2022-12-31-accounts - The Parochial Church Council Of The Ecclesiastical Parish Of Whitchurch With Tufton And Litchfield In The Diocese Of Winchester

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

2022 Annual Report 2022 ANNUAL REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT WHITCHURCH WITH TUFTON AND LITCHFIELD 11 11 io uz sternl CharftyNvmber. 1133750 April 2023

2022 Annual Report

Parish of Whitchurch with Tufton and Litchfield

Annual Vestry and Parochial Church Meeting Sunday 23 April 2023

Agenda

Welcome and Opening Prayer
Apologies

Annual Vestry Meeting

Minutes of meeting held on Tuesday 24 April 2022
Election of Churchwardens for 2023-24

Annual Parochial Church meeting

Minutes of meeting held on Tuesday 24 April 2022.
Matters arising
Annual Report
Date of next Annual Meeting
Any other business – items to be notified to the Chair before item 3
3 Annual Report

1	Objectives ................................................................................................................................................................... 3
2	Electoral Roll – John Mariner ..................................................................................................................................... 3
4	Report on Activities .................................................................................................................................................... 3
	4.1 PCC Report – Andrew Hobley ............................................................................................................................. 3
	4.2 Churchwarden Report – Nigel Scarfe .................................................................................................................. 3
	4.3 Choir - Stephen Preece, Choir Director ............................................................................................................... 5
	4.4 All Hallows Pastoral Visitors Group – Alison and Andrew Ricketts ..................................................................... 5
	4.5 Website and Publicity – Geoff Knappett ............................................................................................................. 6
	4.6 Parish Magazine – Simon Coomber .................................................................................................................... 6
	4.7 Sunday School – Ann Simmonds ......................................................................................................................... 6
	4.8 Youth of God– Tim Fisher .................................................................................................................................... 7
	4.9 Small Groups – Catherine Geddes ...................................................................................................................... 7
	4.10 Safeguarding – Christine Goodwin .................................................................................................................... 7
	4.11 Deanery Synod – Sue Bailey .............................................................................................................................. 8
	5 Rector’s report on the year –Reverend David Roche............................................................................................ 8
6	Financial Statement ................................................................................................................................................. 10
	6.1 All Hallows Whitchurch and St Mary's Tufton Financial summary for 2022 ..................................................... 10
	6.2 Independent Examiner’s Report ....................................................................................................................... 13
7	Elections ............................................................................................................................................................. 14
7.1 PCC members ........................................................................................................................................................ 14
	7.2 Independent Examiner ...................................................................................................................................... 14
NOMINATION FORM FOR ELECTION TO THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL ................................................................ 18
NOMINATION FOR ELECTION TOTHE DEANERY SYNOD ................................................................................................. 20
NOMINATION FORM FOR CHURCHWARDEN.................................................................................................................. 22

2022 Annual Report

We invite and encourage all parishioners to attend this meeting.

1 Objectives

The PCC has the responsibility of co-operating with the incumbent, in promoting in the ecclesiastical parish the whole mission of the Church, pastoral, evangelistic, social and ecumenical. It has maintenance responsibilities for All Hallows, St Mary’s and St James the Less.

2 Electoral Roll – John Mariner

The number on the electoral roll for 2022 was number for 2020 was 170, one more than the previous year. The number on roll for 2023 will be reported at the APCM.

4 Report on Activities

4.1 PCC Report – Andrew Hobley

The PCC is the body which governs our decisions as a community. Between April 2022 and March 2023 PCC met six times. PCC Standing Committee also met six times. Sadly we lost one member, Mary Milne, when she was called to glory in August 2022.

All members of PCC are Charity Trustees and as such have legal responsibility for the decisions we make. One major subject of discussion was how much the parish should be contributing the Diocesan Common Mission Fund.

We continued to support CMS and the work of Anna and Chris Hembury in Hull, the work in Mityana and the Whitchurch Welfare Trust. We have discussed our parish vision, and plan to do more work on this in 2023/24. We agreed the 100 Club could continue, and thanked John Mariner for his work on this. We arranged for conservation work to be done on the Commandments Board (at no cost to the PCC).

PCC has also kept abreast of safeguarding developments, kept an eye on health and safety, received regular reports from the Treasurer and Church Wardens, as well as debated a range of issues brought by members of the PCC on their own behalf or that of members of the congregation.

Throughout this time PCC members expressed not only their views, but the views of those who they were elected to serve -the wider parish. I am grateful for members ability to agree - or to agree to disagree politely, and for the time and effort they have put into meetings.

PCC members in 2022/23 have been –

Clergy - Revd David Roche - Priest in Charge; Helen O’Sullivan, Assistant Priest (to June 2022), Rus Smart, Assistant Priest (from March 2022), Nicky Smallwood - Curate, Mark Christian - Associate Priest;

Licenced Lay Ministers - Hazel Cormack, Carolyn Jay, Philip Geddes Church Wardens - Nigel Scarfe, Gareth Humphries Deanery Synod members - Susan Bailey, Gillian Bilton, John Wall

Ordinary members - Caroline Barber (to September 2022), Dorrie Bilson, Tim Fisher, Lynda Frith (Treasurer), Christine Goodwin (Safeguarding), Andrew Hobley (Secretary), Rhiannon Love, John Mariner, Peter Taylor, Mary Milne (to August 2022), Paul Barber (from November 2022).

4.2 Churchwarden Report – Nigel Scarfe

The last year has been one characterized by lots of rebuilding and restarting after the disrupted two years affected by Covid and their legacy on our churches and church life. In common with nearly all churches across the UK – whether rural or urban – our attendances across the parish are, on average, down 25% compared to our pre-covid attendance levels. In the last few months attendances have begun to rise again and this is obviously a very welcome development.

