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2020-12-31-accounts

Frome Deanery Wells Archdeaconry Diocese of Bath and Wells

Annual Report

and

Financial Statements

of the

Parish of Frome Selwood

(Registered Charity number 1133925)

otherwise

for the year ended

31st December 2020

Website: www.sjfrome.co.uk Email: administrator@sjfrome.co.uk Facebook: FromeStiohntheBaptist Twitter: @ FromeStJohnBapt

Incumbent : The Revd Colin Alsbury, St John’s Vicarage, Vicarage Close, Christchurch Street East, Frome, Somerset BA11 1QL

Auditor: B.O.A. Accountancy Ltd t/as Berkeley Hall Ltd, Unit 2, Southgate, Commerce Park, Frome BA11 2RY

Architect: George Chedburn, Chedburn Dudley, Glove Factory Studios, Brook Lane, Holt, Bradford on Avon BA14 6RL

Legal advisors: FDC Law, 21 Bath Street, Frome BA11 1DJ

Bank: NatWest Bank, 4 Market Place, Frome, Somerset BA11 1AE

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family at Longleat, who delivered the patronage to the Diocese of Bath and Wells (Board of Patronage) in the late 1930s.

The benefice of Frome St John is currently held in plurality with that of St Katharine, East Woodlands.

Ministry

Vicar: Revd Colin Alsbury MA Readers: Mrs Janet Caudwell MA Ms Ross Frooms

have contributed to the ministry and worship of the parish.

Parochial Church Council (PCC)

The role of the PCC

Charitable status of the PCC

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Contents

PCC membership 2020 4
Other PCC ofcers and appointees 4
Commi�ees 5
Collabora�ve ministry 5
Inclusive church 6
Major churches / Greater Churches Network 6
PCC funds 7
Associated and related non-PCC funds 7
Trusts and bequests in the care of the Incumbent/Churchwardens 7
Strategy for Mission and Ministry 8
Sta�s�cs for Mission / Electoral roll informa�on 9
Report on the fabric, ornaments and goods 10
Report of the proceedings of the Parochial Church Council 11
Statement of fnancial ac�vi�es 12
Balance sheet 13
Notes to the fnancial statements 14-16
Accoun�ng policies 17
Addi�onal notes regarding accoun�ng policies 18-19
Opera�onal risk statement: Impact of Covid-19 in 2020 and
beyond		 20
Independent examiner’s report 21
Property notes 22-23
Commi�ee reports 24
Stewardship report 24
Benne� Centre (St John’s Church Hall) Project Report 25
Charity/Trust Funds income and expenditure accounts 26

Mission statement

Our mission and ministry:

‘ Seven whole days, not one in seven’

Cherishing our inheritance of Chris�an faith and worship, we strive to welcome all and share the joy of the Gospel message in Christ, through concern for the wholeness of individuals and ac�ve involvement in community life in all its diversity.

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PCC Membership 2020

Clergy:

Revd Colin Alsbury (Vicar, Deanery Synod, Diocesan Synod, & Surrogate)

Churchwardens (elected annually):

Mr Neil McCormick

Mr Terry Bushell

Deanery Synod Members:

Mrs Lois Bushell (Deanery Synod 2020-23) Ms Ross Frooms (Deanery Synod 2020-23)

PCC members elected un�l 2021:

Mr Peter Connew (PCC 2018-21, Lay Chair of PCC) Mr Chris Lewis (PCC 2018-21) Ms Angela Pater (PCC 2018-21)

PCC members elected un�l 2022:

Mrs Amanda Crook (PCC 2019-22, PCC Secretary) Mr D Daniels (PCC 2019-2022, resigned 2020) Ms Ross Frooms (PCC 2019-22) Mrs Elaine Gilburt (PCC 2020-22, elected 2020)

PCC members elected un�l 2023:

Mrs Chris�ne Holland (PCC 2020-23, PCC Treasurer)

Mr Neil McCormick (PCC 2020-23)

Mrs Kathryn Yeaman (PCC 2020-23)

Readers (appointed annually):

Mrs Janet Caudwell

Ms Ross Frooms

Note : Within the Frome Town Group Ministry the other incumbents are also en�tled to a�end and take part in, but not have any vote in, the proceedings of any PCC mee�ng: Revd Liz Dudley (from Feb 2020) Christ Church & St Mary's

Revd Graham Owen Holy Trinity

Other PCC officers and appointees

Senior servers Mr Peter Connew & Mr Gerry Russell Organist Ms Jackie Bevan Choir leader Mrs Rosemary McCormick Sacristy Mrs Marian Alsbury Tower captains Mr Andy Mead Flower co-ordinator Mrs Elaine Gilburt Hon archive supervisor Vacant (c/o Incumbent) Safeguarding officer Mrs Judith Davies Health & safety issues Mr Peter Connew Electoral roll officer Mr Neil McCormick Stewardship Mr Peter Davies & Mrs Judith Davies Magazine editors Mrs Amanda Crook Church administrator Mrs Karolyn Curle

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Commi�ees

The PCC operates through a number of commi�ees, which meet between full mee�ngs of the PCC. The Vicar is a member of all commi�ees ex-officio. Though most members of commi�ees are also on the PCC, membership of commi�ees is open to persons who are not members of the PCC.

