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2022-12-31-accounts

2022 Reports for St Edmund’s & St Alban’s For 2023 APCM

Contents

Foreword by Rev Mandy Young .............................................................. 3 Structure and Policy of our two PCCs in 2022 ........................................ 4 PCC Membership of St Alban’s in 2022 .............................................. 4 PCC membership of St Edmund’s in 2022 .......................................... 4 Our Policy ........................................................................................... 5 Vicar’s Report ......................................................................................... 6 Safeguarding Report ............................................................................. 10 Deanery Synod Report ......................................................................... 11 What are Deanery Synods? .............................................................. 12 What does the Deanery Synod do? ................................................... 12 Electoral Roll Report for East Dartford Benefice ................................... 13 Communications ................................................................................... 13 St Edmund’s Reports ............................................................................ 14 St Edmunds PCC – 2022 Financial Summary ................................... 14 Financial Reserves policy for St Edmund’s ........................................ 15 St Edmund’s Church Wardens Report ............................................... 15 Building Report .................................................................................. 16 Music Report ..................................................................................... 18 Food Bank Report ............................................................................. 19 St Alban’s Reports ................................................................................ 20 St Alban’s PCC – 2022 Financial Summary ...................................... 20 Financial Reserves Policy for St Alban’s ........................................... 21 St Alban’s Church Wardens Report ................................................... 22 Groups and Hiring ................................................................................. 23 Stepping Stones Toddler Group ........................................................ 23 Community Café ............................................................................... 23 Knit and Natter .................................................................................. 23

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Foreword b Rev Mand Youn y y g

Vicar of the East Dartford Benefice (the churches of St Alban and St Edmund)

This Annual Report seeks to reflect something of the hard work, dedication and Christian commitment of the congregation of St Alban’s and St Edmund’s during 2022 and also, of course, to look forward. On the first of January 2023, the two churches became a single parish, under the name of the East Dartford Benefice. For the purpose of this report, though we meet as a single community for our first APCM as a benefice, the reports record a year when we were two separate parishes though working closely together.

They are different churches, serving different demographics, with different histories and different stories to tell of their journey with God. But our vision is shared and owned by all of us.

Jonathan Swift once wrote,

‘Vision is the art of seeing what is invisible to others’.

What we have been privileged to see for ourselves is just how much God loves each one of us. He loves us so much he sent his Son Jesus to be with us and to show us how to live and to love. The more we follow the example of Jesus, the closer we will come to God’s own vision for this world, a vision of love, and peace, and justice for all creation. That vision is what we mean when we peak of the Kingdom of God.

Our hope and prayer for each of our two churches and the communities we serve is that we might strive, in every way we can, through worship, fellowship and service to one another and to our community, to share that vision and to grow day by day into the people God calls us to be.

Our prayer is to reach out into those parts of the local community who are unaware of our presence, sharing the unconditional love of God with all, wherever and whoever they are. And we seek to be faithful in all we do. As we grow together, putting down roots as a benefice, and working out what it means to be a single parish, spread across such a large space of Dartford, sharing our energies and resources and difficulties, perhaps our real vision, our real calling, is to model what it means to be inclusive.

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Structure and Polic of our two PCCs in 2022 y

During 2022 our staff and our ministry team across the two churches were as follows:

Rev Mandy Young - Priest-in-charge, Rev Karen Nelson - Associate priest (part-time), Rev Esther Bevan - Curate (SSM, part-time), Rev Mandy Brown (PTO). Andrew Carr - Reader and Deborah Westerby - Parish administrator. The Living Well employs Janet Jones Centre CoOrdinator and three part-time caretakers (Ian Wymer, Christine Bates, Rob Snowball). We are grateful indeed for all they do.

PCC Membership of St Alban’s in 2022

Rev Mandy Young (Priest-in-charge) Rev Esther Bevan (Curate) Rev Karen Nelson (Associate Priest) Canon Mandy Brown (PTO) Debbie Westerby (CW/Deanery Synod) Segun Abraham (CW) Gareth Williams (secretary) Ayo Abraham Olga Garner Roy Brown

PCC membership of St Edmund’s in 2022

Rev Mandy Young (Priest-in-charge) Rev Esther Bevan (curate) Rev Karen Nelson (associate priest) Andrew Carr (Reader/Deanery Synod) Lorraine Bathgate (CW/treasurer) Janet Gunner (CW) Robert Etheridge (secretary) Sharon Allen Sharon Earl Alan Jobling Jackie Kent

Both PCC also had various sub-committees and groups that take on specific areas of responsibilities. Each one reports directly to the PCC who remains responsible for all decisions relating to policy and mission.

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Our Policy

Our PCCs have the responsibility of co-operating with the incumbent in promoting, in each ecclesiastical parish, the whole mission of the Church, pastoral, evangelistic, social and ecumenical. St Edmund’s PCC also has the responsibility of co-operating with the Diocesan Office and its committees as well as its partners (Temple Hill Surgery and KCC Sure Start Children’s Centre) for the maintenance of the St. Edmund’s Church Living Well building. The PCC of each church met six times during 2022. Each church’s PCC also held one extraordinary meeting to agree to become a single benefice.

