The Parish of Sydenham St Bartholomew's Church Annual Report hoto token by Peter Stubbs May 2024 St Bartholomew's Church Westwood Hill, Svdenham 74ÈCHL4C St&7rthokniewsAnrAmlRep)rt2024 wenton loV￿lt fvends in Yorkshire and then my youngest brother in Cheshire (h31 we couldnl sleep property because it was too quiet with out the sound Of busywestsyood Hill traffic, sirens, buses- and foxesl Most irnponantly has been settling in to the spiritual home that is St 8artholomeW& This year has felt like the time that every(hing settled in to place after the difficulttime of Covid, the unsettled time of meeting new people11 even get most people's name5 right these daysll, of u5 each getting u*d to each other ond the challenge of doing things a bit differently. And of course iys not really about me feeling at home- it is about U5 all, the whole st Barts family, livin& worshipping and serving God together in our Parlsh and ivscommunities. Doing our best to respond to Jesus words from todays Gospel reading'.'..love one another as I have loved you." I wole thi5 time lastyear about holding back from gettlng Into the process of renwng our Mission Action Plan IMAPI a5 the time dldnt feel quite righL Because of what I describe above the times does now feel right and that is what our upcomingvlsion day uune 16* will be about. And itwill be exciting to thenwelcome Bethany as Curate a couple of week5 later. Crucial to the life of the church is our excellent Church Warden's, Lesley and Roland. I continue lo be extremely thankful for them both. We are also Served by a great treasurer, Peter and hls team, PCC secretsry Shireen, the cristy team headed by Carol along with all those who decorate our church with flowers, prepare, edit and dlstribute Sydenham Life, help lead our worship as readers, intercessors and Eucharistic ministers, provide welcome and hospitality and so much more. And of course Dennis, our or83nis¢ we thank God for his health Ind continued service, as we prayed for him through his treatmenL Thanks also to our cholr and singers and to those who played the organ and plano when Dennis was unable to. Music Is an important part of our church life, both in our worship and in the concerts and events that take place here. It has been a delight to have our new piano and once again a huge thank you t¢ all who donated towards i¥s purchase, and to those who researched and sourced a suitable instrument. 9 children were Baptised at st BarthoSomew's during the year, 4 children were admitted to receive Holy Communion and 5 of ouryoung people were Confirmed at our Deanery Confirmation service. We continue to ask God's blessing on all of them. And as we seekto make good on our commitment to help them grow in faith a5 part of Chrisvs Church we are grateful to Edward, Clare andjo who responded to our'resources fairf and agreed to Start 3 monthly group for Children. Week byweek a large number of people come through our doors, for concerts, evens communlty groups, parties and more and I continue to meetand talk to a huge range of people from the widercommunity who come Into lookaround, pray. find a place of quiet or seek support and counsel, when the door is open during the week. Additlonally it h35 been a joyto welcome dassesfrom our school and on occasion the whole school for worshlp. l also continue to lead worshlp in school most Wednesdays and have iftcrea5ed opportunities to vistt lesscns. I was extremely impressed by the depth of biblical knowledge many pupils had when I vislted classes in years 1, 3 and 4 at Easter. And we were able to hold the first Pet Service since IWe been here: a g￿at tradition and one we shall definitely contlnue thisyear. In our national lrfe the year saw the coronatjon of King Charle5111 and it was our prNileged as part of the National Church of England to offer prayers on behalf of all people for the blessing and well-being of our Nation. In our Diocese we were deepW saddened by the death of Karowel, Blshop of w001￿Ch, and his death is Still being felt in our Diocesan life. But we look foN4ard and pray for whoever his successor may be, More locally we continue to work with our partners and friends at St Phillp the Apostle and Grove Centre BaptisUURC Church, enjoying Holy Week and other seasonal seNices with them. We have also recently worked alongside Forest Hill Community Church to celebrate a weddin& and are pleased to host a Kenyan Pentecostal church each Sunday afternoon. Encouraging mutual flourishing by supporting one another, and sharing when we can, for the sake of the Gospel, Is alway5 a good thing. 4rf16 50110 1. Electoral Roll Elertoral Roll Vicarfs Report PCC Secretarfs Report Churchwarden's Report rincluding Buildings, Fabric & Lettings) Financial summary forthe year ended 31 December 2022 The Electoral Roll at present stsnds at 149 names. Over the last fewyears we have kept electoral roll numbers steady through what has been a difficult time for church congregations in general. * There are 76 (51%) members who reside in the parish- Category A on the form. *There are 66 (44%) who are officially resident Outside the parish but have habitually tsken part in worship within the parish prior to six months before enrolment ends- Category B on the form * 7 (5%) members of another church which'subscribes to the doctrine of the Holy Trinity as well as the church of England and habitually attends worship in this Parish,. Category C on the form Mortin Hoines Church Elettoral Roll Officer 10 Safeguarding Health & Safety 12 12 Music 12 Flowers 10. St Bartholomews School Governorfs I Vicarfs Re ort 11. Sydenham Life I write having recently retumed from 12 days leave. And l am really ha ppy to be back. Not that I didn't enjoy my time off - it was great! But it is also great to be home. While on leave I made a shortvisit to my previous Parish in Wolverhampton, the first time I have done so Sin￿ leaving there. We met with the currentvicar and hi5 wife, enjoyed catching up with many friends and parishioners, heard howthe congregation and Parish had fared through Covid and since, and enjoyed walking across the still-but-notquite familiar Pendeford square. Itwas a very enjoyable afternoon. But it wa5n't'home', not any more. 