2023-12-31-accounts

St John’s & St Luke’s Together: Making Disciples who make Jesus known

ANNUAL REPORT 2023

Parish of St John and St Luke Bilton

Parish of St John and St Luke Bilton Making Disciples who make Jesus known

Annual Parochial Church Meeting – 19[th] May 2024

REPORT FOR THE YEAR 2023

The joint parish of St John and St Luke, Bilton is part of the Diocese of Leeds within the Church of England. The correspondence address is: The Parish Office, St John’s Church, Bilton Lane, Harrogate, HG1 3DT. The PCC is responsible for the maintenance of the buildings and grounds at the Church of St John the Evangelist, Bilton Lane, St Luke’s Church, Franklin Square, and residential properties at 59 Coppice Way and 13 Albany Road.

THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL

The membership of the Parochial Church Council for the period 1[st] January- 31[st] December 2023 was as follows:

Ex Officio Members

	Ex Officio Members	Ex Officio Members
Clergy:	Simon Dowson (Team Rector - PCC Chair)
	Laura Martin (Curate)
Licensed Lay Minister:	Jan Johnson
Deanery Synod Reps:	Val Carr (from July 2023)
	Pat Fenton (until July 2023)
	Liz Meade
	Jane Reichert (until July 2023)
	Caroline Wise
Churchwardens :	Alethea Fry (St Luke’s – 1st elected May 2022)
	Jane Reichert (St John’s – 1st elected A pril 2018)
	Nigel Thompson (St John’s – 1st elected April 2008)
	Elected Members
	Rob Bath	(term ends 2024)
	David Brown (PCC Treasurer)	(term ends 2024)
	Michael Crone	(term ends 2026)
	Noel Duke	(term ends 2026)
	Claire Golightly	(term ends 2025)
	Michael Guy	(term ends 2025)
	Tracey Iles	(term ends 2025)
	Andrew McHutchon	(until May 2023)
	Daffyd Pritchard	(term ends 2024)
Co-opted members:	Gill Clarke
	Joe Martin
In attendance:	Emma James (Young People’s Worker)
	Helen Mayers (PCC Secretary)
Its bankers are:	The Co-operative Bank plc - P.O.	Box 101, 1 Balloon Street, Manchester, M60 4EP
Independent Examiner:	Miss Victoria Iley ACA CTA - c/o The Parish Office, St John’s Church, Bilton
Solicitors:	The Diocesan Registrar

The aim of the Parochial Church Council (PCC) is to co-operate with the incumbent in promoting in the parish ‘the whole mission of the church, pastoral, evangelistic, social and ecumenical’. This includes oversight of the church finances and maintenance of our church buildings, grounds and other properties. Membership of the PCC consists of clergy, licensed lay minister, churchwardens, Deanery Synod representatives and up to 10 lay members, elected for three-year terms at the APCM. To ensure smooth functioning of the committee, lay members’ terms of office start and finish in different years, so that we have a mixture of new and experienced lay representatives.

During the course of 2023 the PCC met on a total of 8 occasions, including a Vision Morning. Some business arising between meetings was conducted via email (as allowed for in the Church Representation Rules). Topics for discussion/approval and actions taken included:

• A re-evaluation of the vacant Team Vicar role and how best to secure the right candidate

• How to achieve growth in our churches, both in terms of discipleship and numbers, culminating in the adoption and launch of the Rhythm of Life initiative

• Thought-sharing on the topic of the approval of same-sex blessings in our churches, in line with recent discussions at General Synod

• The development of lay ministry in the context of a general move away from stipendiary clergy

• Approvals for routine maintenance tasks at both churches and 2 big projects at St John’s – a new audiovisual system and lighting for the church driveway

• Approval of youth work initiatives

• Approval of the church accounts and discussion of the continuing financial challenges faced by our churches, including securing adequate funding for the Young People’s Worker post going forward, and a review of the church policy for the payment of grants and donations to other charities.

The PCC discharges its duties with the help of committees which report back to the full PCC, with minutes of their decisions discussed further as necessary. In 2023 the only committee reporting regularly to PCC was the Finance & Buildings Committee. It is hoped that in 2024 a rebooted Social Committee will also be able to meet more regularly. The oversight of youthwork and safeguarding are both important areas of responsibility for PCC, and the Young People’s Worker and Parish Safeguarding Officer also provide regular updates at PCC meetings, as do the PCC Deanery Synod reps and the Green Team. Reports on all these areas of responsibility appear below.

