2023-12-31-accounts

T R U S T E E S ’ R E P O R T & A C C O U N T S S T P E T E R ’ S C H U R C H 31 S T D E C 2 0 2 3

Administrative Overview 3 ...............................................................................
Administrative Details of the Charity 3 ...........................................................................
Trustees 3 ....................................................................................................................
Structure Governance & Management 4 ..........................................................
Appointment of PCC Members 4 ..................................................................................
Organisation of the PCC 4 ...........................................................................................
Objectives and Activities 5 ...............................................................................
Reports 6 ...........................................................................................................
Rector’s Report 6 ........................................................................................................
Church Wardens’ Report 8 ...........................................................................................
The Choir 9 .................................................................................................................
Pastoral Care Team (PCT) 10 ........................................................................................
Youth 11 ......................................................................................................................
Bellringers 11 ...............................................................................................................
Mothers’ Union, Filton Branch 11 ..................................................................................
Ladies’ Group 12 ........................................................................................................
Rosary Group 13 ........................................................................................................
Uniformed Organisations 13 .........................................................................................
Deanery Synod 14 .......................................................................................................
Online Presence 15 ......................................................................................................
Coffee Shop 15 ..........................................................................................................
Brabazon Belles 16 ......................................................................................................
Other Groups 16 .........................................................................................................
Annual Financial Report 17 ...............................................................................

A D M I N I S T R A T I V E O V E R V I E W

As charity trustees, the Parochial Church Council (PCC) of St Peter’s Church Filton has pleasure in presenting the annual report and accounts for the year ending 31st December 2022. This report has been prepared in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP) 2005.

A D M I N I S T R A T I V E D E T A I L S O F T H E C H A R I T Y

• Registered number 1131957

• Parish name: Filton

• St Peter’s Church, Gloucester Road North, Filton, Bristol BS34 7BQ

• Independent Financial Examiner: Louise Russell

• Bankers: The Co-operative Bank

• Church Architect: Steve Davis

T R U S T E E S

The Revd Elizabeth L A Gregory (Chair)	Chris Gooding (Secretary)
Linda Keeble (Treasurer)	John Chapman (Church Warden)
Thomas Moller (Church Warden)	Amy Atkinson (Deputy Church Warden)
Lindon Wooster (Church Warden Emeritus)	Louise Lyddon (Deanery Synod)
Jenny Connor (Deanery Synod)	Linda Rawlings (Accessibility Advisor)
Alison Chapman	Janet Moller
Claire Eade	Faith Tutton (Parish Administrator)
Anne-Louise Pam (Safeguarding Offcer)	Roy Hale
Alisa Starr (PCC Admin Support)	Jess Dyke

S T R U C T U R E G O V E R N A N C E & M A N A G E M E N T

Management of the parish is performed by the Rector with the assistance of a number of parishioners who form the Parochial Church Council (PCC). All governance, management, procedures and policies are maintained in accordance with the standard Church of England practice.

A P P O I N T M E N T O F P C C M E M B E R S

PCC members are elected for a term of three years at the Annual Parochial Church Meeting. Candidates for election must be members of the church who following a conversation with the Rector and/or PCC Secretary (regarding the roles and responsibilities of such a position) have been duly proposed and seconded by members of the church, who are themselves registered on the electoral role.

At the end of three years, PCC members may choose to be re-elected for a further term of three years, after which they must step down. PCC members who have served for six years are not eligible for reelection for a period of not less than 12 months. The Rector is a permanent member of the PCC. The PCC Secretary and Treasurer are elected by the PCC. Members of the congregation who have been elected to represent St Peter’s at the Deanery Synod are also members of the PCC.

O R G A N I S A T I O N O F T H E P C C

The Rector takes the role of PCC Chairperson and a minimum of four full meetings is held each year, in addition to the Annual Parochial Church Meeting (APCM).

PCC meetings are structured around discussions regarding:

• Vision, mission and values

• Financial, general purposes and Hall

• Health and Safety and well-being, including a particular emphasis on accessibility, inclusivity and safeguarding.

The Standing Committee, made up of the officers of the PCC (Rector, treasurers, secretary and church wardens) convene on an as-needed basis to make urgent decisions on behalf of the full PCC regarding the day to day management of the church.

O B J E C T I V E S A N D A C T I V I T I E S

St Peter’s is a welcoming Anglican church with its heart in the sacraments and its place in the centre of the community. At St Peter’s we are devoted to developing a holy consciousness. We believe that worship is something that can be expressed in everything we do. Our philosophy is deeply rooted in the Holy Scriptures and the sacraments. We provide a place for all, regardless of age, gender, sexuality, race or ability. We offer all members of the church a chance to become part of something greater, to grow their love for God and for one another in our beautiful community.

Our vision is to serve God, by serving individuals, families and the community of Filton. By placing God at the centre of all we do, we come together to grow in our faith and be sent out in our discipleship to create connections and build relationships with all those in the community. We act in and through our relationship with God - Father, Son and Holy Spirit - and with one another, to seek to make His kingdom known in this place. To enable us to do this as effectively as possible, our priorities are centred around four strands of growth: growing deeper; growing younger; growing in influence; and growing in number. This is detailed more fully in our Vision Plan which is updated biennially and can be viewed on our website.

Our worship is based on the Eucharist in which all are called to participate. We try to be liturgically innovative and spiritually challenging. We aim at musical excellence and try to involve our young people in worship as much as possible. The structure of the services is wide and varied, to cater to as many tastes as possible, including services taken from Common Worship and the Book of Common Prayer.

