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← The Paraochial Church Council Of The Ecclesiastical Parish Of St.james' West End In The Diocese Of Winchester

2024-12-31-accounts

The Parish Church of St. James West End

Annual Report of the Parochial Church Council

for the year ended 31[st] December, 2024

To be presented at the annual Meeting of Parishioners and the Annual Parochial Church meeting

St James’ Church, West End 2024 Report and Accounts for the Parochial Church Council

Aims and Purposes

St. James’ Parochial Church Council (PCC) has the responsibility of co-operating with the Vicar, Reverend Vicky Maunder, in promoting the work of the ecclesiastical parish (which covers the village of West End, Townhill Farm, Harefield and part of the Bitterne area of Southampton) and the whole mission of the Church, pastoral, evangelistic, social and ecumenical. It is also responsible for the maintenance of the adjoining Church Hall. It supports the work of St. James’ Church of England Primary School.

Objectives and activities

Our church meets for worship, prayer and fellowship. We offer baptisms, weddings and funerals, and pastoral and spiritual support to anyone living in the parish who requests it. We seek to build positive relationships with local organisations, groups and schools, and to maintain our buildings for the benefit of all in our parish.

The PCC is committed to enabling as many people as possible to worship at our church and to become part of our parish community at St James’.

When planning our activities, we consider the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit and the supplementary guidance on charities for the advancement of religion.

In 2024 we were very keen to make children and young people a priority focus for our latest Mission Action Plan review. Positive work included schools’ visits, activity mornings and services. We carried on with targets agreed in our Mission Action Plan, including improvements to our welcome and communications, and offering more opportunities for engagement with the Bible, to develop our care for the environment and to work together with a shared vision to serve Christ in this place.

Achievements and performance

Worship and prayer

All are welcome to attend our regular services; Sung Eucharist services are held on Sunday mornings at 9:30 and Church Alive services at 11:00, with joint services combining both congregations on various dates during the year. We continue to welcome children singing in the choir and taking part in the 9.30am service on the first Sunday of each month. We also hold a popular Eucharist on Wednesday mornings at 10.30am with organist and small choir. Sunday evening services alternate between Sung Evensong and Taizé services. We livestream our Sunday 9:30am Eucharist and Evensong services on a regular basis.

At the end of the year 2024 there were 142 parishioners recorded on the Church Electoral Roll, 35 of whom live outside the parish. The average weekly attendance at St James’ based on figures counted during October was 124. (This excludes separate baptism services that month, if they are included the figure is 160.) Attendance figures increased at festivals. Our Christmas Christingle services as usual were very popular and three were held this year to accommodate all those who wished to attend.

We held two Confirmation services in 2024, one in February with seven candidates and another in November when three candidates were confirmed. Bishop Geoff Annas presided at both these joyful occasions.

As well as our regular services, we offer baptism, wedding and funeral services, enabling our community to celebrate and thank God at the milestones of life’s journey.

St James’ Church, West End – Annual Report 2024

Page 1

Deanery Synod

Three members of the PCC currently sit on the Deanery Synod, providing an important link between the parish and the wider structures of the church.

PCC

This year the PCC has focussed on Safeguarding and Risk Assessments, improving our Safer Recruitment process. We also ran a Stewardship campaign ending in July with a view to encouraging giving and recruiting time and talents from our congregation.

Church and Church Hall

The buildings remain in generally good condition for their age. Recommendations from the 2023 Quinquennial Survey are in process, including masonry and window repairs. The bell is now back in its housing, refurbishment and tuning having been covered by generous donations.

In October the church was again treated with Ultra-low volume fogging to stop the invasion of cluster flies that cause problems annually.

As the churchyard had never been legally closed the PCC agreed to apply to close the churchyard via a civil procedure through the Ministry of Justice. Once the process is complete, responsibility for the maintenance of the churchyard will be transferred to West End Parish Council. In the meantime the churchyard has been kept as neat and tidy as possible and we have also had essential tree maintenance carried out during the course of the year.

We are able to keep the church open during daylight hours from Tuesday to Friday; this is much appreciated by the community who come to visit and pray. The church is also hired by Salem Mar Thoma Church as well as being used as a venue for concerts and rehearsals by visiting musicians and ensembles, widening our reach into the local community.

Our church hall with modern kitchen is available for hire by community groups and for private functions. As well as frequent use by church groups, our regular users include local charity groups, Mar Thoma church and gardening clubs.

Children’s Work

Our popular Wednesday morning Stay and Play group has continued to give the opportunity for parents and carers of young children and babies to meet up and for the children to play; from January 2025 it will transfer to a Friday morning.

We ran monthly children’s activity mornings and welcomed class visits to the church from local schools.

Church School

We have very strong links with our local church school, Saint James Church of England Primary School, with the Vicar and two members of the church as Foundation Governors. Our Associate Priest Revd Linda Galvin is based at the school for two days a week. The music project introduced in 2023 ran until the summer 2024, encouraging the children to learn hymns and songs in a weekly Collective Worship at school. Some of the school children have subsequently joined the church choir.

Pastoral Care

A team of trained pastoral visitors support the Vicar with pastoral visits including some taking Home Communion to the housebound and to several of the Care/Residential Homes within our parish. Hospital visits are also made to parishioners. The clergy are available to anyone requesting support.

St James’ Church, West End – Annual Report 2024

Page 2

Discipleship

This year we have run several courses including a Lent course based on a bible study book “How to Eat Bread” and a discussion group based on the Acts of the Apostles.

Mission and evangelism

Our HOPE (Home and Overseas Partnership and Education) committee arranges fundraising events to meet the needs of others within the Church and the wider world, this year supporting Kitchen Table Trust and Air Ambulance UK as well as other charities with the Pots of HOPE initiative and the annual Christmas Card appeal. Our Lent appeal benefited the charity Shelter Box “A Tent for Lent”, which has provided emergency shelter and disaster relief in 98 countries over the last 22 years.

Our monthly Parish Magazine is available in a free-of-charge online version via the church website and is emailed to a regular mailing list, as well as being available in printed version for a small fee for those who are unable to access the necessary technology.

Outreach this year has again included running a “Warm Spaces” group in the hall during the months of January to March, (an initiative offering warmth and company to all and born out of the cost-of-living crisis and increases in energy bills). In the summer we held a “Holiday at Home” event with good outreach, and a mix of ages attending. The Community Café continues to run once a month; and we take part in community events run by the Parish Council and host events in the church buildings; this year including a Christmas Tree Festival in December which drew many visitors from the local area and beyond.

Eco Church

We are members of the A-Rocha UK movement’s Eco Church programme which equips churches in England to care for creation and “go green”, obtaining a Silver Award. The church allotment has this year produced its first flowers and foliage for use in decorating the church and is a source of companionship and joy to all who work on it.