'Home' can of course mean different things to different people, but for me, as a Vicar, it means the house I live in alongside my family, the communities of the Parish I live alongside day-by-day, and the church family to whom l am called to minister. It can take a while to settle in this multi-faceted horne and this was not helped by the Covid Pandemic and lock-downsthat happened so soon after I moved here. But this pastyear has felt to me like we have finally settled In. Wejoked in Wolves and again a51 12. Knit & Natter St8thhY**sknL￿1Rt￿V12o24 20116 3of 16 I look forward Wlth anticipation to the rest of the year ahead and pray that we will continue to grow together, abiding in the love of God and bearing nrit that will lasf. Re¢dJim Easter fj 2024. Jan Vision day on 16 June was discussed - it Is to be publicised from April and the congregation will be invited to submit questions to a question box. The PCC would look at the questions before the day The terms of some members of the PCC come to an end thisyear- would be invltlng the nomination of 3 people - the need to encourage younger people tojoin the Pccwas discussed Approval of the church accounts. Shlreen Williams, PCC Secretary March PCC Secreta ort The PCC has met 5 times this year. Meetings have been well attended. The PCC discusses and makes decisions on a wide variety of topics and issues duringtheyear, mainly prompted by the reports from its various sub committees. In addition, there was other business to discuss. Below are some of the Items discu55ed at PCC meetings . Churchwarde 'sRe During 2023, we continued to see healthy congregatlons at most of our servlces and although we were extremely sad to lose some much-loved regular members, such as Toyin and family, who moved out of the area, we alsc welcomed a number of new famllies, includlng several chlldren, Into our community. Activities are on the Increase, and we are dellghted that thls has Included the re-establishment of a Sunday School, inltially on a monthly basls. Thls has been made possible by several volunteers stepplng forward to run It, which Is brlllianL and we trust it will grow from here. Of course, there are plenty of opportunities to volunteer at St Barys. We are lucty to have a beautlful, listed bulldlng wlth some wonderful features, but it does take a great deal of looklng afterl For many years, Nigel Rushton has been our chlef maintenance person, helping to keep our buildlng stsndlng, our gutters clear and our congregation dry. This year, Nigel has finally retired from hls regular malntenance duties and although we know he will stlll glve us the benefit of hls advlce, based on his love for and knowledge of the bulldin& we need to replace his physical labour. We are currently trying to identify suitable local tradesmen who have the right experience to help maintain a building such as ours and expert to be taking on someone on a retainer, Hcwever, there are a multitude of jobs required to maintsin the ort clu Buil Fabric an Lettin June Resources for the Church Fayre were discussed Setup in church ofa Summer Fayre stall which would show resources that the church needs - one half would be the finances- where does the money go and how It used- the other half would be the tlme, people and resources required for the running of the church- dayto day and week to week- what can we do going forward thatwe are not doing now Mission giving- it was proposed to support the followlng charitles this year Local- Kelvln Grove Communlty Supermarket National - Eleanorfs Mental Health Charity W1th equlne therapy International - Christian Ald Sep Nov The dates for the new Eccleslastlcal year were announced and listed and itwas decided that the plate collectlon from the Christingle seNice would go to the Children's Society. Approaching different people from the congregation and diocese to preach in the year to come was also discussed 519thknrfsknuolReprt2024 51Bjrttrth￿AnrW1ReWrt￿24 701 16 church and we would be very grateful to anyone who feels they could take part in however small a way. in this perpetual exercise. We are already very grateful to people like Stuart, Bernard and Barrie, who take on task5 in the building or churchyard on a regular basis, but there is scope for many more; so whether your skills are DIY, leaf clearing, plumbing, carpentry or you have some serious listed buildings experience. your help wouSd be so welcome, and we would love you to join our Buildings Issues Group (BIG), which meets every few months. Also, if you can recommend lo(Al tradesmen who you know to be reliable and skilled in the relevant areas please pass on their details,. just speak to Lesley, Roland or Rev Jim - please! Details of our various projects/maintenGrnce issues are asfollows.. We have had a long-term issue with a leak in the water system running into the crypt and it has been frustrating waiting for the architec¢ water company and insurers to communicate so that we could decide on the best course of action and resolve the issue. We finally made a breakthrough and work ha5 been done to divert the piping in the churchyard. However. there is still a leak in an area not yet accessed by the contractors and we are now waiting for the further work to be approved by the insurers - we hope to have final resolution very soonl As reported last year, the nave roof will be in need of replacement in the near future. We have patched things up in the meantime and there are no current leaks, but this will be a major exercise for which funds will need to be raised overthe next few years. The heating is working as well as it can be. given that we had to isolate part of the system some time ago, due to the cost of identifying a leak underneath the stone floors. We are hoping that grants will be available at some point to help us to replace the system with something more environmentally friendly. The fire alarm Wem has been Serviced this month and all the batteries have been changed. We have identified and had fixed a short circuit in the dishwasher, which was causing the electrical circuit in the kitchen to trip. The clock has been ￿Set and setviced, but we are waitlng for permi55ion to instal the B5T adjuster. A faculty application for the repair of the bell has