Pastoral care is a commitment shared by all members of the Christian community. The Rector is assisted in this by the Pastoral Care Team, made up of trained volunteers.

The church aims to be the Spiritual Hub of the Community. We are actively involved in touching the lives of people of all ages and conditions in life, both in religious and non religious contexts. We do not seek to place barriers in people’s way, aim to be accessible and approachable to all and hope to encourage people to undertake their own spiritual journey.

The church is carefully organised and run by its PCC, with day to day control in the hands of the Standing Committee. There are many aspects of church life that this report emphasises, and we publish our work through the weekly pew sheets, our web site, our social media presence, and through the wider press.

It is the parish’s policy to prioritise our payment of parish share, to maintain the church structures in as best a state of repair as we can, to further our presence in the Community to support external charities as need directs, and to make a commitment to the work of the Children’s Society and Christian Aid.

Reality of Strategy to date: This strategy has resulted in St Peter’s Church enjoying a strong congregation with well-nourished souls. Our Lord calls us to be planters and sowers, not merely gatherers, and this process takes time.

R E P O R T S

R E C T O R ’ S R E P O R T

£30k towards a new boiler and the fact that the lack of heat in church has not put people off, or prevented us from seeking to live out God’s kingdom here in Filton.

not faced by a major pandemic or any other events which can so often pull focus. It feels as though 2023 has been a year in which we have consolidated services, quietly grown in number and continued to work faithfully to show God’s love in this place; something that can be seen clearly throughout all the reports which follow.

Throughout the year, we as a church were able to respond to the needs of the world around us, including joyfully sharing in the Coronation of King Charles II, and responding to the Church of England’s debate on same-sex marriages by continuing to be as open and inclusive as possible, ensuring all know how welcomed and loved they are at St Peter’s.

It was a pleasure to have Bishop Viv visit us in person for Corpus Christi, and links with our wonderful uniform organisations have been further nurtured this year, with their attendance at this event as well as all the ordinary parade Sundays throughout the year. Their involvement in Remembrance Sunday is always a great occasion and it was wonderful that they were able to hold a sleepover in the church not long beforehand; rather them than me!

As well as being used for worship and mission, the church building has also been increasingly used for community events throughout the year; an important representation of the place the church holds in the community. Trying to meet the changing needs of the community has continued this year, with Time to Grieve, a group that used to be run prior to COVID, being restarted. It is wonderful to have someone who trained with CRUISE bereavement leading this offering. The Coffee Shop has done a wonderful job in identifying and being a vehicle through which we can speak into local needs, always looking at forging links with other charities and acting as a Community Hub in Filton.

Amongst the beautiful tradition of St Peter’s we have seen some new introductions as well. This included culminating a beautiful Easter Eve service with a stunning fire outside, around which we toasted marshmallows and drank champagne! The family service each month allows the sacramental rite to be accessible to children and shared with those attending a baptism. You might not be able to see it from the pews, but the looks on the children’s faces when they are around the altar with me, cannot help but call to mind Jesus teaching “suffer little children to come to me”. This is one of the highlights of my month.

(many thanks to Rod for his help with these) and it has been wonderful to re-establish our monthly Taizé services. These services have been one of the ways in which our LLM in training, Claire, is beginning to live out her vocation. This year she has also organised a retreat and regularly read the Gospel at family service; breaking down barriers and showing how the Word of God is for everyone to share. Please

continue to pray for Claire throughout the coming year, and support her as she increases her role within the church.

selective with what they do with their time and where their priorities lie. This does not mean that people are not coming to church, they are and those numbers are increasing, but the manner in which they come to church is changing. More and more we are seeing people come to church, not so much for the fellowship which church can offer, but for a space in the busy-ness of life to set time aside to spend with God. This is something which we are noticing with people’s worship patterns at St Peter’s and I am delighted that people find the style of worship here allows them to do just that.

commitment to helping maintain the churches offerings has become more troublesome. We have a some wonderful stalwart volunteers in this church, but as always we need more, and discipleship is something that we will be looking at throughout 2024. We can only exist in the way that we do, and make Christ’s love and compassion for all known to this community, if we ourselves are ready and willing to help in the task. It was with sadness that for this reason we were not able to hold the Christmas Fair this year and were unable to reinstate coffee after the services on a Sunday. Whilst these simple tasks may not seem important, we must remember that even the smallest acts of service can make a huge difference in someone’s life and it this is something we can all help with.

As always, I wish to thank you all for your support throughout this year and for all that you do for the church in this community. My special thanks go to the standing committee, PCC and those who volunteer within the church; without you we could not maintain the place we hold in the community and continue to strive to show forth the glory of God. Be assured of my prayers for the coming year, in particular that we may discern and be led ever deeper into our individual and collective discipleship.

With every blessing,

Revd Lizzie

The Revd Elizabeth L A Gregory

C H U R C H W A R D E N S ’ R E P O R T

Janet Moller, John Chapman & Thomas Moller - Church Wardens

As a Parish church, we have witnessed and have played an active role in the community over the past year. The main event worth mentioning was the Coronation of HM King Charles III and Queen Camilla. This was celebrated by a Parish Eucharist followed by cake and Prosecco in the Baptistery and a Peal of Grandsire Doubles rung on the bells. This was a beautiful occasion that brought people together and it is hoped this can be replicated throughout the coming year; which can also act as good fundraiser for the still diminished funds of the Church.