Ecumenical Relationships

We are members of the Hedge End, West End and Botley Churches Together group (HEWEB) and have two members of the church attending meetings on a regular basis. This year as well as joining in with the Service for Christian Unity and World Day of Prayer we have again supported the Holiday Bible Club for children. Our vicar also meets regularly with other church leaders serving on the Harefield estate.

Volunteers

We would like to thank all the volunteers who work so hard to make our church the lively and vibrant community it is. In particular, we want to mention our churchwardens David Forster, Janet Barrett and our assistant churchwarden Noel Becket, who have worked so tirelessly on our behalf. We also thank our excellent treasurer Jane Hollingsworth, along with all the other members of the PCC for their valuable contribution to our ministry and for keeping the church running.

St James’ Church, West End – Annual Report 2024

Page 3

Structure, governance and management

The Parochial Church Council is a corporate body established by the Church of England. The PCC operates under the Parochial Church Council Powers Measure.

Members of the PCC are either ex-officio or elected by the Annual Parochial Church Meeting (APCM) in accordance with the Church Representation Rules.

The PCC members are responsible for making decisions on all matters of general concern and importance to the parish, including deciding on how the funds of the PCC are to be spent. New members receive initial training into the workings of the PCC.

The full PCC met six times during the year with an average level of attendance of 72%. The PCC operates through a number of committees which meet between full meetings of the PCC:

Standing Committee: This is the only committee required by law. It has power to transact the business of the PCC between its meetings, subject to any directions given by the Council; debates complicated or detailed issues prior to submitting proposals to the PCC and reviews the financial situation.

HOPE (Home and Overseas Partnership and Education) Committee. Under this committee, the Church’s ministry in the wider world is addressed, with events arranged to meet the needs of others within the Church, and by setting and attaining the aims of the mission work of the Parish.

Risk Management Policy

The PCC actively reviews the major risks which the church faces on a regular basis and believe that maintaining reserves, combined with the annual review of the controls over key financial systems carried out on an annual basis will provide sufficient resources in the event of adverse conditions. The PCC has also examined the operation and business risk which they face and confirm that they have established systems to mitigate the significant risks.

Safeguarding

The PCC has complied with the duty under section 5 of the Safeguarding and Clergy Discipline Measure 2016 and has given due regard to the House of Bishops' guidance on the safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults. We are currently working towards a “green light” on all sections of the Diocese of Winchester Parish Safeguarding Dashboard, an online tool that helps Parish Safeguarding Officers and PCCs to keep track of safeguarding within their parish with links to Church of England safeguarding policies, guidance and local templates.

St James’ Church, West End – Annual Report 2024

Page 4

Administrative Information

The Church of St James, West End, is located on the A27 at the junction of West End Road with Church Hill. The postal code area in which the church is located is SO30 3AT, OS grid reference OS 466 141. It is part of the Diocese of Winchester within the Church of England. The correspondence address is St James’ Church, Church Hill, West End, Southampton, SO30 3AT.

The Parochial Church Council of the Ecclesiastical Parish of St James’ West End in the Diocese of Winchester is registered with the Charity Commission - No 1132863, with the working name of “West End PCC of St James”. The date of registration was 21[st] November 2009.

The following served as members of the PCC from the APCM held 28[th] April 2024:

Ex officio members:
Vicar Revd V Maunder Chairman (From June 2019)
Associate Priest Revd L Galvin Vice Chair (From July 2015 – May 2018)
Chairman (From July 2018 – June
2019)
LLM Mrs C Kidd Safeguarding Officer (From November 2016)
LLM Mr A Jenkins LLM Emeritus (From August 2020)
Wardens: Mr D Forster Vice Chair (First elected 2024)To 2030
Mrs J Barrett Deputy Vice Chair (First elected 2024)To 2030
Elected members:
Representatives on Dr P Littlejohns (Until APCM 2026)
the Deanery Synod (3) Mrs C Kidd Safeguarding Officer (Until APCM 2026)
Mr S Langridge Deputy S/guarding Officer (Until APCM 2026)
Mr N Becket Assistant Warden (Until APCM 2027)1
Mr S Wiseman Health & Safety Officer (Until APCM 2027)1
Mrs D Barnes Eco Group (Until APCM 2027)1
Dr J Thorne (Until APCM 2027)1
Mrs M Tilcock (Until APCM 2027)1
Mrs A Clover (Until APCM 2025)1
Mr F Amonya (Until APCM 2025)1
Mrs F Weston (Until APCM 2025)2
Mrs R Owton (Until APCM 2026)2
Miss L Spratt (Until APCM 2026)1
Miss M Blake (Until APCM 2026)1
Mrs J Hollingsworth Treasurer and Gift Aid (Until APCM 2026)1
Secretary

Elected members may serve a maximum of six years, then 2-year break (took effect in 2003)

PCC Secretary Mrs S Overell Electoral Roll Officer Mr D Stevens Health & Safety Officer Mr S Wiseman

St James’ Church, West End – Annual Report 2024

Page 5

Financial Review

Total receipts on unrestricted funds in 2024 were £100,377 of which £53,799 were unrestricted voluntary donations and a further £11,748 originated from Gift Aid. Restricted donations totalling £5,843 were also received and are detailed within the financial statements.

Planned giving in total decreased by around 7% on the previous year, which is indicative of a general trend in declining donations experienced within the Church of England. Our thanks are extended to everyone who responded to the Stewardship campaign that we launched this year due to the declining revenue. There are so many people within our Church family who donate in so many ways to St James' so it is hard to ask for more, however the additional donations that we did receive certainly helped to stabilise our financial situation.

We also benefitted from a drop in our Common Mission Fund for 2024 in response to the economic environment from £50,678 in 2023 to £47,213 in 2024. This was paid in full during the year and the discount has helped our financial position. Our Commission Fund requirement for 2025 has been set at £51,030.

The Hall and Church continued to provide much needed rental income from commercial and charitable organisations, whilst supporting our own outreach and community activities. 1n 2024 Church and Hall lettings accounted for £13,158 of our unrestricted income (13%).

Fundraising has become an increasingly important part of our Church income and our grateful thanks are extended to all those who contributed to the highly successful fundraising efforts during 2024. Total net funds raised for the Church from these events was a significant injection of £6,582.

As a result, the Church and Hall showed an overall excess of income over expenditure of £8,491 for the year ended 31st December 2024.

2024 saw the gradual introduction of a new financial software package for the Church, operating alongside the previous accounting system. This was in response to a changing financial climate, creating an Eco-friendly accounting system to reduce paperwork and necessity for physical archiving space; to provide remote access to financial information for those that need it; provide upload facilities for those claiming expenses; faster response times; professional invoicing and credit control and provide the PCC with detailed reporting and financial control. It also provides a quickly accessible backup system in the event that the Treasurer is unable to carry out their duties. The system is now operating in real time and went live from 1st January 2025. There are now 17 registered users on the software.

