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Annual Report and Financial Statements of the Parochial Church Council of Great Barr

For the year ended 31[st] December 2023

The Parochial Church Council of Great Barr Trustees’ Annual Report for the year ended 31[st] December 2023

Objectives and Activities

The Parochial Church Council of Great Barr (the PCC) has the responsibility of co-operating with the incumbent, the Reverend Colin Such, in promoting in the ecclesiastical parish, the whole mission of the Church, pastoral, evangelical, social and ecumenical. The PCC is also responsible for the maintenance of St. Margaret’s Church together with the church hall and churchyard and for the decoration of the Vicarage when occupied by the incumbent.

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 Great Barr. The PCC maintains an overview of worship throughout the parish and makes suggestions on how our services can involve the many groups that live within our parish. Our services and worship put faith into practice through prayer, scripture, music and sacrament. Also, through nonsacramental activities of hospitality and fellowship we aim to reach non churched members of the community.

Public Benefit

The trustees of the PCC are aware of the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit in The Advancement of Religion for the Public Benefit and have had regard to it in their administration of the Charity. The trustees believe that, by promoting the work of the Church of England in the Ecclesiastical Parish of Great Barr it helps to promote the whole mission of the Church (pastoral, evangelistic, social and ecumenical) more effectively, within the Ecclesiastical Parish, and that in doing so it provides a benefit to the public by:

Providing facilities for public worship, pastoral care and spiritual, moral and intellectual development, both for its members and for anyone who wishes to benefit from what the Church offers; and
Promoting Christian values and service by members of the Church in and to their communities, to the benefit of individuals and society as a whole.
The Charity also has the responsibility of maintaining the Parish Church of St. Margaret, in Chapel Lane, the support of our Church School (St. Margaret's CE (A) Primary School, Birmingham Road, Great Barr) and the sponsorship of the associated Scout and Guide groups.

Achievements and Performance

Church attendance

The Electoral Roll increased slightly for 2023 from 211 names to 215.

The average adult Sunday attendance for 2023 decreased to 42 (56 in 2022) . The average number of children attending increased to 16 (11) through C@Ch (Children in Church) and the Uniformed Organisations.

The average attendance at the Thursday morning Communion service rose from around 12 to 20 regulars.

Easter was better with 110 attending ( 100 in 2022) and 141 at Christmas (149).

There were 15 ( 17 in 2022) baptisms , 7 (8) weddings, 0 ( 0) blessings of marriage & 0 ( 0) marriage thanksgivings during the year as well as 19 (8) Funerals in church and 6 ( 7) at the Crematorium & 26 ( 8 ) Committals or Interment of Ashes.

Review of the Year

The PCC met six times during 2023. There were many upheavals throughout the year with the church still recovering from the restrictions imposed during the pandemic. The first phase of quinquennial works had been completed but more are needed in the years to come. The Communion Cup was reintroduced having been suspended during Covid. Finances were a constant concern throughout the year but social events continued with events planned for the coronation of King Charles III. The annual meeting took place on 21[st] May 2023. Rev Rutter retired as from 31[st] August 2023 and in September 2023 Rev Colin Such was appointed as Minister in Charge, to oversee the governance of the church and the PCC, and Preb Ian Cardinal, as Pastoral Support Priest, to work together to help guide the church through a difficult time of transition.

Fabric

General Maintenance and repair of the building is an ongoing problem but thankfully there were no major problems this year. The refurbishment of the roof, together with the rainwater goods and stonework in 2019 means that the exterior of the church is sound and should not require much maintenance for some time. One of the items highlighted in the 2021 Quinquennial Report for urgent action is the upgrade of the lighting system to replace existing lighting fixtures with LCD equivalents. This would not only make the system safer but should be more efficient and reduce electricity usage. We were hoping that this would be done this year but unfortunately this has not been possible. The main cause of delay is being able to employ an electrician with access to suitable scaffolding to deal with high level installations that can be moved around the church at a price we can afford. Another area needing attention is internal decoration, particularly where water penetration in the past has caused the plaster to peel, exposing bare stonework. The architect’s provisional estimation of the cost of redecoration is in the region of £50,000 and at present we cannot afford this. Maintenance of the churchyard is another major expense, but we do have an obligation to keep the churchyard in reasonable condition. Mark Room, our part time contractor, is employed for 20 hours a week mainly to look after the ashes site and the newer burial plots, and the rest of the site where possible. The area close to the church is maintained mainly by our dedicated volunteers, Chris and Brenda Bird, and the lawn mown by Vic Wiles. The trees surrounding the churchyard are nearly all subject to Tree Preservation Orders and so must be maintained regularly to ensure they remain structurally safe.

Thanks to the help of many volunteers the churchyard remained beautiful throughout the year and in fact were awarded two awards from Lichfield Diocese for their high standards of maintenance and conservation: a Gold Award for Lichfield Churchyards and a Nature Friendly Award. The churchyard was also commended for its general standard of maintenance particularly because it is the second largest churchyard in the Diocese and therefore is harder to maintain than other smaller churchyards. Special thanks go to Mark for his efforts and also to Chris and Brenda Bird who turn up every week to maintain the front drive and the area at the rear of the Meeting Room. Thanks also to Vic Wiles for mowing the front lawn and all the other volunteers who give their time freely to help the church.