Events and Community Involvement

The church community throughout the parish and PCC have worked very hard indeed during the year to restart a number of fundraising activities and ensure that the vital income from regular activities such as our Charity Shop and Parish Magazine and many others – including the Folk Club events, summer festival and more besides. The wardens are very grateful for the energy, good humour and passion that so many of our congregation selflessly give to make these things possible.

The groundwork for events in 2023 looks very encouraging with a full scale Fete being organized and the churches involvement in a number of community fund raising activities being already organized.

2022 Annual Report

Finances

The PCC has worked on various approaches to significantly improve our net income swiftly and after a team from the PCC carried out a review and recalculation of the sum we pay annually to the Diocese (called CMF payment) they established that we should be able to reduce our payment by a huge £24,000 per annum. This fantastic work was endorsed overwhelmingly by a PCC vote in March and our finances as a parish will be much restored and able to support the work Reverend David wishes to lead in helping our Christian community to flourish.

Montessori Nursery

We have been very grateful during the last 3 years or so to have been able to house the Nursery, lovely staff team and children. Julia has led her team with great thought for our needs from the rooms and disruption has, as a result, been minimal. The income this rental has provided really helped bridge a very difficult time in our finances. We wish Montessori every success in their new premises which, if all goes according to plan, they will occupy from around the 1st September.

The Church Buildings

Many people have worked very hard this year to continue the exceptional years of stewardship and refurbishment our churches have undergone. All churches have had remedial repairs completed and many have had a hand in making this happen. John Mariner, one of our Deputy Wardens, takes responsibility for much of this and his ongoing knowledge and support will be as invaluable next year as this!

Improving our Churches

Having changed our financial situation the larger project of reordering All Hallows will be discussed and hopefully begun – as a fundraising project at this stage – during 2023.

This has not stopped several imaginative improvements having been completed nonetheless. The reception area has been completely re-modelled, the storage modernized and the welcome area completely refurnished.

Our two other Deputy Wardens, Peter Taylor and Dorrie Bilson have a defining role in this great piece of work and we are all delighted to have their assistance in the day-to-day running of the churches and constant attention to the presentation and safekeeping of the buildings and contents. Without their love for the places of worship and the passion to grow the Christian Community in the parish I shudder to think how matters would have developed.

Church Heritage

Many people love our churches but are unaware of the great antiquity contained within them. The buildings themselves are important historic monuments and we are delighted and grateful to have Andrew Hobley as our Heritage guru. He is working on a number of fronts presently ranging from the successful grant raising work on our potentially very ancient Ten Commandments Board through to working with Mike Harris to conserve and reorder the “Brooks” brasses at All Hallows that date from the mid 1500’s. These are all very precious museum-standard pieces and the team are working to give them the proper setting for the next 100 years.

Supporting the Clergy

Our tirelessly energetic and inspirational Vicar, David Roche, has recently been joined by Russell Smart and this family within our benefice. They bring a wealth of experience and inspirational energy into the benefice and our parish. The year ahead will be exciting.

Retiring Warden

Our long-standing Warden, Gareth, has elected to stand down this year although his voice will still be heard regularly in our choir! He has supported the warden and our predecessors unstintingly and his wit and direct thinking has been invaluable. As a team we thank Gareth for his work and will miss his contribution a great deal.

The Year Ahead & Growing our Christian Community

The parish stands at an exciting and positive threshold. Our Town is growing steadily, the community is growing with it and the growing Christian opportunity at all ages is an exciting prospect. Very many members of our church community are brimming with exciting ideas and energy to work together on engaging with the community at all levels to spread the word and love of God in our Parish. 2023 will be a year where we and the PCC support, finance and encourage a wide spectrum of work to develop these aims.

We thank the Lord for the great and enjoyable times in the last year, everyone who has made is possible and the prospect of making 2023 even more so.

2022 Annual Report

4.3 Choir - Stephen Preece, Choir Director

This is my fourteenth annual report as Choir Director and every time I am prompted to reflect not only on what has changed, but also on what remains consistent. There are several choir members who are still singing with us every week since before I started, others who have left and returned, and others who have joined us more recently.

In 2022 we have sadly lost 2 beloved friends from our number; Julie Soos, who sang alto with us for a while some years ago, and Mary Milne, who was still singing with us through the summer last year. They are much missed and thought of regularly, and we have some new hymn books dedicated to them in their choir stalls.

In addition to leading our sung worship every week and usually providing a choir anthem, there are of course some special services each year. We were privileged in June last year to welcome the worship orchestra for a special evensong, and very much enjoyed singing arrangements of some well known hymns and songs, accompanied by the chancel filled with musicians.

The main event for the year was of course the concert that the choir performed in July. This was kindled by Allan Vaughan, who suggested after the carol service in December 2021, that he and others so liked the choral music we sing that he was sure a concert would be well received. It had also been in my mind to present a chronological evening of choral music, tracing the development of the tradition through the last 500 years. So that is what we did; singing 16 pieces starting with Byrd and Tallis, and concluding with a challenging piece by Jeremy Jackman that was actually commissioned and written for the choir and debuted on the night. Robert and Robin accompanied us brilliantly on the organ, and Dan Gleed provided the narration. I was subsequently able to turn the recording of the evening into a CD for sale and, combined with the ticket sales, this raised over £850 for the chancel lighting scheme.

Another highlight of the year was the Harvest Festival service on the 16th October, when we were joined by the junior school choir for the service and performed Rutter's All things bright and beautiful together as an anthem.

The Christmas carol service was on the 17th December and once again the choir responded magnificently to my ambition, learning yet more new music to include in our service. We learned Bob Chilcott's Gifts for the child of winter, and also reprised Rutters' Shepherd's pipe carol and the Nativity Carol from previous years.

I close with my continued thanks for the faithful support of Andrew Smith, my most patient and tolerant accompanist, who routinely has to sight-read music for us every week and does so with great skill and good cheer. To Robert for his marvellous playing every week, and also to all the singers for their time, commitment and friendship, and finally to David for his support, prayers and generous appreciation for our efforts.

