OpenCharities

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

← The Parochial Church Council Of The Ecclesiastical Parish Of Stanford In The Vale With Goosey And Hatford

2024-12-31-accounts

THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE the Church Representation Rules 2022 ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF STANFORD IN THE VALE WITH GOOSEY AND HATFORD

Report and Accounts Year ended 31 December 2024

1 Lamb's Passage, London EC1Y 8AB www.stewardship.org.uk

THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF STANFORD IN THE VALE WITH GOOSEY AND HATFORD

LEGAL & ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024

ADDRESS FOR CORRESPONDENCE

Stanford Mill Farringdon Road Stanford in the Vale Oxfordshire SN7 8NP

GOVERNING DOCUMENTS

PCC Powers Measure 1956 and the Church Representation Rules 2022

CHARITY REGISTRATION NUMBER 1132033 MEMBERS OF THE PCC

Rev Paul Eddy (incumbent) Marion Galley (church warden) Michelle Sinclair (church warden)

Nigel Archer Peter Gill Jenny Howard-Jones Suzanne Penman Yvette Upton Janet Warren Margaret Williams (resigned May 2024) Jeanette Gill Clementina Mary Hardman Judy Shippobothan Elizabeth Ward (appointed May 2024)

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER

Sarah Crispin ACA Stewardship 1 Lamb's Passage LONDON EC1Y 8AB

INDEX

Page 1 Legal & Administrative Details Pages 2-5 Trustees' Report Page 6 Independent Examiner's Report Page 7 Receipts and Payments Account Page 8 Statement of Assets & Liabilities Pages 9-10 Notes to the Accounts

Page 1

THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE

ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF STANFORD IN THE

VALE WITH GOOSEY AND HATFORD

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024

The PCC has pleasure in submitting the Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 December 2024.

OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES

Objectives and aims

The objectives of the PCC are defined by the Parochial Church Council (Powers) Measure 1956 as 'to co-operate with the minister in promoting in the parish the whole mission of the Church, pastoral, evangelistic, social and ecumenical' .

Main activities and achievements

The parish seeks, prayerfully, to build our church community on the person, teaching and work of Jesus Christ as revealed in the Bible. As a Parish, we focus our mission and ministry around four ‘values’:-

The Parish Five Key Priorities 2022-27

Reliant on the Holy Spirit, and with the resources (people and finances) that God provides, the Parish’s priorities for the coming five years (2022-27), agreed by the PCC are to:-

1 Launch, resource and develop Denys@4 , focussed on establishing a new Congregation amongst

young families

2 Develop worship patterns, discipleship resources and pastoral support for older members of our church family

3 Execute Phase One of the Reordering of St Denys Church

4 Develop our Communications, and establish a Digital (internet/hybrid church) presence to ensure our worship, and resources, are available to the housebound, and the spiritually searching

5 Explore viable options to ensure our two Chapels of Ease can be permanent resources for the residents of Goosey & Hatford for todays, and future generations

Throughout 2024, Denys@4 continued to nurture faith in around 45 adults and children who attend at some point throughout the month. Due to family commitments, and a culture pre-Denys@4 of not attending church every Sunday, it is a major family commitment to do so – especially with the numerous school breaks. But we are grateful to God for the contacts made and the developing fellowship.

Page 2

During the year three members of Denys@4 asked for Confirmation, and after preparation by me, they were confirmed in a Denys@4 service, with friends and family attending by Bishop Henry Scriven.

Discipleship resources and pastoral support are primarily offered through our homegroups, pastoral visits and by printed and electronic resources offered to church members on themes, plus a Resource Desk. During the year a number of mini-preaching series were featured, including one on Heaven, another on Romans and another considering the ‘Ancient Christian Disciplines’, using Practising The Way , by John Mark Comer and other resources.

Preparations and plans for the Reordering of St Denys continued throughout the year, specifically with the professional writing of a Statement of Need and Significance by the Oxford Heritage Partnership, and with ongoing advice and support from our architects, JBKS. We await a Diocesan Advisory Committee approval of our plans at their March 2025 meeting, then a Consultee visit and then, we prayerfully hope, a Chancellor’s Faculty, whereupon, Trust fundraising can start.

Exploration was undertaken throughout the year to connect the church to the internet, which was complete in March 2025. This will enable us to have Contactless Giving, and to stream national events and films for church and public events.