Worship and Prayer

Not all services resumed since the pandemic and with the retirement of Rev Rutter the opportunity to restore services remained limited. As such services were limited to a Thursday morning BCP Communion, Children in Church (ably led by Georgina) fortnightly on a Sunday at 9.30am and the main Sunday service at 11am alternating between BCP Matins and Common Worship Communion. Retired and Deanery Clergy very kindly stepped in to take services following Rev Rutter’s retirement and we are very grateful to them and also to Preb Ian Cardinal as Pastoral Support priest. New congregational service books were introduced for the Sunday services, the choir resumed singing whilst robed in the choir stalls and the Common Worship Lectionary adopted for use at the Sunday services whilst the Thursday service uses the BCP provision for the previous Sunday (save on major feast and holy days.)

Throughout 2023, as well as the Intercessions within our weekly worship services (according to the prayer rota), Jose Broomhead had continued to pray regularly for our Church, Parish and individuals requesting specific items of prayer (the telephone contact number is in the Parish Magazine under “Pray Together” for those wishing to make requests).

In addition, we have returned and continue with our Service of Spiritual Wholeness (started by Martin & Val Rutter and now led by Jose and Alan Humpage), that takes place on the first Saturday of the month in church at 10.30 am. All are welcome to a time of prayer and reflection on scripture, whilst being still in the presence of our God and listening to His voice.

Deanery Synod

Deanery meetings began in February at St. Peter’s, Stafford Street with talks on Shaping for Mission and the Greenhouse Project (Fresh Expressions). It was noted that the deanery officers (Secretary, Treasurer and Lay Chair) were all standing down and nominations were needed to replace these three long serving members. The May meeting took place at St. Martin’s Church, Sutton Road, with a talk given by Revd Paul Thomas, Archdeacon of Salop on “The kingdom of God”. The Archdeacon’s Visitation took place at All Saints’, Bloxwich on 6[th] June and the summer Eucharist at St. Paul’s, the crossing on 5[th] July. Synod met again on 7[th] September at St. Thomas, Aldridge for an interesting and interactive talk on “Difference” and reconciliation. The year ended with the Advent Reflection given by the Archdeacon of Walsall at St. John’s, Walsall Wood.

Bible Study

The Bible study switched from being online to live from the start of September, studying the Gospel of St Luke. In 2024 we shall start studying the Book of Genesis. All are welcome once a fortnight for about an hour and a half in an informal atmosphere (no exam!). William Horrell

Choir and music.

Following some disruption in the aftermath of the vicar’s retirement the choir were “back in business” for Christmas. Ably led by Sheila the choir seeks to augment our worship on Sunday mornings and at other special events. In order to provide some certainty, given the lack of a vicar and the opportunities for confusion when visiting clergy kindly help out, Rev’d Such took over the selection of hymns and the schedule of services. We thank Sheila for her continued playing and hope to grow our choir and music ministry in the year ahead.

Financial Review

2023 was another difficult year for the PCC financially. We were almost entirely reliant on regular donations via the monthly and weekly envelopes or Direct Debit/ Standing Order commitments by member of the congregation for which we are very grateful. This has helped considerably to maintain some form of income stream, but more is needed so we encourage anyone who can to increase their regular donations. We would also ask that anyone who pays income tax and is able to do so gives permission for Gift Aid to be claimed by the church on their donations.as this effectively adds 25p to every £1 donated.

Our investments continue to provide healthy returns, but any sales of shares reduce the value of our investment and consequently reduces the dividends payable.

We do receive help in the form of grants from St Margaret’s School towards the cost of employing the Children’s Worker, and the Great Barr Church Lands Trust have been very generous with grants to help in various maintenance projects for the church and churchyard, and hopefully they will continue to support the church.

provided by Georgina and Louise from Children @ Church raised £116. The Summer Fete raised £1,291 and the Summer Draw £305, the Christmas Fayre raised £802 and the Christmas Hamper Draw £158. The return of the Brass Band Concert with a new band was very well received and raised £423.

Despite our best efforts to cut back on unnecessary expenditure costs still increased and will continue to increase. The main problem areas are:

1. Parish Share Payments

The Parish Share (now known as Common Fund) for 2023 was originally set at £59,315 but following a meeting with the Diocesan Board of Finance a Special Agreement was agreed to reduce the amount by £16,315 to £43,000. The PCC however were in arrears for previous years of £78,101. The Diocese proposed that if the PCC paid the revised amount of £43,000 for 2023 plus a further £3,500 towards the arrears then the Board would write off £10,500 of the outstanding debt. We managed to pay the full amount as requested. It has further been agreed that if the PCC pay the full amount of the 2024 Common Share of £43,860 plus a further £3,330 towards the outstanding arrears then the remainder of the debt will be written off and we will be free of debt. It is imperative that we meet this target to be debt free.