The PCC welcomed Katie Mathieson to the administrative team as Assistant Treasurer in 2024. Katie has worked closely with our Treasurer, Jane, during the past year in developing the system, has already proved herself to be a great asset and is developing her understanding of Church accounting. Our previous Treasurer, David, has also been involved throughout the process and his knowledge and experience have been invaluable.

The finance team are looking forward to a calmer 2025 and are excited about introducing areas of the software that we are yet to explore. Faced with challenging economic times, we believe that the software will also streamline our process for Gift Aid and potentially increase our claims.

St James’ Church, West End – Annual Report 2024

Page 6

Reserves Policy

St James' Church, West End aims to keep uncommitted net financial assets within 3- and 6-months average routine costs and promises to take corrective action within 3 months if uncommitted net financial assets fall outside of these limits. At the end of December, this equated to between £22,971 and £45,943. The cash balance of £67,864 held on unrestricted (including designated) funds at the year-end, together with the amounts payable to and from the PCC comfortably exceeded this target. Receipts and payments are reviewed on a bi-monthly basis by the PCC via Finance reports distributed by the Treasurer.

Trustees' Responsibilities

The Charities Act 2011 requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which presents a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the Charity and of the surplus of the Charity for that period. In preparing those financial statements the trustees are required to:

The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records, which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the Charity. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the Charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

Approved by the Trustees on:

Signed on their behalf by Trustee:

Name:

St James’ Church, West End – Annual Report 2024

Page 7

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES ON THE UNAUDITED ACCOUNTS OF THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST JAMES' CHURCH WEST END, SOUTHAMPTON

I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of The Parochial Church Council Of St James' Church West End, Southampton for the year ended 31 December 2024.

RESPONSIBILITIES AND BASIS OF REPORT

As the trustees of the Charity you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011.

I report in respect of my examination of the Trustee's accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 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 respect of the Charity as required by section 130 of the Act; or

(2) the accounts do not accord with those records; or

(3) the accounts do not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a ‘true and fair view’ which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination.

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

C J Goodhead FCA

Dated: 02-Apr-2025

Knight Goodhead Limited Chartered Accountants

7 Bournemouth Road

Chandler's Ford

Eastleigh Hampshire SO53 3DA

St James' Church, West End - Annual Report 2024

Page 8

PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST JAMES' CHURCH, WEST END, SOUTHAMPTON

STATEMENT OF RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024

Note
INCOMING RESOURCES
Voluntary income
2a
Activities for generating funds
2b
Investment income
2c
Church Activities
2d
TOTAL INCOMING RESOURCES
RESOURCES EXPENDED
Capital Expenditure
3a
Church Activities
3b
Costs of generating funds
Governance costs
3c
TOTAL RESOURCES EXPENDED
NET INCOMING/OUTGOING RESOURCES
BEFORE TRANSFERS
Transfer between funds
7
Brought forward as at 1st January 2024
Carried forward as at 31st December 2024		 Unrestricted
Restricted
TOTAL
TOTAL
Funds
Funds
2024
2023
£
£
£
£
70151
1703
71854
90159
9479
2219
11698
6329
733
57
790
642
20014
15127
35141
40222
100377
19106
119483
137352
0
3400
3400
15712
88269
17208
105477
118678
2897
119
3016
1607
720
0
720
600
91886
20727
112613
136597
8491
-1621
6870
755
0
0
0
0
8491
-1621
6870
755
59373
9271
68644
67889
67864
7650
75514
68644

___________________ St James' Church, West End - Annual Report 2024 Page 9

St James' Church, West End - Annual Report 2024

Page 10

PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST JAMES' CHURCH. WEST END NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

1. Accounting Policies

For the year ended 31 December 2024

The Financial statements of the PCC have been prepared in accordance with the Church Accounting Regulations 2006 together with applicable accounting standards. In preparing the financial statements the PCC foll ~~ows best practice a~~ s laid down in the Statement of Recommended Practice "Accounting and Reporting by Charities" (SORP 2015).

The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost basis of accounting in accordance with the Charities Act 2011 and in accordance with applicable accounting standards, except for the valuation of investment assets, which are shown at market value. The financial statements include all transactions, assets and liabilities for which the PCC is responsible in law. They do not include the accounts of church groups that owe their main affiliation to another body, nor those that are informal gatherings of church members.

Basis of Accounting

The accounts have been prepared under the "Receipts and Payments" basis as prescribed by the Charity Commissioners and they meet the appropriate legal requirements.

Funds

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

Restricted funds represent donations or grants received for a specific object or invited by the PCC for a specific object. The funds may only be expended on the specific object for which they were given. Any balance remaining unspent at the end of each year must be carried forward as a balance on that fund. The PCC does not normally invest separately for each fund.

Incoming resources

Planned giving, collections and donations are recognized when received. Tax refunds are recognized when the incoming resource to which they relate is received. Grants and legacies are accounted for when the PCC is legally entitled to the amounts due. Dividends are accounted for when receivable, interest is accrued. All other income is recognized when it is receivable. All incoming resources are accounted for gross.

Resources expended

Grants and donations are accounted for when paid over, or when awarded, if that award creates a binding or constructive obligation on the PCC. The Diocesan CMF (Common Mission Fund) (formerly known as parish share) is accounted for when due. Amounts received specifically for mission are dealt with as restricted funds. All other expenditure is generally recognized when it incurred and is accounted for gross.

Statement of Assets and Labilities

Consecrated and beneficed property is excluded from the accounts by s.10(2) of the Charities Act 2011.

Moveable church furnishings held by the Vicar and Churchwardens on special trust for the PCC and which require a faculty for disposal are inalienable property and listed in the church's inventory, which can be inspected (at any reasonable time). All expenditure incurred during the year on consecrated or benefice buildings and moveable church furnishings, whether maintenance or improvement, is written off as expenditure in the SOFA and separately disclosed.