4.4 All Hallows Pastoral Visitors Group – Alison and Andrew Ricketts

We relaunched Chatter Cafe in July 2022. We now meet in the function room at The White Hart. Most of the people who came previously returned and were very happy to see one another again. We also had some new people who had just moved in to the area. It is a thriving, lively group.

When we launched Chatter Cafe on Facebook someone suggested we do a Chatter Cafe in the evening for people who work but are new to the area. We immediately responded with Chatter Cafe in the evening which we ran from July until December. Chatter Cafe in the evening did not have the traction of its morning counterpart and we have now stopped.

We met with the other churches in Whitchurch, Whitchurch Welfare Trust and local councillors, both town and BDBC to organise the Whitchurch Warm Spaces which ran from 6th December to 28th January. The warm spaces ran on a Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from 10am to 4pm. Our visitors covered lots of the daily slots. The project attracted several volunteers from the community and was well supported by The White Hart and Paynes Printers.

We are still contacting our visitees mostly by phone. We remain circumspect about face to face meeting especially given the level of vulnerability of the people we support. Where possible we are suggesting going for a walk together or even coming to Chatter Cafe rather than meeting at home.

We are getting the occasional referral from the doctors’ surgery in Whitchurch and from the proactive care team. We have 18 volunteers on the books although several people are not currently active and we have supported 16 visitees by phone over the year.

2022 Annual Report

4.5 Website and Publicity – Geoff Knappett

Our website is maintained by Geoff Knappett and David Simmonds. It was developed using Wix and currently has 51 pages. The address is www.hantswhit.church. In the 12 months to 13 March 2023 there were 13,955 page views from 7,709 unique visitors.

The six most popular pages, each with over 500 views were: Homepage 4,038; worship-with-us 1,428; events 1,337; meet-theteam 1,011; all-hallows 870; parish-magazine 806. The busiest days were 14 March 2022 and 24 December 2022 with the quietest days 9 and 15 August 2022.

We have tested the website for technical efficiency using Nibbler. They key areas of Server behaviour, Incoming links, Images, Internal links and URL format all scored 10/10. Speed (rated by Pingdom) was rated at 82% B.

We compared our site to Religion sites in United Kingdom using Wix analytics. Unique visitors were higher than 72% of other Religion sites. Avg. session duration were higher than 71% of other Religion sites. Bounce rates were higher than 42% of other Religion sites. Returning visitors were higher than 54% of other Religion sites. Organic search was higher than 52% of other Religion sites. Click throughs from Social media were higher than 88% of other Religion sites. Wix noted that the fastest growing religion websites get 25% of their traffic from Social media. Our most common source is Google followed by Facebook although most just type in the address.

During the year we have continually updated the website to ensure consistency of design with the Parish Magazine and publicity for events. The website promotes community events in Church along with our worship. Users can subscribe to the Parish Magazine and join the 100 club on line. Our social media offerings always direct people to the website for more information and we can see that once on the website they explore other pages.

Please help - It is a continual challenge to remind people to mention the website to the broader community but we are getting better at that.

4.6 Parish Magazine – Simon Coomber

The printed copy and the online version of the Parish Magazine continues to be distributed to and read by over 660

subscribers, and shared with we know not how many others. households. We continue to produce 12 copies a year with regular content from a wide range of local groups, the schools and the community. We have now around 100 advertisers, the income from who covers the costs of printing. In 2022 the magazine generated around £10,000 of profit for the church and is the second biggest source of our income after planned giving. We also rely on the 40 distributors we have who deliver the magazine to people's doors for free and collect the subscriptions.

The team that helps generate this essential income is small and in need of new volunteers to help particularly with advertising and editing. If you have some time to offer, please get in touch or speak to a member of the team.

4.7 Sunday School – Ann Simmonds

This has been a year of change for the younger children. Following covid number attending regularly were small and we took the decision to meet inside church during the Sunday morning services and to “re-brand” as Sunday School, following the example of WAAG’s change to YOG. We have met each week, nominally from the start of the sermon until the children join families for communion , but some have joined sooner and stayed longer! The changes seem to have been approved by children and parents alike, with one child sending a message to say that he liked it better now as he can hear the prayers, and a parent commenting that they much preferred it as the whole family was in one place and those with very young children find they have flexibility to join in activities or just play alongside, but parents can still take some part in the worship. Junior choir members have also been able to join us easily and young people who also attend YOG have sometimes joined in our activities leading to good interaction across the age groups. Numbers vary – we have had as many as 18 and as few as 1, but there is a regular core, some of whom have now felt confident to join the rota of people reading lessons in church, to sing with the choir or to consider baptism.

The team of leaders has included Ann Simmonds, Colette Court, Andrew and Alison Ricketts as well as help from Simon and Pam Woodman, Caroline Barber and Chris Goodwin, Steve Court and other parents. Thanks to all for good humour and great support. Some of us have also attended the BCM course in working with children and young people and this has been a stimulus to some of the changes. Going forward we are hoping to be able to refresh the children’s area to make it more comfortable yet retaining

2022 Annual Report

flexibility of use and the children have enthusiastically offered suggestions. Whilst it would be wonderful if numbers did increase, our aim is for depth - it really isn’t just cutting, sticking and colouring(!) We are all learning a lot from each other.