The Parochial Church Council seeks to promote within the ecclesiastical parish the whole mission of the Church, pastoral, evangelistic, social and ecumenical. The method of appointment of PCC members is set out in the Church Representation Rules. All regular church attendees are encouraged to register on the Electoral Roll and stand for election to the PCC.

The Standing Committee meets when required and has the authorisation to transact business on behalf of the PCC between its meetings subject to any direction given by the PCC.

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Vicar’s Re ort p

When I write my annual report, I like to look at what I said last time; how much has changed; how much has stayed the same? How far have we travelled? Are we still on the right road, the road God is travelling with us into the future we have discerned God calls us to? Or are we just tootling along on the road that suits us? I think I can safely say we’re not tootling!

At the report received by the APCM last year, I concluded with this reflection on our journey towards becoming a single benefice, now completed, legally at least, on January 1[st] , 2023.

That is how I see the coming together of our two churches – each will retain their own unique identity, of course, but there will be this journey of compromise and learning and growing together; of seeking what is best for the ‘other’ congregation, the ‘other’ community until two become one in the best sense of that phrase (apologies for going all Spice Girls on you!). Traditions are important because they hold the roots, but they are only traditions; ‘in house’ styles of worship matter because they are how we express our spiritual longings but they are one of many ways of expression; our ‘way of doing things’ has value for us – but, and it is a big but – we do not worship tradition, styles, or a particular way of doing things; we worship God. And we will flourish as God intends because we will live and worship as God longs us for us to do.

It felt to me like a commitment before God and a promise to each other – that we would work out, together, what it is God is asking of us. That continues to be the essence of what we are about. And, as I look back on 2022, there has been flourishing I believe for this very reason, and there have also been some obvious challenges.

A couple of challenges first – as a single parish we are now a huge parish, stretching from the Fleet Estate on one side to the Bridge Estate on the other side! As well as the estates themselves, there are several schools, primary and secondary, care homes, a wonderful animal sanctuary, new housing as well as large established residential areas. How do we do mission and outreach effectively over such a vast geographical and densely populated space?

A second challenge - the whole of 2022, as we came out of the darkness of the pandemic, saw instead a range of social need emerging. These needs included loneliness, poverty, and mental health issues. Our

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churches, with the support of the diocese, councillors, our caretakers at St Edmund’s, you the congregation, and others of goodwill, did our best to meet those needs and we continue to do so. I think of the great work Mandy and her team of volunteers have done to manage the exponential growth of those needing our foodbank, but we need now to look at how we can meet these needs more strategically. It is not our ‘job’ to meet them all of course, absolutely not, and we must work with other agencies. But as other agencies themselves become over-stretched, we have found more do turn to our churches – simply because our buildings are here and they are open.

The answers to questions like these two will come, and I think they already are taking shape, but first we have to be brave and own the questions.

Now for the flourishing - We finally came out of Covid restrictions during 2022 but, going at our own pace, we waited until recently to reintroduce the Peace. Now the only reminder of our pandemic years is the occasional appearance on an order of service written during Covid – with hymns missing and typos created by responding too hurriedly to changing circumstances! Slowly we are working our way through them to establish a new collection of (typo-free) resources to suit a new pattern of services for our new benefice.

There were a few new services introduced in 2022 which were great fun and well attended – the animal blessing service at Spirit’s Rest last May for example (a chance to do outreach on the Bridge as well as wonderful in its own right) and the Songs of Praise service where we tried out our new garden at St Alban’s for the first time. We intend to hold both services again this year because – having happened once – they are now, in true Anglican style, an absolute tradition.

We also started Messy Church last October and that is flourishing thanks to the wonderful team of willing helpers who come out for this quarterly event and help so willingly with food preparation and craft ideas for the themes. The number of children and young people has grown in a wonderful way across the two churches and we are so thankful for their presence and faithfulness, and for that of their parents and carers. Last Easter, Esther led a prayer walk for them and it was a huge success. So too was the youth worship session. It would be so good to do things more regularly for them and with them, but we need human resources. Sometimes flourishing brings its own challenges! But

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they are such a blessing – and it’s so wonderful to hear the laughter of children who feel welcome and relaxed. Long may it continue.

St Alban saw its first wedding for a long time in October! None booked in for this year yet at either church, not firmed up anyway, but this is something I really want to encourage and enable. The buildings are really scrubbing up well and we can offer a real package including the reception facilities. New chairs at St Edmund’s and St Alban’s - when we can find the funding - would be a bit of an advantage. But even without them, Debbie and Esther dressed both churches up to look beautiful as part of our advertising strategy.

Other things beginning again last year included Andrew’s wonderful quizzes – always popular and now back on the calendar as a regular event. A member of St Alban’s kindly funded a hugely well-attended Christmas party for children and their families too. Robert’s first ramble on Easter Monday last year was great fun and this too is going to become a regular. The social scene is definitely back! And we have lots of events, including a beetle drive, a pudding party, a harvest supper and a Coronation celebration planned for this year already – and that’s just the few I can remember!

Our congregations are growing and new faces, each with their own story and vocation, always bring with them great joy and optimism. I am glad people feel welcome and loved – if we get nothing else right, that alone would be a huge cause for celebration and thanksgiving. It’s so good to see people stepping up to read, lead prayers and sometimes lead services – more possible now we have café church too. Different voices, different accents, different gifts, really add to what it means for our benefice to be a place of full inclusion.