St James' Church, West End - Annual Report 2024

Page 11

PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST JAMES' CHURCH, WEST END NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

For the year ended 31 December 2024

Unrestricted Restricted TOTAL TOTAL
Note Funds Funds 2024 2023
£ £ £ £
a) Voluntary Income
Planned Giving 48491 48491 52155
Collections at Services 5308 163 5471 5028
Gift Aid recovered 11748 11748 12990
Grants 986 986 0
Donations 3618 1540 5158 9986
Legacy 0 0 10000
70151 1703 71854 90159
£ £ £ £
b) Activities for generating funds
Christmas market 1210 1210 1297
Christmas tree festival 4663 4663 0
Away In A Manger event 0 0 568
Barbecue event 1970 1970 1401
Organ repair fundraising 0 0 0
200 Club lottery 900 900 930
Other 736 102 838 294
HOPE committee fundraising 2117 1949 1839
9479 2219 11698 6329
£ £ £ £
c) Investment income
Bank interest 733 57 790 642
733 57 790 642
d) Church activities
Parish magazine sales 318 318 305
Parish magazine advertising 690 690 660
Parochial fees (Life Events) 3702 3702 7318
Refreshment contributions 935 935 962
Warm Spaces donations 200 200 89
Votives 284 284 283
Stay and Play 776 776 0
Church and Hall lettings 13158 131S8 7186
Trading (plants, books,recycling etc) 727 727 409
Life Events receipts 14351 14351 23010
20014 15127 35141 40222

St James' Church, West End - Annual Report 2024

Page 12

PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST JAMES’ CHURCH, WEST END NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

For the year ended 31 December 2024

3. Analysis of Resources Expended

Note
a)
Capital Expenditure
Lady Chapel roof repairs
Bell Tower repairs (50%)
Photocopier
b)
Church Activities
Diocesan parish contribution
Clergy and staffing costs
Church running expenses
3b(i)
Hall running costs
Mission giving and donations
3b(ii)
Life Events payments
c)
Governance Costs:
Independent Examination
3b(i)
Church Running Expenses:
Insurance
Gas and electricity
Church repairs and maintenance
Organ servicing and repairs
Costs of services
Printing, stationery & communications
Childrens work support costs
Parish magazine production
Allotment costs
3b(ii)
Mission giving and donations
Outreach and books
Pastoral team support costs
Warm Spaces
Stay and Play
Music project
Eastleigh Basics Bank – advent
Charitable donations:
Through the Roof
Churches Together HEWEB
A Rocha
Deanery Synod
Inclusive Church
The Children’s Society
HOPE mission fund (note 6)		 Unrestricted
Restricted
TOTAL
TOTAL
Funds
Funds
2024
2023
£
£
£
£
0
6432
3400
3400
3400
0
5880
0
3400
3400
15712
47213
47213
50678
12259
12259
11728
22516
2122
24638
25129
4550
4550
5669
1731
2641
4372
2963
12445
12445
22511
88269
17208
105477
118678
720
720
600
3499
3499
3370
8888
8888
11219
4281
16
4297
1058
797
797
2967
2381
977
3358
3476
2121
2121
1807
770
770
704
576
576
528
332
332
0
22516
2122
24638
25129
417
417
314
120
120
157
624
624
49
608
608
0
420
420
885
102
102
0
0
50
50
50
100
0
50
30
30
20
50
50
0
20
20
0
1931
1931
1338
1731
2641
4372
2963

__________________ St James' Church, West End - Annual Report 2024 Page 13

PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF STJAMES, CHURCH WEST END NOTESTO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS For the ear ended 31 December 2024 4. Diocesan CMF Common Mlsslon Fun form hare The 2024 CMF request of £47,212.93 was paid in full. There was a decrease of £ 3,465.23 compared to 2023. For 2024 the CMF was again calculated at Diocesan level under a system which takes into account the Church Membership of 3 parish and the Affluence category of the parish Ifor St.James' category C- evenly to unfavourably placedl. 5. Pa ments to PCC Members The following payments have been made to PCC members cr related parties during the year:_ Revd. L.Galvin £438 to reimburse mileage expenses 1£ 419 in 20231 All expense5 claimed were supported by appropriate documentation and authorized by 2 other PCC members. No other personal payment5 or expen5e5 were paid to any other PCC member, person5 closely connected to them or related partie5. No material transaction took place between the PCC and a PCC member or any person connected to them. The Vlcar's salary is paid directly by the Diocese. All other clergy are voluntary members of the team. 6. Mlsslon Glvln nd Donatlons The HOPE mission fund made the following charitable donations durln8 the year: 2024 2023 M ission to Seafarers Countess Mountbatten House Society of St James, DEC Earthquake Appeal Cohen's Box The Big Difference Kitchen Table Charities Trust Christians Against Poverty Toilet Twinning 5t James C of E Primary school No Limit5 AIM Int - Growin8 Nations Shelter Box 213 411 213 208 171 121 310 50 50 150 150 128 375 SQ 50 375 244 1931 1338 In addition to the above monies raised, during 2024 St.Jame5' paid directly into the bank account of The Children's Society £ 127.82 collected at ou r 2024 Chri5tingle services and the Children's Society home boxes. IA further £163.03 was collected by credit card and has been processed through our restricted fundsl Also during 2024 £ 405.40 was banked into the Christian Aid bank account from donation envelopes in church. Collections taken at our Community Coffee events, raised funds for the HOPE mission charities and also £117.39 was sent directly to the Roy318ritish Legion. In September. the Church took part in the M3cMlllan Big Bake and paid £246.50 in total to Mocmillan Cancer. The payments made from the 2024 Charity Christmas card1£381.231 will be shown in the 2025 accounts. Sl James, Church, Wesl End- AnnualReport 2024 Page 14

For the year ended 31 December 2024

PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST JAMES' CHURCH, WEST END NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

7. Fund Movement

The movements in designated and restricted funds during the year were as follows:

Bal
BalBfwd Receipts Payments Transfer c/fwd
£ £ £ £ £
Designated
Music project 1765 1050 420 2395
Legacy fund
(unspecified) 5883 528 5355
Restricted legacy - DB 4670 4670
Buildings reserve 10000 986 986 10000
Warm Spaces 952 624 328
Church Hall 8967 9991 4552 14406
32237 12027 7110 0 37154
Bal Bfwd Receipts Payment Transfer Transfer Bal c/fwd
£ £ £ £ £
Restricted
Flower Fund 1855 720 661 1914
HOPE mission fund 1083 2129 2050 1162
Bell Tower Fund 2684 1003 3416 271
Music Fund 471 3 173 301
Choir Fund 0 544 144 400
Organ fund
repairs/tuning 1442 398 797 1043
Stay and Play 24 778 608 194
Allotment Fund 423 1 332 92
Basic Bank Calendars 0 102 102 0
The Childrens Society 0 165 0 165
Life Events (weddings/funerals) 1289 13263 12444 2108
9271 19106 20727 0 7650

St James' Church, West End - Annual Report 2024

Page 15

PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST JAMES' CHURCH, WEST END NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

For the year ended 31 December 2024

Other fixtures, fittings and office equipment where the PCC is free to dispose of such assets without faculty and where the original cost exceeded £1,000.

The following assets are recognized and a monetar value given as par of the description in the Statement of Assets and Liabilites:-

Amounts owing from HMRC (Her Majesty's Revenue & Customs) where a formal claim has been made.

Any other amounts owing to the PCC including Church Hall lettings and insurance claims.

Legacies where formal notification of entitlement and amount has been received at 31

December by the PCC. Closing bank balances as shown in the receipts and payment accounts.

Any loans or overdrafts advanced to the PCC.