2. Gas and Electricity

Gas and electricity costs continue to rise and are likely to get much worse in the future. The Treasurer has agreed new contracts for both Gas and Electricity. The Electricity contract is for 2 years from 1[st] January 2024 at a fixed rate based on advice from our adviser. The price is higher than last year as expected but is still the lowest available from a main supplier. The gas contract is for 3 years from April 2024 and is in fact cheaper than we are currently paying.

3. Staff Costs

After the Parish Share contribution, of which much has been said before, Staff costs are probably our biggest expenditure. The salaries of our 3 Part time employees are affected by the minimum wage arrangements determined by the government plus the corresponding tax and National Insurance contributions and pension plans. I cannot see that we can cut down on the hours we employ our staff without severely reducing the service they provide.

Charitable Activities

We have not been able to provide the level of financial help to charities that we normally support but we still managed to raise £203 for the Children’s Society via the collection boxes and £227 and from the Christingle service. Gifts donated for Harvest Festival were given to St. Basil’s charity for the homeless and the Food Bank. We took part in Operation Christmas Child organised by Samaritan’s Purse in the shoebox appeal providing gift boxes for struggling families and acted as a collection point for others involved in the scheme. We donated £200 to the Samaritans Purse Turkey Earthquake Appeal to help those families affected by the earthquake. £73 was raised for the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal, £115 for the MacMillan Cancer Care Fund through a coffee morning, and the Children at Church raised £103 for the Mercy Ships appeal. The Beavers raised £110 for the RNLI.

Not all activities provided are just for fund-raising and community activities are just as important. The church hosted the Parkinson Society annual service again this year and the carol service for the Q3 Community Choir, both events much appreciated by the communities involved. The return of the tea and coffee sessions after the services has been welcomed as it provides an opportunity for church members and others to meet and socialise, something that is becoming more difficult for some these days.

2024 looks like being another challenging year financially but with the continued help and support of the church family we will manage to meet all our commitments and hopefully extend our support for the local community.

Reserves Policy

It is PCC policy to try to maintain a balance on free reserves (net current assets) which equates to at least three months unrestricted payments. This is equivalent to £10,000. It is held to smooth out fluctuations in cash flow and to meet emergencies.

Investment Policy

The charity is granted power to invest in suitable investments under the PCC Powers Measure 1956 and the Trustees Act 2000. As a charity, the Trustees have a duty of care to take such advice as is appropriate before investments are undertaken. This advice is sought from the Central Board of Finance (CCLA) in London.

The charity’s investment policies are based on two key principles: -

Ethical Investment – this includes ensuring that investments are held in companies which have high standards of corporate governance and act in a responsible way towards stakeholders.
Long-term responsibilities – the trustees are aware of their long-term responsibilities in respect of the Restricted and Unrestricted reserves and as a result follow a prudent approach to investment decisions.

Investment policy for long-term funds is aimed primarily at generating a sustainable income, with due regard to the need for the preservation of capital value, and the possible need to realise investments to meet operational needs. The charity does not have a policy of generating income at excessive or high risk – known as “purchasing income”, where high returns are guaranteed at the expense of capital.

In summary, the charity has an overall policy to maximise income while preserving the real value of its funds. Due to the nature of the charity, an ethical investment policy is taken into consideration when investments are made:

The charity follows the Ethical Investment Advisory policy as recommended by the Lichfield Diocese which includes the following:

“We aim to invest in companies that:

will develop their business in the interests of shareholders;
demonstrate responsible employment practices;
are conscientious concerning issues of corporate governance, the environment and human rights;
are sensitive to the community in which they operate.”

Planned giving, collections and donations are the main sources of fund raising along with tax recoverable.

Safeguarding

The PCC believe they have fulfilled their duty under section 5 of the Safeguarding and Clergy Discipline Measure 2016 (duty to have due regard to House of Bishops’ guidance on safeguarding children and vulnerable adults).

Reporting Serious Incidents

A Serious Incident is an adverse event, whether actual or alleged, which results in or risks significant harm to the charity’s beneficiaries, employees, office holders, volunteers or to others who come into contact with the charity through its work, loss of the charity’s money or assets, damage to the charity’s property or harm to the charity’s work or reputation.

The trustees are not aware of any Serious Incidents in the last year.

Fundraising

The PCC takes it fundraising responsibilities seriously and is very grateful to all donors – whether regular or occasional – for their support of the church and church events. PCC supporters are never taken for granted. The PCC take full responsibility for fundraising and do not use commercial organisations or professional fundraisers. All money raised is either by donations, fundraising events, special appeals or legacies for which the PCC are most grateful.

Review of the Year

This year has been a particularly difficult year for wardens and the whole church community due in part to the retirement at the end of August of our vicar Martin. Since Martin’s retirement we have been helped and supported by 2 Pastoral Support Clergy appointed by the Archdeacon, namely Revd Colin Such appointed Minister in Charge, and Preb Ian Cardinal as Pastoral Support Clergy. Both Colin and Ian have been extremely supportive during the church’s preparation for the official Interregnum when we can look for a new vicar. Even with the support from Colin and Ian the load on the Churchwardens has increased

considerably. June is spending a lot of time trying to find local ministers to officiate at church services, a job not being made easier because of the number of other churches going through similar problems reducing the pool of potential ministers available to help. Thanks go to all current and retired ministers who have stepped in to take services and keep the church going in this difficult time. Things are picking up and attendances in church are slowly getting back to normal.

