2024-12-31-accounts

This text was generated using OCR and may contain errors. Check the original PDF to see the document submitted to the regulator. This document is also available as Markdown.

St Wulfram’s Church, Grantham Parochial Church Council

Annual Report & Financial Statements For the Year Ended 31 December 2024

AIM AND PURPOSES	1
OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES	1
PEOPLE	1
ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE	4
FINANCIAL REVIEW	40
STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE & MANAGEMENT	42
ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION	44
STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES	46
BALANCE SHEET	47
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS	48
INDEPENDENT EXAMINERS REPORT	57

AIM AND PURPOSES

St Wulfram’s Parochial Church Council (PCC) has the responsibility of co-operating with the incumbent in promoting in the ecclesiastical parish of Grantham the whole mission of the Church, in daily worship of God, in matters pastoral, evangelistic, social and ecumenical to serve the people of the town and all who come to the church building.

The detail of this programme of mission is managed severally by the sub-groups (equivalent of sub-committees) of the PCC on its behalf. Their minutes and resolutions are available. From time to time, ad hoc working groups may be established to report to the PCC.

Full details of the PCC membership and officers are listed under ‘Administrative Information’ below.

OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES

The PCC has the overall responsibility to make available to as many people as possible the ministry offered by the living Church based at St Wulfram’s, and to welcome the same people to the church building. We communicate the Christian faith and exercise Christian ministry in the worship of the church through the ministry of word and sacrament. We seek to meet the needs of a variety of people in the wide range of worship and activities offered. Our church building is sufficiently flexible that we can manage occasions sacred and secular on a large or modest scale.

When undertaking their programme of activities, the staff and PCC have taken seriously the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit and, in particular, the specific guidance on charities for the advancement of religion. It is our express aim to be a community of Christians in the town and, according to the Anglican understanding, to be available to every single person in the town and parish. We seek to help the people of the town to live out their Christian faith through:

Participation in the worship of the church and the practice of their own prayers at home, growing in confidence in their grasp of their faith through preaching, teaching and study together of scripture and Christian writings;
Provision of pastoral care for the people of the parish and town; and
Initiatives and ongoing work that express the love of God towards all people and reach those who are not regularly in touch with the life of the church.

To make all this possible the PCC has a prime responsibility to maintain the fabric of St Wulfram’s.

PEOPLE

Staff

Father Stuart Cradduck, Rector of Grantham. Fr Stuart served as Rural Dean of Grantham until 12 November, when he completed his five-year term of office.
Father James Clabern (Clay) Roundtree, Associate Rector of Grantham and Associate Priest of St John’s Spitalgate, Grantham. Fr Clay was commissioned as Partnership Dean of South Kesteven for three years on 15 July, and as Assistant Archdeacon in the Boston Archdeaconry on 2 August.

Mother Hannah Grivell, Assistant Curate.
Mother Kate Hough, Assistant Curate.
Father Yuce Kabakci, Assistant Curate (until Easter). On 12 May, Fr Yuce was licensed as Assistant Curate in the parish of Holy Cross, Boultham, Lincoln to develop his priestly ministry for the next phase of his curacy. We were grateful for all that Fr Yuce and his wife Cemre brought to our community and our prayers went with him as he continued to learn in his new parish setting.
St Wulfram’s continues to benefit from the active support of local retired clergy, including the Revd Stuart Hadley and the Revd Canon Geraldine Pond (now Rural Dean of Loveden).
We benefit also from the active support of:
Two Readers: Katy Castañeda and Nick Kerry (who has now served in this capacity for 29 years). At its meeting in September, the PCC resolved to nominate Nick for the Bishop to consider granting him permission to officiate (PTO) as a reader beyond his 80[th] birthday; PTO was subsequently granted by the Bishop until 31 October 2025.
Five Authorised Lay Ministers: Elaine Chambers, Helen Dawkins, Barbara Kime, Sheila Knight, and Val York. Elaine and Sheila were re-authorised by the diocese this year when their initial three-year certification expired.
Mrs Melanie Brown, Operations & Development Manager (until 26 July).
Mrs Elaine Chambers, Parish Administrator.
Mr Malcolm Dixon, Grantham House Gardener (from 16 April).
Ms Lily Hills, Music Department Intern (from 1 October).
Mr Carl Kettle, Grantham House Gardener (until 31 March).
Dr Judith Muskett, Mission Facilitator; Grantham Deanery Administrator (until 16 November); Administrator to South Kesteven Partnership Dean (from 17 November).
Mr Steve Prendergast, Church and Grantham House Cleaner.
Mx Holly Riordan, Music Department Intern (from 1 October).
Mrs Frances Roundtree, Project Co-ordinator, St John’s Spitalgate Community Fridge (from 18 January).
Mrs Laura van Boven, Choir Administrator (self-employed) (from 17 June).
Ms Charlotte Whysall, Music Department Intern (from 1 October).
Dr Tim Williams, Organist and Director of Music.

It was announced in June that the Bishop of Lincoln had awarded Fr Stuart a welldeserved period of sabbatical leave from 1 August to 31 October (inclusive). During this time, Fr Stuart was absent from all duties and additional responsibilities that he leads on. Fr Clay Roundtree was the prime source of pastoral care and leadership at this time, with our churchwardens and the PCC. Upon his return, Fr Stuart thanked everyone for everything they had done to allow him to make the most of his sabbatical. He said it had been a wonderful time of restoration and relaxation in what is a very busy context of ministry. He looked forward to hearing all about what had happened in his absence, how St Wulfram’s had grown as a community, and how we continue to work together for the future. We learned during the sabbatical leave that the church is not reliant on Fr Stuart.

In July, we congratulated Fr James Robinson (Assistant Curate of St Wulfram’s, 20152018) on his appointment as Vicar of Grantchester and St Mark’s Newnham Benefices, near Cambridge. Fr James’ wife, Arabella continued as Chaplain of Selwyn College, Cambridge.

Holders of the Bishop’s Licence

Those licensed by the Bishop to assist in the administration of the elements at Holy Communion in the parish (some within church and others within and outside church) are listed below. The asterisk denotes the persons who did not administer the elements at all in the church during 2024.

Permission to Administer in church: Clare Arthur, Heather Arthur, Shaun Ashley, Daniel Castañeda, Paul Davie, Dorothy Gaughan, Michael Gaughan, Trevor Johnston, Philip Joyce, Ese Oduyoye (granted permission during 2024), Sue Redmile, Marcin Salachna (granted permission during 2024), Matthew Simons, *Ian Stewart, David West.

Permission to Administer in church and out of church: Rachel Davie, Helen Dawkins, Elizabeth Hill, Barbara Kime, Sheila Knight, Brenda Patten, Joanna Swinbourne, Eileen West, Valerie York.

Katy Castañeda and Nick Kerry have authority to administer Communion by virtue of their Reader licence.

Guild of Servers

2024 saw movement in the number of Servers with some stepping away due to health or moving into a shared Team role of Server and Verger. We have also gained a new member, but ended 2024 with fewer in the team than we started. We are keen to keep recruiting so that the team becomes more diverse, and stronger.

The issue of laundering the Altar Linen has been resolved. A member of the congregation has taken over this important responsibility. Mthr Kate and the Head Server will continue to cover in their absence.

C1 Foundation Safeguarding training has continued to be facilitated by our Parish Safeguarding Officer (Di Hale) for all servers. There is still a need to facilitate some bespoke training for any servers who do not have access to IT. Two of our new Servers have received the Bishop’s permission to administer the elements of Holy Communion. Training has been conducted to ensure they are competent in this very important role. Role development training continues, with some servers starting to learn other roles such as being a Thurifer, or taking part in different types of services that have different requirements.

The Head Server has proposed to Mthr Kate that a guide for Holy Communion Assistants be drafted – with the blessing of our senior clergy, this will ensure we have some basic guidelines to encourage good practice within our church.

The Guild has retained sufficient members to provide support for regular worship, but we would still welcome more volunteers to enable duties to be more evenly distributed among the members. The Guild is not exclusive and is open to all members of the parish, of any age and experience. Mthr Kate and the Head Server continue to explore opportunities to advertise for new servers, especially the younger members of our congregation. We look forward to welcoming new members.

ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE

St Wulfram’s as an SDF Urban Resource Church

In 2020, St Wulfram’s was designated an ‘urban resource church’, a strategic development, funded in part by the Church Commissioners and in part by the Diocese of Lincoln. We are one of three urban resource churches in the diocese, the other two being St George’s, Stamford (which planted into St Anne’s New Somerby in Grantham in 2023) and St Swithin’s, Lincoln.

As well as continuing to serve the people of Grantham, St Wulfram’s has a wider responsibility to the whole diocese. This necessitated a change in the Rector’s role. In recognition of this, St Wulfram’s was able to appoint a new Associate Rector from May 2021, who works in partnership with the Rector in leading St Wulfram’s mission, ministry, and pastoral care. In June 2022, we welcomed three new ‘planting curates’ to train with us for three years in readiness to ‘plant’ (revitalise) an urban church elsewhere in the diocese. One of the three (Fr Yuce Kabakci) moved in the spring to the parish of Holy Cross, Boultham, Lincoln to develop his priestly ministry for the next phase of his curacy.

In June, we were able to announce that as part of the SDF planting process Mthr Hannah and Mthr Kate had embarked on long-term placements to explore possible planting opportunities. One Sunday per month, Mthr Hannah started attending St Nicholas Church, Newport, Lincoln; and Mthr Kate started attending St George’s Church, Crosby and the Church of the Resurrection, Scunthorpe. The placements were an opportunity for the curates and parishes to discern God’s calling and their ability to work together for the mission and growth of the churches. At that stage, there was no timeline on the discernment process.

Along with other resource church leaders, our Rector (or Associate Rector) participates in bi-monthly SDF Board meetings at the diocesan office in Lincoln.

Successes will be measured according to agreed metrics set out at the beginning of the project, being Sunday attendance figures; but the project is about lives and individual stories that cannot be quantified. Progress at our local church plant, as described below, is taken into account by the SDF Board when measuring St Wulfram’s successes.

St John’s Spitalgate – our local church plant

Our church planting principles continue to be ‘piloted’ through our local plant, St John’s Spitalgate, Grantham to which Fr Clay, our Associate Rector, was additionally licensed in September 2022. St John’s Spitalgate is currently part of the Trinity Parish South Grantham. The proposed dissolution of the Trinity Parish is in process through the Diocese of Lincoln and Church Commissioners. We very much hope that the pastoral scheme will be enacted in 2025 to create two separate parishes, styled St John’s Spitalgate with Earlesfield, and St Anne’s New

Somerby (into which St George’s Church Stamford planted in August 2023 as part of the SDF Programme). As part of their training, our planting curates support the ministry and mission at St John’s Spitalgate, as does our new ordinand on a contextual training placement.

St John’s has a new ‘A Church Near You’ page and updated Google information; a Facebook account that is regularly updated and viewed; an informative website, with a ‘Donate Now’ button; and an Instagram account.

Worship

The developing pattern of worship at St John’s includes services of Holy Communion (weekly at 10.30 a.m. on Thursdays, and monthly at 11.00 a.m. on the third Sunday) and Choral Evensong (monthly at 6.00 p.m. on the first Sunday). High-quality choral music to support the liturgy is an historical strength of St John’s; and this was revived by the St John’s Winter Singers (a group of singers/musicians previously associated with the church), who support the monthly Choral Evensong and Sunday Holy Communion. Many would like to see a greater number of services taking place at St John’s. For example, a weekly Sunday service would help the church to continue growing in the right direction. Fr Clay has invited ideas on what sort of services people would like to see on a Sunday that would be distinctive and complimentary to the other churches in the Local Mission Partnership.

For Lent, there was an Ash Wednesday service at 10.30 a.m. (14 February); and a range of services during Holy Week – a Palm Sunday Passion Play (24 March, 6.00 p.m.), Maundy Thursday (28 March, 7.30 p.m.), and Good Friday (29 March, 6.00 p.m.). We celebrated the risen Christ at 11.00 a.m. on Easter Day (31 March). On Sunday 5 May, we were delighted to welcome Bishop Nicholas of Grantham to a Deanery Choral Evensong (6.00 p.m.), followed by refreshments. This was the final episcopal visit in the deanery series. A Eucharist for the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles, took place on Sunday 29 June, at 6.00 p.m. when we marked the twentieth anniversary of Fr Clay’s Ordination to the Priesthood, followed by refreshments. A Service of the Word was led by Clive Smith, Authorised Lay Minister, on Sunday 4 August while Fr Clay was on holiday. A Harvest Choral Evensong was held on 6 October, the day after a joint Harvest Supper with St Wulfram’s Church. The year ended with a Christmas Memorial Service arranged with David Holland Funeral Directors (3 December), Nine Lessons & Carols (15 December), a pop-up Nativity and Christingle (attended by 35 children) (22 December) and Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve.

Catholic devotional spirituality

St John’s is also a place where catholic devotional spirituality is being developed: Fr Clay led his six-session Meditation for Beginners at St John’s on Mondays (7.00 p.m.) starting on 5 February, 3 June and 14 October. The six sessions can be a great opportunity to invite a friend who might be a bit of a spiritual seeker but isn’t a member of a church community. Each onehour session begins with hot drinks in the hall, followed by a spoken introduction; the group then moves into the church as live ambient music is played, and there is an invitation to light candles and find a comfortable place for the 20 minutes’ silence, before a closing prayer of blessing.

Funding

South Kesteven District Council awarded a grant to help pay for improvements to the women’s toilet, a new cistern for the central heating system, and a new ceiling in the vestry (damaged by water over many years). In May, St John’s received a generous grant from the Church of England’s national giving team for a new digital card reader. This has been a valuable development, helping our congregation and visitors to donate in a convenient way. General funds were raised for St John’s at special events: a quiz night (with bacon and chip butties) at

the Conservative Club on Castlegate (3 May), organised by the Royal Naval Association; a summer concert (22 June); and a St Nicholas’ Day Christmas Concert (6 December). Thanks are due to Helen Winter for putting together a wonderful Summer Music Festival, which took place at 11.00 a.m. on six Saturdays (13 July to 17 August); each Saturday morning of the series had a lovely atmosphere, with tea and cake on offer.

The St John’s Spitalgate Community Fridge

The £10K grant awarded by the National Lottery Community Fund in October 2023 enabled the launch of the new St John’s Spitalgate Community Fridge in the newly refurbished Jesson Room in the church on Wednesday 24 May. We thank local groups including Rotary, the Freemasons and the Lions for their generous support too.

The Project Co-ordinator, Frances Roundtree, has built a team of 16 volunteers trained in safeguarding and Level 2 Food Safety & Hygiene. Relationships have been forged with several local supermarkets through Caboodle and Neighbourly to enable the collection of surplus food. Two local primary schools (Isaac Newton, and Huntingtower) have teamed up with the Fridge to pass on good food that they would hitherto throw out on Fridays because it could not be kept on their premises over the weekend. On 19 June, the Fridge received an Environmental Health Inspection and achieved the top 5-star rating. On 14 November, a new glass-fronted fridge and freezer were delivered, so we are now able to display chilled and frozen items.

The Community Fridge is for everyone to help reduce food waste: it is not means tested and there is no system of referral or membership. There is no charge, but we accept donations towards electricity. The Community Fridge now opens each week for one hour on Wednesdays (9.30 a.m.), Fridays (2.00 p.m.), and Saturdays (11.30 a.m.). Information about opening times and photos of the variety of food items are posted regularly on our Facebook page, which has over 400 followers. Saturday is the most popular day. On Saturday 16 November (when the new fridge and freezer had been installed), 152kg of food (including chilled and frozen items) was given away to 29 people. In total in 2024, we distributed 5 tonnes of food.

Because it took a considerable time to set up the Fridge before opening, a balance remained in the National Lottery grant account as we approached the end of the initial 12-month funding period. A request was made for an extension of time, and the Lottery kindly agreed to extend the funding period (including the Project Co-ordinator contract) to 30 April 2025.

Community Hall

We offer a ‘warm hub’ in the hall, with hot drinks and biscuits, plus seasonal homemade soup and cheese toasties or cake on Fridays between 11.30 a.m. and 12.30 p.m. (Shine Lincolnshire kindly awarded a small grant towards our costs on Fridays.) We enjoy playing chess, Bananagrams and other games on these occasions.

The hall is a warm and welcoming space for meetings, small group work, and learning opportunities. The Women’s Bible Reflection and Prayer Group, to which all are welcome, meets monthly at St John’s on the second Wednesday (7.15 p.m.). From September, the joint deanery ‘To Love and Serve the Lord’ course ran in the hall (most Thursdays, 7.00 p.m.). We hosted the meeting of Grantham Deanery Synod in October, when there was an opportunity for members to learn about the Community Fridge. The Hall is also let to a range of community groups and organisations.

Volunteers

We are indebted to all our volunteers for their dedication and time, without which St John’s would not have grown in such an amazing way since 2022. We thank the St John’s Winter

Singers, our Authorised Lay Minister, our altar servers, all who help in the Community Fridge and warm hub, those who look after our website and social media accounts, and those who work on the trees in the churchyard and undertake other gardening jobs.

St Wulfram’s: Worship and Prayer

Regular and special services

The PCC is committed to offering a range of worship that reflects the breadth of the Anglican tradition.
The Parish Eucharist is the central act of worship, giving opportunity to include good choral and congregational music. Children from the Sunday Club (which includes those aged 0 to 11) are actively included in this service and lay people read the lessons, lead the intercessions, and assist in the administration of the Sacrament. All are welcome to participate in this service; and welcome stewards are at the door each Sunday. Visitors and newcomers are welcomed and contacted in due course at home.
The service pattern differs on the first Sunday of the month. All-Age Worship, or Parade Services for the scout and guide groups, take place at 9.30 a.m., supported by the St Wulfram’s band of instrumentalists. These services continue to attract a crosssection of people young and old in the congregation. The All-Age Worship or Parade Service is followed at 11.00 a.m. by a traditional Choral Eucharist, the style of which attracts regular members of the congregation, as well as worshippers from other churches and newcomers.
‘Extra Half Hour’ is an informal monthly Bible study on the fourth Sunday of the month, led by the preacher after the 9.30 a.m. Eucharist.
A Said Eucharist is held at 8.00 a.m. each Sunday, the liturgy alternating between Common Worship and the Book of Common Prayer.
Choral Evensong is sung at 6.30 p.m. most Sundays during school term times. Outside school term and on the first Sunday of each month, Evening Prayer is said at 6.30 p.m.
In contrast to the Parish Communion and Choral Evensong, the evening and midweek services are quieter and more reflective. Morning Prayer is said daily in the Crypt (Tuesday to Friday). After a trial period of starting at 8.30 a.m., Morning Prayer reverted to 9.00 a.m. from the autumn. Members of the congregation attend on an occasional basis. A midweek Eucharist is held on a Tuesday at 12.00 noon in St Michael’s Chapel (or at Grantham House if there is a major event in the church). Compline is held at 8.45 p.m. on Wednesdays (Sung Compline on the third Wednesday of the month). A weekly Exposition and Benediction is held at 12.00 noon on Fridays.
The Sunday Parish Eucharist, and Sunday Evening Prayer / Evensong and special services continue to be livestreamed to reach those who are unable to attend church in person, both locally and further afield. Broadcasting services via Facebook is part of our strategy for offering encouragement and welcome and for sharing the good news of the Christian faith more widely. Livestreaming is here to stay, but how and when services go online continues to change. Due to the sensitive nature of certain acts of worship (such as a Healing Eucharist, or service to mark Suicide Prevention Week), we choose not to livestream. Notwithstanding this, we do on occasion livestream funerals at the specific request of the families concerned.

