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← The Parochial Church Council Of The Ecclesiastical Parish Of St. Paul Ansdell And Fairhaven

2024-12-31-accounts

St. Paul's Church Ansdell & Fairhaven Working in Uraty To Shane The Good Mees Of Christ

Parish of Ansdell and Fairhaven St Paul Clifton Drive, Lytham St Annes

Diocese of Blackburn Registered Charity Number: 1131961

Annual Report and

Financial Statements

of the Parochial Church Council for the year ended 31st December 2024

Contents

Annual Report Pages 1 - 11 Financial Statements Pages 12-16 Accounting Policies Page 17 Independent Examiner's Report Page 18

Aims and Purposes

The Parochial Church Council (hereinafter referred to as the PCC) has the responsibility of co-operating with the incumbent, the Revd. Paul Bye, in promoting in the parish, the whole mission of the church, pastoral, evangelistic, social and ecumenical. This aim is further expressed in St Paul’s Identity and Vision statement.

It is also expressed in the PCC Statement of Aims:

The PCC is a team representing the church family: it seeks God's will for the church and the parish.

Jesus said, 'Go and make disciples…' Matthew. 28 v19.

Working in partnership with the vicar and the church fellowship, the PCC aims to enable people to engage with Jesus through the Bible: to come to faith, to grow in him and to serve him as Lord. With this aim in mind, the PCC manages the finances, resources and needs of the church.

The PCC also holds maintenance responsibility for the church buildings and attached hall and has responsibility for the management of the Fundraising shop on Woodlands Road, Lytham St Annes.

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Objectives and Activities

St Paul’s continued to be guided by our identity statement as we maintained existing ministries and began new ones, all the time seeking to grow as a loving family, in our discipleship and reaching and serving the parish. A review of year one of the Three Year Plan took place. Some aspects of the first year had been achieved, some were ongoing and others had not taken place.

The PCC continued to operate the ‘Outside Support Fund’ designating some of church finances and a proportion of shop profits to benefit the following projects:

The first four projects were not simply about giving, but partnership - supporting the projects financially and in prayer and widening our horizons on God’s work in the world.

The PCC has had due regard to the Charity Commission guidance on public benefit when exercising any powers or duties to which the guidance is relevant. The PCC has undertaken its activities for the public benefit, and believes it has provided a benefit to all sections of the public by:

Achievements and Performance

Benefit to the public can be seen in the achievements God has brought through the life of St Paul’s this year.

2024 at a glance

January – The church family enjoyed time together over a meal as we marked our patronal festival. Evensong for the Conversion of Paul. A successful Christianity Explored course was held. We expressed our thanks to our shop volunteers with an afternoon tea following a training meeting. Four lessons took place with Year 7 students at AKS secondary school.

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February – Ash Wednesday service. Equip, our new course equipping church members in their service of God began. Mike Fenton and Paul Bye attended a ‘Front Door’ meeting, as part of a project for St Paul’s to have a new website. Assembly at Ansdell Primary School (APS). Kware link parish online meeting.

March – Organ recital raising money for Embrace the Middle. Session for the infant children at Clifton Primary for Easter. Easter Assembly at APS. Easter Explorations family event welcoming. Re-licensing of Janet Kimber as Licensed Lay Minister at Blackburn Cathedral.

April – Evensong for Palm Sunday. Holy Week services including Compline, Maundy Thursday communion and Good Friday reflection. Our Easter Invitation service saw us welcome people

who had never attended before. Annual Parochial Church Meeting. Kware link parish online meeting. Tots’ Ladies Curry evening with testimony.

May – Assembly at APS. Ascension Day service. Around the World family event. Visit by APS to St Paul’s to explore baptism. Evensong for Pentecost Sunday.

June – Assembly at APS. A group from St Paul’s walk in Lytham Club Day. Farewell service and church family tea as we said good bye to the Mulholland family and commissioned them for their new

ministry in Wolverhampton. Visit of group of men from St Paul’s to ‘Man Alive’ event at Blackburn Cathedral. Side persons’ Training.

July – Assembly at APS. Kware link online meeting. Olympic family event. Visit of Archdeacon David Picken to an evensong service to induct Alan Curtis and Mike Fenton as wardens.

August – Celebration of Fundraising Shop’s 21[st] birthday. Evensong for the Transfiguration.

September – Heritage Open Day welcomes members of our local community. Assembly at APS. Harvest Sunday with bring and share meal. Visit of four members of St Paul’s to our link parish, Kware in Thika Diocese, Kenya.