been submitted and thls will be done when the specialists have availability. An application was made by our neighbours for removal of the two oak trees by the lychgate, due to damage caused to their propety by the root system. The Diocese have been fighting this and we do not know the final decision a5 yet, but it 15 possible they may have to be removed, which would be a great shame. Last year. we reported that we needed to raise funds for a new plano, to better serve our worship need5 and to enable us to once again welcome high calibre pianistslensembles. Due to some generous donatlons and various fundraising events, we were able to meet our target and are delighted that the piarno is now in place and has been played for some excellent musical performances, to great acclaim. We are plannlng to hold a concert later in the year to formally launch the piano and thank the major donors. Due to another kind donation. we are able to schedule the cleaning and restoration of our wonderful reredo& We are currently taking advice on this and hope to getthe work done in the Satterpart ofthe year. As choir members, we also note the laying of the stone for long-term chorister Dennis Harrington and his wife, Evelyn, both rnembers of the congregation for very many years, In the memorial garden. Aswe are aboutto welcome our new curate, Bethany, we are embarking on a refurblshment of the curate's flaL including redecoration and replacement of old equipment where required. We look forward to our Mission Day on 16 June, which will be an opportunity for everyone to share their opinions and ideas for the future. We really want to hear everyone's views and we urge you to come along and take 90116 *eortknl&hrf$Anw1Re￿E1024 part. The more we are all involved, the more likely we will be to have a church that is servin8 our needs and a real part of the community. As always, we would like to acknowledge the great contribution made by regular volunteers, without whom we couldn't function. Whether you are invofved in stewarding reading, music, flowers, coffee rota, maintenance, delivering sacraments, looking after church linen, buying supplies, or as Treasurer, Sacristan or member of PCC or working patyicommittee,. thank you all, and of course, a big thank you to Revjim for leading us all. Lesley Khatibi & Roland Bates. May 2024 2) Buildings Fund All cost5 relating to the maintenance of the church building are shown in The Buildings Fund. These costs were almost£8,000 in 2023 due to the regular repairs and maintenance. These costs were covered by a transfer from the General Fund, and donations received of £4,000. It is costly to maintain a building of this size and age, but money is well spentto avoid bigger problems in the future, and to maintsin it at a good standard for worshlp. Overall, we made a surplus of £11,000 in the fund (allowing for increased equity in the flat as we pay off the loan). This resulted in reseNes for future building work standing at £33,000 at the end of the year. The equity in the curate's flat (the difference bet￿een the purchase price and the outstanding mortgage) now stands at £139,000. This is not available to spend unless the flat is sold. 5. FINANCIAL SUMMARY FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2023 1) General Fund Most of our day-to-day income and running costs go through the General Fund. 3) SABRE Fund Due to the Pandemic, the SABRE project to restore and improve the church was on hold. During 2023 the only rnovementwas income of VAT reclaimed on earlier work5, of £700. There is now £87,000 in the fund for further repairs, restoration, and improvements to the building. Donated income showed healthy growth, as did the weekly collections. Non specific donation5 were down in 2023, but these one-off donations and legacies are unpredictable. Lettings income from the hall and crypt continued tts healthy growth. We benefited from renting outthe curate's flat for most of the year, and overall income was up by £4,000 to £130,000. Costs rose by about£5,000, due mainly to an increased Parish Pledge to the diocese for clergy costs, and higher energy costs. Overall, we had a deficit of £2,600 in the year (after transfers to other funds). When we again have a curate, we will lose the income from the flat (£17,000), so there is an ongoing challenge to encourage more regular givin& hire out the hall and crypt more. and have more fundraising activities. Cash reserves in the General Fund would cover about 60% of our annual running costs. It is good practice to have reserves for at least three months expenses, and we are above that Overall, the balance sheet showed an increase in net current assets of £15k. 4) Specific Projects Fund This fund is used for the income and expenditure for causes and charities, funds accumulated over the years for the specific purpose of piano and organ restoration work, funds for youth work, and a small welfare fund. At the end of 2023 there was a surplus in this fund of £15,760, most of which is the donation5 towards the new piano, to be paid for in 2024. Peter Stubbs, PCC treasurer (Thefullaccounts ondf1nuncialstoten￿ntslOrtheyeurended3l.￿eCeMbÉf3023 ore Gwiloble 5eparotety.) 5tLWthoknerfsAnnualRegwt2024 Ioollo StBorthokfflt*¥AnwalAepJrt2024 Ily116 6. Safe During the year Revdjim has undertaken his required 3 year renewal of Safeguarding in Leadership training. The volunteers forthe new Sunday children's group have all had DBS checks and other church officers have had their DBS checks renewed as required. ardin An organ recital was held to mark the Coronation of King Charles111 by our organist Denni5 Baugh. Dennis had some time away from playing during the year for health reasons. We are grateful to Tim, Ken, Roland and Cathywho stepped in to playthe organ and piano and to lead the choir In Dennis's absence. And we give thanks to God for Dennis return to health and to playing. ealth & Safe Flo ort There have not been any incidents requiring recording in the accident book. ,Having heard views from several congregation members. the PCC agreed to keep the manner of sharing the Peace in it's post-COVID form (the'wave of peace'l) One congregation member undertook first aid training, but more are required- please speak to the Warden's if you would be willing. The Health and Safety Policy is due for a full review this year. which will be undertaken by the Wardens and Health & Safety group of the PCC. Thankyou to Jean, Colleen andjayne, assisted by Anne, who prepare and arrange the flowers in church. The absence of flowers during Advent and Lent, the thejoy of their return at Christmas and Easter was remarked upon, highlighting that flowers are more than just decoration - they are a part of the way all of our sense5 are engaged In worship. Thankyou to members of the congregation who contributed to the cost of Easter flowers, which is often found an appropriate way to commemorate a loved one. The team would love to hear from anyone who would like tojoin them- no previous experience is necessary. 