4.8 Youth of God– Tim Fisher

It has been a busy year and a year of change for our Youth Group, with some exciting adventures ahead. Highlights of the year included visits to Bristol and Oxford on the themes of Colston and C S Lewis respectively. Many thanks to Beth Fisher, Anna Jay and Anthony Buckley for hosting us. We also had an energetic long weekend away in the October half term at Liddington PGL Activity Centre described by one attendee as “involving lots of dangling”. I am grateful to John Hadley for volunteering to help out on the trip. We had some firm favourite activities including pancakes, a pilgrimage around Whitchurch visiting various parishioners – thank you John Mariner, Gill Bilton and Sophie Lloyd for hosting us, and a summer BBQ. Over the summer we said goodbye to a number of our older members and also to Jill Walker who had been kindly helping every week with refreshments and also supporting the Baptist church members of our youth group. I am hugely grateful to Sophie Lloyd for stepping in to colead the group with me and to Esther Jay for stepping up as youth leader for the group. We also started the new academic year with a new name. Our young people decided on Youth of God for the group name. We are currently designing a new logo and branding to go with the new name.

We have been developing the content of our fortnightly meetings and, with the new leadership team, have been designing a programme with themes for each term. For the Autumn term of 2022 our theme was faith journeys. We were delighted to be able to share our exploration of this theme in a service led by Youth of God with preaching led by Esther Jay and Miriam Fisher. This was a very special service, entirely led by the members of YoG. I am grateful to the music band Matthew and Carolyn Jay, Stephen Preece, Nicky Smallwood and Paul Barber, and the sound team Andrew Monk and Phil Davies for their support in making this such a good service. Such a success, in fact, that we have established a youth led service as a regular feature once a term. In 2023 we will be exploring the themes of Calling and Pilgrimage and expect to welcome new Yr 6 members from the summer term onwards. We have also started hearing the faith stories of members of the congregation and I am grateful to all those who have agreed to speak to our young people to share their experience. It has been a great encouragement and we have all benefitted from the intergenerational interaction.

4.9 Small Groups – Catherine Geddes

I fear this report will be very short. As with many church activities 2022 seems to have been a year of post-covid recovery. Lent groups were organised by Helen around the benefice and on-line. One bible study group continued in the parish throughout the year, beginning a challenging and encouraging delve into Revelation. Several prayer groups have also met at different times, some weekly, others less regularly.

All of these groups have one core aim – to ‘encourage each other and build each other up’ in our faith. (1 Thess 5:11) This is not restricted to the formal seasonal groups, such as lent and advent groups, nor is it the sole prerogative of prayer and bible study groups. Every group that meets regularly, for example the Holy Dusters, bell ringers, choir – the list goes on – is also involved in this work of encouragement. It is by showing love to one another that we declare Christ’s love for us. So if you feel inspired to join or start a small group please do come and talk to me. We all need encouragement!.

4.10 Safeguarding – Christine Goodwin

The safeguarding group continue to meet and endeavour to keep abreast of the advice and information received from the House of Bishops.

The policies concerning Safeguarding, Safer Recruitment, Vulnerable Adults, Children, Lone workers and Domestic Violence have been reviewed and approved by PCC. The need for all volunteers and paid staff to be recruited in accordance with the policy guidelines and to undertake the prescribed training has had to be emphasised.

Towards the end of November we participated in Safeguarding Sunday with prayers, activities for the children and a reminder to the congregation of being vigilant, caring for each other and how to proceed should a Safeguarding issue arise.

We are pleased to say that the new Benefice Safeguarding Administrator has been of tremendous help and has taken over the arduous tasks of DBS checking and overseeing appropriate training for volunteers.

We have begun to use the Safeguarding Dashboard as requested by the Diocese. Once information is entered we receive an action plan outlining our weaknesses and pointing the way forward. There are 3 levels and we have almost completed level 2 impeded only by a few people who have yet to complete their training.

2022 Annual Report

During the year we have liaised with the various church groups and have been able to give advice when asked.

As a group we will continue with our safeguarding work in the parish but look forward to adapting our practice to fit in with a Safeguarding strategy for the whole Benefice.

4.11 Deanery Synod – Sue Bailey

Whitchurch Deanery comprises the parishes that lie between A303 and the Berkshire border from Longparish/East Woodhay in the west to Ashford Hill/ North Waltham in the east.

The population is around 25,000 and the size of the individual parishes vary considerably. Responsibilities include the coordination of the CMF, training of lay-led services, strategic development and growth of congregations and ministry within the Deanery.

Three meetings have been held during 2022 in February, June & November – all via Zoom.
Many clergy have either retired or moved to Winchester Diocese – a corresponding number of vacancies have therefore needed to be filled across the Deanery
We have welcomed Zoom guest speakers speaking on diverse topics - namely Alison Coulter Lay Chair of the Winchester Diocesan Synod and Vice-Chair of the General Synod on how the voice of the laity is heard, the Bishop of Basingstoke on multi-ethnic inclusion and the Very Rev. Catherine Ogle, Dean of Winchester on the workings of the Cathedral.
We welcomed Dr Gill Bilton as a new Synod member in June following the APCM.
The Deanery had provided generous support and sponsorship to Mityana in Uganda and this had enabled many more lay readers to be trained, funds supplied for their tuition, travel and bedding. We heard first-hand moving accounts of visits to Mityana by our youth.

Members Dr John Wall, Dr Gill Bilton CBE, Mrs Sue Bailey (Secretary)

5 Rector’s report on the year – Reverend David Roche

The last year has seen a paradigm shift for us in going from one Benefice of three Churches to a benefice nine. There are exciting opportunities ahead for our new church family and we seek to work with God in praying that his Kingdom will come here amongst us as it is in heaven.

In every Vicar’s report, I do like to state for the record that, as much as the APCM is rightly a formal and legal matter we give due diligence to as trustees; it is also an excellent opportunity for us to focus again on our vision and values and keeping the main thing the main thing as servants in the Kingdom of Jesus Christ. We look ahead in faith and give thanks for everything undertaken in the previous twelve months to glorify our Lord Jesus, the head of the Church.

I would like to thank our PCC for their commitment to Church governance. Especially to our Wardens Nigel and Gareth for their support, to our long-standing Secretary Andrew Hobley, and to Lynda Frith who handed over the reins as treasurer to Andrew Cope. Thank you, Lynda, for all your hard work!