Thank you to all of you for all you do; I’m wary of naming names, for fear of leaving someone out, but you all play such an important and valued part in the life of our churches whether ‘up front’ or behind the scenes. And it doesn’t go unnoticed. But I must say thank you to my ministry team – to Esther, and Mandy and Andrew; to our church wardens, Lorraine, Debbie, Jan and Segun, and to Debbie and Janet who help with so much of the admin.

For the future – I hope to have soon a vision day for our new ‘bonded’ PCC and wouldn’t want to pre-empt that but, for me, it would be good to have lay people leading in more ways - to have house groups, to have a

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group looking at how we might become eco churches, a group too, maybe, to focus on catering so the workload there is spread more equitably.

This is a long report (in my feeble defence it covers what would traditionally be two APCMs). I want to finish only by saying, as I said earlier in this report – that to find the answers we need to grow in faith, we must be brave and ask the hard questions. We have two churches, both community focused, both committed to being radically inclusive in our welcome and in our theology. How do we keep doing all that that better, with passion and integrity, with faith? Never resting on our laurels, but always seeking to play our part in building a church and a world that truly reflects the nature of the Kingdom and so honours the God of Love and of Inclusion. Let’s keep asking the question.

God bless you all, and thank you,

Mandy April 2023

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Safe uardin Re ort g g p

We are all responsible for Safeguarding, and it is important that we share that task, not just relying on those people we believe should be responsible because of their job title.

We need to be aware of those around us. If you have any concerns, please do pass that on to me, as Parish Safeguarding Officer (PSO), or Andrew as Deputy PSO. We will help in any way that we can.

All PCC members, Clergy and Living Well staff, have completed the courses required by the Diocese and some of us have competed further online courses.

If you feel you would also like to do online Safeguarding courses, you are very welcome to do so, it would be very good for us to know what to look for and what to do if we become aware of a possible concern.

We now have many volunteers within the Living Well working in the kitchen, food bank etc. We have created a ‘Welcome’ pack for them giving them the opportunity to do online safeguarding. We have also done an in-person course with a local Kent organisation, allowing us to share with Homestart NWK, the Healthy Living Centre Dartford and Youth Centre. We will continue to encourage all volunteers, and congregation, to take up the offer of training. Please do speak to me if you want more information.

We have worked with the Diocese and the local police this year in attempting the safeguarding of a vulnerable member of our community, and we thank them for their support and experience. We hope this will lead to the help that the individual really needs.

As a new joint Benefice, we have revamped the log that records DBS status and courses, so that we can easily see who needs to renew courses and to recommend ones that we think would be of benefit.

As I have said already, Safeguarding, in all its forms, is a joint responsibility. Please keep this important ministry in your prayers and to be aware of our brothers and sisters around us.

Lorraine Bathgate

PSO and Lead Recruiter

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Deaner S nod Re ort y y p

There were three Dartford Deanery Synod meetings in 2022. I am presently the Secretary and have been for some eight years.

The first in February was at All Saints, Crockenhill which focused, as COVID rules in church were beginning to be relaxed, on what each parish had to celebrate, and what it was challenged by in the year ahead. Speaking for both St Edmund and St Alban, I celebrated the blessings of our clergy and of new members. I noted that the challenge was financing, with a small congregation, the expensive Living Well Centre of which St Edmunds is part.

The second in June was at St Michael’s, Wilmington which focused on how parishes use digital and social media in terms of services including marriages and funerals (which become the norm during lockdowns) and other spiritual and practical gatherings e.g., Prayer meetings, Lent courses, PCC’s etc. Some member parishes were more digitally savvy than others and were more than willing to share ideas and expertise. The question remained as to the extent to which parishes continue to offer online services etc going forward.

The third in October was at St John’s, Meopham. This was specifically for clergy and lay members to meet with and listen to the new Bishop of Rochester, Rt Rev Jonathan Gibbs. No minutes were taken as it became an open forum for questions and answers with some lively debate taking place.

Deanery Synod reps are elected every three years and 2023 is such a year. Our clergy are automatically members. We are now one parish, and we have between 50 and 60 members on our combined electoral Roll, so we are entitled to one Lay Representative for each church – presently that is Debbie Westerby for St Albans and me for St Edmunds.

It is important at the APCM to think carefully and pray hopefully about who we choose as Lay Representatives, playing to people’s strengths and potential. It is important the candidates are enthusiastic about the potential for changing the role and effectiveness of Deaneries and have the commitment and energy to attend and participate in the meetings (three a year - each about two hours or so long – held at different churches within the Deanery) and be active in them.

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What are Deanery Synods?

They are small geographical divisions of the Diocese concerned (there are 42 Church of England Dioceses – ours is Rochester), within which parishes are grouped under the care of an Area Dean (in Dartford’s case Revd Richard Mortimer, Christ Church Dartford). There are 13 parishes – five of which are subsumed into two Benefices – represented in Dartford Deanery Synod.

What does the Deanery Synod do?

It serves the witness and mission of the wider Church and so needs to be able to take strategic decisions to advance mission and ministry in Dartford Deanery and the Diocese of Rochester. We have discussions on a range of issues, welcome guest speakers on particular topics and seek to promote forthcoming spiritual and secular events at the parishes represented. It is concerned with seeking God’s will for the mission of the Church in the Deanery so are Christ-centred, prayerful, and open to the Spirit speaking through all and broadly reflects the diversity of all the congregations within the Deanery – in gender, ethnic origin, age, experience etc.