8. Music Re Music in our Sundayworship continues to be lead by our group of choristers and singers, with the second Sunday of each month focusing on the choristers, fourth Sunday on the singers and other weeks combined. For various reasons. including some people moving away, the numbers in the choir and singer have reduced over the pastyear, however the groups continue to give a good lead to our singing. Rehearsals for choir and singers take place on Thursday evenings. The organ continues to be tuned and maintained well by a reputable organ tuning and repair company. A new, concert-standard, piano has been bought thanks to generous donations from the congregation past and present and fund raising by friends of the church. ort 10. St Barvs School Governors As I write thi5 ReporL we are nearly haI￿aY through the final term ofyet another busy year for all those involved In our church school, St Bartholomews Church of England Primary School. The school's number on role is healthy with last Septemberfs intake being full. This is no mean feat as school roles are generally dropping in this present climate. The stsff still continue to cope with the challenges presented to them following the pandemic. Teacher5, Teaching Assistants, Support staff and 13of16 stBwthcknowsAMualR¢wt2024 12of16 Ancillaries. maintain their teaching and care of all the children. All concerned are mindful that there is still much compensating to be done in order to make up for opportunities lost during Covid. School trips and visits are once again very much an intrinsic part of the curriculum. Our role as Governors continues. So many skills and experiences are needed and always welcomed. Not only is it hugely important as we support the school that belongs to our church, but also as supporters of the wider community. With that final thought perhapsyou might feel thatyou have something thatyou could offer. It really Is a very rewarding role. Hllory-Anne Buckhurst. Foundation Governor Revjim continues to visit fortnightly to take collective worship. The school a150 visits the church for acts of worship. On a sober note with budget cutbacks and a rise in everyday running costs there has had to be a staff restructuring. With a great deal of care and negotiating this has now happened with the new structure in place. The governors continue to play a part in maintaining thelr role as crltical friends of the school The full governing body contlnues to meet twlce a term and all governors sit one of the two main committees: 'Re550urces' . The budgetls regularly reviewed and monltored and Financlal and Resources priorities are dlscussed. 'Curriculum and Learnin¥ - The currlculum is reviewed, subject leaders regularly come to address meetings. Data and progress are monitored and new initiatives are explained. All governors also sit on sub committees such as Well-Belng and Marketlng. The role of Governor has been enhanced by belng able to make regularvisits to the school. Committees will often visit the school on a worklng day focusing on a particular area before meeting to dlscuss challenges and Strengths, ever mindful of the school SIP (School Improvement Plan) The School had their Ofsted Visit on the 3rd and 4thJuly 2023. The outcome an overall Grade of Good with Pupil's Personal Development belng hlghlighted and awarded Outstanding. It is only fitting that the hard work and dedication of Davld Roberts, a member of our congregation, and for many years a Governor of St Bartholomews Church School. who passed away recently is acknowledged. Thankyou David for the service you gave us. 11 5 den arn Life vervlew: Sydenham Life Magazine is the free Parish Magazine of St Bartholomews Church, Westwood Hill. SE26 6QR and has been continually printed in different formats since 1"January 18681156 yrsl. Copies are wlth The British Library. It Is an Important outreach magazine and is also used for Research Projects. It is published 10 times a year UulylAug & Decljan combined months). Current versions are also published on the Parish page at A Church Nearyou and publicised on the Parish Facebook page. An Important outreach magazlne with interestlng articles. It Informs and invltes the local population of events a nd classes avallable in St BartholomeWs Church. It helps to promote St Bartholomews Primary School, local Business and Soclal Enterprises such as Sydenham Community Supermarket and Lewisham + Bromley Credit Union. Advert15ers have remained with us foryears despite increases in advertising costs showing it is an important part of the community. We welcome Nigel &Josie Ralph as new members of the Working Group. The Sydenham Life Working Group Team. Artlcle Writers, Packers & Distributors from Church and Community contribute their time by writing articles and delivering the magazine. It Is written, run. packed and hand delivered to 3,000 households by volunteers. We also welcome the new packers and distributors. Thank you to all new and old volunteers without which we simply could not continue. 