The Youth Choir sing Choral Evensong in the Lady Chapel at 5.15 p.m. on Fridays during term time.
We celebrated Epiphany with a Nativity at the 9.30 a.m. Eucharist on Sunday 7 January. All children and young people from our church family were invited to tell the story, in costumes, of the Wise Men visiting Jesus. The ‘bring and share’ Epiphany Tea Party celebrating the arrival of the Magi took place on Saturday 6 January from 5.00 p.m. to 6.30 p.m. in the church (following a rehearsal for the Nativity).
On Tuesday 23 January, BBC Radio 3 recorded Choral Evensong in St Wulfram’s Church sung by The Gesualdo Six and our Youth Choir. The service was broadcast at 4.00 p.m. on Wednesday 7 February.
On Shrove Tuesday (13 February, 2.00 p.m. to 4.00 p.m.), we teamed up with the local sports and education charity called Inspire+ to hold the ‘Pancake Race & Giveaway’ in the church. With pancake races, games and tasty pancakes to devour, this was a free and fun way to spend an afternoon during the school half-term holiday and to learn a little of what Shrove Tuesday and Lent are. More than 350 children and young people attended this popular event.
Three special services for St Wulfram’s, St John’s Church Manthorpe and St John’s Church Spitalgate marked Ash Wednesday (14 February), the beginning of Lent. Our Lent booklet (available online) detailed all the Lent, Holy Week and Easter services, Lent groups/courses, Confirmation and First Communion preparations.
Mothering Sunday flowers were prepared on Saturday morning 9 March in the church. Later in the month, in preparation for Palm Sunday, palm crosses were made at Grantham House (Tuesday evening 19 March). Those who gathered for this dextrous task enjoyed some social time together over refreshments.
Recognising that Mothering Sunday can be a difficult time for many reasons, we invited people to a Lights of Love service of prayer and reflection for Mothering Sunday (Friday 8 March, 5.15 p.m. Choral Evensong), when there was an opportunity to light candles in memory of loved ones. The BBC Radio 4 Sunday programme interviewed Fr Clay about this service.
At 7.30 p.m. on Wednesday 20 March, we held a Festal Choral Mass to celebrate St Wulfram, on the anniversary of his death.
Once again on Sunday afternoons in Lent (3 and 17 March) we welcomed people to the tranquil surroundings of the Walled Garden at Grantham House for ‘Stations of the Cross’, a self-guided prayerful walk recalling the last journey our Lord took on his way to his crucifixion. With the help of a specially prepared booklet, we stopped at each cross to read the story, offer prayer, and meditate on the themes.
As we approached Easter Day, our Lenten journey included the following:
Walk of Witness to church on Palm Sunday (26 March, 9.15 a.m.), beginning at the white bridge in Wyndham Park, when members of the congregation were invited to bring garden greenery to wave along the way and musical instruments/drums.
Holy Monday (25 March, 7.00 p.m.) – a simple meal, followed by a time of reflection ending with Compline, at St John’s Manthorpe.
Holy Tuesday (26 March) and Holy Wednesday (27 March) – the same pattern, this time at St Wulfram’s Church.

Maundy Thursday (28 March, 7.30 p.m.) – Choral Eucharist with foot-washing and Vigil until midnight.
Good Friday (29 March) – The Good Friday Workshop, with a theme of EGGS (10.15 a.m. to 12.45 p.m.), a morning of creativity and reflection for children aged 3-16 years, concluding with a short act of worship at 12.20 p.m.; The Liturgy (2.00 p.m.).
Holy Saturday (30 March, 6.00 p.m.) – The Seder Meal. The Christian observation of this ritual meal celebrates our tradition of Christ’s last supper and our own Jewish heritage that provided the context for Jesus’ institution at the Last Supper. Service of New Light and Easter Vigil (8.00 p.m.).
On Easter Day (31 March) we celebrated the risen Christ with a Said Eucharist (8.00 a.m.) and Choral Eucharist with Procession and Easter Egg Hunt for the Sunday Club (9.30 a.m.).
On Tuesday 16 April at 12 noon, Mthr Hannah led a Requiem Mass in remembrance of her grandmother, the Revd Jean Page, who was one of the first women to be ordained a priest in the Church of England 30 years ago.
A Reflective Eucharist was held at 6.45 p.m. on Wednesday 17 April. This was a simple, meditative Eucharist, where all were welcome to dwell in Christ’s presence, with prayerful silence and short readings to guide and focus us in the sacred space.
The Grantham Scout and Guide St George’s Day Parade through town took place on Sunday 21 April, culminating in a service at St Wulfram’s at 3.00 p.m.
Our monthly outdoor Muddy Church service continued (on the second Sunday of the month, at 3.00 p.m.), with the focus on drawing closer to God through nature. Usually in the gardens at Grantham House, the service was open to all. In February, we had a fantastic afternoon making campfire pancakes, while thinking about what it means to pray, and what praise looks like. In June, we had a Father’s Day Picnic in the walled garden at Grantham House. Muddy Church has taken a break for a few months as we explore its future. Other churches in the deanery are very interested in how this can become a deanery venture.
On Thursday 30 May, we held a quiet said Eucharist for the Day of Thanksgiving for the Institution of Holy Communion (Corpus Christi).
We marked the twentieth anniversary of Fr Clay’s Ordination to the Priesthood, at a Eucharist at St John’s Church Spitalgate on Saturday 29 June at 6.00 p.m., followed by refreshments.
We remembered in our prayers the Revd Canon Rex Howe (Team Rector of Grantham 1977-1985) who died on 11 August aged 94.
Ahead of the start of the new academic year, school and university bags and shoes were blessed at the All-Age Eucharist on Sunday 1 September.
In line with our aim to mark certain ‘awareness days’ in the national calendar, we held a service in church at 7.30 p.m. on Tuesday 10 September, World Suicide Prevention Day. This was an opportunity to remember those who have died by suicide, those who are affected by suicide, and those who are struggling with thoughts of suicide. All were invited to light a candle of hope. Contemplative and thought-provoking music was played through the sound system. Clergy were available after the service for anyone

who wished to talk or to receive a blessing. The Order of Service contained details of resources available to help anyone struggling with mental health issues.

For Choral Evensong on Sunday 15 September, the choir of St Wulfram’s was joined by choir alumni in recognition of the fact that Philip Lank (Organist and Choirmaster at St Wulfram’s, 1961 to 1984) would have celebrated his 100th birthday this year. The Philip Lank Trust, set up in his name in 2008 with the aim to promote and support music education in Grantham, supports many projects including organ tuition and choral scholarships. We gave thanks to God for all that Philip brought to the town through the gift of music.
We marked our Patronal Festival at the Parish Eucharist on Sunday morning 13 October and a Choral Evensong the same day. Also on that day, Fr Clay led a Pet Blessing Service at the church (3.00 p.m.), when we thanked God for the gift of our furred, feathered and scaley companions. Anyone unable to bring their pet along was encouraged to bring a photograph or an item belonging to them for a blessing. About 45 pets and their owners attended.
The All Souls Mass, including Fauré’s Requiem , was held in church and broadcast on Facebook from 6.30 p.m. on Sunday 3 November. Email invitations were issued to all our contacts. The names of departed loved ones were included in the prayers (an online form was available to register names beforehand).
Grantham paid its respects as the annual Remembrance Parade took place through the town centre on Sunday 10 November. Crowds gathered to watch the parade, which made its way to St Wulfram’s Church, where the usual Service of Remembrance was held at 10.55 a.m., followed by the laying of wreaths at the war memorial in the churchyard, before the parade made its way back to St Peter’s Hill for the salute.
On Sunday 8 December, we were delighted to welcome Bishop David of Grimsby to celebrate and preach at our Parish Eucharist.
On Saturday evening, 14 December BBC Radio Lincolnshire recorded their ‘Christmas Celebration’ at St Wulfram’s, for broadcast from Friday 20 December. 600 tickets were taken for this event. Music was provided by the Band of the RAF College Cranwell and the St Wulfram’s Church Choir. Fr Stuart gave a short sermon; a nativity was acted by children of Great Ponton Church of England Primary School; and readings were given by young people representing Inspire+ and West Grantham Academy.
On Thursday 17 December (6.00 p.m.), the Lights of Love Service of carols and prayers was attended by more than 60 people. We stepped away from the busyness of this time of year, pausing to remember those whom we love but see no longer, and to light candles in their memory.
On the morning of Monday 23 December, hundreds of Christingles were prepared by volunteers for the Christingle Crib service at 4.00 p.m. on Christmas Eve, where we followed Mary and Joseph’s journey to the stable in Bethlehem. Young people were encouraged to come to the service dressed as a character from the nativity story. We thank the volunteers who support this very popular service by lighting Christingles and keeping everyone safe.
We held the candlelit Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols on the evening of Sunday 22 December. Attendance was very high. Midnight Mass was held at 11.30 p.m. on 24 December. On Christmas Day, there was a Said Eucharist according to the Book of Common Prayer at 8.00 a.m. (in the Chancel); the Parish Mass was held at 10.00 a.m.,

when congregants were encouraged to bring along an unopened present to open during the service.

In October/November we ran the ‘Church Development Tool’ survey designed by the Church of England. We invited everyone in the church, including our young people, to complete the quick anonymous questionnaire (online or on paper) to help us understand ourselves as a church and shape our prayers and planning for the year ahead. The results will help us to see where we are doing well and to discern areas where God might be calling us to do something new or different.

Preparation to receive the Sacrament of the Eucharist, and Confirmation

Since January 2014 the PCC has allowed children from the age of those in school Year 3 to receive the Sacrament of the Eucharist, following a period of preparation undertaken in Lent, with the young people receiving the Sacrament for the first time, with their family, on Easter Day. Communion Club (as the period of preparation is known) is led by Fr Stuart and Mrs Laura Cradduck.
Confirmation is an important life event in the church; and we welcome any young people who are in school Year 8 upwards to join the Youth Confirmation Group, which is an intensive programme of preparation for confirmation (led by clergy).

Adult confirmation preparation is open to all who wish to recognise their personal development in faith. The usual format is meetings held on six consecutive Sundays, where we introduce what the Anglican Church believes and explore the essentials of the Christian faith.

Bishop Nicholas confirmed candidates from the Grantham and Loveden Deaneries at a service in St Wulfram’s on Trinity Sunday (26 May). There were nine confirmands from St Wulfram’s this year. In addition, one candidate from St Wulfram’s was received into the Church of England.

Occasional Offices

The occasional offices continue to be an important point of contact and ministry within the wider community.

In 2024 there were 11 marriages. We conducted 21 baptisms: 19 children and 2 adults (10 under one year of age, 6 aged between one and four years old, 1 aged between five and ten years old, 2 aged between 11 and 17 years old, two aged 18+). We have an open baptism policy and do our best to keep in touch with the families involved.

A total of 28 funerals for people in the parish were conducted during the year, of which 18 took place in church. On four occasions, ashes were interred in the churchyard.

Mission and Social Responsibility

St Wulfram’s continues to take seriously its calling to be a living witness to the gospel at the heart of the town. In many of the activities detailed in this report there is effective contact with a substantial number of people of all ages beyond the congregation.

The church’s work in this area is overseen by a Mission & Social Responsibility committee (a sub-group of the PCC). St Wulfram’s supports a range of mission and charitable organisations, giving away 4% of its pledged income to these each year. The sub-group continues to support initiatives at St John’s Church Spitalgate, including the new Community

Fridge, for which a grant of £3,000 was allocated in 2023. A grant of £250 was made to the The United Society Partners in the Gospel, commonly known as USPG. A further £100 was made to our Craft, Prayer & Chatter group for materials; and £100 was granted to the Baby Clothes Carousel for another clothes rail and additional boxes. £1,000 was added to The Passage budget.

For many years, St Wulfram’s supported Kylie and Bhim Bahadur as mission partners in Asia with the Church Mission Society (CMS). A grant of £250 was made to CMS for Kylie and Bhim’s work this year (the first since 2021). Later in the year, we heard that the couple had come to the end of their ministry with CMS. In September, CMS emailed thanks to St Wulfram’s for our faithful support and generosity towards the couple; such commitment enabled them to carry out amazing projects bringing hope to countless people, and the impact of our giving was clear in the transformed lives and communities that Kylie and Bhim worked with. The CMS suggested prospective new mission partners and invited the PCC, through the Mission & Social Responsibility Sub-group, to consider these.

There were various opportunities to donate during Christian Aid Week (12 to 18 May). St Wulfram’s collections raised £291 this year, part of the collection for the Grantham Christian Aid Group, which totalled of £5,083.

St Wulfram’s was proud to mark the national ‘Mental Health Awareness Week’ (13 to 19 May) again this year, when the theme was ‘Movement for Mental Health’. We offered Chair Yoga in the church with Stefan from Active Balance Yoga (Thursday 16 May, 4.00 p.m.) with tea and coffee afterwards, and a walk from Grantham House, along the River Witham, through Sedgewick Meadows, Wyndham Park and back to Grantham House, where coffee and biscuits were served (Friday 17 May, 10.00 a.m. until 12 noon). Both activities were free of charge.

2024 was a very busy year for The Passage overseen by Grantham Poverty Concern (GPC). The team of St Wulfram’s volunteers have been even busier this year with numbers sometimes reaching 32 and mostly over 25. The teams work the first, second, third, and fifth Thursdays of the month serving hot dogs, soup, sandwiches and cakes. We did have some response for soup at the Harvest Festival but are in need of another appeal and Andrew Gregory has kindly offered to carry this out in 2025 in the usual successful manner. Many thanks go to all who are involved with this valuable service. Sheila Knight is now responsible for representing St Wulfram’s at the GPC monthly meetings. Sheila also leads two groups and organises the teams for the other three. Watkins Butchers and Bakers are now donating 48 cobs, 24 hot dog rolls, 500g of ham and 20 cakes on a weekly basis saving St Wulfram’s at least £20 per week of their usual donation. We thank them for such a generous donation. The landlady of The Recruiting Sargeant in Great Gonerby celebrated volunteers who devote their time to supporting charities including Grantham Passage and Poverty Concern with a free twocourse meal on 9 December. Three of our Passage volunteers attended.

We continue to support Grantham Foodbank, striving to restore dignity and revive hope for the vulnerable in the local community. Dorothy Gaughan (a member of our congregation and Guild of Servers) is the part-time Coordinator, and Mthr Hannah Grivell chairs the Trustees. Tins, packets, jars and bottles of food/drink and household toiletries are donated regularly to the Foodbank through collection boxes located in church. From time to time, we issue useful ‘shopping lists’ encouraging members of our congregation and community to donate the items of food and toiletries that are most needed. We invited members of the congregation and community to consider participating in the ‘40 for 40’ campaign, by setting aside 40p for each of the 40 days of Lent. Food is collected at Harvesttime for the Foodbank.

We collected new toys, toiletries, and other gifts for the Grantham Foodbank at our Advent Sunday Parade and All-Age Eucharist on ‘the ice’ of the Christmas Tree Festival. These gifts were distributed with food to ease the crisis faced by families this Christmas. During

December, we encouraged members of the congregation to collect tinned and packet goods for the Foodbank through the ‘Reverse Advent Calendar’ scheme, which ran for a third year.

We held a Macmillan Coffee Morning after the 9.30 a.m. service in the church on Sunday 13 October, which raised almost £400. Also in support of Macmillan Cancer Support, the church hosted a Hawaiian themed Zumba marathon on Saturday 26 October (5.00 p.m. to 7.00 p.m.).

Over and above the charitable giving organised by the church community, approximately £6,250 (excluding monies raised for Grantham Ark) was raised for charity through school services, funerals and other events held within the building. As usual, the collection at the Christingle Crib Service on Christmas Eve was donated to the Children’s Society.

Grantham Ark (Registered Charity number 1190668), formed out of an initiative spearheaded by Fr Stuart Cradduck through Churches Together in 2019, protects and supports local people who are experiencing homelessness. In 2022, following discussion with Grantham Ark, South Kesteven District Council agreed to set aside one property from its housing stock per year for three years, to provide temporary accommodation for homeless people for up to three weeks each. The first house was released to Grantham Ark in the autumn of 2023. Following significant work on the property, organised by the Ark’s Support Worker whom the charity recruited, the first temporary resident was welcomed to the house on 27 December 2023. Grantham Ark is grateful to the volunteers who manage the charity, and/or support its work in various ways.

Working in partnership, Grantham Ark and SKDC plan to use the house as a winter night shelter accommodating larger numbers there during the coldest months in 2025. SKDC will meet the cost of support workers for that enhanced initiative. Grantham Ark plans to organise a Sleep-Out event early in 2025 to raise awareness of the challenges faced by the homeless and to raise funds. They encourage local employers, voluntary groups, scouts, guides, schools, and colleges to bring a group to take part.

In July, our Community news carried a message from Vera Quick about the work of the local Prison Fellowship group, and the members who meet monthly for prayer, now at the Seventh Day Adventist Church. The message pointed us to the Prison Fellowship website to find out more information. Prayer is at the core of what the group does and being a volunteer does not mean you have to go into a prison: there are options to be a letter writer, to pray for the requests coming into Prayer Line, and Vera welcomes help for the Angel Tree project in which Christmas gifts are sent to the children of men in Lincoln Prison every year.

Lincolnshire County Council continues to use the church Coffee Shop as a pop-up café on the first and third Tuesday of every month (10.15 a.m. to 11.45 a.m.), for their Grantham Day Opportunities group. Everyone is welcome to come for a drink and meet new people.

Safeguarding

The PCC continues to take extremely seriously the safeguarding of young people and adults at risk of harm. The PCC has complied with the duty under section 5 of the Safeguarding and Clergy Discipline Measure 2016 (that is, the duty to have regard to House of Bishops’ guidance on safeguarding children and adults at risk of harm).

Against the background of the revelations that came to light through the Independent Review into the Church’s handling of the John Smyth case (the Makin Report) published in October, and the Presidential Address by the Rt Revd Stephen Conway, Bishop of Lincoln, to Diocesan Synod (16 November), the Rector signalled his intention to propose a new Safeguarding Sub-group of the PCC in the new year, to support the vital work of the Parish

Safeguarding Officer and Assistant Parish Safeguarding Officer. Terms of reference will be drafted with the aim of establishing the new sub-group from the new PCC year (starting on 18 May 2025).

The Parish Safeguarding Officer (PSO) or Assistant Safeguarding Officer (ASO – our Parish Administrator) make regular written reports to the PCC; and the PSO attends PCC meetings to report in person as necessary. Each May, when the new PCC is in place, it conducts an annual review of our safeguarding policy statement, which is signed by the Rector (as Chair of the PCC) and displayed in the church.

The ASO continues to process applications for DBS clearance. In line with recruitment practices set out in the Church of England’s Guidance Safer Recruitment and diocesan policy, our Churchwardens and all PCC members are DBS checked upon appointment/election. All other staff and volunteers (e.g., in the music department and lay pastoral team) are also DBS checked upon taking up roles. We carefully monitor periods for which clearance is granted and apply for renewal, as appropriate. Hitherto, we DBS checked adult choristers, who are not also chaperones; but they no longer qualify for an Enhanced DBS check and thirtyone:eight (the organisation that provides our DBS checks) does not carry out Basic DBS clearance.

The ASO oversees a system to ensure that all individuals with DBS clearance complete online courses relevant to their role within the church (as specified by the Church of England). All PCC members undertake ‘Basic Awareness’ training (level C0), the ‘Foundation Module’ (C1) and Raising Awareness of Domestic Abuse. All are available online through the Church of England training portal. When PCC membership changes at the APCM, steps are taken to ensure that new members undertake the necessary training as quickly as possible.

Pastoral assistants, leaders of groups for young people or adults at risk, the Bell Tower Captain, church administrative staff, and servers also undertake C0 and C1. Licensed clergy and readers, clergy with the Bishop’s Permission to Officiate, PSOs, ASOs, and Authorised Lay Ministers are required to undertake the Leadership Module (C2). Completion certificates are sent to the ASO to update the parish records.