The remaining Dartford Deanery Synods in 2023 are:

Wednesday 21 June St Mary The Virgin, Church Road, Stone DA9 9BE Wednesday 11 October

Christ Church, Cross Road, Dartford DA1 3ET

Both meetings are from 7.30pm for 7.45pm.

Andrew Carr

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Electoral Roll Re ort for East Dartford Benefice p

The Electoral Roll has been revised for 2023. The date for applications closed on 17[th] April 2023.

For the first time we have an East Dartford Benefice electoral roll. Congregants are still able to and encouraged to join the electoral roll of their respective churches. The figures are as follows:

St Alban’s – electoral roll stands at 25 as of 17[th] April 2023

St Edmund’s – electoral roll stands at 30 as of 17[th] April 2023

Therefore, the electoral roll of the East Dartford Benefice stands at 55. The next revision is at the 2024 ACPCM.

Communications

. We now have a shiny new website thanks to Debbie, Alan and Esther This website and our now established Facebook page and YouTube channel – both for the East Dartford Benefice - has helped greatly with communications. Our quarterly parish magazine, renamed in 2023, 2Gather, goes from strength to strength. All this combined with our weekly pew sheets and regular posters means people should be up to speed with services and events. Please do read the communications – especially the pew sheets – they tell us what we need to know. We are working too on making sure GDPR and privacy policies are up to speed and always followed through.

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St Edmund’s Re orts p

St Edmunds PCC – 2022 Financial Summary

2022 was a little busier than 2021 and although we have been open all year bookings are still slow as people have been reluctant to return.

This has again impacted on our finances. The two streams of income we have are from commercial letting of our premises and Parish Giving. Parish Giving is down this year due to congregation members moving and a problem with HSBC who closed our Bank Accounts in August. It took just over a month to open a new account with Metro Bank but not all standing orders have been set up again. Lettings invoiced were £12,351.00 which was a little better than £11,474.57 during 2021 but still very low compared to £27,100 during 2019.

We had to cancel, in the interim, our contribution to the Diocesan Offer. Lease is still at £3,029.82.

BACS giving per month for December had dropped to £525.17 (due to standing orders not being set up again) as compared to £590.00 in 2021 and £1,034.00 in 2019.

We received one Grant payment from the Diocese of £5,000.00 but made a loss of £681.00 in 2022 compared to the surplus of £2,172 in 2021 on unrestricted funds.

Surestart returned during 2022 but only for two days per week. KCC are now thinking of transferring the classes to the local Library.

We continue to look after the finances for Temple Hill Over 60’s and at the end of 2022 we hold a balance of £5,583.00 for them in restricted funds.

Also held in restricted funds:

Kondoa £170.00
Youth £873.00
Mission £481.00
Hardship £785.00
Urban £10,767.00
Charitable Giving £179.00
Memory Café £1,059.00

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Financial Reserves policy for St Edmund’s

The PCC recognises that it should always seek to maintain sufficient ‘unrestricted’ funds, which are the free reserves of the charity, at a level which equates to approximately three months unrestricted expenditure. This provides sufficient funds to cover management, administration, and support costs and to respond to emergency applications for grants which arise from time to time. Unfortunately, due to circumstances of which the diocese is fully aware, we are now working at approximately a twomonth reserve fund.

St Edmund’s Church Wardens Report

This has been a momentous time for St Edmunds and St Albans as we begin our time as the East Dartford Benefice. This gives us a new joint mission and allows us to pool our resources to do the tasks we are being called to do. It has given us the opportunity to have joint worship twice a month and to evolve the Café Church experience. This allows more people to take part in the service, to use their gifts and talents and is amazing to see. We have also begun Messy Church and it has been very well received and attended. We look forward to this being expanded in the future.

We have welcomed Esther as Assistant Curate and it has been amazing to see her grow, take on more, especially BSL services, and experience all that both churches can share with her. Please keep her in your prayers.

Thanks also go to Mandy for her hard work and commitment and to Mandy B for helping too. Mandy has steered the churches towards joint benefice and has done an extremely difficult task with calmness and perseverance. Thank you, Mandy, for all that you do.

Surestart have returned to the building for two days a week, but we are now in the position of having to fight again, this time against them having to move to a building that cannot provide the facilities they are used to and that the families on Temple Hill deserve. We ask that KCC will reconsider, and soon, allowing the important work with our young people and families to continue.

We thank Janet and her team for what they do within the building.

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We are very lucky that Debbie is our joint Parish Administrator and that she produces a lot of work with great skill and knowledge, somebody who knows what they are doing! We thank Debbie for all that she does and takes off us as Wardens!

Please continue to hold this place, those who walk through our doors and our community, in your prayers.

Lorraine and Janet

Building Report

All necessary checks were undertaken for last year, but issues have been raised as follows:

Air Conditioning We had our air conditioning serviced and were advised that all three units in the kitchen, café and hall are not working and they are unable to get parts for them. The air conditioning unit on the mezzanine is still working but if anything does go wrong then they will be unable to get parts for those too.

I sent quotations to Savills via email on 9[th] August 2022 and have received no response.