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October – ‘From Ansdell to Africa’ afternoon feeding back on the recent visit to our link parish. Harvest Assembly at APS. Bright Lights Party family event. Mike Fenton and Paul Bye attended a ‘Front Door’ project meeting.

November – Memorial Service held to remember loved ones who had died. Remembrance Sunday service. Evensong for Advent Sunday. Assembly at APS. Kware

link parish online meeting. Visits to Clifton Primary school to be involved in RE lessons.

December – Christmas leaflet and letter distributed around the parish. Christingle Service, Carols by Candlelight service, Crib service

and services on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Carol singing at local nursing homes. St Paul’s Tots Nativity and Christmas Party held. Visit of Ansdell Primary for their Christmas service. New ‘Ansdell Community Carol Service’ pioneered by St Paul’s in conjunction with the Well Church.

Pastoral

The church family has welcomed visitors from within, as well as outside, our parish boundary, and from a range of ages and backgrounds. There were 104 parishioners on the church electoral roll (as of 7[th] April 2024), 63 of whom are not resident within the parish. The Regular Weekly Attendance (those over 16 attending once a month or more) was counted in October at 53.25 people. The average Sunday attendance in October was 54 adults and 4 children. We have continued to provide the live stream of services for those not able to attend. Pews News Extra, our parish magazine continues to be a valuable way of keeping people connected and informed, as well as regularly picked up by members of our community.

We led seven funerals and two interment of ashes.

To enable us to grow as disciples, several courses took place. Until his departure, Kyle, our Assistant Curate, continued to run courses looking at the Apostle’s Creed, Lord’s Prayer and Ten Commandments, as well as doctrine and church history. Growth Group continued. Christianity Explored ran in the early Spring. The Equip course was pioneered as a new course over ten sessions helping equip church members in Christ-like character, conviction and with skills for their Christian life. On Sundays, the prayer meeting continued at 9.45am to lift the day and week to God.

The church continued to support people within the congregation and the wider community, especially in key ‘life’ moments, providing appropriate care, preparation, and support at these times.

Evangelistic

Sharing the good news of Christ is at the heart of what we want to do at St Paul’s.

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St. Paul’s Tots continued to flourish. Regularly 40+ children and their carers attended, enjoying crafts and activities, a warm welcome and hearing of Jesus. At Easter, the leadership of the group transitioned from Amy Mulholland to Sheila Redcliffe and Paul Bye supported by a small group of faithful volunteers.

Family Events which ran for their first full year were designed as an opportunity to connect with whole families in our community, as well as Tots’ families outside the weekly Tots’ sessions.

The Fundraising Shop continued to be a place of welcome and connection with our community. Celebrating its twenty first birthday in August was an opportunity to give thanks for God’s goodness over many years, raise the profile further and distribute Chritian literature.

The 4, our more informal multigenerational service, continued. While this has not fully enabled us to connect with some of the demographics we had hoped, it has enabled a time of worshipping and fellowship together for a range of ages.

Our Christmas services enabled us to welcome new and returning faces, and make Jesus known as we celebrated Jesus’ birth.

Social

Wednesday Coffee continued and has been a place where new people have been welcomed, particularly those feeling more isolated. Jacob’s Join meals took place in January and September enabling the church family to eat and fellowship together. The Fundraising Shop provided opportunities to befriend community members and support the wider community through passing on donations we cannot use to other local good causes.

The congregation has given to good causes benefiting those wider than the parish. These included the Bishop’s Harvest Appeal and Safe Families at the Christingle. The Outside Support Fund is detailed on page 2-3.

In July, a new safeguarding officer, Stuart Austin, was appointed enabling extra capacity and renewed direction in maintaining safeguarding good practice to enable St Paul’s to care for people well.

Ecumenical

St Paul’s played a part in Deanery Synod of Kirkham Deanery, and Paul is a member of the Diocesan Synod.

St Paul’s joined with other Christians locally for the outdoor Good Friday service outside the Fundraising Shop, and ‘Ansdell Community Carol Service.’

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Fabric

Key works on the church fabric in 2024 have been:

January 2024

February 2024

March 2024

April 2024

May 2024

June 2024

July – August 2024

September 2024

October 2024

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November 2024

December 2025

Financial Review

Financially we continue to thank the Lord for his provision and we are grateful for our financial gifts. Our financial statements look slightly different this year, as we now use a software package designed for churches and charities.

2024 was the first year since the pandemic (2020) that we did not receive a Parish Share Support grant from the Diocese, all income received has come from Planned Giving, donations legacies, charitable and other trading activities.