The House of Bishops introduced new and expanded ‘Safer Recruitment and People Management’ guidance in January 2022. Under this guidance, there is a requirement for all those working with children, young people, or vulnerable adults to have a role description and person specification, to have DBS renewals every 3 years (rather than every 5 years) and for there to be an annual review meeting. The PCC is in the process of implementing these changes, in consultation with the Diocese of Lincoln.

Periodically, the PSO provides the PCC with copies of reports from the Safeguarding Dashboard, our progress on which is monitored by the Diocesan Safeguarding Team. All parishes start at Level 1, which contains 18 dashboard lights. To progress to Level 2, at least 12 lights must be turned green. The PSO continues work on the Level 2 actions. From time to time, the PCC reviews the list of church activities, for which mini dashboards are automatically created. The list was reviewed and updated at the PCC meeting on 23 May.

The PSO spent a considerable time in the autumn monitoring and updating the Level 2 mini-dashboards for church activities; and her safeguarding report to the PCC in November included screenshots of all the activity dashboards, some of which contained amber zones (mainly stemming from the ‘Safer Recruitment and People Management’ section). Detailed work on this is ongoing, with support from the PSO for group leaders to draw up necessary risk assessments.

In line with national safeguarding requirements, the PSO continued to draw up a full register of volunteers (aged 18 and over) attached to church activities and to ensure the names are recorded correctly on the Diocesan Register of Volunteers. Introductory training sessions for volunteers have yet to be arranged.

At the first PCC after the Annual Meeting (when changes to PCC membership have been made), the revised annual Safeguarding Policy ‘Promoting a Safer Church’ is adopted for signature by the Rector and display in the church. At its meeting on 11 July, the PCC reviewed and approved procedures for dealing with and reporting any safeguarding concern or allegation; and relevant documentation was subsequently displayed prominently in the church.

The PCC uses a step-by-step process (adopted in 2018) for approval of all off-site activities (e.g., by the Choir and Youth Group), delegating certain powers to the Parish Safeguarding Officer (PSO). At its meeting on 12 March, upon the recommendation of the Children & Youth Sub-group which was following recent information from the church’s insurers, the PCC adopted a more streamlined process for approval of off-site visits for insurance purposes. The PCC upheld the current agreement (dating from 19 November 2019) regarding off-site activities up to three miles away during regular activity time; and agreed that venues where parents’ own transport is used or where the local venue is within walking distance of St Wulfram’s should have general annual consent (subject then to risk assessment and safeguarding procedures being fully complete in line with the flowchart for the approval of off-site activities). A list of such venues will be presented to the PCC each May. The streamlining of the approval process for off-site activities has meant that the Director of Music can respond in a timelier fashion to outreach opportunities and other invitations; so, fewer requests now come to the PCC for approval for insurance purposes.

The training and competency of choir chaperones was put to the test at a visit to Planet Bounce (10 February) when the fire alarm sounded. The PSO was informed that all our young people were evacuated promptly, assembled at the designated fire assembly point, and accounted for with minimal fuss. One evening in early September, the PSO observed a Youth Choir practice, remained for Choral Evensong, and then observed the children’s choir practice. She subsequently reported to the PCC that the chaperones were following guidance.

Our resource centre at Grantham House

For many years since the sale of the old Church Hall in the Rectory Garden by the diocesan Properties Department, we have been through a series of option appraisals thinking how best we might equip our ministry and mission. Since December 2020, St Wulfram’s has benefitted from a lease arrangement from the National Trust for the Grantham House site (opposite the church, on Castlegate).

This venture has brought about many benefits to our life. As our ‘church hall’, space there has been utilised on a regular basis for a range of daytime and evening meetings (PCC and several sub-groups; learning opportunities; youth groups; Deanery Chapter, Synod and committees; Friends of St Wulfram’s; Almshouses Trustees; Grantham Ark Trustees; flower arrangers; Philip Lank Trustees). The weekly Coffee Morning and monthly Art Group have taken place in the Hall when space in the church has been unavailable. The Hall has been used for choir rehearsals after school three days a week. In 2024, three wakes took place in the Hall and Dining Room, using outside caterers. The garden is also popular for events.

An enthusiastic and dedicated team of community garden volunteers work on site on Tuesday mornings, under the supervision of the full-time Gardener (whose salary was covered by a generous donation). Some garden volunteers continued to be involved in the wider

activities of St Wulfram’s (for example, helping at the Artisan Brocante and decorating a tree in the Christmas Tree Festival).

Although the PCC decided in December 2021 to take a new five-year lease offered by the NT, financial considerations (especially the rising cost of utilities) militated against such a lengthy commitment in 2022-23. Since then, the ongoing tenure was based on an extension of the original 12-month lease signed on 4 December 2020.

In the first couple of years on the site, we benefitted significantly from new funding streams to enable people to recover from the social and health impacts of Covid-19. We captured several grants for wellbeing activities at Grantham House under the ‘Wulfram Centre for Wholeness & Wellbeing’ banner. Post-Covid, the grants landscape and funding priorities changed, and we have not attracted or applied for external funding in the last 18 months.

Gradually, the past arrangement became unsustainable due to the lack of income generated from the site. The future of our use of Grantham House was considered by the PCC at a special meeting in August 2023, following three meetings of the Standing Committee. Then, after much deliberation and heartache, the PCC made the uncomfortable decision in January 2024 to withdraw from the Grantham House site. The NT was made aware of the PCC’s decision and agreed that St Wulfram’s could remain on site until 31 July.

Discussion of arrangements going forward reverted to the Standing Committee once more, which met four times over February/March. The first committee decision was to commence a redundancy process with the Operations & Development Manager, with a view to the contract ending on 31 July. Using an options appraisal form, soundings were taken from PCC members, staff, and a few key others about alternative provision, in order to draw up a schedule of requirements. The committee worked with Gareth Dawkins, MRICS, who researched the local area and current market to identify any possible opportunities. The research revealed that it would be hard to find the equivalent of a church hall near the church and that the cost of rent, service charge, insurance, utilities and initial fitting out of any commercial premises would be relatively high when compared with the costs at Grantham House.

So began yet further negotiations with the NT about how we might exist at Grantham House.

At the end of March 2024, we said goodbye for our Gardener (Carl Kettle) who, amid the uncertainties, had secured an alternative position. We recruited his successor, Malcolm Dixon, on a temporary basis until 31 July. On 19 July, we said a fond farewell to Mel Brown in her role as Operations & Development Manager of Grantham House. We were deeply grateful for all that she brought to our life and wished her every blessing as she took up the post of Grantham Engagement Manager for South Kesteven District Council.

The NT eventually offered St Wulfram’s an additional six months’ extension on the site from 1 August, while they developed a new scheme to use Grantham House for the benefit of the community, in line with their five-year development plan. The NT agreed to take over the running costs of the garden (including paying St Wulfram’s for the full cost of the Gardener, whose contract with the church was extended to 31 December). With other running costs at a minimum, this offer was accepted by St Wulfram’s. In the meantime, Heritage Lincolnshire secured a £10K grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund for St Wulfram’s for professional fees to prepare for a proposed partnership arrangement with the NT.

Further meetings were held with the NT. Two of these were attended online by Julian Lomas, Director of Almond Tree Strategic Consulting Limited (whose fee was charged to the Heritage Lottery grant). A Statement of Intent was drawn up by the NT to capture joint plans

for the site; and we are grateful to Julian Lomas for his feedback on the draft. The eventual outcome was that the PCC decided (November 2024) to accept a new lease arrangement leading to a partnership agreement with the NT, sharing the site.

Subject to the necessary planning consents, the NT aims to open a café in the Hall and to let rooms on the first floor for community use. They will also sell second-hand books. An accessible toilet will be added on the ground floor. Grantham Arts CIC will lease the nearby premises at 44 Castlegate as an arts studio, offering workshops to the public in pottery, painting and textiles. The gardens will be open to the public year-round. All these initiatives aim to promote health, wellbeing and creativity.

The exclusive space that St Wulfram’s will inhabit will be upstairs in the west wing of the house, which will include four rooms, a WC, and a kitchenette. At no extra cost, we shall have additional use of extra rooms upstairs, and the main hall outside of café opening hours, as required. This will change the way St Wulfram’s works on site, but offices, small-scale music work, meetings, small group sessions, committee meetings, youth groups and socials will be able to continue at Grantham House. Under the partnership agreement, St Wulfram’s and the NT will run joint fundraising events on site.

Going forward, the benefits in terms of a fixed cost for St Wulfram’s and the chance to work in partnership with a significant national body were seen by the PCC as an opportunity not to be missed. The PCC hopes that St Wulfram’s Church will benefit from the increased footfall to the area that the NT’s developments at Grantham House will bring.

In December, at the request of the NT, the PCC agreed to extend the Gardener’s contract by a further two months (to February 2025), with full salary costs continuing to be covered by the NT. If all goes according to plan, the NT hopes to transfer the Gardener to its employment from 1 March 2025.

We look forward to the start of the new partnership agreement with the NT from the Spring of 2025, and all the benefits and opportunities it will bring to St Wulfram's.

Music

Introduction

Over the past 17 years, Organist and Director of Music Dr Tim Williams, FRCO (DipCHD) has achieved notable success in the recruiting and training of young members of the choir, drawing on relationships with local schools and other music contacts. Choristers are not auditioned, and all members share a remarkable commitment and professionalism in their approach to music. The standard of the children’s sections of St Wulfram’s Church Choir is one of the success stories of the church music programme. The children’s choirs continue to be a very significant part of our outreach through schools, drawing in many young people and their families, who would otherwise not have been part of our church community. Some of our choristers go on to high level careers in music. St Wulfram’s is increasingly becoming a centre for the training of church musicians.
Choir club takes place on Wednesday afternoon after school and on occasional Tuesdays after school. Choristers join from the age of 7 upwards. New recruits are given their own introductory sessions. A strength of the choir lies in its diversity and inclusivity, with young people being drawn from many different backgrounds and there being no audition process.

We held a ‘Come and be a Chorister at St Wulfram’s’ event for children in school years 2 to 8 on Saturday afternoon, 9 November. This offered the chance to experience the excitement of being a chorister with the choir, and the chance to make new friends, to explore the church, to have a go at playing the organ, to dress up in choir robes and to put on a fantastic performance for parents.
We have steadily continued recruitment to all sections of the choir, and have been delighted to welcome several new families.
A ‘Come and Sing Evensong’ event for adults who might be interested in joining the choir took place on Sunday 27 October from 4.30 p.m. to 7.30 p.m.
The youth choir (SATB ensemble), which meets on Monday afternoon, responds to the choristers as they graduate from the boys’ and girls’ choirs. In the 2023-24 school year, there were four ‘choral scholars’ supported by the Philip Lank Trust, and three senior choral scholars supported by St Wulfram’s (through the endowment gifted in 2019 by the Friends of Cathedral Music). Most Fridays during term time, the youth choir sings Choral Evensong in the Lady Chapel at 5.15 p.m., supported by our portable box organ; a regular congregation attends.
After two relatively short-term appointments in 2023, we decided not to seek to recruit once again to the fixed-term post of Assistant Director of Music. Instead, the Director of Music petitioned the Cathedral Music Trust (CMT) to allow St Wulfram’s to use the balance of their grant towards the cost of much-needed administration for the Music Department. Thanks also to the generosity of the Philip Lank Trust, we were able to advertise a two-year Choir Administrator role for 6 hours a week, 42 weeks a year, to support the Director of Music and the team of voluntary helpers and chaperones in managing all of the logistics involved. Advertisement and shortlisting took place in May and the role was filled from June. The role has eased the significant administrative burden on the Director of Music.
A generous grant had also been pledged by the Diocesan Transformation Fund towards the cost of an Assistant Director of Music. With the agreement of the diocese, this funding too was repurposed; and, at the start of September, we advertised three Music Internships for the academic year 2024-25 to support outreach and assist with the choir. Appointments were made following the safer recruitment process and the three Interns took up their roles from 1 October. Weekly paid hours vary between them, but do not exceed 9 hours. In addition to the paid work, the Interns receive professional training and development for their future careers. The Interns will take on the organisation of the Saturday Morning Recital Series; and in late January 2025 they will restart the Community Choir, which lapsed in the summer of 2023. A String Ensemble is also planned for 2025.
These two developments mean that the whole set-up for the Music Department is very different from a year ago. The extra support came at the right time, with the choir in such an excellent phase. Not only does it help the Director of Music target his work within the contracted hours at St Wulfram’s (alongside his career in academia and music education), but it has also presented a significant growth opportunity for our way of working.
Highlights in the early part of the year included a daytrip to sing in Rochester Cathedral, and a chorister trip to Planet Bounce, Nottingham.
In April, we launched a sustained series of fundraising events for the choristers’ summer residency at York Minster. This followed the regular choir cake sale after the

9.30 a.m. Parade and All-Age Eucharist on Mothering Sunday (10 March) and Saturday Morning Recitals through the year by members of the Music department.

Taking choristers away for a week is a massive organisational challenge and relies heavily on volunteer chaperones, who give freely of their time. It is also a massive financial commitment. To ensure the opportunity is as accessible as possible, St Wulfram’s subsidises the contribution families make per chorister. We were delighted to reach the fundraising target through the hard work by our musicians and the generosity of our supporters.

The events included:

A Spring Concert by St Wulfram’s Church Choir (Friday 19 April), when several choristers spoke about aspects of life in the choir.
International Organ Day recital by Tim Williams (Saturday 20 April). Alongside performing, Dr Williams spoke about the organ.
Grantham House Open Gardens and Summer Fete (Bank Holiday Monday 27 May, 11.00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m.).
Amigo’s family Magic Show in the church (Friday 31 May, 6.00 p.m.).
An afternoon series of 45-minute vocal recitals by young members of the choir at St Mary and St Peter’s Church, Harlaxton: Elizabeth Cradduck (Saturday 15 June); Eliyana James and Iona Williams (Saturday 22 June); Tom Fletcher (Sunday 30 June); Charlotte Whysall (Saturday 6 July); Sophie Allain Chapman (Saturday 13 July); and St Wulfram’s youth choir (Saturday 20 July).
A combined concert in the church by the choristers of St Wulfram’s Church Choir and the pupils of three local primary schools – the St Wulfram’s National Church of England Primary School, Gonerby Hill Foot Church of England School, and Grantham Preparatory International School (Wednesday 26 June, 6.30 p.m.). The evening culminated in the singing of ‘The Rhythm of Life’ by all the school choirs and our choristers. A raffle, with prizes donated by local businesses, was held in the interval.
A Saturday morning Recital by our youth choir (20 July).
The choristers were excited to have the opportunity to sing Evensong services for a whole week and three Sunday services in York Minster (Monday 29 July to Sunday 4 August). The choristers and youth choir also gave a free lunchtime recital in St Helen’s Church, Stonegate (Friday 2 August). Such a residency is an amazing opportunity for our choristers to grow as musicians and develop as a team, with many further activities beyond music – the trip to Scarborough, and the annual talent show were two of the many highlights. Our experiences in 2024 add to the memories of our previous trips.
Highlights in the latter part of the year included major services from All Souls (a liturgical offering of Fauré’s Requiem ), through Remembrance, to Advent Carols, An Advent Liturgy including Britten’s Ceremony of Carols with Thea Maund, harp (Sunday 8 December), and the traditional Nine Lessons & Carols (Sunday 22 December). In the two weeks before Christmas, sections of the choir sang at Boundary Mill department store, at Wyville Church, in Kitchen & Coffee, and at the Royal Windsor Care Home (after which choristers enjoyed a meal at KFC).
There was a happy moment on 23 December, when several past choristers came back to sing ‘Carols in the Courtyard’ with the youth choir – singers from many different eras of youth ensembles taught by Dr Williams at St Wulfram’s. They had a delightful evening singing together and much hilarity in rehearsal.

In 2025, we look forward to the youth choir trip to Cambridge and Ely Cathedral (February), a weekend residency for choristers in Stratford-upon-Avon (early summer), as well as several day trips for the whole choir, hopefully including a return visit to Westminster Abbey.
The ministry and dedication that the choir offers brings beauty to many people’s lives and helps change their perceptions and experiences of the world. The choristers (broadly defined, meaning all ages) should never underestimate the lasting value of everything they bring to the choir, day in, day out. This would not be possible without the support of a wonderful team. The Director of Music pays tribute to:
The music administrative team of volunteers for the assistance they provide, especially with communication of schedules and paperwork.
The dedicated choir chaperoning team, which takes care of the choristers and helps with so many logistical and administrative tasks.
The commitment and dedication of choir parents. Despite all the wonderful opportunities the choristers have together, it requires a huge amount of time and care to get the choristers to all the places we require.
Everyone who dedicates so much of their life to singing in the choir.
We are grateful to Assistant Organists Michael Dutton, Peter Davis, Rosemary Field, David Humphreys, Darren Williams, and Andrew Wyatt for their ongoing contributions to the music at St Wulfram’s.

Organ teaching school

The musical training of young people at St Wulfram’s includes a highly active organ teaching school. Currently nine young scholars are learning to play the organ under the tutelage of Dr Tim Williams FRCO, with some supported by the Dr Martin Clarke Young Organ Scholars’ Trust (YOST), and by the Royal College of Organists. Our portable box organ (housed in the Lady Chapel) is also a valuable resource for the organ scholars. The digital organs gifted to the King’s School and KGGS by the Royal College of Organists support the Grantham organ teaching school and enable both practice and teaching provisions in school time. Dr Williams teaches several pupils in KGGS via this resource.
The organ scholars have achieved notable success in ABRSM examinations this year, and four are now working at or above Grade 5 level.

Wider music programme

The recital series continues, on the third Saturday morning of the month. Entry is free and there is a retiring collection for St Wulfram’s Church. In 2024, we welcomed organists (Martin Ennis, Rosemary Field) and singers (Elaine Bishop accompanied by Tim Williams, Samuel Davie accompanied by Tim Williams, Hannah Grivell accompanied by Jenny Walker); and performances were given by various choirs (our own choristers, our Youth Choir, The Bridge Singers, the Derby City Singers & Voices girls choir, InVoice Singers). We thank Mel Brown for organising the recitals.

Among the other musical highlights in the church were:
Grantham Choral Society Spring concert – ‘The French Connection’, including Faure’s Requiem (27 April).
Two staged performances by Grantham Operatic Society of Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Pirates of Penzance (7 September, 2.30 p.m. and 7.30 p.m.).
Arnhem80 concert in aid of the Army Benevolent Fund by the Band of the Welsh Guards (25 October), featuring a performance by 1940s singer Melody Flyte.
An Evening of Festive Favourites: A concert featuring the Band of the Royal Air Force College (7 December).