The church continues to provide a strong and comforting spiritual and pastoral service to our regular congregation and to the local community, including those who may only attend church occasionally, that is much appreciated as evidenced by the many letters and comments received. Examples of such letters include the following: “Thank you for being a big part in making our wedding day special and for welcoming us into your beautiful church”; “Thank you for all the care and support you all gave to us throughout the sad time we went through earlier this year. The church service left us feeling very peaceful. We really appreciate your attention to detail, kindness and above all a sense of humour which helped us keep a sense of normality – Thank You”.

The Wardens have been supported by many members of the church community without whose help it would be much harder. William Horrell has taken on the responsibility as Deputy Chair of the PCC and regularly assists the minister administer communion and on occasions has led the service when no official member of the clergy was available. Heather Allen, our Parish Administrator, worked tirelessly in the background making sure everything ran smoothly in the office. Her workload has increased significantly since Martin Rutters retirement as a lot of the administrative work previously done by Martin is now her responsibility. Lisa Comley-Burke has come in regularly as a volunteer to help Heather in the office and help Peter with some aspects of Finance and book-keeping. Sheila Ward continues to stand in as volunteer organist and choir leader in the absence of a permanent appointment to this post and we thank her for this. Gillian Savage has also stood in as organist when Sheila was unable to attend. Diane Cooke has assumed responsibility for cleaning the church and meeting room for which we are extremely grateful. Bill Knight continued to perform his duties as verger with enthusiasm and diligence. Thanks also to Mr and Mrs Bird who keep the top of the churchyard in order, to Sheila Carrington for her flower arranging and Carol Adams for the cards. Thanks go to all these valued members of our team and to everyone who has supported us in so many ways.

It has been an honour and a pleasure to serve as Churchwardens again this year, and we thank the PCC, Dennis Clive and Vic Wiles (Deputy Wardens), and all the other people who have helped us support the church and the Vicar.

Future Plans

Our immediate plans are to find a new vicar. We hope to put together the parish profile and job and person specifications as soon as we can and advertise the post in the hope that a new incumbent will be in post by next year. In the meantime we seek to continue and grow our links with the schools and youth organisations.

Risk Management

The Church Wardens carry out regular Health and Safety Reviews and regularly inspect premises for potential hazards. We have safeguarding policies in place for child protection and for work with vulnerable adults, including rigorous DBS checking of staff and volunteers. Our insurances are reviewed annually to ensure adequate cover. An informal review of any new risks which may impact the work of the Church in the Parish is ongoing.

Structure, Governance and Management

The PCC is a Body Corporate established by the Church of England and is a Charity registered with the Charity Commission. The PCC is governed by the Parochial Church Council Powers Measure (1956) as amended that came into effect on 2[nd] January 1957, and the Church Representation Rules (contained in Schedule 3 to the Synodical Government Measure 1969 as amended).

The method of appointment of the PCC members is set out in the Church Representation Rules. The Council comprises the Incumbent, the Churchwardens, those elected to the Deanery Synod, and other members who are elected at the Annual Parochial Church Meeting, by those on the Electoral Roll. The PCC members receive training from courses run by the Diocese. Members of the congregation are always urged to join the Electoral Roll, and to stand for election to the PCC.

The PCC members are responsible for making decisions on all matters of general concern and importance in the parish, and for all financial matters. The PCC meet six times a year. Given its responsibilities, the PCC has a number of sub committees, each dealing with a particular aspect of parish life. Each reports back to the PCC with the minutes of their meetings.

Reference and Administrative details

St. Margaret’s Church is situated in Chapel Lane, Great Barr. It is part of the Diocese of Lichfield, within the Church of England. The Correspondence address is:

The Parish Office, St. Margaret’s Church, Chapel Lane, Great Barr, Birmingham B43 7BA

The Parochial Church Council (PCC) is a charity registered with the Charity Commission. Charity No. 1132892. Our website address is: https://www.stmargaretsgreatbarr.org.uk

PCC members who have served from 1[st] January 2023 until the date this report was approved were :

Ex Officio Members
Vicar	Revd Preb MC Rutter (Chairman – Retired 31/8/23)
Minister in Charge	The Reverend Colin Such (Chairman – Appointed 27/9/23)
Reader	Mrs VA Rutter (Retired 31/8/23)
Churchwardens	Mrs JA Aubrook
	Mr PJ Clark (also Treasurer)
Deanery Synod reps	Mr A Humpage
	Mrs M Humpage
Elected Members	Mr S Borgazzi (PCC secretary from 11/12/23)
	Mr M Room (also paid as part time churchyard maintenance
	contractor)
	Mr V Wiles (also Deputy Warden)
	Mrs C Aston
	Mrs B Hatfield (PSO)

Miss P Millward Mrs R Smith Mr D Clive (Co-opted as from 12/7/23) Mr T W Horrell Mrs K Underwood Mrs C Adams Mrs J Thynne