This last year saw the departure of associate priest, The Reverend Helen O’Sullivan, we were sorry to see her leave having been with us for only nine months, Helen left in June 2022. However, it was with great joy that we welcomed our new associate priest The Reverend Russell Smart and his wife Sarah and two boys Judah and Elijah in March 2023. We look forward to a fruitful working partnership in the coming years.

I would like to thank once again, The Reverend Mark Christian, for his outstanding ministry at St James the Less, Litchfield, and St James Woodcott. Mark is leaving us in May 2023, he and Yvette will be sorely missed, and we wish them well. I also thank The Reverend Nicky Smallwood for all her hard work and commitment to our clergy ministry and coming through her curacy. The Ministry Team is, of course, much wider now, and I cannot thank enough Revd Dodie, Revd John, and Revd Richard (especially on-line services that came out of Covid) for all their support and care, notwithstanding our Licensed Lay Ministers. This July Chris Theobald will be ordained at Winchester Cathedral, well done Chris! My heartfelt appreciation also goes to our Lay Ministers from within All Hallows who serve us at personal cost and bless us so much, Carolyn, Philip and Hazel, Andrew and Alison thank you so much. In the last year we recorded 16 baptisms, 10 weddings and 28 funerals.

2022 Annual Report

My thanks continue to all sides-persons and those who beautify our worship, bell ringers, our choir, organists, worship band, prayer leaders, parish visitors, eco-champions, social justice champions, audio/visual technicians, servers, church cleaners, tea/coffee servers and hospitality team, to those who lead our children, youth and tots, magazine makers, safeguarding leaders and our administrators. THANK YOU!!

Thank you to Tim Fisher who has led so well our YOG (youth group) having taken over leadership last year, this is no small task, thank you! And also, to Andrew, Alison and Anne for leading Sunday School.

This last year I have continued to enjoy my role as school Governor at two primary schools with Jo Fisher (chair) and David Simmonds (big thanks to them for the mountains of work and input they do), it is such a good school to work in, with many opportunities for us to share the gospel with our community. Revd Russ will take over as Governor at Longparish and Barton Stacey.

I also continue to serve as Area Dean on Diocesan Synod, Deanery Synod and Deanery standing committee, as well as Whitchurch Welfare Trust and Chaplain to the Royal British Legion in Whitchurch.

Please continue to pray for myself, all our Clergy, Lay Ministers and the PCC in the year ahead as we commit our plans before the Lord for the common good of all in our congregation and town and our new Benefice.

Yours in Christ David

The Reverend David Roche

Area Dean and Rector of the Bright Waters Benefice

2022 Annual Report

6 Financial Statement

6.1 All Hallows Whitchurch and St Mary's Tufton Financial summary for 2022

Description	Year 2022	Year 2021	Note
INCOME
Gift Aid Giving	63,561	58,136
Tax Refunds	17,343	16,605
Other Planned Giving	24	82
Other Donations	3,143	1,475
Fete Income	-	5,041
Magazine Income	20,802	22,915
Dividends and Income	55	107
Special Collections	-	409	British Legion and Christingle collections.
Miscellaneous Income	13	887
Fees from weddings, funerals, baptisms	2,310	1,581
Interest Organ fund	-	14	Included in 'Dividends and Income'for 2022.
LegacyIncome	4,500	1,000	Two legacies received 2022.
100 Club Income	3,980	3,270	The 100 Club has been popular and income increasing.
Grants received	1,825	6,911	Energy grant from the Archbishop's Council.
Church Room hire	18,687	18,187	Montessori nursery is a significant factor at £1320 per month.
Fabric Fund	2,100	8,100	Only £2,100 in 2021. £6,000 is internal transfer.
Fund raising	5,745	3,824
Charityshop	1,652	-
Retreat income	3,700	-
Parish Office Income	3,787	-	Contributions from the benefice churches to the office.
Total	153,228	148,543

EXPENDITURE
Common Mission Fund	63,105	77,324	Payment in 2022 reduced to 92% of the requested £68,592.
MinistryExpenses	2,120	1,585
Utilities - All Hallows	4,405	5,836
Insurances	4,116	3,965
Organ Upkeep	503	1,211
Repairs & Maintenance - All Hallows	5,194	9,364
Cost of Services	1,751	10,636
Fete Costs	-	3,017
Magazine Costs	9,888	10,861
Staff Costs	9,754	8,350	Excludes Parish Secretaries.
Mission Evangelism	8,410	575
Vicars Discretionaryfund	225	-

2022 Annual Report

Charities and Donations	6,649	230
LibraryCosts	-	110
Sundrycosts	1,151	1,398
To Fabric A/C for Major Repairs	-	6,000	Internal transfer in 2021.
Tufton Repairs and Maintenance	66,776	5,076	Repairs to church ceiling.
Utilities - Tufton	383	237
Insurance - Tufton	1,039	1,000
Repairs & maintenance - Tufton	653	3,225
Parish Hospitality	1,315	-
Expenses for 100 Club	1,748	1,664
Church Room capital costs	-	2,989
CR Maintenance Cleaning	369	893	Reduced in 2022 as Montessori had been covering costs.
Expenses from fund raising	1,324	1,632
Bank charges	136	15
Parish Office Admin Costs	2,038	-
Parish Office Staff Costs	4,113	-
Total	197,161	157,192
Total of Income less Expenditure	(43,934)	(8,648)

OTHER ITEMS
Benefice of the Future
Income
Benefice of the Future income	-	34,400

Expenditure
Benefice of the future expenditure	9,900	552
Fund balance at close ofyear	23,948	33,848

Litchfield - St James the Less
Litchfield Gift Income	-	3,140
Litchfield Tax refund	-	1,159
		4,299

Litchfield Gift Return	-	289
Litchfield Tax Return	-	2,368
Litchfield C/Yard Dividends Return	-	65
Total		2,722

