs of feles, bazaars elc Welcome café 1,086 4.581 5,667 108 1.194 4,581 5,775 380 3,554 3,914 108 Church Management & administratlon Accountancy Professional fees Bank and sum up charges Training Advertising prinb'ng and stationery Telephone 1,500 1,856 20 775 1,271 1,712 7,134 1,500 1,856 20 775 1.271 1,712 7,134 1.500 1.680 14 20 1,294 1 806 6,314 Total payments The Parish of Great Aycliff• Statement of Assets and Liabilities as at 31 December 2023 Page5of7 Unr8Stricted Deslgnated Fund$ ftJnd$ R8strlctsd Total Funds 2.023 Totsl Funils 2,022 Fund5 Cash Funds Bank accounts churches Cash accounts CCLA 33,810 214 70,459 104,269 214 61.097 1,248 4,181 4,315 4,315 Other monetary assets Investment assets Investment funds lal market value) 2,483 2,483 2,416 Assets retained for Church use 38,340 72,941 111,281 68.942 Liabilities 38.340 72,941 111.281 68,942 Approved by the Parish of Great Aycliffe, and signed on its behalf by Mr S. Ingram (Treasurer) Mr. S. Ingram (Treasurer) The Parish of Great Aycliffe Notes to the financial Ststements For the year ended 31 December 2023 Page6of7 1 Accounting Policies The financial ststemenls of the PCC have been prepared in accordance with the Church Accounting Regulations 2006 using the receipts and payments basis. 2 Fixed assets under £5,000 are written off in the year of purchase. 3 Movements in designated and restricted funds were'.- Unrestrtctsd Deslgnatsd Resth¢ted Total Fund$ Total Fufjds Funds funds Funds 2023 2022 Excessl-Deficit of receipts over payments Transfers be￿een funds 19,161 16 23,193 42,339 13,733 Cash al bank al 1 January 23 Cash al bank al 31 December 23 19,177 38,338 16 49,749 72,942 68,942 111,281 55,209 68.942 The Parish of Great Aycliffe Financial Statemants for the year ended 31st December 2023 Movgment in Funds page7of7 Openlng 8alanc• Surplus & Expendfture Transf•rs IDo1ieitl Intsres CIo8lng Balancè Dgslgnated R8Stricted Income St Andrew Fabric fund Fabric fund - WC Churchyard Bells General Maintenance servi￿ requisites Organ H6ritag8 fund T Chapman Tithe Act AH Bowen T Gibson Charities 13946 16 1413.28 932.68 1235.00 0.00 0.00 685 60 311.80 110.S4 350.98 610 56 1344.04 30010. 1CM)00.CM) 175.CX) 960 00 780 00 175.00 42996.16 1(￿33.26 932.68 1235. 685.60 311.80 115.72 384.29 638.57 1344.04 5.08 33.31 28.01 0.00 70.110 70.00 st Clare Youth ministry Fabric fund Roof fund Memorial plaque Messy church Church gardèn Pla¢es of welcome Tiddles and toddlers Festo and gr8ce Magazines Charities 179.21 6427 62 283.57 9960 100.00 10.00 10.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 33.20 246.26 335.85 17507.69 21317.12 283.57 -283.57 89.62 2901.76 99.60 140.00 240.00 10.00 10.00 54.31 o.oo 0.00 2.03 1QM).00 45.69 236.00 2774.61 236.00 2805.78 st Elizabeth of Hungary Fabric fund Mother & Toddlers Collections Deanery weekly welcom Giants Charities 2153.46 132.74 100.00 298.37 12387.00 392.95 55.97 106 70 355.00 451.43 11862.15 90.00 2490.44 26.04 0.00 184.40 524.85 0.00 255.00 337.46 9000 St Francis Fabri After school Club 960.39 0.00 960.39 Parish Community fund Wardens fund Holiday Open the book Youth development Pastoral care 1253.56 4046.00 307.30 17.55 16.00 8.17 718.20 1971.76 4046.00 127.30 17.55 180.00 16.fX) 0.00 8.17 49764.48 63053.17 39942.29 0.00 33.31 33.09 0.00 72941.76 ## **THE PCC OF GREAT AYCLIFFE** ## **FINANCIAL STATEMENTS for the YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023** Armstrong Accountancy 68 Leander Drive Boldon Tyne and Wear NE35 9LS ## CONTENTS ## **Page** 1. Church information 2-6 Trustees' Annual Report 7. Independent Examiner's Report 8-9 Statement of Receipts and Payments 10. Statement of Assets and Liabilities 11. Notes to the accounts 12. Movement in funds Page 1 of 11 ## THE PARISH OF GREAT ## AYCLIFFE CHURCH ## INFORMATION ## **Diocese ORD Number** 248711 ## Charity Commission Registration Number 1131381 ## **Team Rector** Reverend Canon A. Anderson **Bank** Barclays Bank pie 1 Churchill Place London E14 5HP **Independent Examiner** Mrs L Armstrong Armstrong Accountancy 68 Leander Drive Henley Grange Boldon Colliery NE35 9LS Page 2 of 11 ## The PCC of Great Aycliffe ## **Trustees' Annual Report for the year ended 31 December 2023** Reference and administration details Charity Name: The Parochial Church Council of the Ecclesiastical Parish of Great Aycliffe (other name or acronym: PCC of Great Aycliffe) Registered charity number: 1131381 Charity's principal address: The Parish Office St Clare's Church St Cuthbert's Way, Newton Aycliffe DL5 5NT Names of the charity trustees at the date the report was approved |Trustee Name|Office (if any)|Dates acted if not for