On 31/12/2024 the final position of the General fund, before fund transfers, was a surplus of £2,480. During the year £599 was moved from three Funds (Toddler Group, Flowers and Vicar’s Special Support) into the General fund and at the end of the year 10% of the Fundraising shop profit (£3,303) was transferred to the Shop 10% Profit fund. The balance after fund transfers was a deficit of (£224). This is a reduction from a surplus (after fund movements) of £11,104 in 2023.

The surplus of £2,480 represents the difference between all the money we received in 2024, less all the money paid out for the same period. Compared to 2023 our receipts have fallen by 7.1%, and payments have increased by 4. 6%.

Receipts . As in 2023 we have 3 main areas of income: planned giving, the fundraising shop and hall hire. Planned giving (£49,963) has fallen by 17.5%. The shop profit has remained about the same as 2023 (2024 profit £33,034) and hall hire (£22,101) has increased by 43.7%.

Without the shop income our deficit (before fund transfers) would have (£30,554). We are very thankful to Joe, the volunteer supervisors who cover for annual leave etc. and all the volunteers at the Fundraising Shop. It is clear that St Paul’s remained heavily dependent on shop income in 2024. This income requires a significant amount of time and effort for many people.

As previously stated, hall hire income increased by 43.7%, and although it is difficult to give an exact number, due to heating and lighting being combined with the church costs, the church hall was able to cover its costs even with the increased energy costs since 2022. We are thankful to Mary & Ian Winterflood

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for their work with the hall hire and we are grateful for the wide variety of groups that use the hall, bringing not only an income but also an opportunity to connect with our community.

Financially, in 2025 we continue to face challenges from increased costs, as our heating and lighting will continue to cost significantly more than before 2022 (although 2024 costs are £2,500 lower than 2023), a plan to carry our significant works to the church hall roof, required tasks from our Quinquennial Inspection and making sure that witnessing to Jesus drives our plans and budget.

In March, we will be having a period reflecting on God’s generosity to us and what it means to be joyful, generous stewards in response. Our desire is to increase our planned giving as a church to meet our own costs for ministry and maintenance. This goes hand in hand with a need to have a clear plan regarding the Fundraising Shop and our financial dependence on it.

On a positive note the PCC has committed to increase our giving through our Outside Support Fund to mission causes we partner with. It has also budgeted to use church funds for outreach activities aimed at making more disciples of Jesus. It has also agreed to use some of its funds to host a team from Kware Parish in September 2025 developing our global link.

2024 2023
Planned giving – tax
efficient £ 38,782 £ 45,149
Planned giving - other £ 11,181 £ 15,374
£ 49,963 £ 60,523
Number of Planned givers 2024 50 (8 lost, 4 gained)
Number of Planned givers 2023 54 *

All surplus monies are placed with the Diocese of Blackburn Deposit Account. The P.C.C. seeks to place with the Diocese of Blackburn Deposit Account all such monies that are surplus to current requirements. Current requirements are defined as sufficient funds to satisfy three months’ average expenditure.

Future developments

Some key areas for focus in 2025 are:

Discipleship – In 2025, we will be using John 15:1-17 as a focus for our Sunday sermons, small groups and ‘take home’ materials to help us be a church which exists to bear fruit for the Father’s glory and to do so by remaining in Jesus. It is our prayer that having an overarching theme for the year, explored through different angles will enable us to continue to grow as a church, in spiritual life and numbers.

Plan – Further work is needed to embed the three year plan in the life of St Paul’s. Some aspects of year one of the plan await action, while others have wonderfully been able to take place. Budgeting for 2025 has taken into account priorities from the three year plan which we would like to carry out this year. This includes reviewing our services and 0-18s provision.

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Sustain – The beginning of the Equip course was an exciting addition to our life as a church in 2024, seeking to equip church members to grow in their faith and roles in which they currently service. However, there is still a need to build stronger teams for our various ministries and identify and train leaders to serve in those ministries and others in to the future.

Fellowship – Our ‘bring and share’ lunches have been real moments of us operating as a family, with relationships across backgrounds and ages being witnessed. However, the deepening of our relationships with each other continues to be important. There will be a series of opportunities (link up meals, quizzes, times together) to seek to strengthen our relationships. It is our aim to have a team from Kware parish to visit St Pauls in September 2025. This will help us further develop our partnership with these Kenyan Christians, especially as St Paul’s members get to meet, worship with and host our brothers and sisters.