The other joyous occasion worthy of note was the Celebration of Corpus Christi with Procession of the Blessed Sacrament by the Bishop of Bristol, Rt Revd Vivienne Faull. This helped to draw in a number of young people, as well as Uniformed Organisations, and those who don’t normally come to St Peters into the Church. As a Parish, this is one area we need to grow, so it is hoped to repeat the same format of Corpus Christi into 2024. Evensong and Benediction offered on the fifth Sunday of the month at 6pm, still goes from strength to strength with us now consistently achieving double digits in the congregation,

In terms of the fabric of the building, the church has gone another year without substantial heat, due to the 1980s heating system finally giving up the ghost. We have been very fortunate to have the radiant heaters in the Nave which has been able to offer some heat. The boiler fund, after several generous donations and legacies is looking in a healthy state and we are now in a position to start applying for grants to help us have a new heating system in place by 2024/2025. This will need to be alongside the Diocese of Bristol advisory committee for church heating, mindful of the Church of England’s pledge to be net zero carbon target by 2030. The boiler room at this time will also need cracks in the roofing addressed (as was highlighted in the Quinquennial report last year) as well as a few other areas of the church roof and walls needing repair. General maintenance and repairs have taken place as required, including: fuses changed, bulbs replaced, PAT testing completed, a new water heater and tap in the Flower room and electrical report conducted. Wood worm continues to be kept at bay but the congregation is asked to keep a lookout in the pews if any signs of attack appear to show.

The church hall, after the appointment of the new caretaker, is being cared for much better than it has been in recent years. Wifi has been installed and the leak in the heating system has mercifully been repaired without needing to remove / disturb the asbestos insulation, saving the church a considerable sum of money. This has meant the hall has been reliably heated over the winter. The wooden stairs at the back of the church hall need replacing and work is due to take place over the coming months to make this safe, and most importantly, useable in the event of a fire.

walkways as and when they arise.

As I take up my role as Deputy Head Verger of Bristol Cathedral, alongside my role as Church Warden at St Peters, further attention will required to look at the amount of volunteers we have within our community and being mindful how much they are already doing. With this in mind, please support the life of the church in any way you can if that be financially or if it is time that you can offer to support in the running of the church (volunteering in the coffee shop, reading/leading intercessions, cleaning, etc) or simply attending more of the services that are offered in the week and on Sundays.

We ask that you continue to pray for Revd Lizzie as she leads our Parish alongside our PCC and to also pray for the church over the coming year. We have been fortunate to have Fr Rod Cosh from Henbury help pastorally and liturgically, alongside Revd Lizzie during her ill health, so extended thanks are given to him and all the other clergy who have supported us with their ministry.

clergy, liturgically by the Sacristan and his team, musically by the choir and spiritually by all the congregation and volunteers. It is important we thank God for this and pray for his sustained presence and influence over the coming year.

Thomas Moller and Janet Moller

Church Wardens

T H E C H O I R

Viv Wilkinson, Musical Director

Church choir rehearses on Fridays 7-8.30pm in the church. All are welcome to join; you do not need to be able to read music or be a fine singer. Help is given at rehearsals for all levels and ages.

This year the All Souls Requiem Mass was the morning service and we were honoured to sing a setting by our very own Alex Ball.

The new Sanctus is now in place in the service and a new Alleluia is in the pipeline to begin at Easter.

gradually, and I am happy to help anyone who struggles with this. It is refreshing to our worship to change musical settings, as it reintroduces the words in a new light.

of the congregation each time. Please add suggestions and we will do all we can to help.

Autumn Leaves singalong is popular as always. We have a caring support network and enjoy our fellowship. All are welcome, you don’t have to sing if you don’t want to, just come and have a good s time! We remain in the coffee shop 10.30-12noon on the first Saturday of the month.

Viv Wilkinson 07884374448

P A S T O R A L C A R E T E A M ( P C T )

Louise Lyddon

St Peter’s Church has a small, dedicated team of fully-trained volunteers who support the Rector in giving pastoral support to those members of the community who need it, at times when they need it most. The group either ring, visit, or take communion to our ill or housebound church members when necessary. The church members who work on behalf of Rev Lizzie and the church meet every few months to pray and discuss members’ needs.

The PCT team are Claire Eade, Lousie Lyddon, Janet Moller and Margaret Qoura.

2023 started relatively quiet, I visit three ladies on a monthly basis taking home communion to them, spending time to catch up and have a good old chat.

All three of my ladies are in there late 80’s early 90’s and all have been regular members of St Peters Church for many years, taking active roles within different groups of the church family. Early into the New Year, two of my ladies spent a short time in hospital with various health issues. Until recently all 3 ladies were living at home either on their own or with family members. Two still remaining very independent, getting out for shopping, meeting friends. My 3rd lady was more housebound, due to failing sight in one eye. The family of one of my ladies made the very difficult decision to move their mother into a nursing home as her needs became greater and she needed more and more supervision on a daily basis. I continue to visit monthly and have regular contact with the son.

During the summer my second lady was admitted to hospital and under went a large operation, after several weeks, she returned home and continued living on her own for a few months, but only to be re admitted into hospital. After a short stay it was decided that my lady was unable to return home. A suitable nursing home was found, and she receives regular visits from family and friends. I continue to visit taking home communion on a monthly basis.

hospital throughout the year remains very active, still able to get out and about still driving her car and meets regularly with friends. I visit on a monthly basis taking home communion.

Janet Moller

YO U T H

The Revd Elizabeth L. A. Gregory

course our wonderful links with the hard working uniformed organisations. It is always a joy to welcome children and young people into church and to share a space with them around the altar.