Helen Mayers – PCC Secretary

FINANCE AND BUILDINGS COMMITTEE

The Finance and Buildings Committee has ten members and met on six occasions in 2023. The issues we have dealt with included the following:

• Budgets are set for the forthcoming financial year to reflect our current commitments, maintenance needs, and the mission priorities of the church.

• Income and expenditure are monitored against the budget. As a major item of expenditure, parish share payments to the diocese have been regularly reviewed, and it was again necessary to cap our payments to avoid undue strain on our finances.

• We ensure that the annual accounts are produced and submitted for external examination.

• We regularly discuss finances and funding for the Young People’s Worker. There was a positive response to the Youth Worker appeal in the spring of 2023, and further sources of funding are now being explored by the group set up in 2022, from whom we receive progress reports.

• We have again reviewed the financial information provided to our congregations and regular donors. The Parish Giving Scheme has been monitored following its introduction, and we have seen a further significant take up of the scheme during the year.

• We have carried out an annual review of rents and hire charges for our rooms and properties. During the year the property on Albany Road was vacated and it was decided to re-let the property for the coming year.

• We have carried out an annual review of employees’ wages and salaries. It was decided that the Real Living Wage would be paid from 1st January 2024.

• We have again reviewed our mission giving (extra parochial giving) to ensure we meet our annual target as set out in the Policy on the Payment of Grants and Donations to Charities. This year we proposed increasing our target from 15% to 16% of our disposable income. Thanks to the uplift in income, we were able to commit a greater sum to charitable causes.

• We regularly discuss buildings repairs and maintenance based on the reports provided by the wardens.

• This year there were special items of work to consider. These included: the new video system for St John’s; repairs to the bell tower of the Church Hall; driveway lighting at St John’s funded by local authority grants; fire doors for the cupboard at St Luke’s; and the installation of a safety handrail at St John’s East End exit.

• The Creationtide installation ‘Bringing the Outdoors In’, organised by Shaeron Caton Rose in September, was also discussed and approved.

All decisions of the committee are subject to PCC approval.

David Brown – PCC Treasurer

YOUTHWORK REPORT

What does it feel like to be young person in 2023/2024?

• According to a 2023 Prince’s Trust survey, 70% of 13-18 year olds are anxious about their futures.

• 89% say that ‘having enough money to cover basic needs’ is now an aspiration in life.

• 44% of young people feel unsafe on their streets. (Youthscape 2023)

• In the last three years, the likelihood of young person between 5 and 16 years old having a mental health issue has increased by 50%. (Children’s Society)

• The proportion of children and young people with possible eating problems has more than doubled from 2017 to 2023 in 11-16 year olds. (NHS UK)

• Problems with sleep on three or more consecutive nights affect over half of 17-19 year olds. (NHS UK)

• English councils’ spending on youth services in 2023 is 73% less than was spent 10 years ago in 2013. (CYP)

You might be wondering why I’m including such statistics in this youth work report. Well, it’s really to highlight how important youth work in churches is at the moment, and why I am so pleased that St John’s and St Luke’s are continuing to fund a youth worker role. Thanks must go to the fabulous team of volunteers that give up their time each week to try and make a dent in those numbers above, one young person at a time. I would also like to particularly thank the team that are working on fundraising for the youth worker role, without whose work and time there wouldn’t be a youth worker here at St John’s and St Luke’s at all. Similarly, grateful thanks to the congregations of both churches for their generosity in financial giving and support in prayer for the work that me and the team do.

Here are a few ways that we at St John’s and St Luke’s are continuing to support, love and teach the young people:

• Another fabulous summer camp to Limitless Festival, establishing it firmly in the calendar of events. We took 19 young people and 5 leaders and saw God breaking into several young people’s lives and the leaders’ too.

• • The monthly Youth Worship Evening continues to grow, with nearly 50 young people now attending, some who even come from Ripon! We have seen more young people getting involved in the leading of this too, including welcoming, being in the band, praying and preaching. It has been particularly encouraging to see a good number of Year 7 children from SJ&SL regularly attending.

• The lunchtime group at St Aidan’s continues to thrive and has evolved from being purely about building relationships to now including a faith element/question each week.

• We continue to coach vulnerable young people in Harrogate High School in partnership with the charity TLG.

• • As part of our schools’ ministry, we now do collective worship in New Park School, as well as Richard Taylor, Bilton Grange, Coppice and St Aidan’s. As with the worship evening above, I now meet with children in Y6 at Richard Taylor to help them to plan and lead collective worship for their peers at school.

• Ignite and 4twelve continue to run weekly and, I hope, provide the young people with a space they feel welcomed and where they can be themselves.