Balance Sheet

2022 Annual Report

Description	*As at* *31/12/2022*	As at 31/12/2021
CURRENT ASSETS
CCLA Organ Investment 641019001S	1,853	1,998
CCLA Tuf Res Inc Fd 64109001J	10,597	64,070
Tufton Rest Bal in HSBC 1	0	(6,592)
Main Bank ac NAT WEST1	8,758	4,745
HSBC 1 Internet Enabled A/C	41,950	57,391
No. 2 HSBC Internet Enabled A/C	2,235	1,132
No.3 HSBC Inter A/C 100 Club	5,939	3,292
CR Bank Ac NAT WEST2	6,389	7,527
Fabric A/C(CoopAccount)	16,400	8,276
Accounts Receivable	3,982	3,000
Total Current Assets	98,103	144,839

LIABILITIES
PB Organist	0	0
PB Sundry	0	0
Charitablegiving	0	0
Agencycollections	3,652	1,329
Accounts Payable	0	0
Total Liabilities	3,652	1,329

RESERVES
Excess /(deficit)to date	(53,833)	26,777
General Reserve	74,211	74,211
Restricted Funds Reserve	24,689	24,689
Annual Net Movement	(5,462)	(5,462)
CR General Reserve	28,975	28,975
Startingbalances	21,097	(27,574)
Othergains/(losses)	4,775	11,576
Gains and losses own use	0	10,319
Total Reserves	94,452	143,510

Represented by Funds
Unrestricted	21,771	37,152
Designated	37,607	28,837
Restricted	35,073	77,520
Endowment	0
Total	94,452	143,510

2022 Annual Report

6.2 Independent Examiner’s Report

Report to the Trustees of Whitchurch with Tufton PCC

On accounts for the year ending December 31' 2022 Charity no 1133750 set out in The Financial Summary for 2022 (pages 1 and 2) which includes Income and Expenditure for the year and the balance sheet at year end.

Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner.

The charity's trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The charity's trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 (the Charities Act) and that an independent examination is needed. It is my responsibility to:

examine the accounts under section 145 of the Charities Act,
to follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission (under section 145(5)(b) of the Charities Act, and
to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.

Basis of independent examiner's statement

My examination was carried out in accordance with 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.

Independent examiner's statement

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

which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in, any material respect, the requirements:
to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act; and
to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the Charities Act

have not been met; or

to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Date:[1 April 2023 ]

Name : Sandra J Smith, ACMA

Address : 21 Lynch Hill Park, Whitchurch, Hampshire, RG28 7NF

2022 Annual Report

7 Elections

7.1 PCC members

PCC members are elected to serve for three years. At the Annual Meeting normally three PCC members retire each year. This year Lynda Frith is standing down; Paul Barber was co-opted for a year to fill a vacancy and has to stand down, and we have one other vacancy. So we have three PCC vacancies. In addition all members of Deanery Synod must stand down – John Wall, Susan Bailey and Gillian Bilton. All those who have to stand down may stand again for re-election.

If there are more nominees than vacancies, an election will be held. A Nomination Form is at the end of this report. If you would like to know more, please speak with any PCC member.

7.2 Independent Examiner

Sandra Smith has indicated that she is happy to serve again.

Thanks and acknowledgements

Throughout the year many people normally serve within our churches, including clergy, lay ministers, church wardens, deanery synod representatives, members of the PCC, sidespeople, servers, chalice bearers, intercessors, readers, those who clean the church and tidy the churchyards, coffee makers, those who prepare and organise food, those who assist at weddings, funerals and baptisms, choir, musicians, sound people, bell ringers, those who lead and help at Sunday School and YOG, parish visitors, the verger, our parish administrator, the parish magazine team and the magazine distributors, those who manage the website and our social music presence, and those who look after our finances. We thank them all and look forward to finding out how God wishes us to serve His people in Whitchurch in 2023

If you would like to serve the church in any way, or no longer wish to perform your role, please let Andrew Hobley know at – hobleymeads@btinternet.com

2022 Annual Report Parish of Whitchurch with Tufton and Litchfield

Annual Vestry and Parochial Church Meeting

Held in All Hallows Church, Whitchurch

Sunday 24 April 2022 April 2021 at 12 noon

Minutes of the Annual Vestry Meeting

Rev'd David Roche chaired the meeting which opened with a prayer. Thirty six Parishioners were present, as well as Revd Nicky Smallwood (Curate).

ood (Curate).
Andrew Hobley	Caroline Barber	Nigel Scarfe
Allan Vaughan	John Mariner	Mary Milne
Pete Taylor	Margaret Taylor	Kevin Griffith
Kath Donaldson	Beverly Vaughan	Judy Bright
Dan Gleed	Vicky Gleed	Valerie Swayne Bradshaw
Pam Doe	Ruth Vale	Christine Goodwin
Marilyn Berridge	Linda Stepney	Cindy Dunlop
Dorrie Bilson	Lynda Frith	Joan Clarke
Susan Bailey	Timothy Fisher	Gareth Humphreys
Carolyn Jay	Catherine Geddes	Philip Geddes
Pat Cooper	Andrew Rickets	Alison Rickets
John Allen	Jo Fisher	Jane Sims

1. Apologies

Apologies were received from: Anne and David Symonds, Geoff and Gill Knappett, Alison Andrews, Andrew Smith, Fran Harris, Sallye Musslewhite, Lou Martin, Robin Smallwood, Revd Helen O’Sullivan.

Minutes of the meeting of Sunday 24 April 2021.
a. had been distributed in advance of the meeting.
b. Proposed by Allan Vaughan and seconded by Gareth Humphreys, the minutes were accepted as a correct record.
c. There were no matters arising.
Election of Church Wardens

Nominee	Proposer	Seconder
a. NigelScarfe	John Mariner	Andrew Hobley
b. Gareth Humphreys	Nigel Scarfe	Andrew Hobley

These being the only nominations received the Chair declared them duly elected

David Roche said that John Mariner, Dorrie Bilson and Peter Taylor had volunteered to take on the informal role of Deputy Wardens.