In addition this year we were able to introduce ‘Stay and Play’, an opportunity for care givers to attend on a Wednesday whilst the Coffee shop is open and play and explore a number of difference toys and craft provisions. Sadly in the winter this had to stop due to the lack of heating but was well received and be restarted as the weather improves next year.

B E L L R I N G E R S

David Haslum, Tower Captain

The bells were rung regularly for Sunday services, practice nights and some weddings during the year. They are regularly inspected and, at present, are in good order.

The church clock has been inspected and serviced by Smiths of Derby.

Over the course of the year, six Quarter Peals were rung, and a Peal of 5040 Grandsire Doubles was rung on 6th May 2023 lasting 2hours and 42 minutes, to mark the Coronation of King Charles III.

M O T H E R S ’ U N I O N , F I L T O N B R A N C H

Linda Rawlings, Branch Leader

We are pleased to have a group of dedicated members who give their time and energy to Mary Summer's thoughts. We meet on the second Thursday of the month and have a variety of activities. In the past year many of our members have told us of their strengths, had services in the Lady Chapel, including welcoming the new leader Linda Rawlings and enjoyed our fellowship and refreshments. We would warmly welcome anyone to our meetings. Do come along our door is open from 1.45pm a warm welcome awaits.

L A D I E S ’ G R O U P

Jennifer Deeks

Leaders: Jen Deeks 0117 9041035, Sheila Vickers 0117 979 1408 & Pam Cook 0117 3823067

Secretaries: Jane Curtis 0117 9699987 & Janet Porter 0117 9696958

Meeting time: 2nd and 4th Mondays in the month, 2 pm

Venue: Church Hall

Objectives: To encourage friendship and companionship within the context of the Christian faith and to raise money for charities

2023 Activities:

At our AGM, the first meeting of the calendar year (January 2023), Pam Cook was elected a leader, but no other nominations were forthcoming for the role of co-leader and the two secretaries. However, members were keen that the programme for 2023, which had already been arranged, should continue if possible. Jen Deeks and the two existing secretaries agreed to stay in post for the coming twelve months. Further soundings would be taken during the year for potential office-holders.

Also at the AGM, we presented a cheque for £500 to Jenny Wooley and Simon Cawthorn of the Bust charity, our charity for the past two years. We agreed that our charity for 2023 would be The Avon Riding Centre.

We had an interesting programme of speakers, activities and a pleasant meal out together. Speakers were varied; amongst them speakers from Mission Aviation Fellowship, George Muller Trust, RNLI, and Avon Valley Railway. We “crafted with Libby”, and enjoyed quizzes and Beetle Drives.

Unfortunately, our leadership recruitment did not succeed and an Extraordinary Meeting was called for 23rd Oct 2023, where the decision was taken to close the group at the end of 2023, and thereafter to meet informally in the Coffee Shop on the second Monday morning of each month.

a cheque of £875 for this year’s charity Avon Riding Centre.

Our cash balance of £18.68 was given to St Peter’s Church.

R O S A R Y G R O U P

Mary Arnold

We are a small group (and dog) that meet on the 2nd Thursday of each month at 11am at my house. We say the rosary and have a quiet time with coffee and biscuits. It’s a pleasant hour away from our busy lives. Everyone is welcome to join us.

U N I F O R M E D O R G A N I S A T I O N S

Deb Wilkey

Rainbows have enjoyed working on a Fruit and Veg interest badge where they made fruit salads and tried different fruits that they haven’t had before, and they also made fruit smoothies. The Rainbows have also worked on a nature badge and also a season’s badge where they made an Autumn picture, had snowball fights, grew flowers and played water games.

Brownies have enjoyed working on a baking badge where they made gingerbread cookies and decorated cakes for the coronation. They have also learnt about space and enjoyed looking at the stars.

The Rainbows and Brownies have had a joint beach party, celebrated Parliament week, Thinking Day and have been working on an Elephant challenge badge. We have been on the Santa train at Bitton and visited Father Christmas. 50 girls and their families took part in a sponsored hour walk from Filton Church to Elm park for Children in Need. We sang songs and made plenty of noise on the way!

The Rainbows, Brownies and Guides spent the day at Woodhouse Activity Centre celebrating the King’s Coronation with 200 other Girlguiding members from the Concorde Division. They spent the morning learning forest skills and the afternoon making crafts and taking part in Archery. We also held a joint Brownie and Guide weekend with the Brownies at the indoor centre and guides camping. We had a large campfire, went on the high ropes course and boulder wall. We held a sleepover in the church for Brownies and guides, making various poppy creations to decorate the church for Remembrance Sunday.

All the guiding members decorated wooden plaques with a garden theme, and they were displayed at The Filton Community Garden to help celebrate their 10th anniversary.

Guides and Ranger have had a busy 12 months; we were lucky to have the Navy Engagement team come to hold an evening of team building with both guides and rangers. For both groups, an end of term treat was bowling and chips. During the summer months we spent time outdoors with games and outdoor cooking – marshmallows, pitta breads. A favourite was the Penny Hike, where each time you come to a corner you toss a coin if heads turn left, tails turn right.

Guide took part in guiding badge work but also completed some challenge badges – Back Packer challenge included navigation, knot work. Then the Amey challenge covered engineering - making dancing robots.

woods. Girls had a great time playing games in the dark. We held an indoor weekend at the beginning of the year at the Brockmead Scout site, which included Zip wire and crate stacking. After the Thinking Day parade some guides took part in a sponsored walk to raise funds for unit activities and also to donate to ‘Foxies Future’ a charity set up to save the Girlguiding centre Foxlease in the New Forest.