• 1 to 1 meetings in cafes or walks with young people are ongoing, and indeed are often asked for by both young people and parents.

The church at its core is about relationships: relationships with Christ and with each other, and that is what we work for in all of the youth groups we run at St John’s and St Luke’s. First and foremost, they are places where young people are welcomed, where relationships can be built, where questions are asked and answered and where they are loved, just as I think the communities that Jesus built were too.

Emma James – Youth Worker

SAFEGUARDING REPORT

Note: The PCC has complied with the duty under section 5 of the Safeguarding and Clergy Discipline Measure 2016 (duty to have due regard to House of Bishops’ guidance on safeguarding children and vulnerable adults).

St John’s and St Luke’s has adopted the national policy document “Promoting a Safer Church”, which ensures the safeguarding of children, young people and adults. Copies of this policy document are available at both churches. A Parish Safeguarding Handbook was produced during 2018 which provides advice and information to strengthen the day to day working of parishes with regard to safeguarding. Copies of the handbook are again available in both churches. As a church St John’s and St Luke’s formally adopt the House of Bishops’ “Promoting a Safer Church: Safeguarding Policy Statement” which is annually agreed with the PCC and signed. Copies of this statement are displayed at both churches.

We use the national “Practice Guidance for Safer Recruiting” in all our recruiting. A record is kept of all workers who require a DBS for their role, and we inform people when a renewal is due. Annually we obtain a signed confidential declaration form from all current workers in specified roles. All DBS checks are now renewed at a 3 rather than 5 year interval, as was previously the case. All DBS checks in the parish have now been issued within 3 years and ahead of the changeover target of 2025.

The parish dashboard has been in full use this year and has had a major realignment to new Church of England guidelines. All PCC members are now expected to complete domestic abuse training through the diocesan online learning portal as well as basic and foundation level safeguarding training. There is a new safeguarding hub which is the next phase of the dashboard, and I will be working on setting this up and implementing action plans from it in 2024.

I have completed my basic and foundation refresher training and modern slavery training. I also attended a Senior Leadership training course in January 2024 at Church House.

We have had no serious incidents reported within the parish since the last APCM although we have taken advice on a number of issues through the diocesan safeguarding advisors, all of which have now been resolved requiring no further action.

Gill Clarke - Parish Safeguarding Officer

DEANERY SYNOD

Harrogate Deanery is one of six Deaneries in the Ripon Episcopal area of the Anglican Diocese of Leeds. Its role is to serve the work of Church of England parishes (one of which is our parish - St John’s and St Luke’s) and Chaplaincies in Harrogate, Knaresborough, Starbeck and Wetherby and surrounding villages. Synod met 4 times in 2023 and a brief summary of the meetings is appended below:

April - Canon Liz Morton (Children, Young People and Families Team Leader) spoke about the focus and work of the Children, Young People and Families Team within the Diocese. Their aims are to:

• To support parishes as they seek to develop and extend mission and ministry with children, young people, and families

• To encourage people and build confidence

• To work with children, young people, and families in a variety of ways in person and online by facilitating discussions; delivering training and workshops; providing practical support and information; and updating on resources and research in the areas of mission, ministry and children and young people’s spirituality.

She discussed the findings of some research that had been conducted during the later stages of the pandemic in 4 countries including the UK, and we were challenged to engage with children, young people and families in various different ways.

July - The meeting was mainly taken up with a eucharist and a ‘Deanery Synod Food Festival’ at St Peter’s, which showcased their talented and multicultural congregation. Food relating to the following countries was provided: Afghanistan, Bosnia, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Japan, Norway, Peru, Switzerland and the Ukraine. [It is a hard life being a Synod rep!]

September - Theo Sheridan Watts (Chief Officer, Wellsprings Together) and Adrian Cook and Peter Smith (Consultants at Wellsprings Together) were the main speakers. Theo explained that it is a charity in partnership with the Diocese of Leeds, which exists to provide free additional resource to support faith communities in meeting social need and making a difference in their communities. [It is not to be confused with the counselling service provided by Wellsprings Therapy and Training, Starbeck]. Wellsprings Together is a small team of people who are specialists in parish-based community engagement and are experienced in helping churches to take the next steps in faith based social action. Christian faith is central to the projects they are involved in.

November - The Rt. Revd Nicholas Baines, Bishop of Leeds, was the speaker. He gave a very frank and open message on his own spiritual journey and on the Anglican church at present, and he was prepared to answer questions on most subjects. For instance, on the topic of change, he urged us to ‘change the way we look at God, the world and us, in order to change the way we see God, the world and us, which in turn will change the way we think about God, the world and us, and thereby change the way we live in the world, with God and us’.