There being no other business the meeting closed a t 12:05 pm .

2022 Annual Report

Minutes of the Annual Parochial Church Meeting

There was no change to the meeting attendees from the Annual Vestry Meeting.

Minutes
a. The minutes of the Annual Parochial Church Meeting held on of Sunday 24 April 2021. had been distributed in advance of the meeting.
b. Proposed by Susan Bailey and seconded by Allan Vaughan, the minutes were accepted as a correct record.

2. Matters Arising

a. There were no matters arising from the minutes.

3. Annual Report

a. The annual reports of the Parish had been distributed in advance of the meeting.
b. The Chair read the following report on the website, provided by Geoff Knappett.

“David Simmonds and I have created 75 pages on the website giving a real flavour of an active church. Since January this year there has been over 7,500 viewings from 1158 unique visitors. Google is still the most used way of finding our website but Facebook is catching up. This is because we regularly post teasers on the All Hallows facebook page and the Whitchurch Families page directing people to the website to find out more.

The Parish Magazine and 100 Club pages now allow people to join online and this has generated new Parish Magazine subscribers and 100 club members.

Three things everyone can do to help us:

If you are organising anything please tell us so we can put it online;
When promoting anything direct people to the Church website page for more information or to buy tickets.
Look at the website regularly and tell us what needs updating.”
c. The Chair invited questions from the floor.

3.1 John Mariner reported the 2022 the electoral roll number was 170, three down on last year.

3.2 Mary Milne asked if the website was for the parish or the Brightwaters Benefice. The Chair explained it was the parish website at present, but we had funding from the Diocese to morph it into a wider Benefice website. Discussions exactly how this would happen (there were some technical issues) were continuing.

3.3 David Roche asked if more people could come forward as sidespeople.

3.4 Nicky Smallwood thanked David Roche for all his hard work over the last year. David said the whole clergy team had done an excellent job over the last 12 months

3.5 David Roche thanked Andrew Hobley for all his hard work as PCC Secretary. The meeting also expressed their thanks.

3.6 Andrew Hobley thanked Lynda Frith for her work as Treasurer over the past year. The meeting also expressed their thanks.

3.7 Allan Vaughan was asked to say a few words, as retiring Church Warden. He echoed Nicky Smallwood’s thanks to David Roche. He thanked PCC members for their support. Being church warden had been a lonely job at times, especially during the height of the pandemic. He particularly remembered fogging the church to prevent infection before services, but it had meant once we could legally reopen we had been able to do so. It had been a great effort by everyone to keep the churches open. He intended to carry on looking after the renovation project, which will need the support of the church ad the local community.

2022 Annual Report

He particularly wanted to thank Claire Fryer for her work as Parish Administrator, she had now been joined by Vicky Jennings. Allan also thanked John Allen, our Verger for all his support.

3.8 David Roche thanked Caroline Barber for her work with YCB over the years. Caroline thanked Ann Simmons and Andrew and Alison Ricketts who had supported her and others who helped over the years. More helpers were needed to grow our young congregation and she asked us to pray for young people and their families and for God to guide us.

Elections

4.1 PCC (3 Three year vacancies)

Nominee	Proposer	Seconder
Ann Simmonds	Catherine Geddes	Andrew Hobley
DorrieBilson	Lynda Frith	Gillian Fitzwilliam
John Mariner	Nigel Scarfe	Tim Fisher

These being the only nominations received the Chair declared them duly elected.

4.2 Deanery Synod (1 one year vacancy)

Nominee	Proposer	Seconder
Gillian Bilson	CarolynJay	Sarah Monk

These being the only nomination received the Chair declared her duly elected.

5.0 Independent Examiner

Sandra Smith, the current examiner, was proposed by Lynda Frith, seconded by Andrew Hobley . There being no other nominations Sandra was duly appointed.

6 Date of next meeting
6.1 The Annual Vestry Meeting for next year will be set by PCC at their first meeting
6.2 First meeting of Standing Committee will be 11 May 2021 10:30 am in All Hallows.
6.3 First meeting of PCC will be Tuesday 24 May 2021 at 7:30 pm in All Hallows Church Rooms.
7 Any Other Business
None.

There being no further business the meeting closed with the Grace at 12:20 pm .

2022 Annual Report

Benefice of All Hallows, Whitchurch, with St Mary’s, Tufton and St James the Less, Litchfield

NOMINATION FORM FOR ELECTION TO THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL

----- Start of picture text -----
Proposer Seconder
We (insert names)
of (insert
addresses)
being members of the electoral roll of this parish,
hereby nominate
of (insert address)
as a candidate for election to the parochial church council at the annual meeting on Tuesday 27 April 2021
Proposer Seconder
Signed
I declare that I am communicant of 16 years or over and not disqualified, and that if elected, I consent to serve.
Signed: Nominee
----- End of picture text -----

Nominees must be:

at least sixteen years of age;
actual communicants;
on the Electoral Roll of this Parish for at least six months

Proposers and seconders must be on the Electoral Roll of this Parish

2022 Annual Report

No person shall be nominated unless they have signified their consent to serve, or there is in the opinion of the meeting sufficient evidence thereof. No person shall be nominated if they are disqualified from serving by the Church Representation Rules. (See right for details)

DISQUALIFICATION (Church Representation Rule 68 in Part 7)

A person shall be disqualified from being nominated, chosen or elected or from serving as a member of a parochial church council, a district church council or any synod under these rules if the person:

3 (1) A person is disqualified from being nominated, chosen or elected or from serving as a churchwarden or a member of a parochial church council, a district church council or a joint council if the person is disqualified from being a trustee of a charity (and the disqualification is not subject to a waiver which permits membership of a parochial church council, district church council or joint council).