Rangers had a term entitled Skills for life, where each week a ranger would share a skill, we had a book club, crochet, painting to name a few. They also completed the Spread the love challenge badge; this included pamper nights and chip shop challenge. We had three weekends away completing practice and expeditions for Bronze and Silver Dofe; they were in Cheddar, Forest of Dean and Bude area. In September, a group travelled to Brussels to take part in an event organised by Girlguiding Laser – following clues around the city to take part in challenges.

We need to say congratulations to Charlotte and Shona our Ranger leaders who have both completed their gold DofE awards and their Queens guide.

We celebrated Kim’s wedding in September with leaders attending a lovely day, and the guides and rangers holding our own Hen night – girls made her a dress and flowers from our scrap box!!!!

D E A N E R Y S Y N O D

Jenny Connor

Three meetings were held around the Bristol city Deanery during 2023-24 as follows.

On 6 June 2023 we met at Eastville and, after welcoming us with refreshments and some outdoor games, we went on to consider who might be missing from our church families- and how we can encourage those people in our deanery who may be outside the normal church remit, and whether the profiling will help us understand them better and any barriers they may feel in attending church events.

diverse city.

Then at our last meeting on 7 Feb 2024 at Cotham we concentrated on weaving trust. Discussions took place between the different church reps to exchange information and explore how we can better communicate within our individual local communities to meet their needs and keep our churches relevant across the diocese.

For anyone considering becoming a Deanery Synod Representative it is only approx 3 meetings a year and is a great way to explore other churches and meet a diverse range of people and learn about different ways of worship across the city. Further meetings for 2024 have been scheduled as follows:

Thursday 6 June at St Stephen’s Southmead with Andy Murray, Dean of Priority Communities.

Tuesday 1 October at St Ambrose, Whitehall with Pippa White sharing her growing pioneer work with schools in East Bristol.

Your Deanery Synod members were Jenny Connor and Linda Keeble.

O N L I N E P R E S E N C E

Faith Tutton, Parish Administrator

Online worship continues to remain vital. There is a whole group of people for whom online worship has become their preferred mode of worship. This group is valued as part of the church community just as much as those who come in person. For this reason, worship throughout 2023 has been “mixed mode”, with a variety of services for both online and in-person worship.

Numbers have remained consistent throughout 2023 which is reassuring; this helps us know that our online presence continues to be valid and necessary.

C O F F E E S H O P

We open Monday - Fridays 10am - 1pm, including some Bank Holidays.

On Tuesdays we serve cheese toasties and on Thursdays we serve soup; these seem to be our best days. We have an amazing group of volunteers, who also offer a lot of support to visitors. We have also started a food hub on Fridays and Mondays, which provides extra items for a small donation.

We have had a few larger donations during the year, which has been a great help to the running of the Coffee Shop.

We are always thinking of new ways to attract more customers.

would not be able to continue.

B R A B A Z O N B E L L E S

Amy Atkinson

This year we have enjoyed lots of activities ranging from crafts, exercise and social events.

Although we remain small in number, we have a core of fantastic ladies who enjoy meeting up once a month. We are still looking at growing our numbers and as always, welcome new members at any time.

O T H E R G R O U P S

Open House: Tuesdays 9.30am - 11.00am in the Church Hall.

Leaders: Caroline and Richard White, 0117 975 5681, which much help from Open House friends

We are open to all, regardless of age, and provide an antidote to loneliness or for those who just want to meet up with friends.

We average around 22 people, all sitting together around one large table, with plenty of opportunity for a natter.

During the past year we enjoyed pancakes on Shrove Tuesday, and seasonal treats and decorations to celebrate Christmas.

On a sad note, we lost Eileen, whose funeral was held on 24th March 2023 and was well attended by many of our group.

Knitting Group:

We are another small group (and dog) who meet at my house every Thursday at 5pm until 6.30pm.

We knit and natter (more natter than knit!) and enjoy the company of fellow knitters. We are willing to teach anyone if you would like to join us. Of course we also have coffee and biscuits.

Games Group:

The leaders are Caroline and Richard White. Richard is in much demand as a cribbage and ludo player, and Caroline for Quirkle, though there is a much bigger selection of games to choose from. All ages are welcomer; Caroline likes snakes and ladders as well as other children’s games.

A N N U A L F I N A N C I A L R E P O R T

Please see additional document ‘Accounts 2023’

Parochial Church Council of St Peter ’ s, Filton Annual Financial Report 2023 Registered Charity 1131957

Approved by the Parochial Church Council on Thursday, 24th January 2024 and signed on its behalf by the Reverend Elizabeth Gregory (PCC Chairperson).

This year has seen a change of accounting system, so please be aware that there may be a variance within accounting codes, but over-all totals are correct.for St Peter ’ s Church, Filton.

Notes to the financial statements For the year ended 31st December 2023

1. Accounting Policies

General

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Church Accounting Regulations 2006 together with applicable accounting standards and the SORP 2005.

The financial statements include all transactions, assets and liabilities for which the PCC is responsible in law. They do not include the accounts of church groups that owe their main affiliation to another body, nor those that are informal gatherings of church members.

Funds

Endowment Funds are funds, the capital of which must be maintained; only income arising from investment of the endowment may be used either as restricted or unrestricted funds depending upon the purpose for which the endowment was established.

St Peter ’ s does not have any funds of this type.

Restricted Funds represent:

(a) Income from trusts or endowments which may be expended only on those restricted objects provided in terms of the trust or bequest, and

(b) Donations or grants received for a specific object or invited by the PCC for a specific object.