Creditors for goods and services where the supply has been received but not invoiced by

31 December.

Payments due to Mission partners/Charities where fundralsing events have taken place as part of the current yearly projects but not yet paid out to the missions/charities.

Fees for Pastoral services conducted {Marriages and Funerals) but not yet paid out.

Advance Marriage fees collected for payment out in the next financial year.

St James' Church, West End - Annual Report 2024

Page 16

Vicar’s report and reports from Churchwardens and other organisations associated with St James

Please note that any accounts mentioned hereafter do not form part of the audited accounts

VICAR’S REPORT

It’s wonderful to read the different reports that follow detailing the many things we have done as a church over the past year. Thank you so much to everyone who has given their time, shared their gifts and donated financially to enable our church life. But perhaps it’s not so much what we do but how we do it, with hearts open to God, keen to love, to encourage and to serve.

At the heart of our church life is our worship that I hope inspires, nourishes and encourages us. Over the year we have had more children and young people offering their gifts at our services, singing in our choir and serving at our 9.30am Eucharist, and joining our Church Alive Music Group and taking part in our 11am service. Alongside our Sunday, Wednesday and Feast Day services, we also enjoyed a Choral Evensong for our patronal festival and two Saturday afternoon Worship Jams.

We were blessed to welcome Bishop Geoff Annas, acting Bishop of Southampton, for baptisms and confirmations on 11th February and 3rd November. These were very special services as the 10 candidates made their public commitment to follow Jesus. We thank God that new people are joining our church and wanting to learn more about faith.

We have offered a number of courses over the year to nurture, deepen and encourage a questioning faith; the lent groups looked at Miranda Threlfall-Holmes’ book ‘How to eat bread’ on reading the Bible. Brenda Holden ran summer and autumn Bible discussion groups on the Acts of the Apostles and Carol Kidd and Brenda ran the Encircled in Care course on Christian caring.

Other highlights of the year included the Christmas Tree Festival, Warm Spaces, the Holiday at Home event, and school visits from Townhill Junior school and Harefield School. We briefly partnered with St Luke’s for youth work led by their youth worker Maddie.

In February we joined the Inclusive Church network making a public statement about our commitment to the inclusion of all people in church life and we agreed to offer Same Sex blessings at St James. We welcomed ordinand Lucy Hoyes for a summer placement and ordinand Charlie Gibbs joined us in the autumn for a 2-year placement. Charlie is with us in the parish on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays.

2024 was a significant year for our diocese. In January we welcomed a new Bishop of Winchester, Philip Mounstephen, and in November a new Bishop of Southampton, Rhiannon King. We look forward to seeing how they shape the diocese going forward.

Sincere thanks to our excellent team at St James, the ministry team, Rev’d Linda Galvin, Carol Kidd and Alan Jenkins; the church wardens, Jan Barret, David Forster and Noel Becket; the treasurer team, Jane Hollingsworth and Katie Mathieson; PCC secretary Sue Overell and everyone who supports and enables our church life in any way. Finally, we remember with love those who have journeyed on to God’s nearer presence this last year, Betty Buikus, Fred White, Sally Redfearn and Elayne Cutler. May they rest in peace and rise in glory.

Rev’d Vicky Maunder

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CHURCHWARDEN’S REPORT ON THE FABRIC AND FURNISHINGS OF THE CHURCH

As we conclude our first year in office, we are extremely grateful to everyone who by giving their time and sharing their skills ensure that St James’ remains a special church to both worship and socialise in and where a welcoming face is always present. A recent visitor to the church remarked that St James’ felt like it was a living church, full of life and love.

As churchwardens we are charged with keeping the church building and everything in it in good repair so it is as this point that it is important that we say a special thank you to Noel, who spends many hours here wrestling with both interior and exterior maintenance plus various emergency technical issues.

Works carried out over the past year from the log book are:

March – the bell was refurbished, complete with fittings and a new bell ringing mechanism refitted.

June – a fallen branch in the main car park was dealt with by SSE.

July – two copes (long capes) were obtained from the closed Millbrook Church and the lightning conductors were serviced.

September - the hidden gullies were cleared. Tree work was carried out by Treemenders as per the survey, unfortunately a Magnolia and a Beech tree in the south east part of the churchyard had to be removed. The thermostat in the hall was housed inside a lockable box to prevent tampering and to help control unnecessary heating costs.

October – the church and hall fire extinguishers were serviced by Classic Fire. The church and hall heating were serviced by Anchor and the cluster flies were treated with ULV by Pest Doctor.

November – hall drains were checked and cleared and all electrical items were PAT-tested by Remy Electrics.

December – the organ was tuned by South Coast Organs and the organ humidifier and blower were serviced twice during the year.

Church life

As well as our regular worship services our church continues to be used throughout the year for outreach and fundraising, by schools for worship and as part of their curriculum, by orchestras, choral groups and Mar Thoma.

Finally, and importantly, we can’t forget those who look after our church both inside and out throughout the year. You are all truly valued, the gardeners, the cleaners and the eco warriors. Those of you who contribute so much to the wellbeing of our church – the servers, the choir, the intercessors and readers, the sound system operators, the flower team and the welcomers, those who look after our pastoral care, safeguarding and health and safety, our financial team, secretary and PCC committee, the musicians and catering teams. Many of you may be unseen but your work doesn’t go unnoticed, our grateful thanks go out to you all.

And most of all we thank Vicky, Linda and the ministry team for their devotion, caring encouragement, guidance and leadership providing spiritual and pastoral support to our church family and into our local community.

David Forster / Janet Barrett / Noel Becket

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CHURCHES TOGETHER

HEWEB (Hedge End, West End and Botley) report 2024/25

The various churches regularly meet with both ordained and lay persons attending, to discuss ways in which we can share our common faith in the community.

Current members are St James’, St Luke’s, St John’s, Anchor Church, OLA (Our Lady of the Assumption) Catholic Church, St Brigid’s, KCC, Salvation Army, Hedge End Methodist Church and Botley Church which also represents Durley and Curdridge Churches.

In 2024 both the Big Top Holiday Bible Club in August and the Wonderlab Christmas Activity morning were well attended with over 30 children at each, from various HEWEB churches. Biblical teaching combined with circus skills and scientific wizardry meant the children all thoroughly enjoyed themselves and had a whale of a time... which is great because this summer's theme is around Jonah and the Whale.

It was decided that the HEWEB website would be deactivated. This was because it became obvious that it wasn’t being used by the general public and that events and information from HEWEB would be better shared by the HEWEB Facebook page or through the communications of the member Churches. A WhatsApp group for HEWEB representatives has also been set up to try and reduce the number of emails being sent and to speed up communication within the group. This will be reviewed throughout the coming year.

In January 2025 we gathered together to celebrate Christian Unity at St John’s Church in Hedge End with music led by Anchor Church, bible reading from OLA Catholic Church and preaching from St Luke’s and St James’. It was wonderful to see representatives from across the HEWEB group and gather together in worship.