Finances – We give great thanks to God for his provision in 2024. However, there is still a significant gap between providing for our needs as a church from our own giving and our expenditure. Without income from the Fundraising Shop, St Paul’s is not covering its own expenses at present. We will be exploring the theme of God’s generosity and our response during Lent as we consider our ongoing stewardship.

Fabric – Having received further advice from our architect in 2024 and with our Quinquennial Inspection in early 2025, we will be in a place to make decisions regarding a plan to upgrade lighting in the hall and church to make it more energy efficient and address the ongoing water ingress in the hall. This will be a significant piece of work and likely require outside funding.

Structure, Governance and Management

The PCC operates under the Parochial Church Council (Powers) Measure 1956 as amended and the Church Representation Rules (contained in Schedule 3 to the Synodical Government Measure 1969 as amended).

The PCC consists of the incumbent, ex-officio members (Wardens, Deanery Synod representatives, Licensed Lay Minister), and those elected by the membership of the Electoral Roll. Church attendees who are eligible are encouraged to register on the Electoral Roll and stand for election to the PCC. Elected members hold post for three years and are elected at the Annual Parochial Church Meeting each year.

The PCC met eleven times during the year with an average attendance of 81.72%. Four decisions were made by email outside of meetings, as well as some discussion had. Close monitoring of the finances, stewardship, cash flow projections were undertaken, with excellent support of the Treasurer and Stewardship Officer. St Paul’s transitioned to a new accounting package in January 2024 which has required extra work but should be more user friendly in the long-term.

The PCC also operates through a Standing Committee. This is the only Committee required by the Church Representation Rules and it has the power to transact the business of the PCC between its meetings and subject to the directions given to it by the PCC. It did not meet physically during the year but made thirteen financial, logistical, ministry and personnel decisions by email and discussed various other matters. The PCC re-elected a Shop Oversight Committee. This met four times in person, and individuals from the SOC have also met to liaise with the Shop Manager on a number of other occasions. Various matters were also discussed by email. Several HR decisions were needed to be made during the year. Minutes or updates from the SOC are reported to the PCC. The PCC also has two additional committees to help share the work of the church – the Fabric Committee (which did not meet) and Finance Committee. The Finance Committee made one decision by email.

Our Hall Hire Secretary continued to do much work behind the scenes liaising with hall hirers.

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Risk Assessment

The PCC recognises that in relation to ‘Risk Assessment’, risk is defined as ‘the threat of any action or event which will adversely affect an organisation’s ability to achieve its objectives and execute its strategies’. It also accepts that the term ‘risk’ can include any circumstances that may, or do, have an adverse effect, and is wider than financial matters. ‘Risks’ relate not only to the negative consequences of a threat, but also to the impact of not taking advantage of opportunities.

The PCC recognises it requires a practical Health and Safety Policy covering activities for church, hall and grounds. This is reviewed on a regular basis. An Accident Book is maintained.

The contents and obligations of the Equality Act 2010 and the 2018 General Data Protection Regulation are known and sought to be complied with to the best of the PCC’s ability. The PCC is aware of its responsibilities in respect of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 in its requirement to carry out a fire assessment to identify any possible dangers and risks, to act to minimise the risks and to create a plan to deal with any emergencies, and to write up and keep a record of its findings and to review its assessment annually.

St Paul's takes seriously the safeguarding of children and young people within its activities. The PCC appointed a new Parish Safeguarding Officer in 2024, Stuart Austin. The PCC continues to operate by the Church of England safeguarding policy and Parish Handbook outlining best practice. A safer recruitment process is in place and checks are made with the Disclosure and Barring Service in respect of persons dealing regularly with young people and vulnerable adults. Foundation and Domestic Abuse safeguarding training was run within the parish, with other volunteers accessing online training. Where needed a number of enquiries were made to the Diocesan Safeguarding team to check correct best practice or raise concerns. The annual review identified areas of needed development and a plan put in place to address them. Reports to the PCC are made throughout the year to update them.

Whilst it is impossible to eliminate all risks and their consequences, efforts are constantly made to minimise such occurrences.

Administrative Information

Charity Name:

The Parochial Church Council of the Ecclesiastical Parish of Ansdell and Fairhaven St Paul

Charity Number: 1131961

Correspondence Address:

Parish Office, Lake Road North, Lytham St Annes FY8 1AG

Incumbent:

The Revd Paul Bye Fairhaven Vicarage, 83 Clifton Drive Lytham St Annes FY8 1BZ

Bankers:

NatWest 9 Dicconson Terrace Lytham St. Annes Lancashire FY8 5FZ

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Independent Examiner:

The Revd A.A. Clements MA ACIB FCIE 15 Carleton Road Great Knowley Chorley PR6 8TQ

Church Website:

www.stpaulsfairhaven.weebly.com

The Parish Church of Ansdell and Fairhaven, St Paul is part of the Diocese of Blackburn within the Church of England. Under the terms of Section 3 of the Parochial Church Council (Powers) Measure 1956 the Parochial Church Council is a body corporate and is a charity currently registered No. 1131961 with the Charity Commission.