When looking for a new vicar, the Bishop said that the process should start by asking, ‘What is the parish that we are called to serve?’ Having identified the needs of the parish, we should ask ‘What sort of church do we need to serve this parish? Then finally, ‘What sort of vicar do we need to lead the church to serve this parish?’ [Of course, the first two questions could equally be asked by any church at any stage].

If you think that you would be interested in becoming a Synod rep, then do speak to Val Carr or myself. There is not always food (barring a biscuit or two) but there is always food for thought!

Caroline Wise – Deanery Synod rep

GREEN TEAM

Green Team met in January, February, July, August and November, but we also have an active WhatsApp group of team members and are part of the Harrogate Deanery environmental team lead by Deborah Booth.

2023 saw the culmination of a number of larger projects from the previous 18 months, as well as some smaller-scale activities:

• In January the bike rack was installed at the side of the hall and in March the display board, developed from Terry Wagner’s original churchyard plans, was installed and very well received by those passing through the grounds.

• Following a successful seed swap held at the March coffee morning, the team chose to pause for 4 months to allow for personal activities, employment and family life.

• In July we successfully added to our team, recruiting two new members, and attended the library community day, where lots of good conversations took place.

• September brought Creationtide and Shaeron Caton Rose’s installation of bringing nature from outside into the church. Simon worked very hard to bring this vision to fruition and it was eye-catching and well received. Green travel Sunday was also encouraged.

• In October the Green Team hosted a coffee morning in aid of Horticap, raising over £700.

• Hannah, working with Blaze, held a suitcase sale in November after morning service, highlighting the growth in the 2[nd] hand market.

• In December Green Team took part in the Christmas Tree Festival and the Christmas Fair, including selling Firoshiki cloth wrapping.

Throughout the year we regularly contribute to both the weekly notice sheet and monthly Focus magazine.

Claire Golightly – Parish Environmental Officer

CURATE’S REPORT

This past year has seen some variety from my point of view as I began the year with a placement within Harrogate Hospital Chaplaincy Team and ended the year (almost) with a placement at Leeds Teaching Hospital Trust! These placements expanded my learning and experience and gave me an opportunity to minister in some very challenging and complex situations. Certainly, whilst working in a hospital context, I was reminded that we are always treading upon holy ground, and we can find God in all sorts of unexpected places. Our gathered worship on a Sunday is rightly important to us for many reasons, but what we do for the rest of the week when we leave church on a Sunday is equally important. Every park, every place of work, every hospital ward and every café is ‘holy ground’, a place where God is at work.

One of the courses undertaken by our home groups this year was ‘Fruitfulness on the Frontline’, and this helped many of us to reflect on how we can become more confident Christians on our ‘frontlines’, perhaps being a mouthpiece for truth and justice, moulding culture or modelling Godly character. Our home groups have developed and expanded this year and continue to meet regularly, helping us to connect with each other, connect with God, and think about how we might connect with our communities and show the love of God where we are. Events such as our Ceilidhs, Coffee Mornings, Easter Trail, Green Team Stalls, Summer Fair, Christmas Fair, School Nativities and our ‘Shine’ Carol Service have been ways in which we have connected with our communities this past year, welcoming many people and sharing love and laughter.

Another development for me in 2023 was the completion of my curacy, the completion of my Post Graduate Certificate in Theology, Ministry and Mission and the unexpected calling from God to apply for the Team Vicar Vacancy! I would like to take this opportunity to thank not just Simon, as my esteemed Training Incumbent, but ALL of you for the role you played in my training and development. St John’s and St Luke’s is a very special community where there is challenge but also compassion, grace, encouragement and wisdom. I have felt loved and supported by you all during my time as curate and very much hope that your generous grace and encouragement will follow me into my new role as Team Vicar, in which I will continue to learn from my mistakes as well as my successes!

Laura Martin – Curate

Our churches have developed a number of ways to address perceived needs in our community in Bilton, both within our churches and reaching out to the wider parish. The following are reports on just some of those initiatives that have been operating regularly throughout 2023:

PASTORAL CARE

This past year saw the rebuilding and commissioning of a new Pastoral Team who support and build upon the pastoral care delivered by all of us, day in day out, at both an individual and a group level. Three members of the team

undertook diocesan pastoral training, and between them the team have undertaken 328 pastoral visits and phone calls this year (and that is only the ones that have formally been recorded). The Pastoral Team aim to support the clergy in visiting those who have asked for additional support, those who are housebound or isolated and those who are ill. Alongside this, all our group and team leaders provide pastoral care to those whom they serve and minister with, and all of us as individuals care for one another as we seek to love our neighbour and show the love of Christ to those around us.