5*garththew•sAntwalRepJrt2024 J50116 140116 The team always welcomes new volunteers for distribute magazines, writing articles, advertising or sponsorship. Contatt sli hotmail.co.uk or any of the workinggroup, Geoffery Cave, Jane Somers, Ope Otudeko, Yvonne Springer, Hal Bannister or The Revjim. Jane Somers April 2024 12. Knit & Natter Throughout 2023, we have continued to meet on the 1" and 3, Saturdays of the month from 10.30am to 12.30pm (ish!) We mostly bring our own projects, drink tea & coffee, and chat about our week while we craft. However, we have a150 taken part in several projects for St Bart's, using our crafting skills to raise church funds. At Easter we made chicks and bunnies crème egg covers and sold them at church for the Bishop's Lent Appeal, raising £270.75. I n August, we organised an outing to Rochester Cathedral to visit the 'Creation through Threads, exhibition byjacqui Parkinson, a textile artist. Travelling by train together. we had a lovely day out and very much enjoyed the exhibition and the cathedral, lunch in the sun outside, and a wander through the high street. We hope this is the fi rst of many excu rsions. In September, at the request of Revjim, we started work on making 60 sheep and a new knitted nativity set to use in the Advent Posada. With some knitted and some crocheted, each sheep was unique, just like our group. In early December we attended the arts & craft fair at Ignition Brewery selling small gifts and Christmas decorations. This raised over £50 for church funds and any items left over were sold at church on the remaining Sundays. We are a small but friendly group of crafters who welcome all who wish to join us, whether you come along for the craft, orjust the tea & chat. Why not come andjoin us?! StBartholomewsAmJual Rel￿2024 16of16 ## **THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF SAINT BARTHOLOMEW, SYDENHAM** ## **FINANCIAL STATEMENTS** ## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2024** _**Charity Commission Registration Number 1133852**_ |||||**CONTENTS**| |---|---|---|---|---| |Page|2|||Balance Sheet| ||3|||Statement of Financial Activities| ||4|to|5|General Fund| ||6|||Buildings & SABRE Funds| ||7|||Specific Projects Fund| ||8|to|10|Notes to the Accounts| 1 **THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF SAINT BARTHOLOMEW, SYDENHAM** ## **FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2024** ## **BALANCE SHEET AT 31ST DECEMBER 2024** |**2024**
Note
**£**
**Fixed assets:**
2
**Current assets:**
15,015
_energy account in credit)_
4,680
89,296
69,201
25,064
Balance on Church Equals debits cards
1,291
Cash in church safe for event floats and petty cash
511
205,058
**Current liabilities:**
2
6,464
8,586
_- mainly fees due to the Diocese & Mission Giving_
15,050
**Net current assets**
**Total assets minus current liabilities**
**Long term liability**
2
31,242
**Represented by:**
**Unrestricted funds**
General fund
**Restricted funds**
Buildings fund
curate flat purchase cost
183,131
curate flat outstanding mortgage
37,706
equity in curate flat - not available to spend
145,425
surplus in fund that can be spent on works
32,666
total in Buildings Fund at end of year
178,091
178,091
SABRE restoration fund
87,349
Specific projects fund
3,862
8
**Rev. Jim Perry**
**Lesley Khatibi**
**Incumbent**
**Churchwarden**
Tangible assets_(curate's flat at cost)_
Debtors & accrued income_(Dec Parish Giving, curate subsidy_
Payments in advance_(insurance)_
Balance at Natwest bank_(current account)_
Balance at CAF bank_(current account)_
Balance at CofE CBF (Central Board of Finance_(deposit account))_
Loan amount payable within one year_(flat repayment)_
Other creditors due within one year_(accruals)_
Diocesan loan for flat purchase -_payable after one year_|**2024**
Note
**£**
**Fixed assets:**
2
**Current assets:**
15,015
_energy account in credit)_
4,680
89,296
69,201
25,064
Balance on Church Equals debits cards
1,291
Cash in church safe for event floats and petty cash
511
205,058
**Current liabilities:**
2
6,464
8,586
_- mainly fees due to the Diocese & Mission Giving_
15,050
**Net current assets**
**Total assets minus current liabilities**
**Long term liability**
2
31,242
**Represented by:**
**Unrestricted funds**
General fund
**Restricted funds**
Buildings fund
curate flat purchase cost
183,131
curate flat outstanding mortgage
37,706
equity in curate flat - not available to spend
145,425
surplus in fund that can be spent on works
32,666
total in Buildings Fund at end of year
178,091
178,091
SABRE restoration fund
87,349
Specific projects fund
3,862
8
**Rev. Jim Perry**
**Lesley Khatibi**
**Incumbent**
**Churchwarden**
Tangible assets_(curate's flat at cost)_
Debtors & accrued income_(Dec Parish Giving, curate subsidy_
Payments in advance_(insurance)_
Balance at Natwest bank_(current account)_
Balance at CAF bank_(current account)_
Balance at CofE CBF (Central Board of Finance_(deposit account))_
Loan amount payable within one year_(flat repayment)_
Other creditors due within one year_(accruals)_
Diocesan loan for flat purchase -_payable after one year_|**2024**
**£**|**£**
183,131
190,008
373,139
31,242
341,897
72,595
269,302
341,897|**2023**
**_£_**
**_£_**
_183,131_
5,052
4,572
85,592
94,711
23,801
578
1,309
_215,615_
_6,464_
3,611
_10,075_
_205,540_
_388,671_
_37,706_
_37,706_
_350,965_
_75,875_
_172,142_
_87,186_
_15,762_
_275,090_
_350,964_
**Roland Bates**
**Churchwarden**| |---|---|---|---|---| |||||| |||15,015
4,680
89,296
69,201
25,064
1,291
511||| |||205,058
6,464||| |||8,586||| |||||| ||2|15,050
31,242||| |||||| |||||| ||183,131
37,706|||| ||145,425
32,666
178,091
178,091
87,349
3,862
8
**Lesley Khatibi**
**Churchwarden**|||| |||||| |||178,091||| |||87,349||| |||3,862||| March 2025 2 **THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF SAINT BARTHOLOMEW, SYDENHAM** ## **FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2024** ## **STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES** - summarising the three funds in SORP (Statement of Recommended Practice) format |Incoming resources
Incoming resources from generated funds
Voluntary income
Activities for generating funds
Investment income
Incoming resources from charitable activities
ie fees
**Total incoming resources**
Resources expended
Costs of generating funds
Costs of running the church
Governance costs (examination of accounts)
**Total resources expended**
Net incoming/(outgoing) resources before transfers
reduction in flat loan liability - to Balance Sheet
Transfers between funds
**Net movement in funds**
Total funds as at 1 January 2024