The ongoing building work at Goosey, backed by a terrific village effort in fundraising demonstrates the ongoing key role the chapel has in that village. We are also hugely grateful for the ongoing financial support of the Hatford Village Committee in making an annual grant to cover the cost of insurance and utilities. Services at both Chapels of Ease are well attended by villagers and others in the parish and deanery. The switch in service time from 9am to 6pm continue to be popular. My thanks to Veronica Buxton, a licensed lay minister for leading these services. Two baptisms were also held at Goosey chapel during a slightly earlier service, and a wedding. I also lead two Holy Communion service in each chapel each year.

A rural parish like ours with only around 3,400 villagers, cannot function without a huge amount of volunteer help behind the scenes. There are too many people to mention by name – and doing so risks the chance of missing someone. But on behalf of the PCC, I do want to pay a huge tribute to so very many people who give of their time and talents to serve the Lord in so many practical ways, without whom, we would simply not be able to keep our three churches open and serve the parish as well as we do. Post Covid, all voluntary groups have suffered through a lack of volunteers and in the coming few years it will be vital to find more people to come forward and to take on responsibilities.

We are very fortunate in this parish to have such a hardworking, dedicated and growing band of Church Bellringers , under the very capable leadership of Jackie O’Hagan, Tower Captain. They are always willing to ring at additional services and we are grateful to them for announcing our weekly 1015am worship to all in earshot of the ringing tower.

Our annual Stanford Festival Weekend was a huge success again, bringing together villagers – old and new – and we are very grateful to the Public Purposes Charity for making a grant to cover the cost of a number of expense items which benefited the whole village. This was very necessary as in the current economic clients, many of our historic business sponsors were unable to help in 2024, or reduced their help. The Sunday of the Festival is, by tradition, offered to village organisations to put on stalls, promote their services and to raise funds. But due to their own struggles with volunteers many were unable to take part in 2024. It is something the Festival Task Group is having to keep under careful review as there is a fine balance between breaking even and making a loss with a two day event. No decisions have been made, and we may well simply be in a ‘season’, but it, will be vital for more volunteers to come forward – on both days – for the Festival to continue to be the success that it is. A huge vote of thanks to Karin Williams-Cuss and the Festival task group for all their work!

As a parish we are delighted to have such a close relationship with Stanford in the Vale CofE Primary School. Each week I am honoured to take a Collective Worship, and our Open The Book Team also go in weekly and act out a Bible story which is really appreciated by staff and pupils alike. The Prayer Space in the school hall in November, led by Yvette Upton, and staffed by church volunteers was very well received. Staff said it brought a calm and reflective space into the heart of

Page 3

school life, as well as teaching all pupils about prayer to God our Father: anytime, any place, anywhere!

A number of other events were highlights: the Passover Meal at St Denys on Maundy Thursday, sharing together the food which Jewish families use in their Passover meals at home, and reflecting on the night before Jesus died. Our Uniformed organisations attended a very successful St George’s Day Parade this year, and my sincere thanks to all their leaders of these groups for all their commitment and help given to our village young people.

Finally, from August 1 to October 31, 2024, I was authorised by the Bishop to have a Sabbatical, during which I undertook a small research project looking at the ways small rural parishes grow – in depth as well as numbers. The lessons learned and resources gathered will be of great help to me and the PCC in the years to come. I would like to take this opportunity to thanks the Church Wardens, all Church Officers, the PCC, homegroup leaders, salespeople, church verger(s) and everyone else who stepped up in my absence to help – as well as a small band of retired clergy who came to take services so that our normal worship pattern could continue in my absence. My sincere thanks!

Financial review

On June 20, Joshua Townsend, the Diocese of Oxford’s Diocesan Giving Adviser came to St Denys church to preach on giving, to share diocesan resources and to answer questions after the service. He had been previously working Michelle Sinclair and the Goosey Chapel team, and installed a contactless giving machine there which has been very successful. He also helped us with the installation of one at St Denys.

Stewardship/giving has become a vital issue for the PCC throughout the year. Since Covid we have seen a number of our younger members, all employed, move onto other churches and stop giving. We have had other church members ‘promoted to glory’, move away, or go into nursing homes – with the inevitable drop in income. And, in previous years, we conducted a large number of Weddings and Funerals – the Diocesan Fee proportion which is sent on to the diocese in the year in which the service is taken, then returns to the PCC in the form of a ‘credit’ against Parish Share two years following the services. In some years past this has been as much as £8,000 in credit but that has dropped significantly.