[Ms Heather Allen Minute Secretary resigned 12/7/23]

Approved by the PCC on 7[th] March 2024 and signed on its behalf by:

………………………………. ………………………………. Reverend Colin Such (Chairman) (Vice Chairman/Secretary etc)

StatementofFinancialActivities
		Unrestricted Restricted		Total	Total
		Funds	Funds	Funds	Funds
	note			2023	2022
		f	f	f	f
lncomingResources
Donations andLegacies	2a	75,657	L,Ltz	76,769	57,040
CharitableActivities	2b	27,903		27,903	18,689
Other TradingActivites	2c	674		674	682
lnvestments	2d	5,419		5,41,9	6,064
Other	2e	642		642	77
Total		t!0,295	1-,1,L2	ttt,407	82,552
ResourcesExpended
RaisingFunds	3a	463			94
CharitableActivities	3b	92,01,4	987		L32,579
Other	3c	L,3O7			772
Total		93,784	987	94,771	133,445
Net gain/(losses)on investment		16,783		L6,783	-26,990
Netlncome/(Expenditure)		1.6,51L	125	16,636	-50,893
TransferbetweenFunds		0	0		0
Net MovementsinFunds		33 294	125	33,419	-77,883
TotalFundsbroughtforward1st
January 2023		71.6,796 4,682		121.,478	199,361
TotalFundscarriedforward31st
December 2023		150,090 4,807		154,897	121,,478

BalanceSheet
		notes	2023	2022
			E	f
FixedAssets
Tangible Assets		5(a)	0	0
lnvestment Assets		5(b)	186,411-	189,628
			186,41!	189 628
CurrentAssets
Bank current account			9,034	17,733
Cash			73	1,12
Lichfield Diocese BoardofFinance			0	0
			9,107	!7,845
Liabilitiesdueinoneyear		6
Creditors			-55,154	-86,93L
Debtors			L4,533	936
			-40,621	-85,995
NetCurrentAssets/(Liabilties)			-3L,5t4	-68,150
Liabilitiesdueafteroneyear
Creditors			0	0
			0	0
TotalNetAssets			1,54,897	127,478
Parish Funds
Unrestricted Funds			150,090	11,6,796
Restricted Funds			4,807	4,692
	Total		154,897	121,478

lncome and Endowments from:
		Unrestricted Restricted		Total		Total
		Funds Funds		Funds		Funds
				2023		2022
		E	t	E		C
Donations and Legacies	2a
Voluntarylncome/Receipts
Tax efficient planned giving		27,151_				21,162
Otherplannedgiving		0				0
Collections at services		3,049				2,906
All other giving and voluntary receipts
including special appeals		14,818	L,Lt2			6,209
GiftAidRecovered		1_3,988				4,829
Legacies received		0				0
Grants		22,65L				2L,934
		75,657	t,tt2	76	769	57,040
CharitableActivities	2b
ChurchActivities
Statutory Fees (retained byPCC)		23,531				14,595
Fundraising Activities		4,372 27,903	0	27,903		4,094 18,689
OtherTrading Activites	2c
Activities forGenerating Fund
Church HallHire		0				60
Parish Magazine		674				622
		674			674	682
lnvestments	2d
Dividends		5,419				6,064
Rent received						0
		5,419		5,419		6,064
Other	2e	642				77
		642			642	77
Total		!70,295	1.,1.12	LLt,407		82,552

				Unrestricted	Restricted	Restricted	Total	Total
				Funds	Funds		Funds	Funds
							2021	2022
3				f		f	f	f
	EXPENDITURE ON
	RaisingFunds		3a
	CostsofGeneratinglncome
	Garden Fete			L30				94
	Otherfundraisingexpenses			333				0
				463			463	94
	CharitableActivities		3b
	Church Activities
	lVlissiongivingand donations					987		729
	Diocesan Parish Share			7,1o7				59,315
	SalariesANages			33,798				30,346
	Clergyand StaffExpenses			2,256				1.,375
	Church Expenses
	Church runningexpenses			25,339				25,490
	Church Expenses(Mission andEvangelism)			494				417
	Churchutilitybills			L4,978				9,1"11
	Cost of trading			6,200				4,303
	MajorCapitalExpenditure
	Major Repairsto theChurch							0
	Major Repairsto ChurchHall							0
	New BuildingWork							0
	GovernanceCosts			L,842				L,493
				92,014		?87	93,001"	t32,579
	Other		3c	1_,307				772
								0
				1_,307			1,,307	772
		Total		93,784		987	94,77'1,	733,445

2023	2022
€	E
33,798	30,346

The following paymentsweremade to members of the PCC	The following paymentsweremade to members of the PCC	during the financialyear
PClark	Donations	f400
HAllen	Stationery &Postage	87,739
JAubrook	Mothring SundayFlowers	€50
JAubrook	Fund RaisingExpenses	f163
RevMRutter	Vicar'sExpenses	€310
MRoom	ChurchyardUpkeep	812,884
MRoom	GraveDigging	8720