Pastoral care for a large congregation, and indeed a densely populated parish, can never be done by just one or two people. Good pastoral care can only be achieved when we all work together to serve each other and those in our community. Thank you to each and every one of you for the pastoral care that you give, for every single act of kindness, every phone call, every catch up over coffee, every thoughtful word. All these acts of love matter hugely. YOU make a difference – thank you. Also, many thanks to the two members of our Pastoral Team who have recently stepped down - your contributions have been appreciated.

Laura Martin – Curate

COMFORT CAFE

Comfort Café is a monthly gathering, held at St John’s Church, for those living with the impact of bereavement. At the café guests are offered afternoon tea, which always includes sandwiches and a wide selection of homemade cakes. The café offers a safe space for people experiencing grief to come along, just as they are, with no expectations that they will feel sociable or cheerful. Everyone is treated as an individual and the volunteers running the café sit amongst the guests listening to their stories and walking alongside them on their journey. Numbers attending the café vary, but an average month will now welcome up to 25 people, including volunteers. The café volunteer team includes all four members of our bereavement team, ensuring good links between our funeral follow-up care and the café.

Over this last year we celebrated festivals such as Easter and Christmas in a low-key way, tailoring our food to the season and giving our guests small gifts to take away. We also personally invited our Comfort Café guests to our two services of Thanksgiving and Remembering, held at St John’s Church, and most people took up that invitation.

A huge thank you must go to the team who offer compassion and care to those who come along, and who also make some extremely delicious cakes! Thank you also to the Bereavement Team, who offer follow up care after any funerals taken by our clergy, both in church and at Stonefall Crematorium, and who support our services of Remembrance and Thanksgiving and maintain our book of remembrance.

Laura Martin - Curate

THIRST

Thirst is a coffee morning in the Community Centre on the Dene Park estate off Woodfield Road. It is staffed by volunteers mainly from St John’s and St Luke’s, and aims to reach what is, in many ways, a neglected area of Harrogate, through provision of refreshments and providing a space for people to chat, share problems and, we trust, catch a glimpse of the love of God through the contact made.

Over the past year we have seen numbers slowly rise so that we now have around 25-30 each week, as well as 4 or 5 helpers. Once a month we run Thirst Table where we provide soup and fruit as well as aiming to provide a Christian message of some sort. We find this quite a challenge, not being sure that it hits the spot (only around 12 attend and some dash off after the soup and before the religious bit!) and so we are thinking and praying about other ways in which we might be able to develop the spiritual side of our contact. We ran a Start course (examining what the Christian faith means) during the year which, though only attracting a very small number, was appreciated by those who came and provided some interesting conversations.

Before the customers arrive we have a short time of prayer, and we have seen the number of people who come to that increasing during the year.

We always value new helpers, whether serving coffee, making cakes or befriending people round the tables. If you would like to know more please have a word with John or Val Carr.

Val Carr – Co-leader, Thirst

WELLBEING CAFÉ

Our aim is to provide a welcoming space for those who crave friendship and fun within our local community. Anybody and everybody is welcome, catering for those who also may be suffering with dementia or another condition.

Events of 2023 included:

• Trip to the Pantomime in January to see Aladdin

• A Valentine’s Day special event

• Celebrating Shrove Tuesday with lots of pancakes

• Celebrating Mother’s Day with an arts and crafts project

• An Easter Feast

• Celebrating the King’s coronation

• Celebrating Father’s Day

• A summer extravaganza with party food and fizz

• Celebrating our first 100th Birthday

• Remembering loved ones with a sing song on Remembrance

• Celebrating the Wellbeing Cafe's 6th Birthday with Pie & Peas

• A Christmas party bash

We continue to cater for, on average, 30 people a week, with new faces arriving regularly. Living Well regularly bring new people who need some company on a Friday afternoon. We have a strong team of 15 volunteers who we value incredibly, and we arranged a Christmas get-together for these at the end of 2023. Lots of new plans for 2024, including a dance session and chair fitness, are in the pipeline. We also hope to organise a day trip but are just working out logistics for this.

Victoria Amella – Wellbeing Café Team Leader

TEAM RECTOR’S REPORT

If there were to be some headlines that represent the important events in the life of St John’s and St Luke’s in 2023, I suspect they would be these:

• Congregations dig deep in response to funding appeal for the Youth Worker post!