whole year| |---|---|---| |Rev.Canon A Anderson|Team Rector|Resigned 31.12.23| |Rev. J.Anderson|Team Vicar|Resigned 31.12.23| |Rev.D. Hudson|Curate|Resigned 19.02.23| |Rev.S.Price|Assistant Curate|Resigned 29.04.23| |||| |||| |||| |Mr.A E.Temple|Treasurer|Resigned 31.12.23| |||| |Mrs.M. Duffin|Church Warden (St. Elizabeth's)|Resigned 31.12.23| |||| |||| |||| |Mr.R. Hargreaves||| |Mr.D.Blair|Church Warden (St Andrew's)|| |Mrs.E.Bowman|Licensed LayReader|| |Mrs. M.Wilson|Church warden (St. Clare’s)|| |Mrs.C.Halford||| |Ms.J.Fay||| |||| ## Administrative information The Parish of Great Aycliffe is made up of four churches, St. Clare's Church, St. Cuthbert's Way, Newton Aycliffe; St. Elizabeth's Church, Woodham; St. Andrew's Church, Aycliffe Village and St. Francis' Church which is a part of St. Francis Church of England aided Junior School, Horndale. The parish is a part of the Durham Diocese within the Church of England. The correspondence address is The Parish Office. St Clare’s Church. St. Cuthbert's Way, Newton Aycliffe, DL5 5NT ## Structure, governance and management PCC's are governed by two "Church of England Measures"; the Parochial Church Councils (Powers) Measure 1956 as amended and the Church Representation Rules (contained in Schedule 3 to the Synodical Government Measure 1969 as amended). The method of appointment of PCC members is set out in the Church Representation Rules. In the Parish of Great Aycliffe, the PCC consists of the Incumbent, Team Vicar, Curate(s), Licensed Lay Minister, Parish Treasurer, Church Wardens, two representatives from each of the District Church Councils of St. Andrew's Church, St. Clare's and St. Elizabeth's Church, and three Deanery Synod Representatives. The Parish Safeguarding Officer attends by invitation around three times per year and as necessary. All are registered on the electoral roll, all who attend our churches are encouraged to register. The PCC members are responsible for making decisions on all matters of general concern and importance to the parish including deciding on how the funds of the PCC are to be spent. The PCC is the governing body of the DCC's and therefore any faculty applications or other major decisions need to be approved at the PCC meetings. Both PCC and DCC’s meet bi-monthly and therefore six times each year. Subcommittees at DCC level have certain responsibilities and are able to deal with the ongoing development, upkeep and maintenance of the church. These committees include pastoral care, hall management, buildings committee, funding application committee, ' communications, and missional leadership for growth. They are responsible to the PCC and DCC s and report back regularly with minutes of their decisions being received and discussed as necessary. ## Aims and purposes The Parochial Church Council (PCC) of the Parish of Great Aycliffe has the responsibility of cooperating with the incumbent, the Reverend Canon Ann Anderson in promoting in the ecclesiastical parish, the whole mission of the Church, pastoral, evangelistic, social and ecumenical. The PCC is also specifically responsible for the promotion of the Christian faith in the Church of England Aided School of St. Francis, Horndale. ## 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 each of our churches of St. Clare, St. Andrew, St. Elizabeth and St. Francis. 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. We have tried to fulfil the aims of the church for the benefit of our church and the wider community. - Worship and prayer; learning about the Gospel; and developing their knowledge and trust in Jesus. - Provision of pastoral care for people living in the parish. - Missionary and outreach work. ## Achievements and performance ## Worship and Prayer The PCC are committed to providing services that our church family and wider community find fulfilling and nurturing to their faith. T h r o u g h t h e u s e o f o u r F a c e b o o k p a g e , w e h a v e c i r c u l a t e d p r a y e r a n d s e r v i c e s , which reached many more people than our congregation. Through the services of the word, we are nurturing lay leaders and growing the number of laity involved in reading and praying in church. These services are also different as they use multimedia and offer a range of worship styles/music. The number of people on the electoral roll this year is 130 spread across the four churches. Page 4 of 11 At Christmas and Easter, we reached out to the community through Christingle, Relaxed Carols and Candlelight Carols, similarly appropriate services across Holy Week and Easter. At St. Clare's Church a Sunday Club for the children has been relaunched and Messy Church has continued to grow having been temporarily halted in its' tracks by the pandemic. Our services of meditation and healing. ## Deanery synod Deanery Synod have met as agreed once each quarter, alternating between online meetings and inperson meetings. Co-operation within the Deanery is very good with ministers very generous in providing "cover" for services