**Total funds as at 31 December 2024**|**General fund**
**£**
**Unrestricted**
**funds**|**Restricted funds**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**Building**
**fund**
**SABRE**
**restoration**
**fund**
**Specific**
**projects**
**fund**|**2024**
**£**
**Total**
**funds**|**2023**
**£**
**Total**
**funds**| |---|---|---|---|---| ||83,079
37,559
0
763
121,401
0
122,517
0
122,517
-1,116
0
-2,164
-3,280
75,875
72,595|0
0
2,929
14,600
0
0
0
163
0
0
0
0
14,600
163
2,929
0
0
0
17,279
0
14,829
0
0
0
17,279
0
14,829
-2,679
163
-11,900
6,464
0
0
2,164
0
0
5,949
163
-11,900
172,142
87,186
15,762
178,091
87,349
3,862|86,008
52,159
163
763
139,093
0
154,625
0
154,625
-15,532
6,464
0
-9,068
350,965
341,897|_103,346_
_43,887_
_247_
_1,259_| |||||_148,739_| |||||_0_
_133,894_
_0_| |||||_133,894_| |||||_14,845_
_6,464_
_0_| |||||_21,309_
_329,656_| |||||_350,965_| |||||| 3 ## **THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF SAINT BARTHOLOMEW, SYDENHAM** ## **FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2024** ## **GENERAL FUND (UNRESTRICTED FUND)** ## **INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT AND FUND MOVEMENT** |Note
**Incoming Resources**
**Donated income**
Donations towards Sydenham Life costs
**Fees for weddings, funerals, banns**
**Investment income**
Interest on General Fund bank balance
**Fund-raising activities**
Lettings - hall, crypt and church hire
Sydenham Life advertising revenue
Floodlighting
Action Bibles donations
Remembrance Book donations
Rent from the curate's flat
Curate training subsidy
Sunday morning coffee, breakfasts, afternoon teas
Knit and natter
**Total general fund incoming resources**
Parish Giving Scheme_- regular giving_
Tax (gift aid) -_reclaimed on donations_
Weekly collections_- now including the credit card machine_
Non-specific donations_(various donations)_
Old Church Hall site_(ground rents from remaining freeholds)_
Occasional collections_(at special services and events)_
Jumble sales (_donations and the October Sale)_
Christmas Fair -_receipts and donations_|**2024**
**£**
57,089
13,420
8,675
1,645
250
2,000
0
0
22,933
1,820
2,049
50
416
500
2,850
4,300
424
1,771
446|**£**
83,079
763
0
37,559
121,401|**2023**
**_£_**
**_£_**
62,895
15,323
8,379
1,962
250
0
200
_89,009_
_1,259_
_0_
_0_
22,596
2,770
0
0
245
0
13,956
0
247
0
73
_39,887_
_130,155_|**2023**
**_£_**
**_£_**
62,895
15,323
8,379
1,962
250
0
200
_89,009_
_1,259_
_0_
_0_
22,596
2,770
0
0
245
0
13,956
0
247
0
73
_39,887_
_130,155_| |---|---|---|---|---| |||||_130,155_| 4 ## **THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF SAINT BARTHOLOMEW, SYDENHAM** ## **FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2024** ## **GENERAL FUND (UNRESTRICTED FUND)** ## **INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT AND FUND MOVEMENT** |Note
**Resources Expended**
**On church objects**
Sydenham Life printing and expenses
Bank charges
Parish Pledge to Diocese_- for clergy salaries, housing and training_
Utilities -_water, gas, electricity_
Insurance_- for the building_
Altar requisites -_wafers, wine, candles etc_|**2024**
**£**
65,545
5,250
11,725
61
4,572
698
3,557
12,450
3,796
420
243
346
2,449
1,256
3,935
660
2,400
2,600
104
450
-6,464
11,300
-7,000|**£**
122,517
-2,164
124,681|**2023**
**_£_**
**_£_**
64,260
5,120
15,999
64
4,452
727
3,720
4,534
4,088
0
294
387
3,207
1,437
4,060
830
1,814
2,500
15
777
_118,285_
_-6,464_
_0_
_-8,000_
_-14,464_
_132,749_|**2023**
**_£_**
**_£_**
64,260
5,120
15,999
64
4,452
727
3,720
4,534
4,088
0
294
387
3,207
1,437
4,060
830
1,814
2,500
15
777
_118,285_
_-6,464_
_0_
_-8,000_
_-14,464_
_132,749_| |---|---|---|---|---| |Interest on loan to purchase the curate's flat||||| |Curate's flat service charge, council tax, repairs
Flower costs
Staff expenses - travel, telephone etc
9
Books & print
Office expenses - photocopier etc
Organist
Instrument maintenance
3
Sunday morning coffee expenses
Action Bible costs
total normal costs
Inter-fund transfers etc:
Transfer to Buildings Fund - capital repayments on flat
2
Transer from Builidngs Fund - curate flat refurbishment
Transfer to Buildings Fund - repairs and renewals
Total Inter-fund transfers etc:
**Total general fund resources expended**
**Net (Deficit)/Surplus in the General Fund in the year**
Surplus/(deficit) from the previous year
Surplus/(deficit) carried forward to the ensuing year
Cleaning -_includes consumables, rubbish removal, deep clean_
Non fund-raising activities_(skip, moving new furniture etc)_
Choir & music -_church copyright licence, music books_
Mission giving_- to local/national/international charities_||||| |||-3,280||_-2,594_| |||75,875
72,595||_78,469_| |||||_75,875_| 5 ## **THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF SAINT BARTHOLOMEW, SYDENHAM** ## **FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2024** ## **BUILDINGS FUND (RESTRICTED FUND)** ## **INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT AND FUND MOVEMENT** |Note
**Incoming Resources**
**Total buildings fund incoming resources**
**Resources Expended**
Routine repairs & maintenance
4
Capital paid off loan to purchase curate's flat
2
**Total buildings fund resources expended**
**Surplus/(deficit) for the year**
Surplus from the previous year (inc equity in flat)
transfer from General Fund for flat capital repayment
transfer from General Fund for repairs & maintenance
transfer to General fund for curate flat refurbishment
increase in Buildings Fund = reduction in loan liability on balance sheet
Surplus carried forward to the following year
Of this surplus, the amount available for works, excluding the equity in the flat,
Donated income for repairs_including a legacy_|**2024**
**£**
14,600
10,815
6,464
is:|**£**
14,600
17,279
(2,679)|**2023**
**_£_**
**_£_**
_4,000_
_4,000_
7,796
6,464
_14,260_
_(10,260)_|**2023**
**_£_**
**_£_**
_4,000_
_4,000_
7,796
6,464
_14,260_
_(10,260)_| |---|---|---|---|---| |||||_4,000_| |||||| |||||_14,260_| |||||_(10,260)_| |||172,142
6,464
7,000
-11,300
6,464
178,091
32,666||_161,474_
_6,464_
_8,000_
_0_
_6,464_| |||||_172,142_| |||||| |**SABRE RESTORATION FUND (RESTRICTED FUND)**
**INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT AND FUND MOVEMENT**||||| ||**2024**||**2023**|| |Note
**Incoming Resources**
SABRE donations including gift aid