• The search for the new team vicar goes on!

• Rev Laura Martin appointed as team vicar!!

• St John’s gets into the 21[st] Century - new video system successfully installed

• Parish Giving Scheme helps transform giving!

• The long shadow of covid fades away at St John’s and St Luke’s

• St John’s and St Luke’s start moving to the beat – new Rhythm of Life discipleship programme adopted

• St Luke’s grows by 20%!!

If we dig a little deeper below these headlines, then I would say that 2023 was a good year for our 2 churches. In the post-covid world that we have emerged into, many churches have struggled to return to their pre-pandemic attendance figures, and their giving has been correspondingly affected. We too were impacted in many ways, but it felt to me like the autumn of 2023 saw things feel they were back to normal, even if that normal was not the same as

before, and St Luke’s found itself reflecting a national trend that smaller church attendance bounced back much more strongly than that of larger churches. Of course these things don’t happen by accident, and a lot of hard work has gone into St Luke’s, but thanks be to God for this news - for the fact that we seem in good heart, seeing new people join both our congregations, and are financially viable going into the future (though as the accounts show elsewhere in this report, there is not a lot of wriggle room!)

The finances have been greatly helped by people transferring onto the Parish Giving Scheme (PGS – ask Gill in the office for more details) which not only saw an uptick in giving but also some people committing to index-link their contributions, which means we are in a much healthier position than we had expected, even allowing for the fact that there was also a generous response to the appeal to fund the new monitor screens at St John’s and to fund Emma’s post for the next 3 years (we are not there yet, but I am confident we will get there).

With regard to the team vicar, I think it is true to say I was beginning to doubt we would ever make an appointment following 4 unsuccessful rounds of advertising by the mid-summer of 2023, but it was worth the wait!! I know Laura wasn’t formally licensed until Jan 2024, but I don’t think it was a coincidence that the news of her appointment coincided with that feeling of things getting back to normal already mentioned – it felt like the brakes were being released and so I hope that 2024 sees this momentum continue. I think it will be aided very much by the ‘rule’ or Rhythm of Life that we carefully introduced to people during the autumn of 2023 and which many people went on to sign up for.

There are many other encouraging developments in the life of our two churches, ranging from increased small group membership to our ongoing commitment to become a ‘greener’ church, and so while we are not the finished article, God is on the move amongst us and I would encourage you in your prayers to give thanks for all that has happened, and to ask that, as we journey through 2024, we will see more of his goodness and provision, and see more lives changed as people come to and grow in faith.

Simon Dowson – Team Rector

FABRIC REPORT

ST JOHN’S

During the months of January 2023 to December 2023 the work highlighted below has taken place in the properties identified. This report is based on the activities of St John’s Wardens and other parties in maintaining the fabric and functionality of the following locations belonging to the parish:

• The church (C)

• The church hall/schoolroom (CH)

• 13 Albany Road (AR)

• 59 Coppice Way (CW)

• Church grounds (CG)

St John’s Church, grounds and church hall -

During these 12 months we have approved the following maintenance work, or been involved in the resolution of issues relating to the locations as identified above:

• Ongoing light bulb replacement (C)(CH)

• Annual planned servicing of firefighting equipment (C) (CH)

• Gas servicing (C) (CH)

• Floor maintenance to hall and church (C)(CH)

• Reactive roof repairs (C) (CH)

• Planned roof maintenance to the main church roof and tower, including gutter cleaning, re-fixing loose slates and replacing pigeon spikes to tower (C)

• Central heating servicing/maintenance (C)

• Heating maintenance to church hall including heater servicing/improvements (CH)

• Lightning conductor testing (C)

• Urgent repairs to electrical supply to church following power failure (C)

• Organ maintenance (C)

• Installation of a new audio-visual system (C)

• Maintenance to audio system (C)

• Programmed window cleaning as required (CH)

• Servicing of 2 nr lawnmowers (CG)

• Planned servicing of heating systems to church and church hall (C, CH)

• Annual testing of fall arrest system to church tower roof (C)

• Upkeep of the church grounds including landscaping and arboriculture works (CG)

• Renewal of church and church hall Insurances (C) (CH)

• Refurbisment of church hall bell tower (CH)

• Draining of central heating radiator/pipework and repairs to leaking radiator valves (C)

59 Coppice Way (CW) and 13 Albany Road (AR) -

• Gas and electrical inspections and certification (CW/AR)

• Plumbing repairs to bathroom following leaks (CW)