Sadly in 2025 we have to say goodbye to two of our current attendees. Captain Ian Davis from The Salvation Army will be moving to his new posting in Manchester, after 20 years of leading Hedge End Salvation Army. Also Rev Clive Beard the current curate at St Luke’s Church in Hedge End will also be leaving to become Vicar of his own Church in Preston. They will be very much missed and we will be praying for them and their families in their new placements.

The good news is that we have a new member Church. The Good Shepherd Church in Hedge End has been unanimously voted into the group; we look forward to getting to know Pastor Rajan Robert.

The return to a more relaxed style of group meetings, within the framework of a new formal working agreement, has seen an improvement in attendance and an added enthusiasm to try new ways to engage with the local community. For example, the Gospel Music event being held at St James’ Church on Saturday 28th June 2025. Groups of singers from across the HEWEB will join together to put on an uplifting concert to raise money for two local charities, the Countess Mountbatten Hospice (Mountbatten Hampshire) and the Food Bank.

Rachel Owton & Revd Linda Galvin

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DEANERY SYNOD REPORT

St James’ Church was represented at all of the 2024 Deanery Synod meetings.

At each meeting there are parish and financial updates, information sharing relevant to current diocesan and national church matters. Often there will be an invited speaker.

In February 2024, an update was received on the January Clergy Conference.

In June Sam Scott, Diocesan Environment Officer, gave a presentation and led a Q&A session on Eco Church. In October, the speaker was Bishop Philip who introduced himself and outlined the Walking the Wessex Way vision for the diocese.

In the summer, following Danny Stupple’s resignation, Carol Kidd was elected into the role of Lay Chair. Revd. Linda Galvin continues as the synod secretary.

In the autumn synod bid farewell to the Assistant Area Dean Sarah McClelland, who moved from Valley Park to a parish in Jersey, and at the end of the year synod said thank you to Revd. Richard Wise as he completed his 5 years in the role of Area Dean.

Carol Kidd, Peter Littlejohns and Scott Langridge Deanery Synod representatives for St James’ West End.

HOPE COMMITTEE ANNUAL REPORT

H HOME O OVERSEAS P PARTNERSHIP E EDUCATION

HOPE kicked off 2024 with a delicious Sunday Brunch. 40 people attended and £291.05 raised. This was followed in March with a Quiz and Curry evening hosted by Chris Badcock which raised £325.06. The Lent Appeal in aid of ShelterBox was well supported and £193.91 donated to help give shelter to families facing disaster. The Harvest Lunch in October was attended by 43 people and raised £400.50. In December donations to the Charity Christmas Card raised £381.23 and this was shared equally between the Society of St James, Mission to Seafarers, Samaritans and No Limits.

HOPE also received donations from HEWEB (Hedge End, West End and Botley Churches Together), Stay and Play, Lincoln Court and Community Coffee Mornings. Donations of £375 have been sent to each of our nominated charities CAP (Christians Against Poverty) and Growing Nations alongside £50 Pots of HOPE to Saint James’ School and No Limits. We were also able to send donations to Christian Aid from envelope collections and profit from the Christian Aid Lunch and the Children’s Society from collections from boxes and Christingle Services.

I stood down as Chairman in September and unfortunately with no successor the Committee felt unable to continue in its present form. The PCC agreed that the Committee should be dissolved at its meeting in February 2025 and that the £822.54 balance in our account would be split equally between our two nominated charities Growing Nations and Air Ambulances UK.

I have thoroughly enjoyed my 25+ years on the HOPE Committee and would like to thank everyone who has served on the Committee and helped at and supported our events.

Fiona Weston

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PASTORAL TEAM REPORT 2024

During 2024 the Pastoral Team officially met 6 times. Meetings provide opportunity to update and support each other, to explore various aspects of training and to share in Bible study and prayer. In addition to home visits to congregation members who are housebound and / or in hospital, the Pastoral Team members continue to provide services to Dawson Lodge, Oaklands, Speedwell Court and Sunnycroft care homes and also the residents of Lincoln Court.

Pastoral Workers help with Stay and Play, are involved with Baptism preparation, and distribute cards to members of the church family at times of illness and bereavement, as well as for special celebratory occasions and cards to those who are housebound or unwell at Christmas and Easter. We support the clergy with the November All Souls service and particularly with the annual Special Lives service in December.

Safer recruitment checks, DBS applications and safeguarding training are adhered to as per St James’ Church Safeguarding Policies and Diocesan requirements.

Thank you to all the pastoral team workers and associates for their dedication and the time that they give to supporting others in action and through prayer.

Anna Chaplaincy

2024 has been a busy year for my chaplaincy. Referrals come from the local Care Navigators and the Southampton Caraway charity: these pertain to older persons of all faiths and none, who are lonely and isolated and to whom I provide spiritual care.

With the support of the Pastoral Team and Warm Spaces leaders, monthly coffee mornings, a Spanish Holiday at Home and a dementia friendly café style Carol Service proved to be successful events with valuable outreach to the wider community.

A number of the coffee mornings were designated as opportunities for raising funds for various charities including supporting the HOPE committee Lent and Advent appeals, Christian Aid, Mountbatten Hospice, Macmillan Cancer and the Royal British Legion.

On a wider perspective, I co-led care home ministry teaching sessions for Southampton care home volunteers, also a spiritual care module for BCM Pastoral participants.

An important aspect of this role includes representing St James’ West End through local, diocesan and national opportunities.

Carol Kidd LLM / Anna Chaplain / Pastoral Team Coordinator

CHILDREN’S AND YOUTH WORK

At St James’ we continue to provide a range of opportunities for children to engage with the church.

On Sundays we provide two sessions for children, at 9.30am we have a group in the hall during which time we retell the story that corresponds with what is happening in church, and use activities and crafts to help us understand it. At the 11am service during the more informal service we offer an all-age break-out session to explore the meaning of the story; this is usually an activity or craft based on the story of the day.

We offer various themed activity mornings throughout the year, these include Good Friday, Harvest, Christmas, Candlemas, All Saints plus many more. These mornings attract all ages and it is a lovely opportunity for children and adults to spend time together.

We continue to provide the tree trail in the church grounds as an outreach tool, it continues to be popular and we have received positive feedback from people that use it. Each month the trail has a different theme.

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The support work with Southampton City Mission on their school days continues, involving us going into a school with them to offer support as they lead various days of exploring the Christian faith. They deliver assemblies, and Question of Faith days which includes a Transition theme. These days are always rewarding and a chance to plant seeds of faith.

As a church we have built strong links with Harefield Primary school who have visited the church at Easter and Christmas to experience the stories, the Year 5 children explored six stations set up around the church exploring the Easter stories and at Christmas the Year R classes were able to dress up in nativity costumes and retell the story of the first Christmas and they made stained glass windows. We have also been invited to be part of their Christmas and Summer fayres. A small group from Townhill Junior School visit us several times in the school year to explore the Christian faith and explore the church; these are always really positive days for the children, the staff and ourselves.