PCC members who have served from the 1st January 2024 until the 31st December 2024 are:

Incumbent The Revd. Paul Bye * Chair Curate The Revd. Kyle Mulholland (until 2[nd] June) Licensed Lay Minister Janet Kimber * Churchwardens Alan Curtis * Mike Fenton * Deanery Synod Representatives Vacant Elected Members Diane Austin Stuart Austin Loraine Lee (until APCM 2024) Dorothy Anne Story Jennifer Sealey Judith Fenton Anne Scanes Pam Rowell * Sheila Redcliffe (from APCM 2024)

Key Postholders during 2024 were:

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It is considered that all members of the P.C.C. and any others who could be understood to be ‘managers’ in the activities and affairs of the parish church of St. Paul, Ansdell and Fairhaven are deemed to be ‘fit and proper persons’ under the terms of the Finance Act 2010.

All members elected for the first time and any others who have rejoined the P.C.C. after an absence of time should be supplied with copies of the minutes of the P.C.C. meetings of the past year, a copy of the last Annual Report and Accounts, and will be invited to meet with the P.C.C. Treasurer, the Churchwardens and the Incumbent in order that they may be thoroughly briefed on the present situation of the Parish. Inservice training is available to all P.C.C. members as and when required.

Signed Date 18.3.25 The Revd. Paul Bye Vicar (on behalf of the PCC)

Financial Statements

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Church Accounting Regulations 2006 using the Receipts and Payments Basis for the period 1[st] January to 31[st] December 2024.

Summary Statement

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Statement of Assets and Liabilities

The following assets are recognised but not necessarily valued in the statement of Assets and Liabilities: Moveable church furnishings held by churchwardens on special trust for the PCC and which require a faculty for disposal.

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Fund Movement Summary 237 Fb5C 316 e75 6D41 4779 12IA¥J TX• 218 15) 185927 1tt417 ¢7011 IM114 15

Analysis of Receipts and Payments Total G•n•ral O•slgnat•d R•stricl•d Endo¥mnt Thls ￿ar iasl ￿ar Don•tlon8 and l•9acl•8 0101-13tP¥J-8w 31£61 31161 35J1 0110.GAhJ. EwTh8by5 7.rn 11.181 15374 4370 1291 1.424 2018 11 1018 9579 9579 10374 $347 10.LLK) DM•llons and 1•9xi•s Totsl• 74S25 97.545 1101. 1211.T(18r 1.192 In¢on from chw•bl• •cllvMb•• Tots 1,750 Cxh•r tradkng acllvltl•s 451 85JSI 85fy75 1¢ 71101 15.376 CXh•r tradknB acllvlll•s Tots 107A52 107.$52 101.079 kn¥••lnnts kn¥••lnnls Tol•l• 1375 18SW 1391 187J18 201,649 Ralslry funds 25201 23D47 1771.9Kp LThIB 15289 5512 5312 1.174 2543 16

The expenses paid to clergy may include a small immaterial proportion which relates to their function as PCC members. No other payments were made to members for being members of the PCC.

Signed by two trustees on behalf of all the trustees

Signature Print Name Date of approval Ate Reverend Paul Bye 18.3.25 Pam Rowell 18.3.25 (=oee re

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Accounting Policies

The financial statements of the PCC have been prepared in accordance with the Church Accounting Regulations 2006 using the Receipts and Payments basis.

Funds

General funds represent the funds of the PCC that are not subject to any special restrictions regarding their use and are available for application to the general purpose of the PCC. These include funds designated for a particular purpose by the PCC.

The accounts include monetary transactions, assets and liabilities for which the PCC can be held responsible. They do not include the accounts of other church groups that owe an affiliation to another body, nor those that are informal gatherings of church members.

Subject to the above, receipts and payments include income as received and expenditure when irrevocably paid.

Statement of Assets and Liabilities

The following assets are recognised but not necessarily valued in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities:

The following assets are recognised and a monetary value given as part of the description in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities:

The following liabilities are recognised in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities:

Creditors for goods or services where the supply has been received and invoiced by 31st December.

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