The funds may only be expended on the specific object for which they were given. Any balance remaining unspent at the end of each year must be carried forward as a balance on that fund.

Within St Peter ’ s restricted funds usually relate to specific objects such as our lent box appeal or other specific charitable objects.

The PCC does not usually invest separately for each fund.

Designated Funds are funds which have been designated by the PCC for a specific purpose. These can be transferred to Restricted or Unrestricted funds with the agreement of the PCC.

Unrestricted Funds are general funds which can be used for PCC ordinary purposes.

Incoming Resources (Receipts)

Planned giving, collections and donations are recognised when received.

In some charitable organisations it is common practice to accrue anticipated amounts such as this as soon as they are believed to be legally entitled, however we have had past instances where expectations have not been met and as the occurrence of such sums is very infrequent we have decided to account for them only on receipt.

Any other income is accounted for when it is receivable. All incoming resources are accounted for gross.

Resources Expended (Payments)

Mission grants and donations are accounted for when the decision is agreed by the PCC.

Amounts received for mission or specific objects, such as the annual lent box appeal, are dealt with as restricted funds.

All other expenditure is generally recognised when it is incurred and is accounted for gross.

Fixed Assets

Consecrated and benefice property is not included in the accounts in accordance with s.96(2)(a) of the Charities Act 1993.

Movable church furnishings held by the vicar and churchwardens on special trust for the PCC and which require a faculty for disposal are inalienable property, listed in the church ’ s inventory, which can be inspected (at any reasonable time). For anything acquired prior to the year 2000 there is insufficient cost information available and therefore such assets are not valued in the financial statements. Subsequently no individual item has cost more than £1,000 so all such expenditure has been written off when incurred.

Equipment used within the church premises is depreciated on a straight-line basis whenever appropriate. Individual items of equipment with a purchase price of £500 or less are written off when the asset is acquired.

Reserves Policy

At the end of 2008 we proposed a new reserves policy. While this new policy reduced the level of reserve we were accustomed to holding, it was based on Church-of-England guidance and assumptions about the profile of our ongoing expenditure. This new reserves policy has the potential to free up funds for mission work within both the parish and the diocese. The policy is based upon the following:

1. Money should only be kept in reserve for specific reasons. Whilst the Bible clearly indicates that we should not hoard it is also clear that sensible planning for known events and responsibility for others is important.

2. It would therefore be prudent to keep two to three months running costs in reserve. For St Peter ’ s this is approximately £7,000-£12,000 (excluding Parish Share).

3. It is also prudent to have funds in reserve to cover future building work, especially in the case of emergency repairs. Consequently, at the end of 2008 we split the remaining General Reserve fund into two elements; a General Reserve and a Fabric Fund.

4. The level of reserve held is reviewed annually

Year End Reserves Status (see Balance Sheet):

1. The Fabric Fund stands at £8,505.

2. The General Reserve stands at £53,714, up from £50,813 in 2022.

3. The Restricted Reserve stands at £32,155, nil in 2022

2. Incoming Resources

Donations and Legacies:

This year has seen a marked increase on last year figures, but this is due to the fundraising for the boiler and does not reflect a general trend in an increase of voluntary giving general purposes. As always we extend our deep appreciation to our parishioners and donors for their continued generosity in these challenging times.

Income from Charitable Activities:

Due to the change in accounting systems, money generated from church hall lettings which further the objectives of the church is now recorded separately to other income achieved through the hire of the hall (see ‘Other Trading Activities’).

Other Trading Activities:

The elements for this category for 2023 include the proceeds of the summer fair and Christmas fundraising activities.

The year on year decrease in church hall lettings is due to a difference in the way of accounting (see above). When taken together, the income arising from hall lettings shows an increase on 2022 of £5031 (+55%).

The income from the coffee shop is down on 2022: this may be due to accounting difficulties with the electronic giving device ‘Sum-Up’ not always giving detailed information on reports and difficulties with the user interface.

3. Resources Expended

Running cost for 2023 were £56,086, an increase of £9811 on 2022. This increase is mainly due to hall running costs included within these accounts.

It should be noted as well that our expenditure is also lower than years prior to 2022 as we are not paying Parish Share. As soon as the boiler has been replaced, this is something that we will be striving to achieve as soon as possible.

Total salaries and honoraria for 2023 were £20,385 an increase of £2,851on 2022 and is mainly due to the Coffee Shop Manager having a full year in office.

Raising funds totals shows at zero this year due to allocation of expenditure being place within individual categories. There were no payments to individuals to organise fund raising activities.

4. Staff Costs

Employees:

St Peter ’ s PCC now employs an administrative assistant, parish secretary, coffee shop manager and church hall janitor. Non clergy work carried out within the church is either done by professional trades people employed for the task or by volunteers. Throughout the year the church has enjoyed the services of an organist with an occasional stand in. None of these individuals are considered to be an employee of the church but rather as providers of a service.

Payments to PCC Members

Membership of the PCC is voluntary and members do not receive any payments in the normal course of events. However, members of the PCC along with others who incur out of pocket expenses relating to church activities, e.g. Sunday Club, ministry expenses, etc. receive reimbursements which are recorded in the management accounts.

5. Assets

Fixed assets

The church possesses no fixed assets which can be held to have any market or balance sheet value.

The church owns office and sound reproduction equipment including desks, chairs, a photocopier, radio microphones etc. All of this equipment has been written off on purchase and has no balance sheet value.

Investments

Current assets are primarily the funds deposited in the CBF, Nat West and the Co-op bank current accounts. The balances at 31st December are shown in the balance sheet.