The local Beaver group visits occasionally with their leaders to explore faith as they work towards achieving their faith badge.

Unfortunately, we are currently unable to run our own youth group at the moment. Some of our young people joined in with a group at another church, supported by Vicky, Linda and myself, but this is currently not meeting. This is an area of our work that needs prayer to help us to be able to move forward with supporting our youth.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who supports our children’s work; we wouldn’t be able to run these events without the help of volunteers and the welcome and encouragement of our church family.

Janet Barrett

SAINT JAMES’ SCHOOL CHAPLAINCY

In 2024, the role of the chaplain has become firmly embedded into the life of the school and children, staff and parents have all made use of my time and pastoral skills from time to time over the year as well as developing excellent working relationships with everyone. As a school we have worked hard to continue to develop our values, and this was very evident in the SIAMS report we received following their inspection in July. Two of the phrases from that report are particularly memorable, ‘The relentless commitment to love is evident in its daily practices’ and ‘The purposeful and positive culture established by school leaders has a transformative impact’.

Our Collective Worship is both recognisable and adaptable, so that it is inclusive for all. As the SIAMS report stated; “The daily acts of worship are thoughtfully planned and led with expertise and enthusiasm. Pupils participate in discussions with others and time is purposefully planned for quiet self-reflection. They enjoy the time to pause and ponder on the big questions presented in worship. Using the school's reflective language, pupils connect with questions and stories meaningfully which further promotes their spiritual growth. Adults recognise the positive impact worship has on them, one staff member explaining, “when I can’t get to church collective worship stands in the gap”. Including worship themes, stories, and Bible verses in newsletters bridges the connection for parents.

This is especially gratifying as a lot of my time is spent planning and working with teachers to present these acts of worship. I have also spent time with all of the ECTs (Early Career Teachers) to help them develop these skills as well. In addition, further work has been carried out to support children in leading their own class Collective Worship, particularly in Years 3 and 4.

However, one of the most popular forms of Collective Worship is when we take this outside. Every term a whole week is dedicated to Outdoor Collective Worship and feedback suggests that this engagement with nature and worship is ‘a real spiritual experience’ as one child commented.

The subject of RE also takes up my time, and I have regularly visited classes to add Christian viewpoints and in depth understanding of how Christians interact in the world and the respect that is shown to other faiths. Again, SIAMS reported that; “Their development is further enriched by the creative and inclusive

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methods used by staff. In addition to discussions and art activities, religious meals are recreated and explored to stimulate interest”. One of which is our re-enactment of a Seder meal, which explores Christianity’s roots and the Easter story.

However, what I consider a real privilege is the fact that I can enter any of the classrooms at any time as part of my practical work on the spiritual areas of the classrooms and be greeted warmly, or wander around with the children during breaktime, sweeping up any who appear in need of friendly chat, or preparing the children’s prayers that are left on our prayer trees for our Celebration Collective Worship each week. This is on top of me operating an open-door policy for anyone to drop-in if needed.

Revd Linda Galvin

STAY AND PLAY

Stay and Play at St James’ Church continues to be very successful. Our aim is to create a safe, nurturing environment where small children, parents, grandparents and carers flourish and develop friendships in a Christian environment. Our sessions in the autumn term ran during term times on Wednesdays from 9.15 am finishing at 10.45am.

At Christmas I (Penny Beeby) handed in my notice to retire from running the group and have been doing a transitional hand over with Charlie Gibbs (ordinand at St James). Due to Charlie being unavailable on Wednesdays we have changed the group to Fridays (same running time).

The changeover has been very smooth, and although we have sadly lost some families due to the new session day, we have gained many new families, which is really encouraging. We often get up to 20 children, parents/ grandparents and carers every week.

Monies taken weekly from the sessions are being collected monthly by Jane Hollingsworth (bagged and put weekly in the church safe) and are held in a named restricted fund. From Easter 2025 Charlie Gibbs will be in charge of money collected (counted and signed by 2 people) and small money claims will go through the online accounting system at St James’. During the summer term we will assess money collected and divide the proceeds between the church (for running costs) and St James’ church chosen charities. A small amount will be kept in the restricted fund for renewing any broken resources etc.

Parents/carers register children every week on a weekly registration sheet and complete a registration form when they have attended their second week. The file with addresses and details on are kept in the church office. The registration sheets are looked at every year and obsolete forms are destroyed.

All volunteers at Stay and Play have current DBS checks in place with the diocese and have completed appropriate safe guarding courses. Our paperwork regarding roles is current, but will be reviewed and amended as necessary in the summer term as will be all health and safety risk assessments. We will also do a deep clean of all equipment in the summer and discard any broken resources.

Penny Beeby (Stay and Play leader) and Team

SAFEGUARDING REPORT

At APCM 2024, Scott Langridge stepped into the role of Assistant Safeguarding Officer.

Working together we share the load: I have continued to lead on DBS administration and safeguarding training; Scott has led on improving and clarifying the parish safer recruitment process. A back-fill of reference gathering was completed for all PCC members, Church Officers, Pastoral and Children’s Leaders and Workers.

At an extra meeting of the PCC, the National Safeguarding Standards were discussed and action plans made. The Parish Safeguarding Dashboard was regularly updated with necessary checks made for compliancy. Parish safeguarding policies were edited and approved by the PCC. Church Officers, the PCC and all in named roles were reminded of the importance of following the Code of Safer Working Practice.

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Safeguarding Sunday was observed at both the 9:30am Eucharist and Church Alive with focussed preaching and prayer, together with a poster and information display.

St James’ was represented in safeguarding videos, newsletter and social media posts produced by the diocesan promotions team: Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility.

Carol Kidd PCC Parish Safeguarding Officer

MUSIC REPORTS

Choir and Organ

The church choir continues to thrive. We have stability in numbers and good attendance, so we are able to make a good contribution to the various services at St James’. Highlights this past year included a Choral Evensong on the day of the Patronal Festival, the Advent and Christmas carol services, and a trip to Havant to take part in an evensong there. Slightly shorter excursions saw us at the Christmas lights switch-on, and at the Remembrance Sunday service at the war memorial.

The church organ is holding up well, despite the wild fluctuations of temperature that our climate throws at it! It’s able to accompany services effectively and can play music from right across the repertoire. Thanks to Ashley for being the organist at the Wednesday morning service, where a small band of loyal singers enjoys his playing. Thanks too to Martin and John for standing in when I’m away.

We have a number of younger people in the choir these days, and even more on the first Sunday of the month when we welcome children to join us for the all-age service. There’s always room for more, at any age – so if you’d like to sing with us, please get in touch.

