ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING – SECRETARY’S REPORT 2025
Our Minister, Rev. Wilbert Sayimani, left us just after the last AGM to take up a Pastorate in Uxbridge and Ickenham after seven years at Richmond Hill St. Andrew’s. Over the past year our services have been led by many different Ministers which has given us much variety each Sunday. Some services have also been taken by members of our own congregation, Alex Copeland, Joanna Cracknell, Chris Harris and John Guthrie to whom we are most grateful.
So many people have worked so hard keeping everything running smoothly. We must thank Anne Piggott who does so much work each month leading our Early Birds with her team. We love to see the youngsters in our service, and this usually co-incides with the Scout Parade which takes place once a quarter. Anne has a real talent with young people, and also constantly brightens our lives with her wonderful smile.
Agnes Copeland continues to do a splendid job persuading volunteers to take the Pause for Prayer half hour each Thursday in St. Andrew’s Chapel which gives us a wide variety of different topics to enjoy. Thank you so much Agnes for all the work you do in your organisation of this very important time of the week.
The Lunch Club takes place every Wednesday and this provides outreach to the community who come and enjoy a splendid two course lunch. The meal is of course very important, but so is the social contact this offers people, many of whom live on their own. Our thanks to John Jones who undertakes the organisation of this, and the help given by Colin Dorset and Alex and Agnes. The numbers remain pretty steady, with an average of about twenty attending each week. Anyone from the congregation is also very welcome at the lunch.
We are so grateful for the wonderful flower arrangements that decorate our church each Sunday. These are arranged by Ann Gawler, Heather Crane, Maggie Sheath and Colin Dorset. Different people in the congregation sponsor these each week, and more offers would always be welcome. You will have heard that Sue and Adrian Marchant have faithfully tended our Memorial Garden for the last seventeen years and it has been lovely to always be able to see it in perfect condition. A huge thank you to you both, this is an incredible amount of hard work, and a real labour of love.
Of course there are many other people to whom we owe thanks, Peter Hansford for keeping the Buildings in good repair – this is a huge job and very time consuming. Sue Starkey is always faithfully at the West door each week, and also
arranges the readers and is one of the Registrars for the weddings. Thank you Sue for everything you do.
Also Margaret Seward who renews the car park permits each year, and creates the Sunday morning Coffee Rota. I would like to mention David Stoddart who very kindly compiles our church magazine each month, - a lot of work and preparation goes into this production and we give him our thanks.
We have gained much pleasure from the displays on the windows of the church Hall – at Christmas, then beautiful spring flowers, appropriate symbols for VE Day and now a lovely array of summer flowers. This was the initiative of Lauren BabaSlimane, who was given much help by Pat Williams in their arrangement and application onto the windows. We thank them both very much for the time and effort they have given to these displays and for attracting attention to our church of those passing by.
Church life would be very much the poorer without music, so we thank our organist Chris Denton for his huge contribution to the services every Sunday. Last but not least enormous thanks to Stuart our caretaker and facilities manager. He is totally reliable, approaches everything with good humour, and all we do revolves around him. What would be do without him!
I finish with the Statistics for the year June 2024 to June 2025.
There were no Weddings.
- There were four Baptisms: July 2024 – Gracie Brought October 2024 – Olivia Nowicka February 2025 – Albie Williams May 2025 – Amelia Olivier
Those who have died:-
2024 July - Sheila Philipson September – Peggy Smith 2025 January – Molly White February – John Fricker March - Elizabeth Edwards March – Angela Pride March – Derek Diprose May – Sue Micklefield May – Hazel Fricker
We express our condolences to all their families, and they will be much missed here.
New Members during this year
Gavin and Mary Bryson from Leicester and Joan Memmott from Shefield
We are delighted to say Pat Willcox also wishes to become a member = and the Elders commend her to the Church Meeting today. Are all in favour?
OUR TOTAL MEMBERSHIP IS 76. 16 ADHERENTS 16 FRIENDS
We very much hope and pray that over the coming year progress will be made in the task to find a new Minister, for ourselves, Iford and Trinity.