Church Community

(a) Children, Young People and Families

Children are welcomed at St Wulfram’s and involved in the life of the congregation at every opportunity. This key aspect of our work is overseen by the ‘Children & Youth Sub-group’ established by the PCC. The sub-group meets regularly and includes in its membership several individuals who do not serve on the PCC. It hears reviews on each aspect of the church’s work with children and young people (including safeguarding); and it also discusses the church’s involvement with church schools in the parish. It celebrates achievements and discusses challenges and points for action.
The Sunday Club meets every Sunday during term time at the same time as the Parish Eucharist. Participants enjoy a full programme of teaching, prayer, music, and activities. They re-join parents/carers at the Parish Eucharist during the Lord’s Prayer and then show and tell the congregation what they have been doing at the end of the service. There is a very dedicated team of volunteers, including a teenager.
Our Children’s Area continues to be well used during services and throughout the week as a ‘Stay and Play’ resource for families with young children who want a place ‘to be’ with their children.
Wulfram Wednesdays take place during school holidays when children aged 4 to 11 years and families are invited to participate in craft activities in church (or alternatively at Grantham House). The Wednesday workshops were co-ordinated this year by Laura Cradduck (Chair of the PCC’s Children & Youth Sub-group). The summer themes (24 and 31 July, 7, 14, 21 and 28 August) included Stained glass window art; toilet roll fire breathing dragons; rubbing, sketching and Origami; glass painting; clay gargoyle making; and a treasure hunt and crafts in the gardens at Grantham House. In the October half-term holiday (23 October), there was an autumn craft workshop. Numbers of children and adults attending range from 14 to 35. Positive feedback was received from participants on each of the days.
Babies, toddlers and pre-schoolers, their parents/carers, meet at Wulfram Tots, in the church at 9.30 a.m. every Friday in school term-time. The aim is to have fun and share the Christian faith in an informal way through play, singing (with guitar accompaniment), Bible stories and craft activities, hopefully building some new friendships for the adults as well as the children. The sessions are led by members of the clergy. After the sessions, people stay for refreshments and to enjoy the children’s play area. Details are shared on the Wulfram Tots noticeboard and through Facebook. A dozen or more families are accessing Tots on a regular basis; and some return in due course with a second or third child. Through this group, we have seen the baptism of both children and adults, and a few of the adults have been confirmed as well.

After consultation with volunteers and participants, it was decided to move Wulfram Bear’s Baby Clothes Carousel (launched in September 2022) from the second Friday of every month after Wulfram Tots, to the second Saturday morning. The change, which happened from 13 July, has been popular. Parents can go along to donate and pick up baby clothes (ages 0-24 months) completely free of charge. The baby clothes ‘swap’ is advertised regularly on social media.
We run three age-related youth groups. Children in school years 5 to 7/8 meet on a Friday evening at Grantham House and this group consists of around 30 members with a normal attendance of around 24 each week. Our two other groups meet once a month on separate Sunday evenings at Grantham House or at the Rectory. The middle age group is aimed at those in years 8 to 10/11. There are around 25 members of this group with session attendance usually being around 15/16. This group represents a 50:50 mixture of choir and non-choir members. Our oldest group is well established, many of whom were confirmed together, and draws upon members of youth choir and beyond. This group consists of around 15 young people in years 11 to 13. The young people in all groups have been instrumental in designing the programme for this year and members enjoy a range of activities. They are encouraged to invite their friends to join, and our older two groups are also encouraged to volunteer for wider church events.
There are three Scout groups associated with the church. They attend church for their St George’s Day Parade. Clergy and other members of the church speak to the groups when invited. The groups also visit the church from time to time as part of their badge work and spiritual development. Fr Stuart is Chaplain to the Scouts and led their Carol Service at ChristChurch in December this year.
Members of the clergy team lead weekly collective worship for two church schools, Little Gonerby Primary Academy and St Wulfram’s National Church of England Primary School.
Three members of our clergy team are governors of local schools.

In November, the diocesan Board of Education drew our PCC’s attention to vacancies for foundation governors at Little Gonerby Church of England Primary Academy. We understood this was not the only school with such vacancies. The PCC was invited to pass to the Board of Education names of people interested in becoming a foundation governor.

Local schools, especially the church schools and the local state nursery school, make regular visits to learn about the church building, about Christianity and about the church’s role in the community. Several schools also use the church for services throughout the year, including during Lent, for carol services, and services to mark the end of the school year. The neighbouring boys grammar school uses the church building for its annual Founder’s Day Service and Speech Night.

(b) Pastoral Care

The clergy and lay pastoral support team (led by Fr Clay) are available to any person in the parish who asks for their support or help. Training and ongoing support is available for team members.

Those who are new to the congregation are made welcome and visited as soon as convenient, and a welcome card captures contact details as well as requests for prayer. Those who are ill, housebound, or too frail to attend church are visited regularly. Likewise, residential/nursing homes and a local sheltered housing development are visited monthly, and the reserved sacrament is taken by members of the team. Visits to the care homes in the parish are a source of blessing for the team as well as for residents.
Opportunities to invite bereaved families to memorial services continue to grow. All Souls’ Day, Lights of Love services and a Service on World Suicide Prevention Day were well attended.

(c) Community groups

We have a popular Sunday lunch group for people of any age who would otherwise eat alone and have a connection with St Wulfram’s. Members of the group visit a local restaurant or pub on the second Sunday of each month. The lunches continue to be a valuable opportunity for fellowship for congregation members and those with other links to St Wulfram’s. We are most grateful to Jane Sharp who co-ordinates the gatherings.
Our monthly Art Group, which began as a Lent project in 2019, met on the first Wednesday of each month in church throughout the year. Sadly, the group finished in December due to falling numbers. Members thank Dennis Hobbs, who led the group so ably from the start.
On the morning of 30 August, we welcomed students and staff from the Grantham College Day Break group for a glass painting workshop.
The popular weekly Coffee Morning (which began online during the pandemic lockdowns) continues on Wednesdays in the church (or in the Hall at Grantham House if there is a church diary clash). In June, we enjoyed coffee on the lawn at Grantham House on a warm and sunny day. This year, numbers fluctuated between 6 and 27; and average weekly attendance was 14 (the same as in 2023). The gathering provides valuable fellowship for members of the St Wulfram's community. In December, 22 of the Coffee Morning attendees enjoyed a Christmas lunch at the Recruiting Sargeant pub in Great Gonerby.
A simple lunch of homemade soup and bread is served in church (or at Grantham House if the church is unavailable) at 12.30 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday of each month, following the 12 noon Eucharist. The lunch is open to all, irrespective of whether they worship at St Wulfram’s. Up to 24 attend each time. The lunch is friendly and the fellowship there can provide a lifeline for newcomers to the local community and those who are lonely and/or feel isolated. We are indebted to those who prepare the soup and bake fresh bread. There is no charge, but donations are welcome.
For the first part of the year, our Craft and Prayer Group ran in the church (or at Grantham House if the church was unavailable) on the second Tuesday of each month, from 2.00 p.m. to 4.00 p.m. Around 20 people usually attended, including some signposted by social prescribers (who sometimes accompanied clients until confidence grew for them to attend alone). Participants brought along their own crafts (e.g., knitting, sewing, card making, embroidery, crochet) or various small crafts are provided. They shared fellowship, conversation, and refreshments, and also used the time for prayer in a relaxed atmosphere. The PCC’s Mission & Social Responsibility

Sub-group allocated a grant of £100 to the Craft, Prayer & Fellowship Group towards the cost of supplies this year.

However, it was announced in August that, after much soul searching and discussion, the organisers (Sheila Knight and Helen Dawkins) had decided that they could no longer continue to run the group. They thanked everyone who had supported the group over the last three years.

The group’s stunning display of knitted, crocheted, and felt poppies was used once again in the church for Armistice Day.

The Men’s Breakfast meets monthly on Saturdays, at first at the King’s Walk Café and more recently at Nightingales. Co-ordinated by Mike Knight (churchwarden), the breakfast continues to be a positive social space for men to come together for a leisurely start to the weekend and connect with each other.
A new Breakfast Club aimed primarily at Dads, but open to all parents and child caregivers with children aged 0-5 years was trialled on the first and second Saturday mornings in January. Between 8.30 a.m. and 10.00 a.m., there was breakfast, play time, sing-alongs and story time in church. The club continued into early February, but sadly halted thereafter due to low numbers.

Church and Fabric

The past year has again been busy with the completion of one major project, namely, refurbishing the clergy vestry, several smaller projects, routine maintenance work and preparation and planning for another major project, namely the proposal for the installation of solar PV panels on the church roof. The Fabric Fund started 2024 with a balance of some £294,000 largely thanks to a very generous legacy from the estate of the late Mr Alan Geeson from which a total of £135,000 has been received, ending the year with a balance of some £242,000 with a net expenditure of some £52,000.
Clergy Vestry . Work on the clergy vestry to incorporate more storage space began in May 2024 and practical completion by contractors, Midland Stonemasonry Ltd, was achieved on 30 September 2024 at a total cost of £45,453 plus VAT and fees. We are particularly grateful for the generous donation of £15,000 from the Friends of St Wulfram’s towards this project.
Proposal for Solar PV panels and other electrical work. The PCC in July 2022 agreed to the introduction of 78 solar PV panels together with battery storage units and inverters, to be located on the south-facing slopes of the nave and north aisle roofs so that panels are not visible from ground level. This will result in substantial savings to our electricity usage at a time of higher electrical prices as well as a major step towards the Church of England’s Net Zero Carbon target pledge by 2030. Planning approval was initially granted in February 2023 subject to conditions including detailed information about the design of the frame to support the panels and the fixings. These details were agreed with architect Peter Rogan, the structural engineer and ACE Solar and an internal location for a more compact battery storage system close to the clergy vestry and the main distribution board had been identified and the whole scheme (without the need for the external steel cabinets) was respecified and repriced by ACE Solar. The revised detailed drawings and product information were approved by SKDC in November 2023. Subsequent advice from Ecclesiastical Insurance against an internal location for batteries has led to further revision of the planning approval to omit the storage batteries and the revised drawings and project information were submitted to the DAC and the Faculty was granted by the Chancellor on 18 November

The UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF), administered by SKDC, agreed a grant of £49,500 with the proviso that the work takes place in the financial year commencing 1 April 2024 and £35,153 was received in November 2024, this sum being the lowest tender received when the revised project was formally tendered, and the price accepted by the PCC. The UKSPF subsequently indicated that the leadwork required for the 123 upstands on the roof to support the 78 solar panels also needed a formal tender process which was undertaken and PCC (by correspondence) agreed to accept the lower tender received from HAB Leadworks at £24,220 (plus VAT) and the UKSPF confirmed that the balance of its funding of £13,347 would be paid in early 2025. Additional donations towards the Solar Panels project have also been received in response to the display mounted by the Creation Care sub-group. Installation of the lead upstands, the associated electrical work and installation of the panels, inverter and controls are scheduled for January and February 2025.
We continue to be very grateful to Anthony Fletcher of AF Electrical for his work in undertaking electrical repairs, adjusting settings to optimise lighting and replacing lamps and fittings throughout the year using more energy efficient fittings wherever possible.
Monuments. Conservation work on the remaining three monuments to members of the Leeson family in the Lady Chapel was completed in February 2024. Fundraising for a final phase of work to conserve ten further monuments in the South Aisle (at a total estimated cost of £11,200) has resulted in pledges of donations including the Leche Trust (£3,000), the Francis Coales Charitable Foundation (£2,900), Grantham Civic Society (£500) the Friends of St Wulfram’s Church (£1,000 plus up to a further £5,000), the Cleary Fund of the Georgian Society (£500) and a further sum pledged by a family descendent of William Thorold who died in 1816. Conservator Alexandra Carrington, ACR, is scheduled to undertake this work in the early part of 2025.
Memorial plaque to commemorate the 2nd Battalion The Parachute Regiment on the North Wall of the church. In 2023, the Para 2 Club requested a brass plaque be introduced to commemorate the Arnhem landings in 1944. Following Faculty approval, the plaque was made and installed by E. Gill & Sons (Memorials) Ltd at the Club’s expense and this was dedicated during the Army Benevolent Fund concert on 25 October 2024.
Trigge Library. In 2022, the PCC agreed proposals for the acquisition of two new glass and metal display cabinets to replace the wooden display cases which are now regarded as unsuitable for the display of books as they do not meet established criteria for the display of rare books in terms of security and environmental standards. The first cabinet was installed in April 2023 and, thanks to generous donations of £3,950 from ChurchCare and £4,000 from The Friends of St Wulfram’s, the second cabinet, manufactured by Click Netherfield at the price of £9,135 (plus VAT), was installed in January 2024. The Faculty for the conservation of both volumes of Conrad Gesner’s Historia Animalium by Bridget Warrington ACR was granted in January 2023. Conservation work on the first Gesner volume began in April 2023 and was completed in March 2024 with funding from ChurchCare, the Friends of St Wulfram’s, and the Aurelius Trust. Regarding the second Gesner volume, work is progressing well with funding of £4,500 pledged by the Friends and £7,000 pledged by ChurchCare towards the total estimated cost of up to £12,375, with any balance to come from the Trigge Library fund.
Remedial work following the break in on 18 May 2023 and other glazing repairs . The repairs to the stained glass and steel frame by Derek Hunt, Master Glazier, were

completed and the repaired window and metal frame was installed in the Crypt on 18 January 2024. Whilst on site, Derek Hunt carried out temporary repairs to damage caused by stones thrown at the western-most window on the north aisle where the rose window section had been damaged. Repairs were completed in the summer of 2024 following an insurance claim which partially covered the total cost of £3,650 plus VAT.

Repairs to floors – During the year, minor repairs have been undertaken to re-bed internal stone slabs and to repair cast-iron gratings.
New Altar frontal. One Faculty condition relating to the repairs to the existing green frontal was that the PCC formally considers the advice of the Church Buildings Council to retire that green frontal. The PCC (17.11.22) agreed that a Faculty be sought for a new altar frontal and super-frontal based on a design by Tracy Franklin. During the year, a Working Party of the PCC considered various options including the possibility of seeking alternative designs.
External drainage . Following the digging of test pits and percolation tests in various parts of the churchyard during April 2023, Peter Rogan has proposed an initial design for a modified drainage system around the church which was considered by the Fabric Group in November 2024. Consultations with SKDC and Anglian Water will take place in the spring of 2025.
Overhaul of Church Bells . The overhaul of the church bells including the replacement of bearings and refurbishment of the clappers, etc, was completed by Taylors of Loughborough at a cost of some £15,700 (plus VAT). Repainting of the bell frames was done by Braunton Holmes for £5,860. Grants were obtained from the Lincoln Diocesan Guild of Church Bell Ringers (£6,377) and the St Wulfram’s Ringers (£2,496).
Quinquennial Inspection 2022 . Recommendations in Peter Rogan’s report are being implemented as opportunity arises and he has been asked to draw up more detailed proposals for particular items such as drainage.
The work on repair and maintenance of the fabric of St Wulfram’s Church, which has a surface area in excess of one acre, has thus been constant but successful. We should like to thank members of the Fabric Sub-group for their input and attendance. Thanks are also expressed to everyone who helps with routine weekly cleaning and with the arrangement of flowers. Additional volunteers are most welcome. All help to make St Wulfram’s a warm and welcoming church. We are again greatly indebted to John Manterfield for his dedication in chairing the PCC’s Fabric Sub-group and overseeing all its work.
Throughout the year, access from Swinegate to the church building (for people with disabilities, contractors and deliveries) has continued to be impeded by a Church Trees neighbour. Despite efforts to resolve the dispute by negotiation, the situation remains unresolved and is now with solicitors acting for the church’s insurers.

Caring for Creation

As Christians, we embrace our responsibility as stewards of God’s good creation to tend and serve the flourishing of life, now and for future generations. At its meeting in July 2019, the Lincoln Diocesan Synod adopted a new environmental policy entitled ‘Cherishing Creation’. This was shared with parishes shortly afterwards; and St Wulfram’s PCC carried out sustained work on this through our various sub-groups during the second half of 2019 and into 2020. As a result, the remit of all our PCC committees (sub-groups) includes a requirement to be mindful at all times of the diocesan environmental policy.

Since 2020, the church’s work in this area has been overseen by a Creation Care committee (a sub-group of the PCC). This group is responsible for ensuring that St Wulfram’s Church and its community embed creation care in everyday faith and activities, in line with the vision and goals of ‘Cherishing Creation’. At all times, the sub-group is mindful of the importance of doing all we can to live out all the ‘Marks of Mission’ (adopted by the General Synod of the Church of England in 1996), paying particular attention to the mark that speaks of striving to safeguard the integrity of creation and sustaining and renewing the life of the earth.

In February 2020 General Synod set the Church of England an ambitious challenge: to reach net zero carbon across our parish, cathedral, diocesan, and school estates by 2030, asking for a plan of action to reach the 2030 target. In response, the Church of England produced its Routemap to Net Zero Carbon by 2030 and established a national Net Zero Programme. Church decarbonisation is a key workstream within the programme and funding has been allocated to help the largest emitting church communities undertake energy audits of their buildings. The audits are a first step for PCCs to establish a measured baseline for CO2 emissions to support and promote the NZC objectives in parishes. An energy audit and decarbonisation survey of St Wulfram’s Church (including the Vestry, office, kitchen and Crypt) was undertaken on 29 October to provide advice to the church community on how it/they can be more energy efficient, provide a sustainable and comfortable environment, and move towards net zero carbon. The comprehensive report will be considered first by the Fabric Sub-group and PCC in January 2025.

Much of the work carried out by the Creation Care Sub-group involves liaison with the Fabric Sub-group, and there is a degree of overlapping membership. The installation of solar panels on the roof of St Wulfram’s has been a long-standing aim of the sub-group and, through the dedicated work of the Chair of Fabric and the Fabric Sub-group itself, this will be achieved in 2025. This project will help us along our path to meet the Church of England’s target of Net Zero Carbon by 2030. Moreover, the potential for reducing electricity running costs remains considerable.

St Wulfram’s is registered with Eco Church (an A Rocha UK project) and is now on a journey to attain the Silver Award, having achieved the Bronze Award in 2023.

We asked people to let us know if they participated in the RSPB’s ‘Big Garden Birdwatch 2024’ (weekend of 27-28 January): as part of the Eco Church Network, we wanted to record how many of us were taking part.

Through the year members of the sub-group attended online or in-person sessions (Wildlife and Land; Outdoor Worship; Connecting Community) run by the diocesan Churches Environment Network.

The sub-group was keen to use resources available on the ‘Caring for God’s Acre’ website with our local community during the ‘Love your Burial Ground Week’ (Saturday 8 to Sunday 16 June). On Tuesday 11 June (6.30 p.m.) Dr John Manterfield (Chair of Fabric) offered a free guided tour of St Wulfram’s churchyard, looking at memorials from the early 1700s to the mid-1850s, including an early clockmaker, several celebrated gunsmiths and their families, and some of the best slate engravers in Lincolnshire. Wine and cheese were served in the church after the tour. Given the popularity of this event, a second tour was arranged. This eventually took place on Thursday 8 August (2.00 p.m.) after heavy rain forced the cancellation of a tour on 16 July.

Church flowers

Throughout the year and especially at liturgical festivals, we benefit from the dedication of our band of flower arrangers (led by Val York), whose skills enhance the beauty of our church. We express gratitude to all those who contribute towards the costs of flower arrangements throughout the year: many such donations are in memory of loved ones and an ‘In Memoriam’ list is displayed at the west end of the church at Easter and Christmas.

Instead of fresh flowers at the high altar in ordinary times, we are increasingly using plants or display flowers in a vase. This cuts down on the amount of oasis that our flower arrangers use; this makes what we do more environmentally friendly and reduces costs. At Christmas this year there were many more arrangements and displays without using oasis: something we continue to strive for.

As flowers have become more costly, we have agreed with the Finance Sub-group to increase the cost of flowers for weddings etc to £90 per pedestal.

Ringing at St Wulfram’s

This year has seen good progress on the bell ringing front; we have stable numbers on Tuesday practices and Sunday service ringing. We will be looking to recruit more members, ideally in the age range 20-40, to provide the group with long term membership; this in no way means other age ranges are prohibited from starting, but that our efforts will be honed to target this group.

A major overhaul of the bells has been carried out this year. This included new bearings for the old 10 bells, refurbished clappers for all bells, and slightly heavier clappers for bells 1&2. The frame has been painted and areas of rust treated to preserve the frame. This will hopefully maintain the frame for many years to come, painted in colour Ral 6027 (‘licht grune’).

Over the course of the year there have been nine quarter peals and two successful peals. We have limited successes with the more complicated quarters, but rather more success with the simpler 5-6 bell attempts. The local ringers are improving from the quarter attempts, and we hope that in the next year our Saltby recruits will follow the same pathway.