Finally, my thanks to the choir members for all their hard work over the past year. We’ve learned a lot, and had fun doing it – singing with both the spirit and the understanding, as we say in our choristers’ prayer every week.

Chris Fay

Church Alive Music

I am filled with joy as I reflect on another wonderful year with the Church Alive Music Group. Each Sunday, as we come together in worship, I am reminded of the power of music to uplift, inspire and unite us in faith. It is an honour to share this journey with such dedicated and talented musicians.

Our current members include: Debbie Thomson - our gifted singer and guitarist, whose voice carries deep emotion. Mary Blake - a trumpeter whose melodies enrich our worship. Diana Barnes - our warm-toned singer who brings a beautiful depth to our sound. Clive Stafford - a guitarist whose soulful tones resonate with everyone. Jon Bagley - a guitarist whose tone always bring us to a place of peaceful. We also welcomed Joe Owton - our newest and youngest member, who brings a vibrant beat to our worship on his cajon. And I continue to serve as the pianist, bringing harmony to our ensemble.

This year, we took a significant step forward by enhancing our equipment and sound system for Church Alive Music Group. We invested in three Shure SM58 microphones (which are industry standard professional microphones), three leads and three stands, ensuring that our performances are clearer, richer and more immersive for the congregation. Musically, we have been exploring a diverse range of songs, selecting a mix of traditional hymns and modern worship hymns. We hope everyone, no matter how young or old can find joy and connection through music.

In the coming year, I look forward to seeing how our music will continue to grow. May we have more opportunities to touch lives through our music, drawing hearts closer to God and united with faith.

Anita So

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PALS (Parishioners at Lunch on Sundays)

Since the last APCM, the PALS group has met about 11 times. We have continued at, and now have settled on the Master Builder pub in West End. Since their change of ownership, food, service and prices continue to be very good and at the time of writing we expect to continue there on the 4th Sunday of the month – apart from national holidays. At these times we have moved a week earlier or later if convenient.

We have had several new members join us (we are now about 18/19 in total) but we still welcome anyone who wishes to join us for a pub Sunday lunch once a month. Not everyone can or wishes to make every month. Nevertheless, the pub has been very good at accommodating us on one or two tables.

Rita Payne

ECO GROUP REPORT

The Eco-group is much encouraged by the fact that Suzy has joined us, and she is full of good ideas. We have met 3 times during the year, and were glad to have the new Diocesan Environment Officer, Sam Scott, attending one of our meetings. It’s good that the Diocese is supporting, with this new post, the efforts of many churches to be more sustainable.

We needed to update our Silver Award, as A Rocha, which manages Eco-church, has changed its survey considerably, adding more questions, but acknowledging the difference between urban and rural churches. We are glad to report that we were easily able to retain our Silver, and intend to press on towards Gold. If St Saviour’s, Brockenhurst can achieve Gold, the 3rd in our diocese to do so, there is hope for us! Diana has attended two A Rocha webinars, and these have been very useful and encouraging.

Our church is one of the 206 highest energy emitters, but that’s because we’re busy, which is, after all, what we are supposed to be. We need a Land Management Plan, but we await the results of an Energy Audit, now due to report in March. In the meantime, there are small ways in which we can improve. Although church members grew tomatoes in grow-bags in the past, we decided to avoid this use of singleuse plastic, and anyway, we now have the allotment. We agreed to keep some of the brambles, which are good for wildlife, and to arrange for some areas of the church grounds to be left for wildlife in ‘No-mow May’, although most of the areas need to be tidy enough for wedding photos!

There is a lot more that we can do and more that we can encourage members of the congregation to do, and we will be more pro-active after our meeting in March.

Diana Barnes

FLOWER ARRANGERS’ REPORT

2024 saw the flower team continue with sustainability, adapting the containers and trying different methods and we have finally achieved it to our best standard. With the cost of flowers at an all-time high, we have introduced the use of some silk flowers with real foliage and it is difficult to tell the difference.

Easter 2024 was early and we had some new team members, and decorated the church, with the Easter Garden outside again. There were only four weddings - May, June, and two in July.

We hosted a group of children from Townhill school and did some flower arranging with them, which they thoroughly enjoyed.

We also had some flowers from the church allotment, which was a bonus. (See allotment report).

Harvest was a great success, with sunflowers, alstroemeria, gladioli and verbena from the allotment, and we are looking forward to using more from the allotment in 2025. The year ended with the Christmas Tree Festival; the theme was Peace On Earth and the flower team decorated a tree with flowers and the meaning of each flower.

We now are looking forward to another busy year in 2025.

Lyn Spratt

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ALLOTMENT 2024

The allotment has been a lot of hard work, with little money, we managed to get donated wood and make raised beds, then in June we had a lot of top soil arrive free again, so a team came up one evening and with a few wheelbarrows filled the raised beds.

In June there was The Big Green Week and we had the ECO Warriors from St James’ School visit the allotment and plant some dahlias and iris and the Squirrels (Scouts, not the furry creatures) did some planting and both groups learnt about not using insecticides and looking after the planet.

We did a lot of planting including foliage shrubs and hopefully in 2025 we will reap the benefits, keeping us even more sustainable.

Lyn Spratt

WARM WELCOME

Warm Welcome is now in its 2nd year. In 2025 we started the 4th January until 7th March, a period of 10 weeks, and everyone really looked forward to the Thursday morning sessions.

In 2024, with help from a grant from Eastleigh Southern Parishes of £1,000 we were able to buy new table cloths to brighten up the hall and which we would also be able to use afterwards.

We bought new games including dominoes, Scrabble, cribbage, playing cards and puzzles as well as the refreshments each week. There was also some budget left, so we were able to help fund other events for older people, notably a “holiday at home” event in the summer and a Christmas Party with carols.

The Parish Council also supported Warm Spaces by allocating funds to pay for taxis for older people who otherwise would not be able to attend.

We finished the 10 weeks 2024/2025 sessions with a party, serving sandwiches, cakes and picky bits.

Everyone would have liked it to continue longer, so look out for Warm Spaces sessions in 2026.

Lyn Spratt

CHURCH STATISTICS FOR 2024 and previous years:

Church Statistics 2024 2023 2022* 2021* 2020* 2019 2018 2017 2016
(Previous year figures are
recorded in brackets)
Baptisms 34 (29) (31) (3) (5) (39) (38) (34) (34)
Confirmations 10 (3) (4) (0) (0) (0) (0) (7) (0)
Weddings 4 (8) (12) (6) (4) (14) (15) (13) (13)
Funerals & Burials 25 (25) (23) (7) (9) (20) (12) (15) (15)
Easter Communicants 157 (148) (151) (69)** * (161) (162) (159) (134)
Christmas Communicants 102 (121) (100) (84)** * (140) (159) (187) (168)

** Congregation numbers were restricted at these services because of Covid-19.

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