Bearing in mind the heatwave we had last year and reports that this summer could be the same, I feel it is now a matter of urgency.

Church Roof - We had a couple of problems with the roof during the year and had a couple of leaks repaired in Reception and these seem to be holding up at the moment. If we look around the building there are a lot of ceiling tiles which are badly damaged by water. This makes the building seem uncared for and I think we need to find a supplier to replace these.

Blinds - We had new blinds in the Church Area last year and this had made a huge improvement to conditions during services etc,

We need new blinds in the café/reception area as the original ones are broken. As this is a communal area I think this should go through Savills and possibly see if the blinds right the way along the front can be changed.

Intruder Alarm - We have had the Intruder Alarm serviced but have had an ongoing problem where the alarm is showing a message of “fuse

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blown.” Spy Alarms have been out and replaced the fuse twice, which hasn’t helped, and they are now coming out on 3[rd] April to replace the power supply unit.

Vandalism and Fire - We had two unexpected events last year, the first of these were when we were the victims of religiously motivated vandalism. A lone person came into the Church and damaged religious items – all of which have now been repaired.

The second event was a fire in the Chapel which burned the carpet. This was caused by an unsupervised child entering the Chapel and dropping a lit candle on the floor. The Fire Brigade attended. The claim is with Ecclesiastical and hopefully the carpet can be replaced very soon.

Bank - During August 2022 HSBC closed our Bank Accounts. This caused a lot of problems as it is no longer an easy process to open a Bank Account. It took about 4 weeks but finally we had two new accounts for St Edmunds. However, it took people a long time to sort out standing orders re giving and we suffered financially during the period.

Mental Health - During the year we have had problems with a number of people who have mental health issues. One in particular has caused a lot of problems for the staff in the building. Our PCSO in this area was very helpful but sadly he has now moved onto another position based in Thames Valley. Social Services have not been very helpful, and this has resulted in us having to keep our toilets locked for a long period of time. These are now open whilst the Caretakers are in the building.

Food Bank - Our foodbank now opens on Mondays between 10am and 12 noon. It is very busy, and people arrive from 8am to sit in the Café area.

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Music Report

I would like to thank Alan and Robert for all their hard work to ensure that music worship is the best it can be.

Alan continues to work on the sound desk and has been instrumental in looking into the possibility of new a ‘TV’ that will replace the large central screen. The beautiful natural light in the church space, despite the blinds, still doesn’t really allow us to show video/film clearly. Esther has been able to gain funding allowing us to replace the screen and purchase new microphones which we hope will allow us to be more creative in worship and for youth work. This should be happening after Easter, so please keep this initiative in prayer.

Robert has continued to be part of choosing music each month and in leading singing each week and I thank him for the time he takes to ensure words and music link together properly.

We would welcome anyone who would like to join us, whether that is singing or being at the sound desk, controlling the equipment/sound. With the new screen, hopefully the desk will be more accessible, not having to step over leads to get to the equipment.

We are now back to singing in each section of the service and having a listening slot during communion. It seems to have been a long time since we could do this, but we are back to ‘normal’!

I would ask you please to keep our worship time together in prayer. Please think about whether you are being called to take a more active part, singing or sound desk, or anything else that you can think of that could contribute to our collective worship.

Lorraine Bathgate

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Food Bank Report

We begin this report by thanking everyone who supports the work of The Food Bank. The commitment of Mary’s Child that provides our funding and structure, so we can serve the people of Temple Hill. The volunteers who give so much of their time and talents from making tea or coffee to distribution and admin. We thank Emma at the RSPCA who regularly delivers pet food to us for distribution. We also thank another Emma who supports us through deliveries from the Hygiene Bank. Thanks, must also go to Bob who put so much in place for us to build upon. Sadly, due to poor health he made the decision to hang up his clip board. We send him much love.

The Food Bank moved from Thursday to Monday allowing us all to dedicate more time to individuals who need the service. It changed location from the cupboard in the church to the Mezzanine. This decision was taken to streamline the effort of purchasing and stocking up on food. It has also enabled us to offer a more personal experience. We opened the Café to offer a warm space with light refreshments which can now be supervised. We are also able to offer once a month a confidential room for benefit checks carried out by the team from Mary’s Child.

All our volunteers are part of Mary’s Child. They have completed and signed paperwork related to codes of behaviour and confidentiality. We are a small team and always on the lookout for additional helpers if you think you could help, please contact Canon Mandy on

The Food Bank offers Christs unconditional love treats each person with respect. We build relationships. We try to find practical solutions to food poverty. Every week there is much judgement and rumours, questions of entitlement we face these questions head on. Our prayer is to close this service because we are no longer required by the community. Until that time, we will continue to offer the service to the growing numbers in need. Sadly, on average we feed 120 people per week they leave with just three days of food.

Amongst the challenges are signs of hope and love. A man excited because he passed his exams, so he is back in employment. A disabled woman who has sorted her benefits out and can now manage without the food bank. For these stories we give thanks.