Our Social Secretary has done a brilliant job with a few different experiences for us all: fish and chip suppers, conker challenges, ten pin bowling and boat rides at Rutland Reservoir to be included in the list. In addition, we have had tower outings to join ringing at Southwell and Oakham this year, with some return trips by their ringers too.

For next year we have plans to refurbish some of the bell wheels as part of the maintenance program and ensure their longevity.

Hospitality for Pilgrims and Visitors

St Wulfram’s, a landmark medieval parish church restored by Gilbert Scott (1866-75), is Grade I Listed (1062501) and of nationally recognised significance. Set back from main roads and surrounded by old buildings, the area has the feel of a cathedral close. The chained Trigge Library (established in the church in 1598) is of exceptional significance as the earliest in England for public use, and attracts local, national, and international visitors and scholars. The church plays a dynamic role in attracting visitors to the town and district. The church and churchyard are a focal point of South Kesteven District Council’s (SKDC’s) Grantham Town Conservation Area. They lie within the ‘Grantham High Street Heritage Action Zone’, which

celebrates the town’s built, social, cultural and natural heritage and is funded by Historic England to restore historic properties and regenerate public realm areas.

Consistent with our ‘sacred space, common ground’ strategy, we encourage everyone in the community to see St Wulfram’s as their parish church. The building is open for private prayer or to sit in quiet reflection, from 9.00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m. Monday to Saturday and from 10.30 a.m. to 4.00 p.m. on Sundays.

The Coffee Shop opens for Saturday morning recitals, during the Heritage Open Day; the Beer Festival; and the Christmas Tree Festival; and for interval drinks at concerts (when alcohol and soft drinks are also on sale). We are grateful to Jan Burrows, Di Hale and Eileen West for organising refreshments at recitals, to members of the Licence Management Committee for organising interval drinks, and to Di Hale for the significant work in overseeing the provision of refreshments (including recruitment of volunteers from organisations beyond St Wulfram’s) for major festivals.

We have volunteer stewards on hand to offer a generous welcome to visitors on Saturday mornings and on weekdays during the ‘visitor season’ (from the end of March to the end of September). This is always an important aspect of our ministry at St Wulfram’s. There was a positive response to an appeal for more volunteers to join the steward team which Fr Clay launched in January so that, with training and ongoing support, new recruits would be ready for greet visitors from Easter onwards.

We invited all our volunteers (whatever their role) to a gathering with buffet meal on Thursday evening 1 February in the church. This was a long overdue opportunity for the clergy and staff team at St Wulfram’s to show our deep appreciation to all the volunteers who enrich our community life in so many ways. Over 80 of the 100+ volunteers were able to attend this special occasion as we celebrated and gave thanks for all the time and talents our volunteers bring to enable St Wulfram’s to flourish. The event, which was much appreciated, will be repeated early in 2025.

With fewer stewards since 2017, it has been necessary to leave the church open unattended at certain times (this is in line with advice from the diocese and Ecclesiastical, our insurers). Although this strategy continues to be largely unproblematic, we continued to experience some antisocial behaviour and vandalism in the church this year, about which we are in discussion with relevant authorities. Sadly, this necessitates earlier closure of the church on weekday afternoons.

The number of visitors to St Wulfram’s continued to increase this year, after the pandemic lockdowns. Organised visits included groups from Harlaxton, Grantham Sankt Augustin twinning association, and Spalding U3A.

Inscriptions in our Visitors’ Book are overwhelmingly favourable. Visitors appreciate the fact that the church building is open, and that well behaved dogs are welcome, for example:

❖ Thank you for being open.
❖ Beautiful church. Thank you for keeping it open for us.
❖ A chance visit and what a find! Beautiful church and fascinating history. Thank you for allowing dogs in too.

They enjoy the history and architecture, for example:

❖ A wonderful piece of history. Enjoyed every moment.
❖ Lovely! I can feel the history … magical.
❖ How lovely to see the beautiful stained glass, old and new, on a lovely sunny day.
❖ No words adequate for me to describe how awestruck by the beauty and history of St Wulfram’s.

❖ Following Simon Jenkins – our retirement project. This church is absolutely stunning.

Visitors also appreciate the welcome offered by stewards and the hard work of those who keep the building in good order, for example:

❖ A great symbol of the faith. Well kept.
❖ Many thanks to all who serve here. Thank you, Dr Brian!
❖ How lovely … to receive such a warm welcome from the knowledgeable volunteers. Many thanks!
❖ Église magnifique – merci de la visite guidée improvisée.
❖ Thank you to everybody for caretaking such a treasure.

There is enjoyment when a visit coincides with organ teaching or practice, for example:

❖ Beautiful church. I was fortunate to visit when the organ was played.
❖ Beautiful when the sun shines through the stained glass and the organ music fills the church.

And visitors are glad to discover that the building is well used for events, for example:

❖ A lovely church. Very impressed that it’s used for so many events – well attended – and with a bar!

Visitors are also grateful for the peace and resources they find in our church, for example:

❖ Beautiful and peaceful space in which to pray.
❖ Me and my daughter came to visit. She needed today to reflect. She is in the process of finding faith and God and has took some prayer cards to support her. Thank you.
❖ This church is my favourite church. I used to sing in my school choir here. I came in today to have a quiet time of reflection.

For the Heritage Open Days, the church was open on the morning of Saturday 7 September and visitors were welcomed to enjoy refreshments and look round the building including the Trigge Library and the tower and ringing chamber. The weather was wet and windy, and we had far fewer visitors than in previous years; and we must ensure that, in 2025, we can be open for a full day. On Sunday 8 September, the former parish graveyard on Manthorpe Road was open and visitors there were then able to walk up to Grantham House and gardens where refreshments and cakes were served to a large number of visitors.

Near the west door of the church, we have a sales unit that displays postcards, guides, and souvenirs of the church, together with assorted greetings cards (including the popular Friends of St Wulfram’s Christmas cards).

Peregrines first nested at St Wulfram’s in 2007 with the last successful fledging in 2012. Surveillance cameras were installed in December 2020, funded by the Lincolnshire Bird Club. The peregrines are sighted around St Wulfram’s all year. During the spring of 2024 there was a great deal of activity around the nesting trays on the church tower walkway, with at least 9 different birds seen on the cameras during March and April. Unfortunately, with there being such competition for the nest site, and there not being an already well bonded pairing, we had another unsuccessful year and no eggs were laid. There is, however, hope for 2025. There has been a pair of peregrines around during the autumn and winter months. They have been seen displaying and scraping in the nesting tray.

Trigge Library

During the 2024 season from April to the end of September, the Library was open for visitors every Wednesday and Saturday morning. In addition, the Library was also open on the second Saturday of each month during the out-of-season period (JanuaryMarch and October-December).
Unfortunately, on the 7 September Heritage Open Day the opening of the Library was confined to the morning to allow for the rehearsal of a musical event in the evening, and due to inclement weather. This reduced the number of visitors (normally in excess of 100) to just 23.
However, the total of 707 visitors to the Library in 2024 represents an increase of 34% over the number for 2023, and the highest recorded since 2019. The number of visitors from the local area in 2024 increased by 74% over that recorded in 2023 (177 compared to 102); and there was an increased number from elsewhere in England (206 compared to 164). Substantial numbers of additional visitors came as groups, including those from Grantham College, Harlaxton College (University of Evansville), and the publishers Penguin Random House. The latter two consisted of visitors from the USA, which boosted the numbers from 45 in 2023 to 152 in 2024 (70%) and resulted in some generous donations to Library funds.
A new project that was initiated in 2022, involving the conservation and repair of the first volume of Conrad Gesner’s Historia Animalium , and the purchase of two replacement display cases to meet current standards, was duly completed thanks to the generosity of The Friends of St. Wulfram’s Church, ChurchCare, and the Aurelius Trust. The first display case was supplied, installed and in use for the 2023 visitor season. The second case was installed in January 2024 and the first conserved volume of the Historia Animalium was returned in time for the Trigge Library Symposium (see below) in June. Work on the second volume will continue in 2025.
On Saturday 24[th] June 2024 a successful symposium entitled ‘Carnival of the Animals’ was held in St Wulfram’s Church, focussing on Gessner’s Historia Animalium . Speakers included Dr Jessica Purdy and Professor Andrew Pettegree from the University of St Andrew’s; Ms Emma Milnes from the Zoological Society of London’s Library; our Conservator, Ms Bridget Warrington; and Drs Brian Stagg and John Manterfield.
The possibility of installing an audio-visual presentation of the Library in the south aisle of the church for the benefit of those visitors who are unable to access the room over the south porch is being examined. This could include a walkthrough video of the Library made by students from Grantham College.
As ever, thanks are due to Dr John Manterfield who kindly undertook the analysis of visitor statistics for 2024.

Learning opportunities

After a fallow year in 2023-24, the fourth joint deanery ‘To Love and Serve the Lord’ course began in September 2024 and will run until March 2025. The 16-session course is hosted this time by St John’s Church Spitalgate. Among the group of tutors from the Grantham and Loveden Deaneries, were six members of the St Wulfram’s ministry team. Three members of St Wulfram’s studied on the course.

The monthly Women’s Bible Reflection and Prayer Group (launched in 2023) continues to meet on the second Wednesday of the month at St John’s Spitalgate. The group provides space for women to come together to share and reflect through the Scriptures and prayer. All are welcome. We regularly have people attending from different churches, not just St Wulfram’s, and people for whom this is their church touch point. The start time has changed from 7.15 p.m. to 7.00 p.m. to allow extra discussion time. Towards the end of the year, there were suggestions that people might like the sessions to become longer or meet with more frequency. This is something that is likely to be actioned in 2025.

Lent groups and courses (advertised in our online and printed Lent, Holy Week, and Easter booklet) included: ‘Seeking the Saints’ (Wednesdays, 11.00 a.m. at St John’s Church, Manthorpe; ‘The Daily Prayer Rosary in Lent’, based on Fr Clay’s 2011 Canterbury Press book (Saturdays, 5.00 p.m., St Wulfram’s Church); ‘Love & Sacrifice’ (Thursdays, 7.00 p.m. at Grantham House); and ‘Come and Rest – a service of Wholeness’ (three Tuesdays at St Wulfram’s Church and a final Friday at St John’s Church, Manthorpe, all at 7.00 p.m.).

There was a weekend pilgrimage by coach to The Shrine of Our Lady at Walsingham (Friday 12 to Sunday 14 April), organised by Mthr Hannah Grivell. This was open to the congregation of St Wulfram’s and other deanery churches. At various points during this blessed and fulfilling weekend, in lovely weather, Mthr Hannah and Fr Clay brought the group together to talk more about what pilgrimage means. Afterwards, Mthr Hannah posted a short article and photographs on the church’s website.

There was an opportunity to join a Weekend Pilgrimage for Men, led by Fr Clay Roundtree and others, over Friday 31 May to Sunday 2 June at Holy Rood House in Thirsk. This was open to spiritual seekers and Christian disciples alike, those who were exploring faith or struggling to make sense of it all. Together the pilgrims explored the spirituality and value of creating a flexible and life-giving rule of life, drawing inspiration from Christians who have engaged in this over the centuries. The weekend included short talks, time for reflection and discussion, guided meditations, a communion service and time to relax.

We were encouraged to use the Church of England resources ‘Watch & Pray’ for Lent, and the ‘Novena: from Ascension to Pentecost’ (part of the global ecumenical prayer movement ‘Thy Kingdom Come’), both of which were distributed free in church.

For Advent, Fr Clay ran a course using a new book The Love that Moves the Sun published by Paul Dominiak, one of his former curates. Over four weeks beginning on Tuesday evening 26 November and ending on 17 December, we explored the classic Advent themes of Heaven, Hell, Judgement and Death.

Towards the end of the year, Fr Clay began to advertise a diocesan pilgrimage to Taizé (from 3 to 10 August 2025) aimed at young adults between the ages of 18 and 30. The pilgrimage, organised by Fr Clay and Mthr Kate, will be led by Bishop Nicholas. Information about the pilgrimage will be shared via some webcasts in the new year.

Ministry training

On 22 September we welcomed Tom Stockwell, an ordinand on a contextual training course: he is studying part-time at St Wulfram’s for two years, under the guidance of Fr Clay.

Members of the congregation continue to take a full part in the licensed ministry of the church and new volunteers are trained and introduced on a regular basis to share in leading worship and exercising pastoral ministry.

As mentioned above, three members of the St Wulfram’s congregation studied this year on the diocesan ‘To Love and Serve the Lord’ course run by the Grantham and Loveden Deaneries at St John’s Spitalgate. This course meets several needs: it is appropriate for those who simply wish to learn more about their faith; it provides a discernment process for those exploring a possible call to Authorised Lay Ministry and the initial module for ALM training; and it is also appropriate for existing ALMs who wish to do a refresher course. Following a period of discernment, students may apply for authorisation as a lay minister; if accepted, they study on an ALM Practice Module. The Practice Modules were revised this year by the Diocese of Lincoln; the new course material (accessed through the new diocesan Digital Learning Platform) is more comprehensive and includes mandatory safeguarding training. Modules are available in: Assisting in Public Worship, Mission & Evangelism, Pastoral Care, and Working with Children & Young People. The modules will be open also to existing ALMs who may wish to extend the scope of their ministry.

Major Churches Network

St Wulfram’s is a member of the Major Churches Network; and we are in regular contact with other large churches to benefit from information about good practice in areas of administration, fabric, mission, outreach, and how to best engage in service to the community.

Inclusive Church Network

St Wulfram’s continues as a member of the Inclusive Church Network endorsing the statement of belief:

We believe in inclusive Church - church which does not discriminate, on any level, on grounds of economic power, gender, mental health, physical ability, race or sexuality. We believe in Church which welcomes and serves all people in the name of Jesus Christ; which is scripturally faithful; which seeks to proclaim the Gospel afresh for each generation; and which, in the power of the Holy Spirit, allows all people to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Jesus Christ.

Ecumenical relationships

A Churches Together service took place on Thursday evening 18 January at All Saints Church, Barrowby, marking the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.

Sadly, after significant reductions in attendance at meetings and lack of volunteers coming forward to serve as officers on the committee, a decision to disband Churches Together in Grantham (CTiG) was taken at the Annual General Meeting on Wednesday 13 March at ChristChurch, Finkin Street.

Over 7 to 12 March, Mthr Kate Hough and Mel Fletcher (churchwarden) joined a party of local councillors and members of the Grantham Twinning Association on a visit to Sankt Augustin, the German town with which Grantham has been twinned for many years. During the trip, Mthr Kate and Mel spent time with schoolchildren and members of a church congregation.

Lincoln Diocesan Synod

St Wulfram’s is represented on Diocesan Synod by the Rector, Fr Clay Roundtree, and Paul Davie. Paul also serves on the Bishop’s Council of Diocesan Trustees as lay representative of the Archdeaconry of Boston; and from January 2025, he will serve as a representative of the House of Laity on the new Vacancy in See Committee. Fr Stuart continues to serve on General Synod, as a representative of the diocesan House of Clergy. Diocesan Synod meets on three occasions per year (April, July, November). After each Diocesan Synod meeting, the PCC receives a Digest of Proceedings, as published on the diocesan website, and from time-to-time PCC officers and clergy and lay ministers receive communications from the Diocese of Lincoln.

Time continued to be devoted, within the diocese and at Diocesan Synod, to the implementation of ‘A Time to Change – Together’ (TTCT). This is foundational to the diocesan vision for our shared future, which involves collaborative partnerships, relationships of generosity and growth. The nine Deanery Partnerships (DPs) are roughly mapped to the nine local authorities and follow existing deanery lines for the most part. The diocese is moving towards Deanery restructuring (from 22 to 9), in line with the new DP structure: following consultation, the Bishop’s Council of Diocesan Trustees will help the Bishop to discern the way forward. Pastoral orders are expected to be made in 2025.

Diocesan clergy gathered at ‘Yours and Mine’ at the Hayes Conference Centre in Swanwick, Derbyshire over 20-22 February to explore the shared responsibility for oversight, the opportunities for collaborative ministry and ways of building and belonging to mutually supportive local teams. The key purpose was for the attending clergy to understand and inhabit the new ways of expressing oversight that are radically different from traditional incumbency; and retain the inspirational leadership and accountability for the churches under their oversight, while collaborating with oversight colleagues in their LMPs and building effective teams among other ministers (including a new cohort of Focal Ministers who may share responsibility for ministry, leadership, worship and mission in specific churches).

In July, the Bishop commissioned Fr Clay Roundtree as the new Partnership Dean to oversee the South Kesteven Deanery Partnership (DP) comprising the deaneries of Beltisloe, Grantham, Loveden, and Stamford. He meets regularly with the Lay Co-Lead and the four rural deans, to develop short-term plans and formulate long-term strategy. With support from the diocese, Fr Clay and Howard Jones (Lay Co-Lead) are working to appoint a new part-time DP Children, Youth & Families Enabler (a part-time three-year post, to be funded by a grant from the diocesan Transformation Fund). Such posts are typically hosted by a Key Mission Church within a DP; and the St Wulfram’s PCC agreed in September to host this new post. One or more new DP Mission Enablers (ordained or lay) will also be identified.

The Bishops and the diocesan safeguarding team are committed to safeguarding and to creating a healthy safeguarding culture across the Diocese of Lincoln. It was announced that the INEQE Safeguarding Group (appointed in 2023 by the Archbishops’ Council to carry out the next round of independent external audits of Church of England dioceses and cathedrals), would make site visits in the Lincoln diocese in November 2024. The purpose of

these audits is to make sure that dioceses and cathedrals are doing all they can to create environments where everyone feels safe, valued and respected. In advance of the Lincoln visits, a series of surveys went live on the INEQE website in July. The link to the survey was circulated widely; and the Bishop strongly encouraged all role-holders to participate.

Grantham Deanery

Through its elected and ex officio representatives, St Wulfram’s continues to take a leading part in shaping and implementing deanery policy. Our four elected lay representatives on Deanery Synod are Paul Davie, Cherry Edwards, Chris Impey, and John Manterfield (the latter being elected to fill a vacancy at the APCM 2024).

Our Rector, Fr Stuart Cradduck served for five years as Rural Dean until midNovember. The term of office of Judith Muskett as part-time Deanery Administrator came to an end at the same time. The Rural Dean is now Revd Samantha Parsons (Vicar of the Benefice of Harrowby with Londonthorpe).

All deanery PCCs are provided with regular written reports on Synod business; and a summary of Deanery Synod business is provided for Annual Parochial Church Meetings.

A pastoral reorganisation is in progress in the deanery in line with the agreed Deanery Plan. The schemes, which have been with the Church Commissioners for consultation for a considerable period, are set out below. We hope finally to hear the outcome in 2025.

To establish what is termed the West Grantham Group of Villages, comprising the united benefice of All Saints, Barrowby and St Sebastian’s, Great Gonerby and the Harlaxton Group of Parishes (Denton, Harlaxton, Stroxton, Woolsthorpe by Belvoir, and Wyville with Hungerton).
To dissolve the Trinity Parish, South Grantham and create two separate parishes, styled St John’s Spitalgate with Earlesfield (where there ceased to be a place of worship several years ago) and St Anne’s New Somerby (into which St George’s Church Stamford planted in August 2023 as part of the Strategic Development Programme).
To hold in plurality the benefices of St John’s Manthorpe, St Wulfram’s Grantham, and the proposed new Parish of St John’s Spitalgate with Earlesfield, thus forming a central grouping within Grantham Deanery, consistent with the Deanery Plan.