grant income
fundraising
**Investment income**
Interest on balance with CBF (SABRE funds)
**Total SABRE restoration fund incoming resources**
**Resources Expended**
SABRE restoration costs (VAT refund in 2023)
5
**Total SABRE fund resources expended**
**Surplus/(deficit) for the year**
Surplus from the previous year
Surplus carried forward to the following year|**£**
0
0
0
163
0|**£**
0
163
163
0
163
87,186
87,349|**_£_**
_13_
_0_
_0_
_247_
_-699_|**_£_**| |||||_13_| |||||_247_| |||||_260_| |||||| |||||_-699_| |||||_959_
_86,227_| |||||_87,186_| 6 ## **THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF SAINT BARTHOLOMEW, SYDENHAM** ## **FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2024** ## **SPECIFIC PROJECTS FUND (RESTRICTED FUND)** ## **INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT AND FUND MOVEMENT** |Note
**Incoming Resources**
**Donations**
Piano and Organ donations
Christian Aid collections
Community supermarket
**Total specific projects fund incoming resources**
**Resources Expended**
**Expenditure on church objects**
Bishop's Lent call
Sightsavers
British Legion
Embrace the Middle East donations sent
Christian Aid
Piano and Organ restoration and purchase
The Children's Society (Christingle)
Community supermarket
**Total specific projects fund resources expended**
Transfer from General Fund - organ and pandemic response
**Surplus/(Deficit) for the year**
Surplus from the previous year
Surplus carried forward to the ensuing year
Bishop's Lent appeal -_for a range of charities_
Poppy Appeal_- to Royal British Legion_
Carol service_- to Embrace the Middle East_
Christingle service_- for The Children's Society_|**2024**
**£**
197
231
2,200
221
80
197
231
14,100
221
80|**£**
2,929
14,829
0
-11,900|**2023**
**_£_**
**_£_**
325
233
13,555
211
_14,323_
325
217
5
1,290
211
0
_2,047_
_0_
_12,276_|**2023**
**_£_**
**_£_**
325
233
13,555
211
_14,323_
325
217
5
1,290
211
0
_2,047_
_0_
_12,276_| |---|---|---|---|---| |||||_14,323_| |||||| |||||_2,047_| |||||_0_
_12,276_| |||15,762
3,862||_3,486_| |||||_15,762_| 7 ## **THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF SAINT BARTHOLOMEW, SYDENHAM** ## **FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2024** ## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS AT 31ST DECEMBER 2024** ## **1) ACCOUNTING POLICIES** The financial statements are presented in accordance with the Church Accounting Regulations 2006, together with applicable accounting standards and the Charities Commission's revised Statement of Recommended Practice (the Charities SORP). The accounts are prepared under the historical cost convention. ## **Funds** The General Fund represents the funds of the PCC that are not subject to any restrictions regarding their use, and are available for its general purposes. The Buildings Fund is a restricted fund deriving its income from legacies, donations and fund-raising activities to be used specifically for building work. It now holds the equity in the flat purchased for curates in training. The Specific Projects Fund is a restricted fund reserved for the projects listed for which the incoming funds have been earmarked. The accounts include all transactions, assets and liabilities for which the PCC is responsible in law or over which the PCC exercises control. ## **Incoming Resources** Incoming resources are recognised in the following manner: (i) Collections and planned giving when received. (ii) Gift Aid recoverable on donations, when receivable. (iii) Grants and legacies to the PCC, when received. (iv) Income from fund-raising and similar activities, gross when received. (v) Investment income and income receivable, when receivable. Tax recoverable on such income is recognised in the same year. ## **Resources Used** The Parish Pledge paid to the Diocese covers the cost of clergy, pensions, housing and central overheads. It is accounted for in the year during which payment is sought. Any unpaid contribution at 31st December is included in the balance sheet as a creditor (though not a legal liability). ## **Resources Expended** Expenditure is recognised on the accruals basis as a liability is incurred. Expenditure includes VAT which cannot be recovered, and is reported as part of the expenditure to which it relates. ## **Fixed Assets** Consecrated and beneficed property of any kind is excluded from these accounts. Other property held for the church's use is shown at cost of acquisition (eg the curate's flat). Other fixtures and fittings are depreciated on a straight line basis over 3 years. Individual items of equipment with a purchase price of £1,000 or less are written off when the asset is acquired. ## **Current Assets** Amounts due to the PCC at 31 December 2024 8 ## **THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF SAINT BARTHOLOMEW, SYDENHAM** ## **FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2024** ## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS AT 31ST DECEMBER 2023** ## **2) TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS** |**Cost**
At 1st January 2024
Additions
At 31st December 2024
**Depreciation**
At 1st January 2024
For the year
At 31st December 2024
**Net Book Amounts**
At 31st December 2024
At 31st December 2024
The leasehold property was purchased on 10th August 2005 for the purpose of housing curates sent to the parish
by the Diocese of Southwark for training. It consists of a flat at 1 Ashleigh Court, 81 Lawrie Park Road, London,
SE26 6EX. In accordance with the law relating to property held by parishes, the legal owners of the property are
the Southwark Diocesan Board of Finance and the South London Church Fund as Custodian Trustees for the parish.
Any capital gain or loss on the property will accrue to the parish.
The flat was purchased for £183,130, and might now be worth more than that.
The loan of £150,000 from the Diocese is repayable over 25 years from 12th August 2005 by monthly instalments|**Office**
**Equipment**
**£**
2,792
0
2,792
2,791
0
2,791
1
1
**£**
44,170
-10,021
3,557
37,706
6,464
31,242
37,706|**Long**
**Leasehold**
**£**
183,130
0| |---|---|---| |||183,130| |||0
0| |||0| |||| |||183,130| |||| |||183,130| |||| |inclusive of interest currently at 3.5% above Bank Rate.