A combination of all these factors led to the end of year position net loss in unrestricted income over unrestricted expenditure of £4,493. This meant that the PCC had to authorise the Treasurer to ‘draw down’ from CCLA reserves for cash-flow purposes. The PCC held an extraordinary meeting in December 2024 to consider end of year finance, to review its budget for 2024, with the January 2025 PCC meeting further reviewing our expenditure and giving a steer to the Treasurer for the upcoming budget. The finances of the parish – which is in ‘major transition’ as we invest in the ‘church of the future’ means that for the coming few years, we will have to encourage existing church members to give more (if they can) as well as seeking help from trusts/grants, and maintain a tight control on budgets.

Reserves policy

The PCC has determined that the charity should aim to hold unrestricted cash equating to no less than 3 months’ unrestricted expenditure (approximately £16,600 based on current expenditure levels) so that the charity could continue to operate should income and / or expenditure vary adversely. At the year end, due to the drop in income over the year, this reserve level fell to unrestricted cash of £21,491 and the PCC is mindful of the need to increase income and to return these reserves to pre-2024 levels.

Governance

The charity is registered with the Charity Commission and operates under the Charities Act 2011. The governing documents for the charity are the Parochial Church Councils (Powers) Measure 1956 (as amended) and the Church Representation Rules 2011.

Page 4

The appointment of PCC members is governed by, and set out in, the Church Representation Rules. The PCC comprises ex-officio members (which includes clergy and churchwardens), elected members and co-opted members. The PCC organises elections annually before the Annual Parochial Church Meeting (APCM) to fill vacancies. The members of the PCC are the charity's trustees for the purposes of charity law.

Responsibility for setting policy rests with the PCC which meets regularly to monitor the activities of the charity.

Other matters

Regarding the PCC’s obligations to safeguard children and vulnerable adults, the members of the PCC confirm that they have complied with their duties under section 5 of the Safeguarding and Clergy Discipline Measure 2016.

The last quinquennial inspection was held in 2021, with the next ones due 2026. No significant immediate work is required on St Denys Church or St George, Hatford. Works recommended for All Saints Goosey are referred to above.

Responsibilities of trustees

Charity law requires the PCC to prepare financial statements for each accounting year which record the receipts and payments of the charity for the year.

The PCC is responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable us to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011.

We also have a responsibility to safeguard the assets of the charity and to take reasonable steps to prevent fraud or any other irregularities.

Approval

This report was approved by the trustees and signed on their behalf by:

Paul A. Eddy

Paul A. Eddy (Apr 14, 2025 12:24 GMT+1)

The Revd Paul A Eddy FRSA, MCIPR, MPRCA, MInstLM, DipTh.Min Vicar

Date: Apr 14, 2025

Page 5

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT

TO THE TRUSTEES OF

THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF STANFORD IN THE VALE WITH GOOSEY AND HATFORD

I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Parochial Church Council of the Ecclesiastical Parish of Stanford in the Vale with Goosey and Hatford ('the charity') for the year ended 31 December 2024 on pages 7 to 10 following.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the trustees of the charity, the members of the PCC are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 ('the 2011 Act’).

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

Independent examiner’s statement

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

  1. accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the 2011 Act; or

  2. the accounts do not accord with the accounting records.

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

Sarah Crispin

Sarah Crispin (Apr 14, 2025 12:31 GMT+1)

Sarah Crispin ACA

Stewardship 1 Lamb's Passage LONDON EC1Y 8AB

Date: Apr 14, 2025

Page 6

THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF STANFORD IN THE VALE WITH GOOSEY AND HATFORD

RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNT

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024

Notes
Income receipts
Voluntary receipts
2(a)
Fundraising income
2(b)
Charitable activities
2(c)
Investment income
2(d)
Capital and similar receipts
Total receipts
Payments
Church activities
Parish share
Clergy and staffing costs
3(a)
Church running expenses
3(b)
4
Total payments
Transfers between funds
Net movement in funds
Cash funds as at last year end
Cash funds at this year end
A
Net of receipts / (payments) before transfers
Mission giving and donations
Sale of investments
Fundraising expenses		 Unrestricted
Funds
£
40,489
9,640
2,753
795
53,677
-
-
53,677
40,000
3,116
16,419
59,535
3,549
590
63,674
(9,997)
5,504
(4,493)
25,984
21,491		 Restricted
Funds
£
33,928
-
1,121
5,990
41,039
1,249
1,249
42,287
-
-
26,682
26,682
-
-
26,682
15,605
(5,504)
10,101
127,341
137,442		 2024
£
74,417
9,640
3,874
6,785
94,716
1,249
1,249
95,964
40,000
3,116
43,101
86,217
3,549
590
90,356
5,608
-
5,608
153,325
158,933		 2023
£
69,035
5,917
7,927
4,135
87,014
-
-
87,014
45,000
2,566
20,777
68,344
2,531
3,000
73,875
13,139
-
13,139
140,186
153,325

The notes on pages 9 - 10 form part of these accounts.