Deanery Synod usually invites a local or diocesan speaker to talk on a chosen subject at each meeting. For different reasons, planned talks for March and July could not go ahead. In October, Synod heard a talk by the Revd Sonia Barron (Diocesan Director of Ordinands and Vocations) and the Revd John Birkett (Parish of St Peter and St Paul, Caistor) about vocations and the Caleb Stream (a shorter training pathway leading to ordination for mature lay leaders, through which John trained). ALMs and others who might be exploring, or interested in exploring, a vocation were invited to attend.

A support group for those who work with children and young people in deanery churches, meets termly under the leadership of the Revd Sam Parsons to share ideas and resources. Any churches that wish to engage in children’s work but are unsure where to start are encouraged to attend meetings. The group has recently been widened to include representatives from the Loveden Deanery. Deanery parishes are also supported with a monthly newsletter forwarded by the diocesan Children & Youth Mission Enabler.

Gatherings of churchwardens from the Deaneries of Grantham and Loveden took place at Grantham House on 14 May and 12 November. These were an opportunity for wardens to

meet and chat with others in the same role, to share ideas and concerns, and to support each other. On 12 November, Fr Clay Roundtree, Partnership Dean for South Kesteven, talked about the Deanery Partnership and his role.

A Deanery Evensong was held at St John’s Church Spitalgate on Sunday 5 March; and again on Sunday 5 May, when the Bishop of Grantham preached. As usual, we joined fellow Christians from around the deanery for a Deanery Ascension Day service at the Church of the Ascension, Edinburgh Road, Grantham at 6.30 p.m. on Thursday 9 May. The service was followed by a buffet in the church hall. St Wulfram’s Church was the venue for a Deanery Ceilidh on the evening of Saturday 11 May, when the Falling Apple Ceilidh Band performed. The proceeds from ticket sales were donated to the Grantham Foodbank.

Communication

The Parish website[1] is a prime contact point for people wishing to know more about the parish church, its people, and activities. Regular postings of information by the Parish Administrator keep it up to date. The home page offers the opportunity to sign up to our mailing list. Contacts and requests continue to increase in number. We make full use of social media (Facebook, Instagram) to involve members of our church community and of the wider community in the life of the church; social media is especially valuable in attracting visitors and audience members to our special events and engaging them in online conversations at those times. The Church of England ‘A Church Near You’ website[2] directs those who view, to our own website and social media. Details of services and events along with the Community News are also posted to ‘A Church Near You’.

The ChurchDesk software is used daily in the Parish Office and enables us to send out fortnightly newsletters and information on forthcoming services and events. Our website and calendar information are also powered by ChurchDesk. Via ChurchDesk we can produce forms and donation projects where we can take bookings and payments for events and collections. By the end of 2024, we had accumulated 4,911 contacts, more than three times the number recorded pre-Covid (i.e., in 2019). This total includes members of the community of St John the Evangelist, Manthorpe, our sister church. ChurchDesk (based in Denmark) offers online and email support. The software package is a great asset to how we work and our outreach to our parish and wider community.

In the spring, Brian Buttery stepped down from the editorship of the full-colour monthly Magazine , after 12½ years’ dedicated service. His first edition was for October 2011 and, 150 editions later, March 2024 was his final offering. In his farewell article, Brian remarked that he had been helped by a great number of members of the St Wulfram’s family, with articles from clergy, readers, choir, bellringers and servers to name but a few, and supportive churchwardens. Over the years, the Magazine explored the delights of more than 50 churches within the diocese. We thank Brian for all his hard work and dedication in this role.

The Sunday Community sheet updates the congregation, with news of services and activities. It is shared with a weekly Friday email from the Parish Office. Printed copies are available in church on Sundays. When we were unable to find a successor to Brian Buttery as magazine editor, we decided instead to revamp the Community news. From Sunday 14 April, we produced a fortnightly publication, including reviews of events and photographs, as well as announcing forthcoming services and events. Comments and suggestions were invited, and feedback was positive.

1 https://www.stwulframs.org.uk

2 https://www.achurchnearyou.com/church/14634/

We issue a quarterly colour ‘What’s on’ guide, listing services, regular groups and events. A special edition was produced in early September for distribution at Heritage Open Days and at the National Trust’s Community Festival at the Belton Estate (14-15 September), where the Mission & Social Responsibility Sub-group took the lead in running a stand to publicise the church’s work and forthcoming events.

We have good relations with the Grantham Journal and articles about our community life and outreach activities are included in the newspaper on a regular basis. We no longer pay to advertise regular services in the Journal , relying instead on our website, the Community News , social media, and word-of-mouth etc. We also have good relations with the monthly Grantham Link magazine, distributed free to around 10,000 homes in the locality, but estimated to reach 32,000 readers. We are grateful for the free advertising the Link provides for church events.

Notice boards outside the church are well used. Our two chalk A-boards display daily information outside the west door and welcome visitors.

The churchwardens encourage members of the congregation to contact them by email or telephone with any comments or questions. The ‘churchwardens@stwulframs.com’ email address is advertised through the weekly Community News .

Special Events (including those for fund raising)

Over recent years, we have enhanced our engagement with people in the town. We strongly believe that the sacred space of St Wulfram’s is common ground for all – a place where we can challenge each other, celebrate all that is good in our community, and a place we can call home where we can gather as a community – and God is amid this, in the everyday. Community use of the building is essential to our sustainability and recaptures the medieval use of the space in ways that celebrate the joy of day-to-day life. Our challenging events (Christmas Tree Festivals, Flower Festivals, Beer Festivals, etc.) underpin our ‘sacred space, common ground’ strategy. Each event attracts significant numbers and at the same time raises useful funds for the church.

With its flexible space and seating, the church is a well-used venue in normal times for large and smaller events and concerts, attracting regular bookings from local groups and schools, and county organisations. The local U3A holds monthly coffee mornings and a Christmas Party in St Wulfram’s Church; a Tai-Chi group meets weekly in the church; and this year the local homecare provider ‘Right at Home’ started to run a free monthly Chair Yoga Group, which regularly attracts more than 20 people.

The St Wulfram’s community began a year of social events with our popular annual Quiz Night including fish and chip supper in the church on Saturday 3 February. Teams of up to 8 people gathered for a fun-filled evening with rounds of questions set by the clergy. An equally popular Beetle Drive with pizza supper and live music (including Beatles songs) was held on Saturday evening, 15 June. An enjoyable Harvest Supper, with quiz, took place on Saturday evening, 5 October; this was a joint venture with St John’s Church, Spitalgate, where the supper was held. A Parish Brunch was held in church after the 9.30 a.m. service on Sunday 17 November to enable members of the congregation to socialise and get to know each other better; along with the food on offer, there was a raffle with some mystery prizes.

The following events also took place during the year:

In March, Fr Stuart led a short service at the opening of Grantham’s Mid-Lent Fair.
After successes in 2023, we hosted Artisan Brocante Fairs on three occasions this year. The organisers have built up a selection of extremely talented artisan stallholders and professional vintage dealers who select beautiful and interesting items to sell on their stalls.
A Spring fair was held in church on Saturday 13 April (10.00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m.).
o A summer fair took place on Saturday 13 July in the grounds of Grantham House, attracting about 400 people. As well as a tea-room in the House run organised by Di Hale and staffed by volunteers, the event was attended by Café Allez, Ellmoo Ice Creams and Chapel House Pizza. Fr Clay ran a popular Pimms bar.
The Christmas Fair took place on Saturday 2 November in church (10.00 a.m. to 3.00 p.m.), when the Coffee Shop was open selling mince pies, mulled wine and a selection of homemade cakes.
Unfortunately, too few tickets were sold in advance for a Lincs Fashions fashion show on Thursday evening 9 May and this was cancelled.
We hosted ‘GRAB’, Grantham’s own swing band, on Saturday evening, 25 May. With a cabaret-style layout, there was ample space in the church for dancing.
As a public service, to support the democratic process, and as a contribution to the common good, St Wulfram’s organised and hosted a hustings for parliamentary candidates on Monday 24 June at 7.30 p.m. This was a free event. All candidates standing to be the new Grantham and Bourne Member of Parliament were invited to attend, giving an opening statement, answering some pre-submitted questions, fielding fresh questions from the floor and giving a closing statement. Five of the eight candidates were present. Nearly 150 people attended. In an article in the Grantham Journal , Fr Stuart (host of the event) said: ‘Tonight was a great success with more attendees than last time. Everyone behaved well and it was good for people to ask questions with honest answers from candidates in a neutral space.’
At ‘Three Free Fridays’ in the courtyard at Grantham House from 7.30 p.m. (21 June, 5 July, 19 July), we embraced some of the French ‘je ne sais quoi’ with live music, a bar, and a picnic. Up to 500 people attended over the three evenings, with the highest attendance on the third evening when the sun shone.
On Tuesday 2 July, St Wulfram’s was one of the UK venues to host ‘Create Day’: a free day of singing, dancing and design celebrating the UN Rights of the Child, run by the Royal Opera House in collaboration with UNICEF. Inspire+ helped to lead the fabulous day for hundreds of local schoolchildren.
MJH Productions announced that they would stage The Wizard of Oz in St Wulfram’s Church over 8 to 12 April 2025. The production launch event was held in St Wulfram’s Church on Tuesday 25 June, when key information was shared about auditions and rehearsals. In an article in the Grantham Journal , Director Matthew Hewitt remarked that it is a challenge to put on a show at St Wulfram’s, but that the church is incredibly supportive.
Folksy Theatre performed ‘As you Like It’ in the church on Friday evening, 30 August. The show was thoroughly enjoyed by adults and children alike.

The Beer Festival ‘Land of Hops and Glory’ (run jointly with the Grantham branch of CAMRA) opened on Thursday 26 September and ran until Saturday 28 September, with the bars open from 12.00 noon to 11.00 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, and from 12.00 noon to 10.00 p.m. on Saturday. Real ales, ciders, perries, mead and Fr Clay’s cocktail bar were on offer. The alcohol-free ‘sober bar’ was well received. Live evening entertainment was offered on Folksy Thursday, Friday and Saturday. More than 2,000 people visited from the town and from far and wide for the community event, which is now a permanent feature in the Grantham calendar. We extend thanks to all who helped to make the festival such a wonderful and safe event. It is a great opportunity to share the church with people who wouldn’t normally visit, and to raise much needed funds.
We arranged a five-mile Parish Walk on the August Bank Holiday Monday (26 August) from the village of Orston, along field boundaries to the village of Aslockton (birthplace of Thomas Cranmer) and back via fields near the River Smite, with lunch afterwards at the Durham Ox in Orston. We are grateful to Di and Doug Hale for organising the parish walks.
The ‘Home Grown and Blooming Local’ festival took place in the church from Friday 4 to Sunday 6 October, championing produce and flowers grown at home or in the local area.
As part of the town’s celebrations for Lincolnshire Day (Tuesday 1 October), Dr John Manterfield gave two talks in the church about ‘the magnificent seven’ monuments commemorating individuals with connections to Grantham and Lincolnshire
A pop-up disco party, produced by the company ‘Discos for Grown Ups’, took place in the church on Friday evening 7 June and on Saturday evening 16 November. Staging these events (with a bar provided by our own Licence Committee) is hard work; but they are enjoyed by those who attend and are good fundraisers for the church. Two further events are booked for 2025, when we shall pay for some additional helpers rather than simply relying on the goodwill of our regular volunteers.
The Christmas Tree Festival with skating rink ran from Wednesday 27 November to Advent Sunday, 1 December. Wednesday’s opening ceremony began with a torchlit procession from the Market Place at 6.00 p.m. and the formal switching on of the lights in the church followed. The festival opened from 10.00 a.m. to 8.00 p.m. on the Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, and from 12 noon to 4.00 p.m. on Advent Sunday (last entry 3.30 p.m.). This was the biggest festival ever. Like in 2023, a record number of trees (185) was entered. As a celebration of the wonderful work and talents in the town, the Christmas Tree Festival is the best annual event that we hold at St Wulfram’s.

Refreshments were served daily by a large band of volunteers organised by Di Hale, who calculated that we sold more than 20 dozen mince pies, 16 stollen, 154 sausage rolls, 78 pork pies, 48 portions of quiche, 60 filled rolls, and used 45 bottles of mulled wine, 44 pints of milk and made over 300 cups of hot chocolate!

When our own 23ft exhibition Christmas tree, positioned at the west end of the church, toppled over after a gust of wind blew through the church, Fr Stuart appealed through social media and on BBC News for help to get it upright again. He was grateful to those who responded and brought specialist equipment on Thursday evening 5 December to raise the stricken tree.

As usual, a large Prayer Tree was set up beneath the Lady Chapel steps, to remain in position until Candlemas. As in previous years, hundreds of prayers were hung during the festival.

Following successes in 2022 and 2023, two Christmas wreath-making workshops were held at Grantham House for members of the public, on Saturday 7 December (10.00 a.m. to 12.00 noon, and 2.00 p.m. to 4.00 p.m.). Materials were provided, and participants brought their own decorations to personalise their wreath. Coffee, mince pies and mulled wine were served. A total of 40 tickets were available, and most were sold. We express grateful thanks to Lynn Ferguson, the tutor on these occasions, and to Val York who supported Lynn.
On Thursday evening, 1 February, there was a long overdue opportunity for the clergy and staff team to show our deep appreciation to all the volunteers (numbering more than 120) who enrich our community life in so many ways. At this special ‘Volunteers Thank You evening’, we celebrated and gave thanks for all the time and talents our volunteers bring to enable St Wulfram’s to flourish. A delicious array of food was on the supper menu, prepared and served by our clergy. Many of those present were astonished at the numbers representing so many aspects of our church life.
With funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Heritage Lincolnshire were commissioned to conduct two community audits for St Wulfram’s to gain an insight into what events are viewed as valuable, to generate ideas about new events that would be beneficial for the community, and to gain an understanding of the personal benefits of volunteering at St Wulfram’s. The first of the two audits ran during our Christmas Tree Festival, when visitors were invited to write tags to hang on a special tree; two staff members from Heritage Lincolnshire attended for 8 hours on Thursday 28 November to interact with attendees. The second audit will be conducted early in the new year. We hope to use data gathered in the audits to evidence need in future grant applications.

FINANCIAL REVIEW

Summary

The General Fund budget was set at a deficit of £30,479 for 2024, with an actual outturn for 2024 was a net deficit of £13,957 before gains on sale of investment property, a significant improvement on budget. However, it needs to be noted that with a General Fund deficit balance of £17,184 at the start of 2024, this means that the General Fund would have been in deficit by £31,141 at 31 December 2024 before investment gains & transfers but after these the increase in deficit was limited and the final year end deficit was £19,111.

Taking into account all designated and restricted funds, the overall balance sheet commenced the year at £474,341 and stood at £361,239 at 31 December 2024, a decrease of £113,102 in the year.

Commentary

Heating and lighting costs remain a significant burden. The amounts attributed to Grantham House (designated funds) and the church (General Fund and restricted funds (Fabric)) can clearly be seen in Note 3a, where half of the gas bill has been covered by the Fabric Fund. Fabric Fund has continued to cover half of the cost of insurance of the church building, in line with previous years’ practice.

St Wulframs Church encourages giving to support not only the church, but also the wider community, and will continue to make local, nation and international donations via the Mission & Social Responsibility Sub-Group for as long as it is financially able to do so. The Mission & Social Responsibility Sub-Group donations for 2024 are outlined in the section beginning on p. 10 of the Annual Report. In addition, donations for, and expenses incurred by, St Wulfram’s Passage, which provides meals for the homeless and others in need, were also managed by the Mission & Social Responsibility Sub-Group. Details of collections for other charities can be seen in Note 13.

Income for the church continues to depend heavily on Planned Giving, with income of £61,319 to compare to £62,506 in 2023. This has remained static, but is less than the budget of £66,000 for the year. It is planned to hold a Stewardship campaign during Lent 2025, with the intent to significantly reduce the General Fund deficit.

Fundraising income totalled £99,092 in 2024, a significant increase on the budgeted performance. This is a welcome boost to the church’s finances, but shows that limited reliance can be placed on fundraising events to achieve a surplus.

Having previously decided to remain at Grantham House it became increasingly clear during the year that the income generation potential of the property could not sustain the costs involved with the current lease from the National Trust. At the same time the National Trust decided it wished to reopen the property to the public in 2025 and the church is therefore in the process of entering into a new arrangement for exclusive use of part of the building at a significantly reduced fixed cost and use of other areas when not open to the public. It is also envisaged that the church and National Trust will work in partnership to open the property for fund raising events to benefit both organisations in coming years. In anticipation of this change the gain on the sale of the Investment Property has been largely utilised to cancel out the accumulated Designated Fund deficit on the Grantham House operation of £57,461. The rental cost of office space at Grantham House will in future be treated as a General Fund cost.

Total incoming resources to General Fund amounted to £186,474 (2023: £183,952), and total resources expended amounted to £202,446 (2023: £210,274), resulting in a deficit for the year before transfers of £15,972 (2023: £26,322 deficit). Following the gain on the sale of the investment property & transfer from restricted grant funding have been made, and General Fund is now in deficit by £19,111.

The sale of the investment property, which has reapportioned the designated fund for the revaluation of the investment property, halted the General Fund decline during 2024 & significant budget tightening in 2025 will allow PCC to develop fuller plans to rebalance income and expenditure to a level that will restore General Fund to St Wulframs policy, in line with Charity Commission guidance, of being in surplus with 3 months of predicted expenditure.

The balance sheet position had decreased by £113,102 as at 31 December 2024. A major contributor to this decrease in the balance sheet was the sale of the Investment Property valued at £142,500. There was an unrealised loss in the overall value of financial investment assets of £1,513 (2023: £13,873 gains). No investment securities were sold during the year. Overall, our financial investment portfolio made a capital loss of 0.75% (i.e. excluding income received) in 2023 (2023: 8.7% gain), and the overall value decreased by 0.5% to £200,004 (2023: 16.0% decrease to £201,516). Cash on deposit and with the bank increased by £25,565 (2023: £99,241 increase during the year).

STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE & MANAGEMENT

The Parochial Church Council (PCC)

The method of appointment of PCC members is set out in the Church Representation Rules 2020 (as amended). At St Wulfram’s the membership of the PCC consists of the Incumbent, Associate Rector, Assistant Curates, retired clergy with permission to officiate, a Reader, lay Deanery Synod representatives, churchwardens, and lay members elected by those who are on the electoral roll of the church. The numbers of elected lay representatives serving on the PCC and annual co-options are governed by the number on the Electoral Roll.

The PCC members are responsible for making decisions on all matters of general concern and importance to the parish, including decisions on how PCC funds will be spent.

The full PCC conducted business on eight occasions during the year. The Church Representation Rules 2020 (M29) allow for business to be conducted by correspondence; and the PCC conducted business in this manner on six occasions in 2024. The average level of attendance for the eight in-person meetings in 2024 was 78% (as compared with an average of 77% in 2022).

Annual Parochial Church Meeting (APCM)

The APCM was conducted in the church on Sunday 12 May.

Electoral Roll

The Electoral Roll is the basic list in every parish of all those entitled to vote in Church of England elections. Those entitled to have their names on this roll must be 16 years of age or more and reside in the parish or be regular worshippers in the church whose Roll they wish to join. The Roll is renewed every six years (the next time will be 2025). Joining the Roll opens the way for greater involvement in the life of our church, at deanery, diocesan and national levels, as well as being entitled to vote at the Annual Parochial Church Meeting.

Regular invitations to join the Electoral Roll are included in the weekly Community News . At least six months before our annual meeting, we encourage members of our community to register on the Roll, so they can play a full part in our governance and are eligible to stand for election to the PCC, as a churchwarden, or to Deanery Synod.

At the APCM 2024, it was announced that the number on the Electoral Roll was 225.