The lease has been extended to 990 years.||| |balance of the loan outstanding at 31st December 2023
less
repayments made in 2024
plus
interest costs added in 2024
balance of the loan outstanding at 31st December 2024
amount payable within one year
amount payable after one year||| Now included in the accounts is a transfer from the General Fund to the Buildings Fund equal to the capital repayments for the flat loan. Interest costs are an expense from the General Fund, but capital repayments result in an increase in the Buldings Fund as the loan liability reduces. Significant capital repayments are now being made, and the addition of this line makes clear the funding needs for these repayments. So the surplus or deficit in the General Fund shows the full position after both interest and capital repayments have been made. ## **3) MISSION GIVING** Mission giving is agreed at 3% of the church's donated income during the previous year and was used to support various causes by direct giving from the church's general income, rather than by specific fund-raising activities. 9 ## **THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF SAINT BARTHOLOMEW, SYDENHAM** ## **FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2024** ## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS AT 31ST DECEMBER 2024** ## **4) BUILDINGS FUND** |**BUILDINGS FUND**|**BUILDINGS FUND**|**BUILDINGS FUND**| |---|---|---| |The balance in this fund represents the funds donated for building works, and the equity in the||| |curate's flat. A summary of the money available for building works is:||| |available for repairs works at 31/12/2023|£33,181|| |donations received for building works|£14,600|| |transferred from the General Fund - repairs & maintenance|£7,000|| |transfer to General Fund for curate flat refurbishment|-£11,300|| |spent on routine repairs and maintenance|-£10,815|| |**available for repairs at 31/12/2024**|**£32,666**|| |plus the equity in the curate's flat (not availble to spend)|£145,425|| |total carried forward in Buildings Fund at 31/12/24|£178,091|| |**SABRE RESTORATION FUND**||| |The Saint Barts Restoration Appeal (SABRE) was launched in 2014 to raise money for a comprehensive programme||| |of repairs to and restoration of the building, along with improvements to benefit the congregation and community.||| |funds brought forward 1/1/2024|£87,186|| |**funds raised in 2024**|£0|| |Interest on balance with CBF (SABRE funds)|£163|| |income/spend in the year|£0|| |SABRE funds available at 31/12/2024|£87,349|| |This balance is held in the church accounts at NatWest, CAF bank and CBF (Church of England account).||| |The total raised so far since the appeal was launched is:|£414,264|| ## **5) SABRE RESTORATION FUND** ## **6) SPECIFIC PROJECTS FUND** The balance in this fund at 31/12/2024 breaks down as: £1,048 Youth Work funds £1,152 Welfare Fund, to be used at the discretion of the vicar for needy members of the congregation. £1,662 available for organ restoration and repairs **£3,862** ## **7) PCC MEMBERS** No member of the PCC has received any remuneration from the PCC during the year. ## **8) ANALYSIS OF THE MAIN BALANCE SHEET HEADINGS BY FUND** |||**Unrestricted**||||**Total**|**Total**| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| |||**funds**|**Restricted funds**|||**funds**|**funds**| |||||**SABRE**|**Specific**||| ||||**Building**|**restoration**|**projects**||| |||**General fund**|**fund**|**fund**|**fund**|**2024**|**2023**| |||**£**|**£**|**£**|**£**|**£**|**£**| ||Tangible fixed assets|0|183,131|0|0|183,131|_183,131_| ||Current assets|81,181|32,666|87,349|3,862|205,058|_215,615_| ||Less Current liabilities|8,586|6,464|0|0|15,050|_10,075_| ||Less Longterm liabilities|0|31,242|0|0|31,242|_37,706_| ||**Total net assets**|**72,595**|**178,091**|**87,349**|**3,862**|**341,897**|_350,965_| ||**VEL AND ENTERTAINING**|**EXPENSES PAID TO MEMBERS OF THE PCC DURING**|||**2024**||| |||**Travel**|**Other**||**Total**||| |||**£**|**£**||**£**||| ||Rev Jim Perry|14|169||183||| ||Mthr Bethany|11|48||59||| ||**Total**|**25**|**217**||**242**||| ## **9) ANALYSIS OF TRAVEL AND ENTERTAINING EXPENSES PAID TO MEMBERS OF THE PCC DURING 2024** 10 ## **Report by the Independent Examiner on the accounts for St Bartholomew Church, Sydenham, 2024.** The accounts have been prepared on an accruals basis. An understanding of the PCC’s organisation, accounting records, activities and nature of its assets, liabilities, income and expenditure was gained from a survey of the accounting records and discussions with the treasurer. No major failures were identified in the accounting records. An analytical review of the financial statements was carried out to look for inconsistencies and unusual events in the year, and compared to previous years. No unexpected fluctuations were discovered in the financial statements. St Bartholomew’s utilises a General Fund for operating income and expenditure, together with three Reserved Funds; the Building Fund to meet ongoing maintenance; the SABRE fund, for major restoration of the church building and roof; and the Special Purposes Fund used for organ restoration, piano replacement and charitable appeals. After transfers to other funds the General Fund had a deficit of £2,594. This reflects increased Parish Share contribution, and higher utility costs. Routine maintenance from the Building Fund was covered by transfer from the General Fund. The SABRE project has been inactive since the pandemic - there is over £87,000 in the fund for repairs, restoration and building improvements. The Special Projects Fund main expenditure in 2024 was for a new piano. St Bartholomew’s took on a curate in 2024 – this means the loss of rental income form the curate’s flat, this is partially offset by the Curate Training Subsidy from the Diocese. A point to note is the monthly reconciliation with bank statements shows a difference of about £1,000, possibly due to delays in banking collections and cheques. This is not material to the overall accounts, and the Treasurer aims to resolve this issue in 2025. Overall the financial position of St Bartholomew’s remains secure with cash reserves in the General Fund covering 50% of annual running costs. Simon Taylor Treasurer, St George and St Michael & All Angels 30 March 2024