5(a)FixedAssets		Freehold		Church	Total
lnvestment property		Buildings		Equipment
		f		€	f
	At Gost or Valuation
	As at1Jan 2023		0	0		0
	Additionsinthe Year
	Disposal in the Year		0			0
	Value at 31 Dec 2023		0	0		0
	Accumulated Depreciation
	As at1Jan 2023		0	0		0
	Charge for theYear
	Asat 31Dec2023		0	0		0
	Net BookYalue31112123		0	0		0
	Net BookYalueQ1101123		0	0		0
5(b)lnvestments
							Changein
	otloLl2023	Additions		Disposals	Transfers		Market3LlL2l2O23
							Value
Unrestricted funds
lnvestments	189,628		0	-20,000			1,6,783786,477
Restricted funds
lnvestments	0		0				0	0
Total	189,628		0	-20,000		0	16,783t86,477

	Notesto theFinancia	l Statementsfor	theYear
6	Liabilities	2023	2022
		fe
	Amounts falling duein oneyear
	Accruals ofUtilities	2,760	774
	Accrual ofpensionandHMRC	633	513
	Debtor		0
	HMRC GiftAidrefund due	-14,533	-936
	OtherCreditors andaccruals	13,053	7,543
	Parish Share	38,708	78,t07
		40,62t	85,995
	Amounts fallingdueafteroneyear
	Parish Share	0	0
		40,621	85,995

AnalysisofNetAssets
	General
	Unrestricted	Restricted
	Funds	Funds	Total
	E	f	f
Fixed Assets	0	0	0
lnvestmentAssels	t86,4tt	0	t86,4Lt
CurrentAssets	4,300	4,807	9,107
CurrentLiabilities	-40,627	0	-40,627
	1s0,090	4,807	t54,897

FundsReconcilation
	Reseryes		lncoming Resources			lnvestmentTransfer			Reserues
	atrlLl23		Resources Expended			Gains/Lossesbetween		funds	at3LlL2l23
		E		t	TE				E
Unrestricted Funds		1L6,796		7ro,295	-93,784		L6,783		150,090
Restricted Funds		4,682		7,712	-987				4,807
Total Funds		!2t,478		tt!,407	-94,777		16,783	0	t54,897
Restrictedfundsreceived and expended
		2023		2023			2022
		received	expended
Christian Aid	f	3s.00		f0.00		f
Childrenssociety collections	f	203.00		-f203.00		f
Royal British Legion	f			-f30.00		f.	30.00
Fabric Fund	f	50.00				f
TurkeyEarthquakeAppeal	f	200.00		-f200.00		€
UkranianRelief				f0.00		-f	50.00
New Display Stands	f			f0.00		f.	500.00
Christingle	f	226.00		-t226.00		-t	30.00
RNLI(BeaversAppeal)	€	110.00		-f110.00		f
Children @ ChurchAppeals	f	108.O0		-f103.00
McMillanCoffeeMorning	f	115.00		-€115.00
St Margaret's Guild	55.00 f. L,Lt2.00 f			-f987.00		f f	1,071.00 1,521.00
Other balances
ChildrensCorner	€	255.00				f	255.00
Royal British Legion	f					f	30.00
StMargaret's Guild	f	1,136.00				f	L,077.00
Fabric Fund	f	2,876.00				f	2,826.OO
New Display Stands	f	500.00				f	s00.00
Christian Aid	f	35.00				f
Children @ ChurchAppeals	f f	s.00 4,807.00				f f	4,682.00

SOFAGomparatives	SOFAGomparatives	SOFAGomparatives
(previous year)				Unrestricted Restricted		Total
				Funds Funds		Funds
				€	f.	2
lncomingResources
		Donations&Legacies		54,790	2,250	57,040
		Charitable Activities		18,689		18,689
	Other Trading Activities			682		682
			lnvestments	6,064		6,064
			Other	77		77
				80,302	2,250	82,552
ResourcesExpended
			Raising Funds	94		94
		Charitable Activities		131,850	729	132,579
			Other	772		772
				132,716	729	133,445
Netgain/(losses) on	investment			-26,990		-26,990
Net lncome/(Expenditure)				-52,414	1,,52L	-50,893
Transfer betweenFunds				0	0	0
NetMovementsinFunds					L	-77,883
TotalFundsbrought		forward	711122	196,200	3,161	199,361
TotalFundscarried	forward3tll2l22			1.16,796	4,682	12L,478

Annual Report and Financial Statements of the Parochial Church Council of Great Barr

For the year ended 31[st] December 2023

The Parochial Church Council of Great Barr Trustees’ Annual Report for the year ended 31[st] December 2023

Objectives and Activities

Public Benefit

Providing facilities for public worship, pastoral care and spiritual, moral and intellectual development, both for its members and for anyone who wishes to benefit from what the Church offers; and
Promoting Christian values and service by members of the Church in and to their communities, to the benefit of individuals and society as a whole.
The Charity also has the responsibility of maintaining the Parish Church of St. Margaret, in Chapel Lane, the support of our Church School (St. Margaret's CE (VA) Primary School, Birmingham Road, Great Barr) and the sponsorship of the associated Scout and Guide groups.