PCC Standing Committee

The rules governing the PCC Standing Committee changed with the introduction of the revised Church Representation Rules 2020. Although the Standing Committee has power to transact the PCC’s business between meetings, it may not discharge a duty of the PCC, nor exercise a power of the PCC which is subject to the passing of a resolution by the PCC. The committee comprises the Rector, Associate Rector, and Churchwardens ( ex officio ) and two further members (elected by the PCC). John Manterfield and Paul Davie served on the committee throughout 2024. The Treasurer and PCC Secretary are attendees. Written reports from the committee are submitted to the PCC at the subsequent meeting.

The Standing Committee met seven times this year. Its business concerned the future of Grantham House. The committee is grateful to Gareth Dawkins, MRICS, for his research and professional advice on several occasions.

PCC Sub-groups (committees)

Given its wide responsibilities, the PCC has several sub-groups (Children & Youth, Creation Care, Fabric, Finance, Licence Management [to meet obligations under the Premises Licence granted from 2018], Mission & Social Responsibility, and Social), each dealing with a particular aspect of parish life. Roles and responsibilities are set out in the Terms of Reference adopted first in 2020.

PCC members are expected to sit on at least one sub-group. Members of the congregation are also invited to join sub-groups. Each sub-group includes at least one member of the clergy team and either one or both Churchwardens. Currently, all clergy serve on all subgroups. Minutes or written reports of sub-group deliberations are received by the full PCC and discussed as necessary.

We are immensely grateful to those who chair our sub-groups for the time they devote to their role and for the dedication and knowledge that they bring to our governance. The chairs in 2024 were: Laura Cradduck (Children & Youth); Frances Roundtree (Creation Care); John Manterfield (Fabric); Paul Davie (Finance; Licence Management until 12 May); Mel Fletcher (Licence Management from 12 May); Mike Knight (Mission & Social Responsibility until 12 May); Cherry Edwards (Social). A new chair of Mission & Social Responsibility remains to be appointed.

At the November PCC meeting, the Rector signalled his intention to propose that a new Safeguarding Sub-group be established in 2025 to support the Parish Safeguarding Officer and the Assistant Parish Safeguarding Officer in their work. New terms of reference will be drafted for approval by the PCC; and the sub-group members will be appointed after the 2025 APCM.

‘All Aboard’, Saturday 16 March 2024

From time to time, the Rector may gather Sub-group Chairs and Heads of Department (Director of Music, Head Server, Verger, Parish Administrator, PCC Officers) to discuss strategy concerning St Wulfram’s mission. Such a ‘Greater Team Day’ was held at Harlaxton Manor on 16 March under the title ‘All Aboard’. Over 20 people attended this away day (the first since February 2020). Working in groups, the team considered transitions from the welcome at the door; and looked at what we do well and not so well.

PCC Officers: Churchwardens, Treasurer, and Secretary

Grateful thanks are expressed to Michael Knight and Mel Fletcher who serve as churchwardens. Mike has indicated his wish to stand down at the APCM 2025, after three years’ service. Succession planning is underway.

The Bishop invites all churchwardens to attend the annual Visitation Service at which they are legally admitted to office. This year, the service was held at Lincoln Cathedral (Thursday 13 June).

Jide Oduyoye, who was appointed Treasurer by the PCC after the APCM 2023, stood down on 31 December of the same year. After a hiatus of several months, Rachel (Ray) Davie, a former PCC Treasurer, stepped in as Interim Treasurer. We are immensely grateful to Ray for the expertise she has brought to the role, especially to prepare the 2023 financial statements, which were finally signed off by the Independent Examiner in October, in time to meet the deadline for submission to the Charity Commission. We are grateful also to Anna James, a PCC member, for her service as Assistant Treasurer to support the Treasurer with day-to-day book-keeping.

We also thank our Secretary (Judith Muskett) for the time she devotes to this role and for the knowledge she brings to the governance of St Wulfram’s Church.

Governance Review, August to November 2024

With funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and support from Heritage Lincolnshire, St Wulfram’s commissioned Almond Tree Strategic Consulting Limited to conduct a light-touch review of its governance in 2024. The aim of the review (carried out between August and November 2024) was to ensure that the church’s governance is fit for purpose, given the scale and scope of its charitable activities and in the context of the emerging partnership with NT. The approach included:

Review of documentation, including policy, procedure and training documentation; committee terms of reference; agenda papers and minutes of PCC and committee meetings; budget and financial reporting documentation, and annual reports.
A skills audit of PCC members conducted by online survey.
One-to-one video conference interviews with the Rector, Associate Rector, churchwardens, and Chair of Finance.
A group discussion with four other PCC members (following an open invitation to all 18 members not included in the one-to-one interviews).
Ad hoc liaison with PCC Secretary as required.
Preparation of a draft report, which was discussed with the PCC Standing Committee at an online meeting (14 November 2024).
Finalisation of the report, including findings and recommendations for improvement, prior to inclusion in the papers for the 21 November PCC meeting.

The PCC gave initial consideration to the review report at its meeting on 21 November 2024 and will give further consideration to the report in January 2025 when it will set up an ad hoc task group to move forward on the recommendations.

ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

St Wulfram’s Church is situated in Grantham, Lincolnshire and is part of the Diocese of Lincoln within the Church of England. The address for correspondence is: The Rectory, Church Street, Grantham, Lincolnshire, NG31 6RR.
The Parochial Church Council (PCC) is a charity registered with the Charity Commission, charity registration number 1131575, as “The Parochial Church Council of the Ecclesiastical Parish of St Wulfram, Grantham”.
The PCC Treasurer is Rachel (Ray) Davie. The PCC Secretary is Judith Muskett (who currently undertakes this role on a voluntary basis alongside the salaried post of Mission Facilitator). Neither the Treasurer nor the Secretary is an elected member of the PCC.

e ¢ PCC PCC members members who who served served at at any any time time from from 1 January 1 January 2024 2024 until until the the date date this this report report was was approved approved are are set set out out below. below. Four Four vacancies vacancies for elected for elected members members were were unfilled unfilled at at the the APCM APCM on on 12 12 May May 2024. 2024. Name Name Post Post Date Date if if part part year year Ex Ex officio officio members members Father Father Stuart Stuart Cradduck Cradduck Incumbent, Incumbent, PCC PCC Chair, Chair, Rural Rural Dean Dean (until (until 12.11.24), 12.11 .24), Diocesan Diocesan Synod, Synod, General General Synod Synod Father Clay Father Clay Roundtree Roundtree Associate Associate Rector, Rector, Diocesan Diocesan Synod Synod MotherMother MotherMother Hannah Geraldine GeraldineHannah Grivell Grivell Pond Pond AssistantBishop’s Bishop’sAssistant Permission Curate PermissionCurate to to Officiate Officiate (until (until 20.7.24) t0.7.24) Mother Mother Kate Kate Hough Hough Assistant Assistant Curate Curate KatyFather FatherKaty Castafieda Castafieda Yuce Yuce Kabakci Kabakci AssistantReader AssistantReader Curate Curate (until (until 11.5.24) 11.5.24) Melanie Melanie Fletcher Fletcher Warden Warden and and (from (from 12.5.24) 12.5.24) Vice Vice Chair Chair Mike Mike Knight Knight Warden Warden Paul Paul Davie Davie Deanery Deanery Synod, Synod, Diocesan Diocesan Synod Synod Cherry Cherry Edwards Edwards Deanery Deanery Synod Synod Chris Chris Impey Impey Deanery Deanery Synod Synod Elected Elected members members JanHelen JanHelen Dawkins Burrows Burrows Dawkins (from (from 12.5.24) 12.5.24) TomAnna TomAnna Fletcher James FletcherJames (from(from (from(from 12.5.24)12.5.24) 12.5.24)12.5.24) Philip Philip Joyce Joyce JobnSheila JohnSheila Manterfield Manterfield Knight Knight Deanery Deanery Synod Synod (from (from 12.5.24) 12.5.24) (until (until 12.5.24) 12.5.24) Ese Ese Oduyoye Oduyoye (from (from 12.5.24) 12.5.24) Lucille Lucille Pritchard Pritchard JaneLucy LucyJaneDavidEileen DavidEileen Sharp Scott ScottSharp Wst West WstWest (from (from (until(until (until(until 12.5.24)12.5.24)12.5.24) 12.5.24)12.5.24)12.5.24) Val Val York York (from (from 42.5.24)) 12.5.24)) Co-opted Co-opted members members Mark Mark Bates Bates (from (from 12.5.24) 12.5.24) AnnaJames JamesAnna James James Osborn Osborn (until (until (from (from 12.5.94) 12.5.24) 11.7.24) 11.7.24) Bankers Bankers The The Co-operative Co-operative Bank, Bank, 1 1 Balloon Balloon Street, Street, Manchester Manchester M4 M4 4BE. 4BE. Investment Investment Managers Managers CCLA Investment CCLA Investment Management Management Limited, Limited, 84 84 Queen Queen Victoria Victoria Street, Street, London. London. Insurers Insurers Ecclesiastical Ecclesiastical Insurance Insurance Group, Group, Gloucester. Gloucester. Independent Independent Examiners Examiners Streets Streets LLP, LLP, Windsor Windsor House, House, A1 A1 Business Business Park, Park, Long Long Benningion. Bennington.

Approved Approved by by the the PCC PCC on on and and signed signed on on their their behalf, behalf, Pather Father Stuart Stuart Craddueck Cradduck 6 6 April 2o25 April 2625

45 45

PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST WULFRAM, GRANTHAM

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES

For the year ending 31st December 2024

Note INCOMING RESOURCES Voluntary income 2(a) Activities for generating funds 2(b) Income from investments 2(c) Church activities 2(d) TOTAL INCOMING RESOURCES RESOURCES EXPENDED Church activities 3(a) Fund-raising costs 3(b) Investment management costs 3(c) Governance costs 3(d) TOTAL RESOURCES EXPENDED NET INCOMING RESOURCES/(OUTGOING) RESOURCES BEFORE TRANSFERS Transfers between funds 11 NET INCOMING RESOURCES/(OUTGOING RESOURCES) BEFORE OTHER RECOGNISED GAINS & LOSSES Gains/(losses) on investment assets: 6(b) on sale on revaluation NET MOVEMENT IN FUNDS BALANCES BROUGHT FORWARD 1st JANUARY BALANCES CARRIED FORWARD 31st DECEMBER	General Designated £ 84,751 13,481 85,359 907 57 90 16,307 - 186,474 14,478 165,511 54,627 35,015 - - - 1,920 - 202,446 54,627 (15,972) (40,149) 2,015 (1,843) (13,957) (41,992) 12,030 (16,271) - 79 (1,927) (58,184) (17,184) 69,404 (19,111) 11,220 Unrestricted Funds	Restricted Funds £ 106,003 12,826 6,646 12,457 137,932 188,073 1,086 - - 189,159 (51,227) (172) (51,399) 4,339 (47,060) 349,325 302,265	Endowment Funds £ - - - - - - - - - - - - - (5,931) (5,931) 72,796 66,865	2024 2023 £ £ 204,235 364,792 99,092 96,282 6,793 10,750 28,764 21,140 338,884 492,964 408,211 423,392 36,101 31,572 - 1,481 1,920 1,800 446,232 458,245 (107,348) 34,719 - - (107,348) 34,719 (4,241) - (1,513) 14,519 (113,102) 49,238 474,341 425,103 361,239 474,341 TOTAL FUNDS	2024 2023 £ £ 204,235 364,792 99,092 96,282 6,793 10,750 28,764 21,140 338,884 492,964 408,211 423,392 36,101 31,572 - 1,481 1,920 1,800 446,232 458,245 (107,348) 34,719 - - (107,348) 34,719 (4,241) - (1,513) 14,519 (113,102) 49,238 474,341 425,103 361,239 474,341 TOTAL FUNDS
					2023 £ 364,792 96,282 10,750 21,140
					492,964
					423,392 31,572 1,481 1,800
					458,245
					34,719 - 34,719 - 14,519
					49,238 425,103
					474,341

The notes on pages 49 to 56 form part of these accounts

PAROCHIAL PAROCHIAL CHURCH CHURCH COUNCIL COUNCIL OF OF ST ST WULFRAM, WULFRAM, GRANTHAM GRANTHAM

BALANCE BALANCE SHEET SHEET As As at at 3ist 3ist December December 2024 2024

		2024 2024	2023 2023
	Notes Notes	£	£
FIXED ASSETS FIXEDASSETS
Tangible assets Investments Tangible assets Investments	6(a) 6(b) 6(a) 6(b)	684 200,004 684 200,004	2,295 344,018 2,295 344,018
		200,688 200,688	346,313 346,313
CURRENT ASSETS CURRENTASSETS
Debtors Short term deposits &cash at bank and in hand Debtors Shorttermdeposits&cash atbank andinhand	7 8	42,401 149,406 42,401 149,406	53.475 112,767 53,475 112,767
		191,807 191,807	166,242 166,242
LIABILITIES LIABILITIES
Creditors - amounts falling due in one year Creditors -amounts fallingdueinoneyear	9	31,256 31,256	38,214 38,214
NET CURRENT ASSETS NETCURRENTASSETS		160,551 160,551	128,028 128,028
TOTAL NET ASSETS TOTALNETASSETS		361,239 361,239	474,341 474,341
PARISH FUNDS PARISHFUNDS
Unrestricted Unrestricted
General Fund Designated Funds GeneralFund DesignatedFunds	10 10	(19,111) 11,220 (7,891) (19,111) 11,220 (7,891)	(17,184) 69,404 52,220 (17,184) 69,404 52,220
Restricted Endowment Restricted Endowment	10 10 10 10	302,265 66,865 302,265 66,865	349,325 72,796 349,325 72,796
		361,239 361,239	474,341 474,341

Approved Approved by by the the Parochial Parochial Church Church Council Council on on 6 6 April April 2025 2025 and and signed Signed on on its its behalf behalf by by

Father Stuart Cradduck Father Stuart Cradduck

(PCc Chairman) (PCC Chatrman)

The notes The notes on pages on pages 49 to 49 to 56 form 56 form part part of of tnese tnese accounts accounts

438 48

PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST WULFRAM, GRANTHAM

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

As at 31st December 2024

2 INCOMING RESOURCES 2(a) Voluntary Income Planned giving: Gift Aid donations Tax recoverable Other Collections (open plate) Grants Other donations and appeals Choir Trips Donations box Other donations, appeals, etc. Tax recoverable Legacy income 2(b) Activities for generating funds Coffee shop Hire of church /Grantham House Sales Unit Lottery Events Bar Beer Festival Christmas Tree Festival Choir Trips Other fund-raising 2(c) Income from investments Rent from land & buildings Dividends and interest 2(d) Income from church activities Parish Magazine Pilgrimage trip Choir Trips Other income from church activities Fees paid to PCC for weddings & funerals Insurance claim TOTAL INCOMING RESOURCES	General Designated £ £ 44,476 11,359 3,984 10,812 214 - 4,934 6,719 13,267 2,467 84,751 13,481 7,053 14,276 776 568 1,040 20,182 17,603 19,535 5,102 131 85,359 907 57 90 57 90 3,788 5,148 7,371 16,307 - 186,474 14,478 Unrestricted Funds	Restricted Funds £ 1,200 300 81,930 1,377 20,776 420 106,003 42 11,105 1,679 12,826 6,646 6,646 9,198 879 2,380 12,457 137,932	Endowment Funds £ - - - - - - -	2024 2023 £ £ 45,676 47,517 11,659 11,879 3,984 6,110 11,026 10,245 81,930 65,374 1,377 5,503 4,934 6,112 40,762 70,338 2,887 6,714 - 135,000 204,235 364,792 7,095 5,215 15,052 25,350 568 1,270 1,040 977 20,182 5,082 17,603 15,924 19,535 14,951 11,105 10,160 6,912 17,353 99,092 96,282 - 4,893 6,793 5,857 6,793 10,750 - 210 3,788 - 9,198 7,545 6,027 7,737 7,371 5,648 2,380 - 28,764 21,140 338,884 492,964 TOTAL FUNDS	2024 2023 £ £ 45,676 47,517 11,659 11,879 3,984 6,110 11,026 10,245 81,930 65,374 1,377 5,503 4,934 6,112 40,762 70,338 2,887 6,714 - 135,000 204,235 364,792 7,095 5,215 15,052 25,350 568 1,270 1,040 977 20,182 5,082 17,603 15,924 19,535 14,951 11,105 10,160 6,912 17,353 99,092 96,282 - 4,893 6,793 5,857 6,793 10,750 - 210 3,788 - 9,198 7,545 6,027 7,737 7,371 5,648 2,380 - 28,764 21,140 338,884 492,964 TOTAL FUNDS
					2023 £ 47,517 11,879 6,110 10,245 65,374 5,503 6,112 70,338 6,714 135,000
					364,792
					5,215 25,350 1,270 977 5,082 15,924 14,951 10,160 17,353
					96,282
					4,893 5,857
					10,750
					210 - 7,545 7,737 5,648 -
					21,140

					492,964

PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST WULFRAM, GRANTHAM

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

As at 31st December 2024

3 RESOURCES EXPENDED 3(a) Church activities Missionary and charitable giving (note 13) Ministry Diocesan parish share Other ministry costs Church/Grantham House running & maintenance Heating, lighting & water Insurance Rates Maintenance and other costs Upkeep of services Music & choir Choir Trips Children and young people Printing, stationery & other office costs Parish magazine costs Legal & professional fees Bank charges Training & Development Other sundry expenses Pilgrimage trip Other church activities costs Wulfram Centre for Wholeness & Wellbeing activities Administration and support costs 3(b) Fund-raising costs Coffee Shop Sales Unit stock Events Bar Beer Festival Christmas Tree Festival Choir Trips Other fund-raising 3(c) Investment management costs Investment property insurance and repairs Investment property management fees 3(d) Governance costs TOTAL RESOURCES EXPENDED	General Designated £ £ 2,750 36,667 11,502 15,332 7,352 10,366 3,750 5,687 16,734 5,976 26,240 864 7,069 2,785 280 883 376 1,154 5,554 680 4,504 6,120 4,681 24,187 18,645 165,511 54,627 2,590 4 9,920 10,260 10,372 1,869 35,015 - - - 1,920 - 202,446 54,627 Unrestricted Funds	Restricted Funds £ 285 8,745 10,366 108,846 3,274 21,077 143 10,443 287 1,995 705 150 21,757 188,073 847 239 1,086 - - 189,159	Endowment Funds £ - - - - -	2024 2023 £ £ 2,750 3,130 36,667 36,667 11,787 14,156 31,429 43,795 24,482 20,670 - - 131,267 96,126 5,976 5,988 29,514 49,182 21,077 23,339 864 20,525 9,997 9,667 280 975 11,326 9,096 663 849 1,154 1,544 8,229 6,713 4,504 - 11,506 2,270 150 2,207 64,589 76,493 408,211 423,392 2,590 1,834 4 194 9,920 5,668 10,260 9,570 10,372 9,508 847 38 2,108 4,760 36,101 31,572 - 773 - 708 - 1,481 1,920 1,800 446,232 458,245 TOTAL FUNDS	2024 2023 £ £ 2,750 3,130 36,667 36,667 11,787 14,156 31,429 43,795 24,482 20,670 - - 131,267 96,126 5,976 5,988 29,514 49,182 21,077 23,339 864 20,525 9,997 9,667 280 975 11,326 9,096 663 849 1,154 1,544 8,229 6,713 4,504 - 11,506 2,270 150 2,207 64,589 76,493 408,211 423,392 2,590 1,834 4 194 9,920 5,668 10,260 9,570 10,372 9,508 847 38 2,108 4,760 36,101 31,572 - 773 - 708 - 1,481 1,920 1,800 446,232 458,245 TOTAL FUNDS
					2023 £ 3,130 36,667 14,156 43,795 20,670 - 96,126 5,988 49,182 23,339 20,525 9,667 975 9,096 849 1,544 6,713 - 2,270 2,207 76,493
					423,392
					1,834 194 5,668 9,570 9,508 38 4,760
					31,572
					773 708
					1,481

					1,800

					458,245

PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST WULFRAM, GRANTHAM

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS As at 31st December 2024

4 STAFF COSTS & EXPENSE PAYMENTS 4(a) Staff costs Wages and salaries: Gross pay Employer's NI and Pension Contributions	2024 £ 104283 12,456 116,739	2023 £ 142,460 12,625
		155,085

The full-time equivalent number of staff was 3.7 (2023 - 4.2) and no employee received remuneration in excess of £60,000. No wages or salaries were paid to PCC members during the year.