when requested. In particular, we are blessed with retired clergy who so often are forgotten; for their ministry we are very grateful. ## Warm spaces We are fortunate to have been able to register both the Welcome Cafe and Weekly Wednesday as a Warm Space, both are attracting well people who need to stay warm and gain interaction with others. ## Community development A small group of volunteers have expanded and continue to run the free Welcome Cafe each Tuesday morning providing a simple breakfast and a two-course meal in St. Clare's Church Hall. Effectively showing the love of God in practical ways it attracts people from all walks of life who come ' together as a new community every Tuesday. Similarly, Weekly Wednesday at St. Elizabeth s Church is open to a small group to spend time together chatting, crafting, and engaging in seasonal activities, sharing refreshments time and friendship. Coffee mornings in these two churches have flourished; not just a fundraiser but knitting people together in friendship including, at St. Clare's the Syrian families who gather for other activities alongside the coffee morning. Kidzflicks and Tiddlers and Toddlers also draw families together in community. ## Pastoral care ## Has been maintained by a strong group of Volunteers. ## Mission and evangelism As a staff team and wider team of lay leaders, having very few Missional Leadership for Growth meetings due to volunteer shortage, have instead tried to keep everything we do intentionally missional. The work at St. Francis' School has involved wider families on a regular basis. The Welcome Cafe and Weekly Wednesday are missional as they act as doorways to church and Offer a welcome that is infectious. Our primary school contact has grown massively as each of the clergy team adopted particular schools. ' Again, parents are invited to attend seasonal celebrations where God s word is spoken clearly. Tiddlers and Toddlers has included an element of Christian teaching, and the Parish booklet of information and invitation is shared widely. Our online presence continues and offers a forum for faith sharing, as does our Parish magazine. Our many occasional offices offer an opportunity to share ' faith and invitation. St. Andrew s Church remains a popular choice for weddings though these are often going elsewhere as permissions to marry in other places has widened. Work which must be considered missional, has continued against the to further the project to build a toilet/kitchen/new ' heating system at St. Andrew s Church. The Parish faces a future year of change, when the Rector and her husband the Team Vicar announced their retirement in the last quarter of 2023. Having started the year with that team in place plus two curates, who moved on to more permanent positions during the year, the Parish closed 2023, with no paid clergy in place and relying on support from Lay people and retired ministers. We view the future with interest and determination. ## Ecumenical relationships Unfortunately, the Churches Together of Great Aycliffe folded during the pandemic and has not reformed since. ## Volunteers We would like to thank all of the volunteers who work so hard to make our churches the lively, welcoming place it is. In particular we want to mention the Church Wardens and their assistants. Parish Treasurer Mr. Ernie Temple has faithfully kept our heads above water, in 2023 he steered us to paying our Parish Share in full whilst always putting mission first. In a challenging time which has caused a huge stress on financial resources he remained a faithful, steady, calming influence for which we are very grateful. ## Financial Review ## Charity's policy on reserves Reserves are held against the future costs of maintaining the fabric of the church buildings, are largely made up of funds donated for this purpose. A modest reserve is held as a buffer fund for current expenditure. The PCC keep the level of reserves under review and regard them as being realistic under current circumstances. ## Financial review details Throughout 2023, there was a steady increase towards pre-pandemic giving, but comparable figures to the previous year were not achieved. Following various project appeals and the receipt of a legacy, boosted the Restricted sector of the accounts by some £37,000, compared to the previous year. However as a steady trend for funerals and memorial services to take place away from the churches impacts, the level of income from those streams continues to decline. In 2023 a parish share of £39,600.00 (2022: £48,600.00) was paid to the diocese, during the year. ## Declaration The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees' report above. Signed on behalf of the charity's trustees Signature: Miriam Wilson, Helen McCormic, David L J Blair Parish Wardens, Great Aycliffe Parish