• Fencing replacement (CW)

• Re-letting of 13 Albany Road following departure of previous tenant (AR)

• In line with landlord responsibilities, rent review undertaken and implemented (CW/AR)

In addition to the statutory requirements, and reactive repairs and maintenance, the following planned works are proposed to be undertaken during 2024:

• Upkeep of the church grounds including landscaping and arboriculture works (CG) – ongoing

• Programme and undertake annual portable appliance testing to church and church hall (C, CH)

• Undertake annual servicing of gas services and heating systems (C, CH)

• Boiler servicing (C, CH)

• Annual testing of fall arrest system to church tower roof (C)

• Roof inspection/servicing to church following minor leaks (C)

• Gutter and roof maintenance to church hall (C)

• Installation of church driveway lighting (C)

• Drain maintenance to church driveway (C)

• Organ servicing/maintenance (C)

• Bathroom replacement/refurbishment to Coppice Way, including replacement of bath, WC, wall tiling, floor covering etc. The existing bathroom is in a poor condition – works programmed for May 2024 (CW)

• Investigate replacement boiler to Coppice Way following annual inspection (CW)

• Landlord inspections and rent reviews of Albany Road and Coppice Way (AR) (CW)

Thank you to all who have and continued to contribute to the upkeep of our building, with special thanks to Rob Bath for his time and expertise in delivering the installation of the church driveway lighting.

ST LUKE’S

• February - All fire extinguishers were serviced, the disabled toilet repaired, and windows cleaned inside and out.

• March - An accident at Little Fishes caused a tear in the sanctuary curtains which we repaired by removing a panel and spreading the material out. We received the delayed 2022 Quinquennial report and started to action the points raised.

• April - All electrical items were PAT tested.

• August - The gas boiler was serviced, gutters to the north side of the church were renewed, a broken slate on the roof replaced and a bracket fitted to the wastewater pipe from the kitchen.

• October - The hall was checked for RAAC by the surveyor. We obtained quotes for fire boarding the 2 cupboards in the eaves in the youth room and the cupboard below the hall stairs and upgrading to fire doors on the corridor to the left of the Sanctuary. Work was delayed by the builders and will now take place in summer 2024.

• November - The water boiler in the kitchen had a new solenoid and tap, and a bracket has been fitted to the garage rainwater pipe.

Nigel Thompson and Jane Reichert (St John’s) and Alethea Fry (St Luke’s) – Churchwardens

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Quinquennial Inspections within the Church of England require every church building to be inspected by an architect or chartered building surveyor approved by the Diocesan Advisory Committee (DAC) every five years. This regular system of review is designed to ensure that church buildings are kept in good repair.

ELECTORAL ROLL

The number of people on the Electoral Roll for St John’s Church on 31[st] December 2023 was 210. At St Luke’s the number on the Roll was 58.

Jean Burton (St John’s) and Sarah Shepherd (St Luke’s) – Electoral Roll Officers

FINANCIAL MATTERS

Major cash/non-cash transactions: None Substantial voluntary help/free Ms Victoria Iley generously gave her services facilities: (independent examination of the accounts) free of charge Substantial contingent liabilities: Parish Share payable to Leeds Diocesan Board of Finance (not a legal liability): £113,573 Subsidiary companies: None Changes in accounting procedures: In line with the Charities Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP), Deposit Funds held by CCLA are now declared under Current Assets on the Balance Sheet instead of under Fixed Assets Details of donations of £1,000 or more: Legacies None Other donations Feb. 2023: £1,000 towards projector Feb. 2023: £1,000 to general funds Mar. 2023: £3,000 to Youth Worker fund Mar. 2023: £1,000 to Youth Worker fund Mar. 2023: £1,000 to general funds Mar. 2023: £3,000 to Youth Worker fund Apr. 2023: £2,000 to Youth Worker fund May 2023: £4,000 to general funds Oct. 2023: £1,000 to general funds Dec. 2023: £1,000 to general funds Grants received: Feb. 2023: £750 from HBC for bike racks Mar. 2023: £1,240 from HBC for water butts April 2023: £7,500 from Harrogate Church House Trust towards Youth Worker funds.

Payments to Trustees (PCC members): Rev Simon Dowson £1,085 for clergy expenses Rev Laura Martin £855 for clergy expenses Mrs Emma James £27,874 for Young People’s Worker Expenses Wages and Pension Costs Reserves policy: To maintain unrestricted funds sufficient to meet 3 months’ normal running costs (excluding Parish Share)

The PCC has continued to raise money through voluntary donations. People are encouraged to make these where possible on a regular basis using standing orders or dated envelopes, and under Gift Aid. The Parish Giving Scheme (PGS) has now been introduced to facilitate regular giving by direct debit and to streamline the claiming of Gift Aid. Lettings of church properties, fund-raising activities, and fees, generated much of the remaining income.