(2) A person is disqualified from being nominated, chosen or elected or from serving as a member of a parochial church council, a district church council, a joint council or a deanery synod if the person is included in a barred list (within the meaning of the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006).

(3) A person is disqualified from being nominated, chosen or elected or from serving as a member of a parochial church council, a district church council, a joint council or a deanery synod if the person has been convicted of an offence mentioned in Schedule 1 to the Children and Young Persons Act 1933 (with that expression being construed in accordance with Rule 71(2) of the Church Representation Rules).

(4) A person’s disqualification under sub-paragraph (3) may be waived by the bishop of the diocese by giving the person notice in writing.

Note

In order to confirm that you are eligible to act as a charity trustee, all newly elected PCC members will be required to sign a declaration confirming their eligibility to hold office as a charity trustee eligibility (i.e. nondisqualification under charity law) and will be asked to sign a Fit and Proper Person declaration. A copy of these declarations can be found at www.parishresources.org.uk/pccs/apcms/. By confirming that you are eligible for election, you are confirming that you are able to sign these declarations.
Please also note that PCC members are collectively responsible as licensees for the selling of alcohol on church premises, and as such have to be able to agree to this.

2022 Annual Report

PARISH OF

ALL HALLOWS, WHITCHURCH, WITH SY MARY’S TUFTON AND ST JAMES THE LESS, LITCHFIELD

NOMINATION FOR ELECTION TOTHE DEANERY SYNOD

----- Start of picture text -----
Proposer Seconder
We (insert names)
of (insert addresses)
being members of the electoral roll of this parish,
hereby nominate
of (insert address)
as a candidate for election to the Deanery Synod at the annual meeting
on_______
Proposer Seconder
Signed
I declare that I am communicant of 16 years or over and not disqualified, and that if
elected, I consent to serve.
Signed: Nominee
Date:
----- End of picture text -----

2022 Annual Report

Nominees must be:

at least sixteen years of age;
actual communicants;
on the Electoral Roll of this Parish for at least six months

Proposers and seconders must be on the Electoral Roll of this Parish

DISQUALIFICATION (Church Representation Rules 7, Rules 63 and 68)

mentioned in Schedule 1 to the Children and Young Persons Act 1933 (with that expression being construed in accordance with Rule 71(2) of the Church Representation Rules).

(4) A person’s disqualification under sub-paragraph (3) may be waived by the bishop of the diocese by giving the person notice in writing.

Note

In order to confirm that you are eligible to act as a charity trustee, all newly elected PCC members will be required to sign a declaration confirming their eligibility to hold office as a charity trustee eligibility (i.e. nondisqualification under charity law). Most newly elected PCC members will also be asked to sign a Fit and Proper Person declaration. A copy of these declarations can be found at www.parishresources.org.uk/pccs/apcms/ By confirming that you are eligible for election, you are confirming that you are able to sign these declarations.

2022 Annual Report

PARISH OFALL HALLOWS, WHITCHURCH WITH ST MARY’S TUFTON AND ST JAMES THE LESS, LITCHFIELD

NOMINATION FORM FOR CHURCHWARDEN

We the undersigned, being either

members of the church electoral roll of this parish or
members of the local government register of electors by virtue of residence in this parish
hereby nominate

for election to the office of churchwarden in this parish.

Signed

Proposer Seconder

I, (insert name) ____________________________________________,

the above-named nominee, hereby certify that

I am eligible for election to the office of churchwarden in this parish
I am not disqualified from holding that office, and
I am willing to hold that office.

Signed

Nominee

This form must be handed to the minister who is to conduct the meeting for the election of churchwardens at any time before the start of that meeting. When there is no minister, this form must be handed to the churchwarden who signed the notice convening the meeting.

No person chosen for the office of churchwarden shall become churchwarden until they shall have been admitted to the office by the bishop or his substitute duly appointed; however all persons elected shall become ex-officio members of the parochial church council from the time of their election.

2022 Annual Report

FROM THE CHURCHWARDENS MEASURE 2001:

The churchwardens of every parish shall be chosen from persons who have been baptised and —

a) whose names are on the church electoral roll of the parish;
b) who are actual communicants;
c) who are twenty–one years of age or upwards; and
d) who are not disqualified as laid out below.

No person shall be chosen as churchwarden of a parish for any period of office unless they —

a) have signified consent to serve as such; and

b) have not signified consent to serve as such for the same period of office in any other parish (not being a related parish) or, if such consent has been signified and the meeting of the parishioners to elect churchwardens of that other parish has been held, was not chosen as churchwarden of that other parish.

Disqualifications

A person shall be disqualified from being chosen for the office of churchwarden if:

(4) A person’s disqualification under sub-paragraph (3) may be waived by the bishop of the diocese by giving the person notice in writing.

(5) A person is disqualified from being nominated, chosen or elected or from serving as a member of a parochial church council if the person has been disqualified from holding office under section 10(6) of the Incumbent (Vacation of Benefices) Measure 1977.Without prejudice to the above, a person shall be disqualified from being chosen for the office of churchwarden when that person has served as a churchwarden of the same parish for six successive periods of office until the annual meeting of the parishioners to elect churchwardens in the next year but one following the date on which that person vacated office at the end of the last such period: Provided that a meeting of the parishioners may by resolution decide that this section shall not apply in relation to the parish concerned.

Note

In order to confirm that you are eligible to act as a charity trustee, all newly elected Church Wardens will be required to sign two declarations, being: (i) confirmation of trustee eligibility (i.e. non-disqualification under charity law); and (ii) a Fit and Proper Person declaration, copies of which can be found at
www.parishresources.org.uk/pccs/apcms/. By confirming that you are eligible for election, you are confirming that you will be able to sign these declarations.
Please also note that PCC members are collectively responsible as licensees for the selling of alcohol on church premises, and as such have to be able to agree to this.