As already stated, St Peter ’ s does not possess an investment portfolio as such, the monies we use to run the parish, pay our utility bills and make our contributions to the diocese in the form of Parish Share are almost totally derived from parishioner giving.

6. Debtors

Debtors of £7139 are payments for hall hire and wedding and funerals invoiced that have been paid in January 2024 and some £3553 donated through Su-Up in December 2023 that was received in January 2023.

7. Liabilities

Current liabilities, £1316 include amounts falling due within one year. Apart from ongoing payments for utilities, insurance St Peter ’ s currently has no major liabilities.

Parish Share

We were unable to commit to parish share this year due to the condemnation of both church and hall boilers. We do ask everyone to understand how vital Parish Share is to the mission and work of our parish, the diocese, and the wider church. Parish Share provides the diocese with an essential source for the funds needed to employ and train clergy and to help other churches in the Diocese. Please consider this in your prayers regarding stewardship for 2024. It is very important that we strive to return to meeting our parish obligation as soon as we are able.

8. Funds Statements

A summary of Fund Statement of Change can be seen for reference.

Independent examiner ’ s report to the PCC of St Peter ’ s, Filton

This report on the financial statements of the PCC for the year ended 31st December 2023 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 1992 ( ‘ the Act ’ ).

Respective responsibilities of the PCC and the examiner

As members of the PCC you are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements; you consider that the audit requirement of the Regulations and s.43(2) of the Act does not apply. It is my responsibility to issue this report on those financial statements in accordance with the terms of the Regulations.

Basis of this report

My examination was carried out in accordance with the General Directions given by the Charity Commission under s.43(7)(b) of the Act and to be found in the Church guidance, 2006 edition. That examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the PCC and a comparison of the accounts with those records. It also includes considering any unusual items or disclosures in the financial statements and seeking explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all of the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently I do not express an audit opinion on the view given by the accounts.

Independent examiner ’ s statement

In connection with my examination no matter has come to my attention:

1. which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements

2. a. to keep accounting records in accordance with section 41 of the Act; and

3. b. to prepare financial statements, which accord with the accounting records and comply with the requirements of the Act and the Regulations have not been met; or

4. to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Date= 16/6/2014

Parochial Church Council of St Peter ’ s, Filton Annual Financial Report 2023 Registered Charity 1131957

Approved by the Parochial Church Council on Thursday, 24th January 2024 and signed on its behalf by the Reverend Elizabeth Gregory (PCC Chairperson).

This year has seen a change of accounting system, so please be aware that there may be a variance within accounting codes, but over-all totals are correct.for St Peter ’ s Church, Filton.

Notes to the financial statements For the year ended 31st December 2023

1. Accounting Policies

General

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Church Accounting Regulations 2006 together with applicable accounting standards and the SORP 2005.

The financial statements include all transactions, assets and liabilities for which the PCC is responsible in law. They do not include the accounts of church groups that owe their main affiliation to another body, nor those that are informal gatherings of church members.

Funds

Endowment Funds are funds, the capital of which must be maintained; only income arising from investment of the endowment may be used either as restricted or unrestricted funds depending upon the purpose for which the endowment was established.

St Peter ’ s does not have any funds of this type.

Restricted Funds represent:

(a) Income from trusts or endowments which may be expended only on those restricted objects provided in terms of the trust or bequest, and

(b) Donations or grants received for a specific object or invited by the PCC for a specific object.

The funds may only be expended on the specific object for which they were given. Any balance remaining unspent at the end of each year must be carried forward as a balance on that fund.

Within St Peter ’ s restricted funds usually relate to specific objects such as our lent box appeal or other specific charitable objects.

The PCC does not usually invest separately for each fund.

Designated Funds are funds which have been designated by the PCC for a specific purpose. These can be transferred to Restricted or Unrestricted funds with the agreement of the PCC.

Unrestricted Funds are general funds which can be used for PCC ordinary purposes.

Incoming Resources (Receipts)

Planned giving, collections and donations are recognised when received.

In some charitable organisations it is common practice to accrue anticipated amounts such as this as soon as they are believed to be legally entitled, however we have had past instances where expectations have not been met and as the occurrence of such sums is very infrequent we have decided to account for them only on receipt.

Any other income is accounted for when it is receivable. All incoming resources are accounted for gross.

Resources Expended (Payments)

Mission grants and donations are accounted for when the decision is agreed by the PCC.

Amounts received for mission or specific objects, such as the annual lent box appeal, are dealt with as restricted funds.

All other expenditure is generally recognised when it is incurred and is accounted for gross.

Fixed Assets

Consecrated and benefice property is not included in the accounts in accordance with s.96(2)(a) of the Charities Act 1993.

Movable church furnishings held by the vicar and churchwardens on special trust for the PCC and which require a faculty for disposal are inalienable property, listed in the church ’ s inventory, which can be inspected (at any reasonable time). For anything acquired prior to the year 2000 there is insufficient cost information available and therefore such assets are not valued in the financial statements. Subsequently no individual item has cost more than £1,000 so all such expenditure has been written off when incurred.

Equipment used within the church premises is depreciated on a straight-line basis whenever appropriate. Individual items of equipment with a purchase price of £500 or less are written off when the asset is acquired.

Reserves Policy

At the end of 2008 we proposed a new reserves policy. While this new policy reduced the level of reserve we were accustomed to holding, it was based on Church-of-England guidance and assumptions about the profile of our ongoing expenditure. This new reserves policy has the potential to free up funds for mission work within both the parish and the diocese. The policy is based upon the following:

1. Money should only be kept in reserve for specific reasons. Whilst the Bible clearly indicates that we should not hoard it is also clear that sensible planning for known events and responsibility for others is important.