Thank you.
Hilary Scott
Richmond Hill St Andrews United Reformed Church Accounts for the Year Ended 31st March 2025
| Y/e | Y/e | 31 Mar 25 | Y/e | 31 Mar 24 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Opening Balance | 268,436 | 329,099 | ||
| Income | ||||
| Legacies | 5,121 | 6,800 | ||
| Donations | 33,445 | 38,217 | ||
| Members Car Park | 660 | 650 | ||
| Fund Raising | - | - | ||
| Lettings | 9,659 | 7,737 | ||
| School of English | 24,457 | 24,250 | ||
| Commercial Car Park | 28,031 | 26,678 | ||
| Investment Income | 1,906 | 2,090 | ||
| Gain on Investments | 13,651 | - | ||
| Grants | 1,100 | 6,500 | ||
| Miscellaneous Income | 2,516 | 562 | ||
| Total Income | 120,546 | 113,484 | ||
| Expenses | ||||
| Ministry & Mission | 48,248 | 48,039 | ||
| Ministry & Manse Expenses | 3,945 | 8,177 | ||
| Early Bird Sal & Expenses | 554 | 376 | ||
| Churchkeeper, Organist & Choir | 37,072 | 34,637 | ||
| Administration | 2,366 | 2,337 | ||
| Ministers | 1,281 | - | ||
| Church Maintenance | 20,051 | 18,809 | ||
| Utilities, Insurance & Cleaning | 22,823 | 22,780 | ||
| Loss on Investments | - | 2,854 | ||
| Church Refreshments | 463 | 287 | ||
| Sundries | 1,567 | 3,280 | ||
| Audit/Inspection | 150 | 150 | ||
| Charity Donations | 1,013 | 393 | ||
| Repairs | 9,112 | 24,744 | ||
| Commercial Car Park Rates | 7,734 | 7,285 | ||
| Total Expenses | 156,379 | 174,147 | ||
| Net Deficit | - | 35,833 |
- | 60,663 |
| Total Funds b/f | 268,436 | 329,099 | ||
| Funds at Year End | 232,603 | 268,436 |
Richmond Hill St Andrews United Reformed Church Balance Sheet as at 31 March 2025
| as at 31 Mar 25 Non Current Assets Brooks McDonald 166,006 M&G Charibond 22,600 Investments at Realisible Value 188,606 Current Assets Debtors & Prepayments 19,952 Loans - Deposit Account 19,213 Current Bank Accounts 5,892 Cash Account - 45,057 Total Assets 233,663 less Current Liabilities Creditors & Accruals 1,060 Total Net Funds 232,603 |
as 201,882 23,073 14,300 1,789 20,499 7,543 - |
at 31 Mar 24 224,955 44,131 269,086 650 268,436 |
|---|---|---|
Independent Examiner’s Report to the Trustees of Richmond Hill St. Andrews United Reformed Church, Bournemouth.
This report on the financial statements of the church for the year ended 31 March 2025, which are set out on pages 1 to 3, is in respect of an examination carried out in accordance with the Church Accounting Regulations 2006 (‘the Regulations’) and s.43 of the Charities Act 1993 (the Act’).
Respective responsibilities of the Trustees of the church and examiner
As the trustees of the church you are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements; you consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144(2) of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act) and that an independent examination is needed.
It is my responsibility to
• examine the accounts under section 145 of the 2011 Act.
• follow the procedures laid down in the General Directions given by the Charity Commissioners section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act; and
- state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
Basis of Independent Examiner's Statement
My examination was carried out in accordance with the General Directions given by the Charity Commission.
An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts and seeking explanations from the management committee concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in a full audit, and consequently I do not express an audit opinion on the accounts.
Independent Examiner’s statement
In connection with my examination, no matters have come to my attention
-
which give me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements
-
to keep accounting records in accordance with s.130 of the 2011 Act; or
-
to prepare accounts which accord with these accounting records have not been met; or
-
to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
................................................. Mr Peter A Miles
35 Swanmore Road Bournemouth Dorset BH7 6PD Dated 21 May 202