Grantham St Wulfram PCC participates in the Pension Builder Scheme section of the Church Workers Pension Fund (CWPF) for lay staff. CWPF is administered by the Church of England Pensions Board, which holds the CWPF assets separately from those of the Employer and other participating employers.

CWPF has two sections:

the Defined Benefits Scheme
the Pension Builder Scheme, which has two subsections;
a. , a deferred annuity section known as Pension Builder Classic, and,
b. , a cash balance section known as Pension Builder 2014.

Pension Builder Scheme

Both sections of the Pension Builder Scheme are classed as defined benefit schemes.

Pension Builder Classic provides a pension, accumulated from contributions paid and converted into a deferred annuity during employment based on terms set and reviewed by the Church of England Pensions Board from time to time. Discretionary increases may also be added, depending on the investment returns and other factors.

Pension Builder 2014 is a cash balance scheme that provides a lump sum which members use to provide benefits at retirement. Pension contributions are recorded in an account for each member. Discretionary bonuses may be added before retirement, depending on investment returns and other factors. The account, plus any bonuses declared, is payable, unreduced, from age 65.

There is no sub-division of assets between employers in each section of the Pension Builder Scheme.

The scheme is considered to be a multi-employer scheme as described in Section 28 of FRS 102. This is because it is not possible to attribute the Pension Builder Scheme’s assets and liabilities to specific employers and means that contributions are accounted for as if the Scheme were a defined contribution scheme. The pensions costs charged to the Statement of Financial Activities in the year are the contributions payable (2024: £3,814; 2023: £6,282).

The legal structure of the scheme is such that if another employer fails, Grantham St Wulfram PCC could become responsible for paying a share of the failed employer’s pension liabilities.

PAROCHIAL PAROCHIAL CHURCH CHURCH COUNCIL COUNCIL OF OF ST ST WULFRAM, WULFRAM, GRANTHAM GRANTHAM NOTES NOTES TO TO THE THE FINANCIAL FINANCIAL STATEMENTS STATEMENTS As As at at 31st 31st December December 2024 2024

4(b) 4(b) Payments Payments to to PCC PCC members members unrelated4 members 4 membersunrelated to of to their of thetheir the PCC additional PCC wereadditional were reimbursedduties reimbursedduties as as PCC PCC a total a members. totalmembers. of of £4,728 £4,728These These expenses expenses were were for for in travel/mileage in relation travel/mileagerelation to to their their (£3,894), work (£3,894),work at at St phone St Wulfram'sphone Wulfram'scosts costs (£525), that (£525),that was was meals/subsistenceRector meals/subsistenceRector may may have have related related (£189) (£189) to & to his & other his other services services charitable charitable as as chairman chairman expenses expenses of of the (£120). the (£120). PCC. PCC. A small A small immaterial immaterial portion of portion of the the expenses expenses paid to paid to the the AF AF Electrical Installations Electrical Installations was was paid paid a a total total of of £1,032 £1,032 during during 2024 2024 for for repair repair work work done. done. Melanie Melanie Fletcher Fletcher is is married married tocontractors tocontractors the the owner owner to of to undertake undertake of the the firm, firm, but repair butrepair although although & & maintenance maintenance a member a member work. of work.of the the PCC PCC Fabric Fabric sub-group does sub-group does not not play play a a part part the the selection selection of of

No No other other expenses, expenses, except those except those listed listed above, above, were were paid paid to to any any other other PCC PCC member, member, persons persons closely closely connected connected to to them them or related parties. or related parties.

5 5	NET INCOMING RESOURCES FOR THE YEAR NETINCOMING RESOURCESFORTHEYEAR
	2024 Net incoming resources for the year are after charging: £ 2024 Netincomingresourcesfortheyearareaftercharging: £	2023 £ 2023 £
	epreciation of computers & gardening equipment (lawnmowers) 1,611 Independent Examination of the Annual Report & Financial Statements 1920 vepreciation ofcomputers&gardeningequipment(lawnmowers) 1,611 Independent ExaminationoftheAnnual Report&FinancialStatements 1920	1,839 1800 1,839 1800
6 6	FIXED ASSETS FIXEDASSETS
	a) Tangible assets GENERAL FUNDS a)Tangible assets GENERAL FUNDS	DESIGNATED FUNDS DESIGNATED FUNDS	TOTAL FUNDS TOTAL FUNDS
	Gardening Office Gardening Office	Office Office
	Equipment Photocopier £ £ Cost or deemed cost Equipment Photocopier £ £ Costordeemed cost	Computers £ Computers £	£ £
	At ist January 2024 1,950 3,990 Additions - - Disposais ~ ~ At 31st December 2024 1,950 3,990 At istJanuary2024 1,950 3,990 Additions - - Disposais - = At 31stDecember2024 1,950 3,990	7,245 - - 75245 7,245 - = 75245	13,185 - ~ 13,185 13,185 = = 13,185
	Depreciation At 1st January 2024 1,788 3,990 Charge for the year 162 - Disposals - - At 31st December 2024 1,950 3,990 Depreciation At 1stJanuary2024 1,788 3,990 Charge fortheyear 162 - Disposals - = At 31stDecember 2024 1,950 3,990	5,112 1,449 ~ 6,561 5,112 1,449 z 6,561	10,890 1,611 - 12,501 10,890 1,611 = 12,501
	Net book value At gist December 2024 - - Netbookvalue At31stDecember2024 - -	684 684	684 684
	At gist December 2023 162 - 2,133 2,295 At31stDecember2023 1620830295

52 52

PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST WULFRAM, GRANTHAM

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS As at 31st December 2024

6 b) Investments Market value 1 January 2024 Additions Disposals Revaluation (loss)/gain At 31 December 2024 Historic cost as at 31st December 2024 Sale of Investment property Sale price Transaction costs Net proceeds received Proceeds Historic cost Net gain on sale	Investment property £ 142,500 - (142,500) - 68,768 142,500 (4,240) 138,260 138,260 (68,768) 69,492	Investment securities £ 201,518 (1,514) 200,004	Total investments £ 344,018 - (142,500) (1,514)
			200,004

The gain on sale was allocated to meet the shortfall on the running costs of Grantham House & the General Fund.

The market value at 31st December 2024 represents investments for:

General funds Designated funds Restricted funds Endowment funds	£ - - - - - Investment property	£ - - 133,139 66,865 200,004 Investment securities	Total investments £ - - 133,139 66,865
			200,004

The allocation of the assets to the funds above reflects how the income is currently apportioned, the asset actually used by a particular fund is ultimately dictated by liquidity needs. Total fixed asset investment securities are within the United Kingdom and are all unlisted. They are intended to be held for longer than one year although can be sold at short notice, thereby ensuring sufficient liquidity.

7

DEBTORS Prepayments: Less than 1 year More than 1 year Tax recoverable Other debtors CASH AT BANK AND IN HAND Short term deposits Cash at bank and on hand Other	2024 £ 7,442 558 869 33,532 42,401 2024 £ 30,080 119,326 - 149,406	2023 £ 8,521 - 72 44,882
		53,475

		2023 £ 30,080 82,687 -
		112,767

PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST WULFRAM, GRANTHAM

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS As at 31st December 2024

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS As at 31st December 2024
9 LIABILITIES Amounts falling due in one year Accruals for utility costs Accruals for other costs Deferred income Grantham Ark (Registered Charity No. 1190668)*	2024 £ 8,871 15,261 7,124 - 31,256	2023 £ 6,987 24,165 3,960 3,102
		38,214

*Deferred income includes fundraising & sponship for fututre choir trips (£7,105) & ticket sales for the 2025 Fish & Chip Quiz Night (£19).

The movement in deferred income is analysed below:

Balance as at 1st January Amounts added in current period Amounts released to income from previous periods Balance as at 31st December	2024 £ 3,960 7,124 (3,960) 7,124	2023 £ 8,536 690 (5,266)
		3,960

**St Wulfram's Church has in the past receives income on behalf of Grantham Ark, which is registered with The Charity Commission (number 1190668). This is largely due to difficulty the charity experienced in operating a bank account. The remaining portion of this was paid over to Grantham Ark in 2024.

9b OPERATING LEASE

The charity has future liabilities under non-cancellable operating leases as follows

Office Equipment (photocopier)	< 1yr 850	1-5 yrs 388	> 5 yrs -

PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST WULFRAM, GRANTHAM NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

As at 31st December 2024

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS As at 31st December 2024
10 FUNDS Designated Funds Funeral collections "in memoriam" Mission & Social Responsibility Development (Grantham House) Revaluation of investment property	As at 1st Jan 24 £ 5,160 9,919 (19,407) 73,732 69,404	Incoming Resources £ 90 3,064 20,990 24,144	Resources Expended £ (225) (5,024) (59,044) (73,732) (138,025)	Investment Gains/(Losses) £ 78 57,461 57,539	Transfers £ (1,843) (1,843)	As at 31st Dec 24 £ 5,103 6,116 - -
						11,219

Funeral collections "in memoriam" Grantham Land Adj Harrowby School (Income) Revaluation of investment property

Collections at funeral services for the benefit of St Wulfram designated for use to purchase fixtures, fittings and other items 'in memoriam'. Accumulated income from restricted income fund of same name, plus interest. Revaluation reserve for the investment property at 8 Lytham Close.

Restricted Income Funds 5050 booklet appeal A Pinchbeck fund AG Hardy fund books for lay readers Book of Remembrance Cathedral Music Trust & Transformation Fund Music Chained (Trigge) library Choir Fund Clarkes Charity Downton bequest Grantham House Grant Fund Fabric fund Flowers Friends of Cathedral Music Grant Langwith Charity Mental Health First Aid Training - The Benefact Trust Organ Fund P Burdett bequest South Porch & Garden of Remembrance Strategic Development Funding (SDF) / LDT&BoF	As at 1st Jan 24 £ 1,108 2,065 2,616 291 23,967 3,091 336 1,058 10,174 - 293,946 1,582 1,612 3,966 2,233 115 945 220 - 349,325	Incoming Resources £ 20 56 97 5 12,529 27,124 68 181 10,000 84,480 1,302 877 336 2 17 4 20,749 157,847	Resources Expended £ (7,291) (14,182) (23,993) (182) (7,280) (135,387) (1,128) (750) (150) (20,749) (211,092)	Investment Gains/(Losses) £ 18 33 43 5 22 54 17 160 3,815 27 27 97 2 15 4 4,339	Transfers £ (2,015) 1,843 (172)	As at 31st Dec 24 £ 1,146 2,154 2,756 301 14,661 1,460 3,521 1,143 10,333 2,720 246,854 1,783 1,766 6,242 2,083 119 977 228 -
						300,247

5050 booklet appeal Funds for the colour guide to the church. A Pinchbeck fund Income to be applied for use by the servers. AG Hardy fund books for lay readers Income to be applied to reader ministry.

AG Hardy fund books for lay readers Book of Remembrance Cathedral Music Trust & Transformation Fund Music grants Chained (Trigge) library Choir Fund Clarkes Charity Downton bequest Grantham House Grant Funding Fabric fund Flowers Friends of Cathedral Music Grant Langwith Charity Mental Health First Aid Training - The Benefact Trust Organ Fund P Burdett bequest South Porch & Garden of Remembrance Strategic Development Funding (SDF)

Donation from the Machine Gun Corp for preservation of the Book of Remembrance.

Grants from CMT and Lincoln Diocesan Trust & Board of Finance for additional staffing of the music department, repurposed in 2024 with the agreement of the donors. Book restoration and upkeep of Trigge Library funded by donations for the purpose.

Donations & fund raising for choir and music expenditure.

Beautifying the church.

Rector & churchwardens discretionary fund. Grants relating to the formation of the National Trust partnership on Grantham House Income from bequests, legacies and other donations for preservation of the church fabric. Purchase of flowers funded by donations for the purpose. Income from endowment for St.Wulfram's Music for Choral Scholarships. Discretionary fund for distribution to poor. Benefact Trust grant for Mental Health First Aid training

Saturday Morning music and other donations to meet the running costs of the organ and expenses of visiting organists. Vestments for servers and clergy. Donations for upkeep of the South Porch and Garden of Remembrance. Strategic Development Funding from Lincoln Diocesan Trust & Board of Finance.

PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST WULFRAM, GRANTHAM

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS As at 31st December 2024

10 FUNDS (continued) Endowment Funds A Pinchbeck fund A G Hardy fund Clarkes Charity (REGISTERED) Donal charity (REGISTERED) Fabric fund Friends of Cathedral Music Endowment Grant Hodds bequest Langwith Charity (REGISTERED) Miss Harrison bequest P Barnes Fund A Pinchbeck fund A G Hardy fund Clarkes Charity (REGISTERED) Donal charity (REGISTERED) Fabric fund Friends of Cathedral Music Endowment Grant Hodds bequest Langwith Charity (REGISTERED) Miss Harrison bequest P Barnes Fund	As at Incoming Resources Investment Transfers 1st Jan 24 Resources Expended Gains/(Losses) £ £ £ £ £ 997 - - 16 - 2,718 - - 42 - 2,695 - - 42 - 132 - - 2 - 26,696 - - (6,811) - 28,271 - - 544 - 2,382 - - 37 - 8,275 - - 187 - 454 - - 7 - 176 - - 3 - 72,796 - - (5,931) - Income to be applied for use by the servers. Income to be applied to reader ministry. Income to be applied one third to orphans and two thirds to beautifying the church. Discretionary fund for distribution to the poor - income transferred to the general fund. Income to be applied for church fabric - income transferred to the fabric restricted income fund Income for St.Wulfram's Music for Choral Scholarships allocated to restricted income fund of s Income transferred to general funds to set against cost of verger, bellringers, servers and choir. Discretionary fund for distribution to poor. Income transferred to general funds to set against cost of choir, music etc Income to be applied for the children of parish - transferred to general funds to set against cost	As at 31st Dec 24 £ 1,013 2,760 2,737 134 19,885 28,815 2,419 8,462 461 179 66,865 . ame name. of Sunday Club & other children's ministry expenses.

11 TRANSFERS BETWEEN FUNDS

Transfers between general and restricted funds normally represent a one-off transfer of incoming resources applied to restricted funds where resources expended for the same purpose have previously been met from general funds. Within year ermission was given for a grant previously given for the employent of an Assistant Director of Music to be used to meet the cost of occassional organists totalling £2,015. Amounts of £1843 donated for providing support to the poor & prevoiusly allocated to the designated Mission Fund were decided to be better kept within the Langwith Fund until needed.

12 ANALYSIS OF NET ASSETS by fund General funds Designated funds Restricted funds Endowment funds 13 MISSIONARY & CHARITABLE GIVING Mission & Social Responsibility Other charitable giving The Children's Society McMillan DEC (Various appeals) Christian Aid Samaritans Grantham Foodbank Vouchers for families	Fixed Assets £ - 684 133,139 66,865 200,688 General £ 2,750 - - - 2,750 Unrestrict	Current Assets £ (3,158) 13,114 181,851 - 191,807 Designated £ - - - - - - 20 20 ed Funds	Liabilities £ (13,934) (2,579) (14,743) - (31,256) Restricted Funds £ - 581 374 150 84 34 - 1,223	Total £ (17,092) 11,219 300,247 66,865 361,239 Endowment Funds £ - - - - - -	TOTAL FUN 2024 £ 2,750 581 374 - 150 84 34 20 3,993	DS
						2023 £ 3,130 1,141 - 235 353 - - 101
						4,960

This page is intentionally blank.

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT

To the Trustees of The Parochial Church Council of the Ecclesiastical Parish of St Wulfram, Grantham

I report to the Trustees on my examination of the accounts of The Parochial Church Council of the Ecclesiastical Parish of St Wulfram, Grantham (the Trust), for the year ended 31 December 2024, which are set out on pages 47 to 48.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the charity trustees of the Trust you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011(‘the Act’).

I report in respect of my examination of the Trustee’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act.

Independent examiner’s statement

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:

(1) accounting records were not kept in respect of the Trust as required by section 130 of the Act; or
(2) the accounts do not accord with those records; or
(3) the accounts do not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a ‘true and fair view’ which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination.

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

13 May 2025

Chris Hubbard, FCA

Streets LLP Windsor House A1 Business Park at Long Bennington Nottingham NG23 5JR

Annual Report & Financial Statements For the Year Ended 31 December 2024

TABLE OF CONTENTS

AIM AND PURPOSES

OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES

PEOPLE

Staff

Holders of the Bishop’s Licence

Guild of Servers

ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE

St Wulfram’s as an SDF Urban Resource Church

St John’s Spitalgate – our local church plant

Worship

Catholic devotional spirituality

Funding

The St John’s Spitalgate Community Fridge

Community Hall

Volunteers

St Wulfram’s: Worship and Prayer

Preparation to receive the Sacrament of the Eucharist, and Confirmation

Occasional Offices

Mission and Social Responsibility

Safeguarding

Our resource centre at Grantham House

Music

Organ teaching school

Wider music programme

Church Community

(a) Children, Young People and Families

(b) Pastoral Care

(c) Community groups

Church and Fabric

Caring for Creation

Church flowers

Ringing at St Wulfram’s

Hospitality for Pilgrims and Visitors

Trigge Library

Archive

Learning opportunities

Ministry training

Major Churches Network

Inclusive Church Network

Ecumenical relationships

Lincoln Diocesan Synod

Grantham Deanery

Communication

Special Events (including those for fund raising)

FINANCIAL REVIEW

Summary

Commentary

STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE & MANAGEMENT

Annual Parochial Church Meeting (APCM)

Electoral Roll

PCC Standing Committee

PCC Sub-groups (committees)

‘All Aboard’, Saturday 16 March 2024

PCC Officers: Churchwardens, Treasurer, and Secretary

ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

Approved Approved by by the the PCC PCC on on and and signed signed on on their their behalf, behalf, Pather Father Stuart Stuart Craddueck Cradduck 6 6 April 2o25 April 2625

PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST WULFRAM, GRANTHAM

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES

PAROCHIAL PAROCHIAL CHURCH CHURCH COUNCIL COUNCIL OF OF ST ST WULFRAM, WULFRAM, GRANTHAM GRANTHAM

Father Stuart Cradduck Father Stuart Cradduck

PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST WULFRAM, GRANTHAM

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST WULFRAM, GRANTHAM

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST WULFRAM, GRANTHAM

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS As at 31st December 2024

Pension Builder Scheme

PAROCHIAL PAROCHIAL CHURCH CHURCH COUNCIL COUNCIL OF OF ST ST WULFRAM, WULFRAM, GRANTHAM GRANTHAM NOTES NOTES TO TO THE THE FINANCIAL FINANCIAL STATEMENTS STATEMENTS As As at at 31st 31st December December 2024 2024

PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST WULFRAM, GRANTHAM

The market value at 31st December 2024 represents investments for:

7

PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST WULFRAM, GRANTHAM

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS As at 31st December 2024

9b OPERATING LEASE

PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST WULFRAM, GRANTHAM NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST WULFRAM, GRANTHAM

11 TRANSFERS BETWEEN FUNDS