Achievements and Performance

Church attendance

The Electoral Roll increased slightly for 2023 from 211 names to 215.

The average attendance at the Thursday morning Communion service rose from around 12 to 20 regulars.

Easter was better with 110 attending ( 100 in 2022) and 141 at Christmas (149).

Review of the Year

Fabric

Worship and Prayer

Deanery Synod

Bible Study

Choir and music.

Brownies and Rainbows

6th Great Barr Brownies and 1[st] Great Barr Rainbows units are full and well attended. Some of the older girls in both units are looking forward to moving up to the next section in September. We have also welcomed a new Rainbow Leader and helper and said a fond au revoir to Brenda as a Brownie Leader

We have been working on the Brownies and Rainbows programmes which cover the themes Know Myself. Express Myself Be Well Have Adventures Skills for my Future and Take Action Enjoying things such as First Aid, Dance, Den Building science experiments and Art and Craft activities.

We have also attended 2 local Pantomimes and are planning an end of term visit for the Summer Term.

Both units attend church parades over the year and assist at the Summer Fete. Rainbows have recently completed a fund-raising activity to purchase a new unit flag and are looking forward to it’s appearance at church parades very soon.

2024 Ringing Report

2023 has been quite a busy year for ringing and we have tried hard to do our bit, though we haven’t been able to ring the quarters that we have done in the past. We have two new adult learners and they are a very welcome addition to our band. Our three other learners are making good progress and one can handle a bell quite competently and is now learning to Plain Hunt on the treble.

We are very fortunate that we have been able to ring for most Sunday morning services and Friday night practices are usually well attended but we have an increasing reliance on our regular visitors from Walsall and Willenhall to ring more advanced methods.

There was only one Quarter Peal in the tower this year, Grandsire Doubles, rung by members of the St Martin’s Guild, enabling one of their young ringers to complete the “Learning the Ropes: Level 5” programme. In early May we joined hundreds of towers across the country to ring in celebration of King Charles’ and Queen Camilla’s Coronation and the following day we rang before and after a special church service at which all our learners took part. Afterwards we enjoyed a slice of cake with the congregation. We also rang for the local Parkinson’s Disease Society’s Annual Carol Service in November.

In May and June we welcomed two visiting bands: one from Brewood and the other from members of The Kimpton Guild of Change Ringers.

On the social side, in March we once again enjoyed a ringers’ lunch at Great Barr Golf Club, when the Vicar and his wife joined us for the last time before his retirement. Some members of the band also joined the rest of the LAWSCR at their annual Skittles Night at The Walsall Arms, when it was good to catch up with old friends, some of whom we have known for more than sixty years.

The ringers continue to give support to the church, local organisations and other towers when they can. We often supply ringers for weddings at Wood Green, Walsall, West Bromwich and Willenhall and, in return, they help us out when we are short. In February we attended the annual Wedding Fayre in Church. In July we ran the Golf Challenge at the Summer Fete and spent an evening with the local Brownie Pack, giving them a chance to try their hand at ringing, both in the tower and on handbells. Denise Large

Financial Review

Our investments continue to provide healthy returns, but any sales of shares reduce the value of our investment and consequently reduces the dividends payable.

We were able to hold some fund-raising activities during in the year, raising nearly £3,600 in total. A particular successful event was the Afternoon Tea with music provided by Trevor Davies and Paul Chester and tea prepared and served by Brenda Hatfield and her ladies at the Memorial Hall that raised £455. The Easter Treasure Hunt organised by Chris and Brenda Bird, with additional activities for the children provided by Georgina and Louise from Children @ Church raised £116. The Summer Fete raised £1,291 and the Summer Draw £305, the Christmas Fayre raised £802 and the Christmas Hamper Draw £158. The return of the Brass Band Concert with a new band was very well received and raised £423.

Despite our best efforts to cut back on unnecessary expenditure costs still increased and will continue to increase. The main problem areas are:

1. Parish Share Payments

arrears then the Board would write off £10,500 of the outstanding debt. We managed to pay the full amount as requested. It has further been agreed that if the PCC pay the full amount of the 2024 Common Share of £43,860 plus a further £3,330 towards the outstanding arrears then the remainder of the debt will be written off and we will be free of debt. It is imperative that we meet this target to be debt free.

2. Gas and Electricity

3. Staff Costs

Charitable Activities

Reserves Policy

Investment Policy

The charity’s investment policies are based on two key principles: -

Ethical Investment – this includes ensuring that investments are held in companies which have high standards of corporate governance and act in a responsible way towards stakeholders.
Long-term responsibilities – the trustees are aware of their long-term responsibilities in respect of the Restricted and Unrestricted reserves and as a result follow a prudent approach to investment decisions.

The charity follows the Ethical Investment Advisory policy as recommended by the Lichfield Diocese which includes the following:

“We aim to invest in companies that:
will develop their business in the interests of shareholders;
demonstrate responsible employment practices;
are conscientious concerning issues of corporate governance, the environment and human rights;
are sensitive to the community in which they operate.”