Page 7

THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF STANFORD IN THE VALE WITH GOOSEY AND HATFORD

STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024

A Cash funds
Cash at bank with immediate access
Notice deposits
Petty cash
B
Other monetary assets
Gift aid due to charity
C
Liabilities
Falling due within one year
Fee for Independent Examination
Fees owed to DBF
Accrued expenses
D
Investment assets
CBF CoE Fixed Interest Securities Fund - Income sha
Churchyard Bequest
Hunt & Sandford Bequest
Rev G A Hatch
COIF Charities Investment Fund
Paynter Fund Trust
CBF CoE Fixed Investment Fund - Income shares
Cotton Endowment Fund
Johnson Endowment Fund		 Unrestricted
funds
£
21,491
-
-
21,491
1,858
1,858
1,890
366
-
2,256
res
-		 Restricted
funds
£
34,778
102,665
-
137,442
4,526
4,526
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
6,656
-
-
6,656		 Endowment
funds
£
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
782
9,066
9,848		 2024
£
56,268
102,665
-
158,933
6,384
6,384
1,890
-
-
1,890
-
-
-
6,656
782
9,066
16,504		 2023
£
32,053
117,828
3,445
153,325
1,748
1,748
1,830
409
1,202
3,441
893
282
65
6,509
764
8,863
17,377

The Churchyard Bequest is restricted to the upkeep of St Deny's churchyard

The Hunt & Sandford Bequest is restricted to the maintenance of the Hunt graves and churchyard maintenance at St Deny's Church.

The Rev G A Hatch fund is restricted to the maintenance of the Tyrell memorial and for the St Deny's Sunday School. During the year, these 3 investment funds were sold and the receipts are included in the Receipts & Payments account. The Paynter Fund Trust is restricted to the upkeep of the family mausoleumn in St George's church, Hatford. Income from the Cotton Endowment Fund is restricted to the maintenance of the Cotton memorial and graves, and inscriptions legible and re-cut from time to time.

Income from the Johnson Endowment Fund is restricted to the maintenance of the St Deny's Church churchyard.

E Assets retained for charity's own use

Laptops
Mower		 Fund to
which asset
belongs
General
General		 Current
value
£
-
-
-

Consecrated property, beneficed property and moveable church furnishings which require a special faculty for disposal are excluded from the above list of charity assets.

The accounts were approved by the trustees and signed on their behalf by:

Paul A. Eddy

Paul A. Eddy (Apr 14, 2025 12:24 GMT+1) _____The Revd P Eddy

Date: __ Apr 14, 2025

The notes on pages 9 - 10 form part of these accounts.

Page 8

THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF STANFORD IN THE VALE WITH GOOSEY AND HATFORD

NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024

1 Accounting policies

The accounts have been prepared on a receipts and payments basis and comprise a statement that shows the charity's receipts and payments, a statement that summarises the charity's assets and liabilities and related notes. The accountancy profession have determined that only accounts prepared in accordance with applicable accounting standards present a 'true and fair' view and, as these receipts and payments accounts have not (and cannot) be prepared in accordance with accounting standards, these accounts do not present (and are not intended to present) a 'true and fair' view of the charity's financial activities and state of affairs.

General funds are unrestricted funds which are available for use at the discretion of the PCC in furtherance of the general objectives of the charity. Designated funds comprise unrestricted funds that have been set aside by the PCC for particular purposes. Restricted funds are donations which are to be used in accordance with specific restrictions imposed by donors; they include donations received from appeals for specific activities or projects.

2
a) Voluntary income
Donations
Other grants
Gift aid recovered
b) Fundraising income
Village Festival
Christmas bazaar
Other
c) Church activities
Fees for weddings and funerals
Church events
Outreach events
d)
Investment income
Interest from cash deposits
Dividends from CBF investment funds
3
a)
Clergy and staffing costs
Clergy expenses		 Unrestricted
funds
£
34,050
-
6,439
40,489
6,055
1,682
1,903
9,640
1,827
-
926
2,753
795
-
795
Unrestricted
funds
£
3,116
3,116		 Restricted
Funds
£
31,533
1,600
795
33,928
-
-
-
-
1,121
-
-
1,121
5,527
463
5,990
Restricted
Funds
£
-
-		 Total
2024
£
65,583
1,600
7,234
74,417
6,055
1,682
1,903
9,640
2,948
-
926
3,874
6,321
463
6,785
Total
2024
£
3,116
3,116		 Total
2023
£
57,746
3,238
8,051
69,035
4,325
1,522
70
5,917
7,000
927
-
7,927
3,687
448
4,135
Total
2023
£
2,566
2,566