Grants and donations to Charities (Mission Giving ) -

The policy on the payment of grants and donations to charities is detailed below. In 2023 a total of £15,659 was given to the following charities:

Artizan International Bilton & Woodfield Library The Children's Society Christian Aid Dignity Through Education Harrogate Netmakers (The Hub), Horticap Ltd Leeds DBF Safe House, Resurrected Bites Ripon Cathedral Project Diocesan Sudan Appeal Tockwith PCC Ukraine Appeal Turkey and Syria Appeal Mission Partners Anna and Chris Hembury (Hull), Mission Partners John & Vikki Wright (Uganda)

In Memoriam donations amounted to £2,619.

Total income in 2023 came to £277,006 (2022: £250,954) and benefited from significantly increased regular giving, including donations both for the Young People's Worker (YPW) and for general funds. Income excluding YPW amounted to £245,574 (2022: £248,299). Regular Giving, excluding donations for Mission Giving and YPW, was £162,789 (2022: £153,781).

Total expenditure in 2023 came to £288,079 (2021: £219,179). Expenditure excluding YPW amounted to £260,205 (2022: £246,052). It was again necessary to cap Parish Share payments to the Diocese, and Share arrears increased to £113,573 at the end of 2023 (2022: £85,328). As previously noted, the Share arrears are a contingent liability, not a legal liability, as Share is deemed to be a voluntary donation.

With provision made for debtors and liabilities, and gains and losses on investments, the accounts as a whole show a deficit for 2023 of £11,072 (2022: deficit £23,543). The accounts excluding matters relating to the Young People's Worker, show a deficit for 2023 of £14,631 (2022: surplus £2,247).

As at 31 December 2023 the net value of unrestricted Current Assets and Current Liabilities, and Bank and Deposit funds, amounted to £46,973. Young People's Worker restricted funds amounted to £23,886.

David Brown – PCC Treasurer

CHARITABLE STATUS

The Parochial Church Council (PCC) is registered as a charity with the Charity Commission, in compliance with statutory requirements (Registered No. 1132843). The PCC has no direct links with other trusts or charities, except that the Rector is ex officio chair of the Richard Taylor Educational Foundation.

POLICY FOR THE PAYMENT OF GRANTS AND DONATIONS TO OTHER CHARITIES

(reviewed by the PCC September 2023)

1. Level and Frequency

• (a) Minimum of 16% of income minus the Parish Share.

• (b) To be Included in the quarterly report of the accounts to the PCC will be details of how much has been given to date and recommendations regarding how much and to whom giving should be made during the next quarter.

• (c) The level of giving is to be reviewed annually.

2. Exclusions

Income from Funerals must not be included when assessing the level of our Extra Parochial Giving. This is income which goes through the Church accounts but where the charity is designated by the deceased’s family, and should not be included as our Churches’ giving.

3. Inclusions

Income from any event organised by or on behalf of the Church to raise money for a specific charity.

4. Give to:

International faith based charities

International faith based charities International secular charities National faith based charities National secular charities Local faith based charities Local secular charities

Disaster Appeals - £500 to be sent immediately and reported to the PCC retrospectively. Amount to be reviewed annually

5. Methods

• (a) All funds raised must be processed through the Church accounts.

• (b) Much should be done through specific fund-raising with encouragement to groups to adopt or sponsor a project.

• (c) Encouragement should be given to groups to take part in a regular programme of coffee mornings/fund raising events to raise money for charities.

(d)

• (e) The Extra Parochial Giving policy should be widely publicised in order to inform and encourage Church members.

• (f) Cultivate close relationships with the charities the Church raises money for to encourage support and feedback which, in turn, will encourage further fundraising. Any feedback from such charities should be relayed to the congregation.

• Exceptional Circumstances

In circumstances, when money is given in response to an exceptional appeal, the Churchwardens and Treasurer will determine whether such monies raised should be treated as part of our Extra Parochial Giving.

P.4ROC'EL4L CHLIiCB C'OIThCIL OF ST JO￿% ST LETr￿. BILTO .4CCOiThTS FOR THE IE4R ENTIED 31si DECEMBER *0•3 Treasttrtr Dai.￿ BTQWD Etstrttal Examiutr

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