Planned giving, collections and donations are the main sources of fund raising along with tax recoverable.

Safeguarding

Reporting Serious Incidents

The trustees are not aware of any Serious Incidents in the last year.

Fundraising

Churchwardens’ Review of the Year

Minister in Charge, and Preb Ian Cardinal as Pastoral Support Clergy. Both Colin and Ian have been extremely supportive during the church’s preparation for the official Interregnum when we can look for a new vicar. Even with the support from Colin and Ian the load on the Churchwardens has increased considerably. June is spending a lot of time trying to find local ministers to officiate at church services, a job not being made easier because of the number of other churches going through similar problems reducing the pool of potential ministers available to help. Thanks go to all current and retired ministers who have stepped in to take services and keep the church going in this difficult time. Things are picking up and attendances in church are slowly getting back to normal.

The Wardens have been supported by many members of the church community without whose help it would be much harder. William Horrell has taken on the responsibility as Deputy Chair of the PCC and regularly assists the minister administer communion and on occasions has led the service when no official member of the clergy was available. Heather Allen, our Parish Administrator, worked tirelessly in the background making sure everything ran smoothly in the office. Her workload has increased significantly since Martin Rutters retirement as a lot of the administrative work previously done by Martin is now her responsibility. Lisa Comley-Burke has come in regularly as a volunteer to help Heather in the office and help Peter with some aspects of Finance and book-keeping. Sheila Ward continues to stand in as volunteer organist and choir leader in the absence of a permanent appointment to this post and we thank her for this. Gillian Savage has also stood in as organist when Sheila was unable to attend. Diane Cooke has assumed responsibility for cleaning the church and meeting room for which we are extremely grateful. Bill Knight continued to perform his duties as verger with enthusiasm and diligence. Thanks also to Mr and Mrs Bird who keep the top of the churchyard in order, to Sheila Carrington and the members of the guild for their flower arranging and Carol Adams for the greetings cards. Thanks go to all these valued members of our team and to everyone who has supported us in so many ways.

June Aubrook and Peter Clark

Future Plans

Risk Management

Structure, Governance and Management

Reference and Administrative details

St. Margaret’s Church is situated in Chapel Lane, Great Barr. It is part of the Diocese of Lichfield, within the Church of England. The Correspondence address is:

The Parish Office, St. Margaret’s Church, Chapel Lane, Great Barr, Birmingham B43 7BA

The Parochial Church Council (PCC) is a charity registered with the Charity Commission. Charity No. 1132892. Our website address is: https://www.stmargaretsgreatbarr.org.uk

PCC members who have served from 1[st] January 2023 until the date this report was approved were :

Ex Officio Members Vicar Revd Preb MC Rutter (Chairman – Retired 31/8/23) Minister in Charge The Reverend Colin Such (Chairman – Appointed 27/9/23) Reader Mrs VA Rutter (Retired 31/8/23) Churchwardens Mrs JA Aubrook Mr PJ Clark (also Treasurer) Deanery Synod reps Mr A Humpage Mrs M Humpage Elected Members Mr S Borgazzi (PCC secretary from 11/12/23) Mr M Room (also paid as part time churchyard maintenance contractor) Mr V Wiles (also Deputy Warden) Mrs C Aston Mrs B Hatfield (PSO) Miss P Millward Mrs R Smith Mr D Clive (Co-opted as from 12/7/23) Mr T W Horrell Mrs K Underwood Mrs C Adams Mrs J Thynne

[Ms Heather Allen Minute Secretary resigned 12/7/23]

Approved by the PCC on 7[th] March 2024 and signed on its behalf by:

………………………………. Reverend Colin Such (Chairman)

………………………………. (Vice Chairman/Secretary etc)

2023-12-31-accounts

Annual Report and Financial Statements of the Parochial Church Council of Great Barr

The Parochial Church Council of Great Barr Trustees’ Annual Report for the year ended 31[st] December 2023

Objectives and Activities

Public Benefit

Achievements and Performance

Church attendance

Review of the Year

Fabric

Worship and Prayer

Deanery Synod

Bible Study

Choir and music.

Financial Review

1. Parish Share Payments

2. Gas and Electricity

3. Staff Costs

Charitable Activities

Reserves Policy

Investment Policy

Safeguarding

Reporting Serious Incidents

Fundraising

Review of the Year

Future Plans

Risk Management

Structure, Governance and Management

Reference and Administrative details

Annual Report and Financial Statements of the Parochial Church Council of Great Barr

The Parochial Church Council of Great Barr Trustees’ Annual Report for the year ended 31[st] December 2023

Objectives and Activities

Public Benefit

Achievements and Performance

Church attendance

Review of the Year

Fabric

Worship and Prayer

Deanery Synod

Bible Study

Choir and music.

Brownies and Rainbows

2024 Ringing Report

Financial Review

1. Parish Share Payments

2. Gas and Electricity

3. Staff Costs

Charitable Activities

Reserves Policy

Investment Policy

Safeguarding

Reporting Serious Incidents

Fundraising

Churchwardens’ Review of the Year

Future Plans

Risk Management

Structure, Governance and Management

Reference and Administrative details