Mandy Canon Mandy Brown PTO

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St Alban’s Re orts p

St Alban’s PCC – 2022 Financial Summary

– - Unrestricted funds designated at the end of 2022 were:

Current account £625.10
Savings account £18,165.01
Fleet Coffee Mornings £639.00
Mission Fund (previously Grub Institute) £4,038.00*
Church Repair Fund £4,839.00
Teesdale Road Repair Fund £9,715.00**
Hymn Book Fund £305.00

Restricted funds at the end of 2022 were:

Savings Fund £130,000.00
Organ Repair Fund £5,967.00
Garden Fund £1,368.00***
Chair Fund £1,454.00
Mothers & Toddlers £401.00
BuildingFund £1,367.00

We have been able to meet all our financial commitments during 2022 and paid our Parish Offer of £12,000 to the Diocese.

Giving

BACS giving and open plate giving has increased by 30% during 2022. We also continue to encourage our congregation about personal giving and much of our congregation have bought into a ‘planned giving scheme’, both by standing order and envelope giving.

Teesdale Road property

Current valuation of property is more than £325,000. Monthly rent increased in September 2022 to £950pm. Works carried out at the property came to a total of £432 which will be transferred from the Teesdale Road Repair Fund back into our account.

Projects – major expenditure during 2022

During 2022 we replaced the flooring in the church, vestry and lobby which was essential. We also completed our garden project.

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Hiring

Hirings during 2022 provided an income of £8,018, an increase of almost £4,000 on 2021 income.

Term time bookings monthly receipts NA Group £30pm Children’s Karate £200pm Little Gems Childcare £56pd (full monthly rate of £800pm) Home Start Group £15pm Brownies/Rainbows £20pm

We continue to encourage baptisms during our main family service and hirings on Sundays are for baptism families only.

We are truly optimistic about the future and focus on God’s mission to our communities, building on the strong links we have built and sustained during 2022.

Financial Reserves Policy for St Alban’s

The PCC recognise that it should always maintain sufficient ‘unrestricted’ funds, which are the free reserves of the charity, at a level which equates to approximately three months unrestricted expenditure. This provides sufficient funds to cover management, administration and support costs and to respond to emergency applications for grants which arise from time to time.

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St Alban’s Church Wardens Report

First and most importantly we would like to express our thanks to Mandy, Esther and members of the PCC and congregation who help support us with all we do. Without your help, support and love we would not be where we are, growing and welcoming new people to our churches.

During 2022 we were able to continue our major property projects, following on from our new boilers, non-leaking pipework and new kitchen, we are enabled to offer warm spaces to the community.

We completed work on the garden celebrating our new Summer Songs of Praise service there. After many years of talking and contemplation we now have a new floor in the church and vestry. No more gaffer tape, splinters, holes or protruding nails. After the flooring was completed, we had our first wedding since the pandemic and the church looked wonderful.

All the works we have completed are for the congregation and the wider community. In the future we will be looking at upgrading our sound system, installing a loop system and screens. We will be looking to see what grants are available to help with the cost of this project.

Thank you to all of you, who have continued to share in worship and be together as that great family of Christ.

Debbie and Segun

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Grou s and Hirin p g

Stepping Stones Toddler Group

Our toddler group meets every Wednesday morning, between eight thirty and eleven, term times only. Its numbers are now back to before Covid and have indeed increased from then. We regularly welcome between 15 and twenty children each week and they have become a real family. Mums and carers help with the setting up, and lead singing at the end of each session. They also help sort and clean the toys. Relationships built through the toddler group have led to a couple of baptisms with more in the offering. It’s great fun.

Community Café

The café at St Alban’s meets every Tuesday from ten until 12; it is supported by Maureen from Stone Church who does a wonderful job so huge thanks to her. It has now evolved into a ‘warm space’ and so remains open beyond twelve and through lunch. Everyone is welcome and it is occasionally the place St Alban’s school hold their PTA meetings. Though it is free, users tend to make generous donations to both the café and the foodbank, and it runs as a viable but non-profit making group.

On the third Tuesday we now gather for a simple Communion service after the café.

Knit and Natter

In 2022 Knit & Natter re-grouped after identifying a need in the community for groups enabling people to start to socialise and get to know new people after the period of restrictions and lockdowns. With the help of Kelly Grehan, a local councillor the group has gone from strength to strength. The group was responsible for the fabulous Remembrance Poppy banner. The group is held on the 1[st] and 3[rd] Saturdays of the month and offers help with learning to knit, free wool, patterns and tea and coffee. This is a non-profit group but members make contributions during the year.

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Rev Mandy Young | 01322 280286/07915 986393 (except Mon) mandyyoung612@outlook.com

Rev Esther Bevan | 07897 801076 (Sun, Tues, Wedn) curateindartford@gmail.com

Canon Mandy Brown | 07772 121277 Reader: Andrew Carr carr176@btinternet.com Parish Administrator : Debbie Westerby (except Thurs) albanandedmundonline@virginmedia.com St Edmund’s Centre Co-ordinator : Janet Jones (except Fri) stedmundsdartford@gmail.com www.2dartfordchurches.org

24 | P a g e

PCC ACCOUNTS

Year Ending 31 December 2022

St Edmunds, Dartford

Receipts & Payments Accounts

PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST EDMUNDS DARTFORD

RECEIPTS & PAYMENTS ACCOUNT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2022