Rev Paul Eddy (who is a clergy member of the PCC) receives a stipend from the Diocese; the cost of this stipend is not included in the above payroll cost however it should be noted that some of the Parish share is used to help pay the stipends. Rev Paul Eddy was provided with accommodation (which is customary for clergy). Rev Paul Eddy incurred expenses whilst serving as clergy and these costs are disclosed in the above note.

b)
Church running costs
Cost of services
Other ministry costs
Insurance
Independent examiner's fee
Other legal and professional fees
Admin
Communications
Utilities
Building repairs & maintenance
St Denys Building project		 1,494
2,084
2,891
2,010
-
1,449
1,571
3,321
1,599
-
16,419		 1,698
589
2,183
-
-
112
265
2,019
7,019
12,798
26,682		 3,192
2,673
5,074
2,010
-
1,561
1,836
5,340
8,618
12,798
43,101		 2,657
2,432
5,125
1,920
400
607
993
3,323
3,079
240
20,777

Page 9

THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF STANFORD IN THE VALE WITH GOOSEY AND HATFORD

NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024

4 Mission giving and donations

Mission elsewhere in UK and overseas Barnabas Fund 590 - 590 - Bible Society - - - 1,000 Open Doors - - - 1,000 Tear Fund - - - 1,000 590 - 590 3,000

5 Movement on designated, restricted and endowment funds

General funds
Restricted funds
Hatford General
Goosey General
St Denys Church Devpt Fund
St Deny's Building Fund
Hatford Building Fund
Fabric Fund Goosey
Cotton Bequest
Paynter Fund Trust
Youth & Children Fund
Parish Weekend Bursary Fund
Churchyard Fund (including Johnson Bequest)
Vicar's Discretionary Fund
Christian Defence Fund
Village Compassion Fund
Other restricted funds
Total funds		 Opening
balance
£
25,984
2,450
300
95,915
821
5,203
14,539
1,669
530
2,059
872
120
669
58
2,138
-
127,341
153,325		 Receipts
£
53,677
4,134
4,378
5,083
1,273
276
22,610
110
181
705
-
1,509
-
-
438
1,589
42,287
95,964		 Payments
£
(63,674)
(2,069)
(3,083)
(12,798)
(1,806)
-
(3,857)
-
-
(802)
-
(213)
(260)
-
(329)
(1,465)
(26,682)
(90,356)		 Transfers
£
5,504
(4,215)
(1,295)
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
6
(5,504)
-		 Closing
balance
£
21,491
300
300
88,200
288
5,479
33,293
1,779
711
1,962
872
1,416
409
58
2,247
130
137,442
158,933

Transfers

The transfers to general funds from Hatford General & Goosey General relate to their contribution towards the Parish Share.

Restricted Funds

The Hatford General Fund is restricted to the running costs of St George's church, Hatford.

The Goosey General Fund is restricted to the running costs of All Saints. Goosey.

The St Denys Church Devpt Fund is restricted to the planned improvements to the facilities inside the St Denys' Church building. The St Denys Building Fund is restricted to the maintenace of St Deny's church buillding.

The Hatford Building Fund is restricted to the upkeep of the church and churchyard at St George's, Hatford.

Fabric Fund Goosey is restricted to the maintenance of the All Saints, Goosey church building.

The Cotton Bequest fund is the income from the Cotton endowment and is restricted to the maintenance of the Cotton memorial and graves, and inscriptions legible and re-cut from time to time.

The Paynter Fund Trust is restricted to the upkeep of family mausoleum in St George's church, Hatford.

The Youth & Children Fund is a restricted fund for the costs of running children's and youth activities.

The Parish Weekend Bursary Fund is a restricted fund to be used to help with costs for attending Church weekend away.

The Churchyard Fund is restricted to the upkeep of the St Deny's churchyard and includes income received from the Johnson Bequest endowment fund.

The Vicar's Discretionary Fund is restricted grants given for the vicar to use at his discretion to help parishioners. The Christian Defence Fund relates to an appeal to provide legal support Christians in Afghanistan.

Other restricted funds includes the Belfry Fund and money raised for the organ pipes.

In addition to these restricted funds held as cash funds, there are restricted fund and endowment fund balances held as investments as shown in the Statement of Assets & Liabilities. The movements on these do not form part of the Receipts and Payments Account.

Page 10