2. It would therefore be prudent to keep two to three months running costs in reserve. For St Peter ’ s this is approximately £7,000-£12,000 (excluding Parish Share).

3. It is also prudent to have funds in reserve to cover future building work, especially in the case of emergency repairs. Consequently, at the end of 2008 we split the remaining General Reserve fund into two elements; a General Reserve and a Fabric Fund.

4. The level of reserve held is reviewed annually

Year End Reserves Status (see Balance Sheet):

1. The Fabric Fund stands at £8,505.

2. The General Reserve stands at £53,714, up from £50,813 in 2022.

3. The Restricted Reserve stands at £32,155, nil in 2022

2. Incoming Resources

Donations and Legacies:

This year has seen a marked increase on last year figures, but this is due to the fundraising for the boiler and does not reflect a general trend in an increase of voluntary giving general purposes. As always we extend our deep appreciation to our parishioners and donors for their continued generosity in these challenging times.

Income from Charitable Activities:

Due to the change in accounting systems, money generated from church hall lettings which further the objectives of the church is now recorded separately to other income achieved through the hire of the hall (see ‘Other Trading Activities’).

Other Trading Activities:

The elements for this category for 2023 include the proceeds of the summer fair and Christmas fundraising activities.

The year on year decrease in church hall lettings is due to a difference in the way of accounting (see above). When taken together, the income arising from hall lettings shows an increase on 2022 of £5031 (+55%).

The income from the coffee shop is down on 2022: this may be due to accounting difficulties with the electronic giving device ‘Sum-Up’ not always giving detailed information on reports and difficulties with the user interface.

3. Resources Expended

Running cost for 2023 were £56,086, an increase of £9811 on 2022. This increase is mainly due to hall running costs included within these accounts.

It should be noted as well that our expenditure is also lower than years prior to 2022 as we are not paying Parish Share. As soon as the boiler has been replaced, this is something that we will be striving to achieve as soon as possible.

Total salaries and honoraria for 2023 were £20,385 an increase of £2,851on 2022 and is mainly due to the Coffee Shop Manager having a full year in office.

Raising funds totals shows at zero this year due to allocation of expenditure being place within individual categories. There were no payments to individuals to organise fund raising activities.

4. Staff Costs

Employees:

St Peter ’ s PCC now employs an administrative assistant, parish secretary, coffee shop manager and church hall janitor. Non clergy work carried out within the church is either done by professional trades people employed for the task or by volunteers. Throughout the year the church has enjoyed the services of an organist with an occasional stand in. None of these individuals are considered to be an employee of the church but rather as providers of a service.

Payments to PCC Members

Membership of the PCC is voluntary and members do not receive any payments in the normal course of events. However, members of the PCC along with others who incur out of pocket expenses relating to church activities, e.g. Sunday Club, ministry expenses, etc. receive reimbursements which are recorded in the management accounts.

5. Assets

Fixed assets

The church possesses no fixed assets which can be held to have any market or balance sheet value.

The church owns office and sound reproduction equipment including desks, chairs, a photocopier, radio microphones etc. All of this equipment has been written off on purchase and has no balance sheet value.

Investments

Current assets are primarily the funds deposited in the CBF, Nat West and the Co-op bank current accounts. The balances at 31st December are shown in the balance sheet.

As already stated, St Peter ’ s does not possess an investment portfolio as such, the monies we use to run the parish, pay our utility bills and make our contributions to the diocese in the form of Parish Share are almost totally derived from parishioner giving.

6. Debtors

Debtors of £7139 are payments for hall hire and wedding and funerals invoiced that have been paid in January 2024 and some £3553 donated through Su-Up in December 2023 that was received in January 2023.

7. Liabilities

Current liabilities, £1316 include amounts falling due within one year. Apart from ongoing payments for utilities, insurance St Peter ’ s currently has no major liabilities.

Parish Share

We were unable to commit to parish share this year due to the condemnation of both church and hall boilers. We do ask everyone to understand how vital Parish Share is to the mission and work of our parish, the diocese, and the wider church. Parish Share provides the diocese with an essential source for the funds needed to employ and train clergy and to help other churches in the Diocese. Please consider this in your prayers regarding stewardship for 2024. It is very important that we strive to return to meeting our parish obligation as soon as we are able.

8. Funds Statements

A summary of Fund Statement of Change can be seen for reference.

Independent examiner ’ s report to the PCC of St Peter ’ s, Filton

This report on the financial statements of the PCC for the year ended 31st December 2023 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 1992 ( ‘ the Act ’ ).

Respective responsibilities of the PCC and the examiner

As members of the PCC you are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements; you consider that the audit requirement of the Regulations and s.43(2) of the Act does not apply. It is my responsibility to issue this report on those financial statements in accordance with the terms of the Regulations.

Basis of this report

My examination was carried out in accordance with the General Directions given by the Charity Commission under s.43(7)(b) of the Act and to be found in the Church guidance, 2006 edition. That examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the PCC and a comparison of the accounts with those records. It also includes considering any unusual items or disclosures in the financial statements and seeking explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all of the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently I do not express an audit opinion on the view given by the accounts.

Independent examiner ’ s statement

In connection with my examination no matter has come to my attention:

1. which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements

2. a. to keep accounting records in accordance with section 41 of the Act; and

3. b. to prepare financial statements, which accord with the accounting records and comply with the requirements of the Act and the Regulations have not been met; or

4. to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Date= 16/6/2014