TOTAL TOTAL
Unrestricted Designated Restricted FUNDS Unrestricted Designated Restricted FUNDS
Notes Funds Funds Funds 2022 Funds Funds Funds 2021
£ £ £ £ £ £ £ £
Receipts
Voluntary income 2a 40,911 0 5,250 46,161 36,411 0 289 36,700
Activities for generating funds 2b 1,781 0 0 1,781 1,474 0 0 1,474
Investment income 2c 16 0 0 16 2 0 0 2
Church activities 2d 18,886 0 0 18,886 11,711 0 0 11,712
Other incoming resources 2e 2,295 0 4,683 6,978 1,604 0 3,100 4,704
63,889 0 9,933 73,822 51,202 0 3,389 54,591
Payments
Church activities 3a 64,480 0 7,935 72,415 53,219 0 2,133 55,352
Raising Funds 3b 90 0 0 90 640 0 0 640
Other Expenditure 3c 0 0 3,712 3,712 188 0 1,900 2,088
Total resources expended 64,570 0 11,647 76,217 54,047 0 4,033 58,080
Excess of Receipts over Payments (681) 0 (1,714) (2,396) (2,845) 0 (644) (3,490)
Transfers between funds - transfers in 0 0 (180) (180) 340 0 0 340
Transfers between funds - transfers out 180 0 180 0 0 (340) (340)
0 0
(501) 0 (1,894) (2,396) (2,505) 0 (984) (3,490)
Bank current and deposit accounts 1 January 2022 14,387 0 21,821 36,209 16,892 0 22,805 39,699
Bank current and deposit accounts at 31 December 2022 4 13,886 0 19,927 33,813 14,387 0 21,821 36,209

2021 restated to R&P basis

PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST EDMUNDS DARTFORD

STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES

General Designated Restricted 2022 General Designated Designated Restricted 2021
Notes Fund Fund Funds Total Fund Fund Funds Total
£ £ £ £ £ £ £ £
Cash and bank deposits
Current accounts 13,886 - 19,927 33,813 14,386 - 21,823 36,209
Deposit accounts - - - -
Church repair funds - - - -
Cash - - - -
4
 13,886 - 19,927 33,813 14,386 - 21,823 36,209
Other monetary assets
Gift Aid Tax claim outstanding 2022 1,552 - 1,552 600 600
Other receipts due 2,562 2,562 1,556 - 1,556
4,114 - - 4,114 2,156 2,155
Liabilities
Outstanding Invoices - IE fee (270) (270) (250) (250)
DBF element of fees (634) 0 (634) (42) 0 (42)
Other Creditors (1,440) (1,440) (217) 0 (217)
(1,440) 0 0 (2,344) (509) 0 0 (509)

PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST EDMUNDS DARTFORD

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2022

1 Accounting Policies

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Church Accounting Regulations 2006 using the Receipts & Payments basis. Receipts and payments include income as received and expenditure when irrevocably paid.

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

Funds

Unrestricted funds are general funds which can be used for PCC ordinary purposes. These include designated funds which can be redesignated.

Restricted funds represent (a) donations or grants received for a specific object or invited by the PCC for a specific object, and (b) income from trusts and endowments which may be expended only on those restricted objects provided in the terms of the trust of bequest. The funds may only be expended on the specific object for which they were given. Any balance remaining unspent at the end of the year must be carried forward as a balance on that fund.

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

The following assets are recognised but not necessarily valued in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities: Movable church furnishings held by the Churchwardens on special trust for the PCC and which require a faculty for disposal; Land and buildings held on behalf of the PCC.

The following assets are recognised and a monetary value given as part of the description in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities: Bank and deposit accounts; Amounts owing from HMRC where a formal claim has been made; Investment assets.

Liabilities are recognised and a monetary value given in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities where the supply had been received by 31 December.

PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST EDMUNDS DARTFORD

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2022

2 Receipts

2
Receipts
a
Voluntary income
Planned giving by standing order/Envelopes
Occasional Envelopes
Collections at all services
Sundary donations and appeals
Income tax recoverable
Grants
Legacies
b
Activities for generating funds
Fetes and other fundraising events
Candles
c
Investment income
Dividends and interest
d
Income from Church Activities
Parish Centre Lettings
Community Café
Fees from weddings, funerals, etc
Remembrance Book
Other
e
Other incoming resources
Payroll Admin
Ovr 60s Club
Total receipts		 TOTAL
TOTAL
Unrestricted Designated
Restricted
FUNDS
Unrestricted Designated
Restricted
FUNDS
Funds
Funds
Funds
2022
Funds
Funds
Funds
2021
£
£
£
£
£
£
£
£
0
6,302
6,302
7,908
7,908
60
60
0
2,162
2,162
1,593
1,593
5,539
250
5,789
7,899
289
8,188
1,315
1,315
1,704
1,704
25,533
5,000
30,533
17,307
17,307
0
0
40,911
0
5,250
46,161
36,411
0
289
36,700
1,716
1,716
1,432
1,432
65
65
42
42
1,781
0
0
1,781
1,474
0
0
1,474
16
16
2
2
16
0
0
16
2
0
0
2
0
12,351
12,351
7,121
7,121
4,266
4,266
1,378
1,378
2,029
2,029
3,122
3,122
0
90
90
240
240
0
18,886
0
0
18,886
11,711
0
0
11,711
2,295
2,295
1,604
1,604
4,683
4,683
3,100
3,100
2,295
4,683
6,978
1,604
0
3,100
4,704
63,889
0
9,933
73,822
51,202
0
3,389
54,591

PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST EDMUNDS DARTFORD

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2022

3 Payments

3
Payments
a
Church Activities
Missionary and charitable giving:
Ministry costs:
Diocesan Offer
Vicars Expenses
Vicarage costs
Other ministry (Locums)
Church running expenses
Service Charge
Insurance
Building Upkeep
Upkeep of services
Childrens Work
Remembrance Book
Website
Mission/Outreach - Events
Training
Administration
Administrator
Office Supplies
Photocopying & IT Consumables
Bookkeeping
IE fee
Community Café
Other
b
Raising funds
Stewardship costs
Fundraising costs - Fairs & Sales
Fundraising costs - General
c
Other expenditure
Over 60s
Food Bank
Other expenditure
Total resources expended		 TOTAL
TOTAL
Unrestricted Designated
Restricted
FUNDS
Unrestricted Designated
Restricted
FUNDS
Funds
Funds
Funds
2022
Funds
Funds
Funds
2021
£
£
£
£
£
£
£
£
15
1,316
1,331
430
430
15
0
1,316
1,331
0
0
430
430
1,167
1,167
487
487
24
24
0
2,495
2,495
1,723
1,723
0
0
0
0
36,359
36,359
38,581
38,581
725
725
291
291
4,041
6,619
10,660
945
945
1,259
1,259
354
354
0
0
110
110
0
0
316
316
0
133
1,703
1,836
0
70
70
0
0
13,136
13,136
6,540
6,540
117
117
59
59
3,074
3,074
2,085
2,085
0
0
1,440
1,440
250
250
0
0
1,445
1,445
195
195
262
262
0
0
64,480
0
7,935
72,415
53,219
0
2,133
55,352
0
0
0
0
57
0
57
90
90
394
394
0
189
189
90
0
0
90
640
0
0
640
2,542
2,542
1,900
1,900
1,170
1,170
0
0
188
188
0
0
3,712
3,712
188
1,900
2,088
64,570
0
11,647
76,217
54,047
0
4,033
58,080

PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST EDMUNDS DARTFORD

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2022

4 Statement of funds

Unrestricted Fund
General fund
Designated Fund
Church Repair Fund
Restricted Fund
Mission
Youth Project
Kondoa
Hardship
Urban
Charitable Giving
Food Bank
Over 60s
Memory Café
Total funds		 Bal b/fwd
Income
Expenditure
Transfers
Bal c/fwd
1 Jan 2022
between
31 Dec 2022
funds
£
£
£
£
£
14,387
63,889
(64,570)
180
13,886
14,387
63,889
(64,570)
180
13,886
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
797
0
(316)
0
481
873
0
0
0
873
1,170
0
(1,000)
0
170
785
0
0
0
785
13,386
4,000
(6,619)
0
10,767
129
50
0
0
179
0
1,200
(1,170)
0
30
3,622
4,683
(2,542)
(180)
5,583
1,059
0
0
0
1,059
21,821
9,933
(11,647)
(180)
19,927
36,209
73,822
(76,217)
0
33,813

The Church Repair Fund is for monies ring-fenced by the PCC for Church repairs.

The Mission Fund is for monies raised or donated for the PCCs Mission Projects.

The Youth Project Fund is more monies raised or donated for PCC Youth activities.

The Kondoa Fund is for monies raised or donated for the Diocese of Kondoa in Tanzania. Money is transferred to Kondoa via the Rochester Diocesan Board of Finance.

The Hardship Fund is for monies raised or donated for local Hardship support issued at the discretion of the Vicar.

The Food Bank Fund is for monies raised or donated for the PCC Food Bank.

The Over 60s Fund is for monies held on behalf of the parishes Over 60s Club.

The Memory Cafe Fund is for monies raised or donated for the running of the Memory Cafe.

PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST EDMUNDS DARTFORD

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2022

5 Staff costs

2021 2021
£ £
a Wages and salaries 13,136 6,540

The PCC employees a Parish Administrator. The cost of which is covered by a Grant from the RDBF.

No payments, apart from reimbursement of expenses, were made to PCC members.

Total donations made to the PCC by PCC members in 2022 was £10,656 (inc. Gift Aid) (£8,383 2021).

adventus accounting solutions Supporting Charitable Organisations

26 April 2023

Independent Examiner’s report to the Member/Trustees of Dartford St Edmund PCC

I report on the accounts for the year ended 31 December 2022 which are set out on the pages following.

Respective responsibilities of the Trustees and Independent Examiner

The church’s trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The church’s trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144(2) of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act) and that an independent examination is needed.

It is my responsibility to

Basis of Independent Examiner’s Statement

My examination was carried out in accordance with the General Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from the trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a ‘true and fair view’ and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below.

adventusaccounting@btinternet.com 07523 622979 www.adventusaccounting.wixsite.com/website

Independent Examiner’s statement

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

Yours sincerely

Martyn Burt

B.Sc.(Hons), ACMA, CGMA

adventus accounting solutions Ashby Acres Chapel Lane Ashby-cum-Fenby Grimsby DN37 0QT

e-mail: martyn.burt@btinternet.com or adventusaccounting@btinternet.com Telephone: 07523 6229679

adventusaccounting@btinternet.com 07523 622979 www.adventusaccounting.wixsite.com/website