Standing Commi�ee

This is the only commi�ee required by law. The Vicar and Churchwardens are ex-officio members, and the PCC appoints a further two members. It has power to transact the business of the PCC between its mee�ngs, subject to any direc�ons given by the PCC.

Worship Commi�ee (jointly with Woodlands St Katharine)

This commi�ee co-ordinates the efforts and vision of all those involved in preparing and leading our worship, mee�ng every couple of months. It makes recommenda�ons to the PCC on any change or development in our pa�ern of worship.

Social Commi�ee

This commi�ee oversees and organises events to build fellowship within the life of the parish.

Note: The Restora�on Joint Commi�ee is not a sub-commi�ee of the PCC alone but forms a partnership with the separate associated registered charity 'Frome St John Restora�on Fund'.

Collabora�ve ministry

Frome St John the Bap�st and Woodlands St Katharine, as benefices held in plurality and sharing the same incumbent, co-operate through sharing a parish magazine, a worship commi�ee and a safeguarding officer, and through other joint events. Under a Bishop’s direc�on those qualified to marry in any one of the parishes may marry in either.

On 26th September 2018 Bishop’s Council approved a Scheme crea�ng a Joint PCC for the two benefices to which the separate PCCs are delega�ng a number of areas of responsibility including safeguarding, health & safety and publicity.

The parishes of the Frome Town Group are able to collaborate through a Group Council. In order to balance the pastoral care responsibili�es of the benefices within the town there is a working agreement in place whereby some parts of Christ Church parish are cared for by Holy Trinity and St John’s.

The parish is commi�ed to suppor�ng the mee�ngs and ministry of Frome Area Chris�ans Together (FACT). Pending a review FACT has only operated on a limited basis in the past year or so. St John’s has regularly afforded use of premises for FACT events and also for the HopeFrome coffee van that func�oned on the forecourt alternate Friday nights.

The Clergy of the Frome Deanery meet regularly as Clergy Chapter for worship, study and fellowship.

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Inclusive Church

Inclusive Church was accepted.

Inclusive Church is a network of churches, groups and individuals

‘We believe in inclusive Church - church which does not discriminate, on any level, on grounds of economic power, gender, mental health, physical ability, race or sexuality. We believe in Church which welcomes and serves all people in the

name of Jesus Christ; which is scripturally faithful; which seeks to proclaim the Gospel afresh for

and long and high and deep is the love of Jesus Christ.’

Further information is available at https://www.inclusive-church.org/

Major Churches Network

For many years there was a somewhat self-defined Greater Churches Network where those involved with the more significant churches, in terms of size and heritage, have shared support and areas of common interest.

In 2016 a report funded by Historic England and supported by the Church Buildings Council and

in the Diocese of Bath & Wells.

The Church Buildings Council recognise that such Major Churches face issues normally associated with cathedrals, but with parish church-sized resources. Part of the support given to Major

Management Plan.

The Greater Churches Network re-formed in 2019 as the Major Churches Network (MCN), with

ministry.

churches as they faced the challenges arising from the Covid-19 pandemic.

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PCC funds

Apart from the General Fund, which is unrestricted in use, the following funds are held by the PCC:

Unrestricted funds that have been designated:

Because of legal changes, from 1st January 2013 payments in respect of Parochial Fees belong to the PCC and DBF (Diocesan Board of Finance), and are managed by the PCC rather than the incumbent. Fees are therefore processed through the PCC accounts.

Restricted funds that hold:

Associated or related non-PCC funds

The following funds are not under the control of the PCC but are held for purposes within or connected with the life of the parish of Frome St John:

Frome St John Restora�on

Established by a Trust Deed in July 1986 as the Friends of St John’s, this is a separate registered charity (No 295057) whose objects are ‘the maintenance and repair of the fabric of St John’s Church and its surrounds’.

The Trustees of this associated charity are accountable directly to the Charity Commissioners for its funds, and notes of their work do not form part of the PCC Annual Report. Their Annual Mee�ng was held on 16th March 2021.

The report of their Trustees is separately available.

Sacristy Fund

Under the terms of a bequest from Rose Hunt a capital sum is held by the Diocesan Trustees, and the income is paid to the parish for the upkeep of vestments etc.

‘Vicarage Garden’ Trust fund

This fund, which arose from the sale of land adjoining the former vicarage garden, is held by

Trusts and bequests in the care of the Incumbent/Churchwardens

The following funds are in the care of the Incumbent or the Incumbent and Churchwardens:

Chari�es Funds

Byard (Educa�on) , Taunton (Music), T Smith (Alms), Singer (Benne� Services), Leversedge (Fabric), Baily (Clock, Carillon, Bells), Hutchings (Grave & Fabric)

Trust Funds

W Baily (Benne� Memorial), Via Crucis, Benne� Grave, Foster (Flowers)

The accounts of these Trusts and Chari�es were received at the Annual Mee�ng of Trustees on 16th March 2021. They are included here on page 26, but for informa�on only. They do not form part of the PCC’s Annual Report.

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Strategy for Mission and Ministry: ‘Seven Whole Days …’

Strategy for Mission and Ministry: ‘Seven Whole Days …’
Congregation to grow as a viable, sustainable community of worship, ministry & mission
Worship to maintain and develop a rich variety of worship
Nurture to establish an effective programme of all-age learning and growth
Fellowship to provide and enjoy regular social events
Membership to affirm a sense of belonging, encouraging new membership and maintaining
accurate and up to date membership records
‘One Holy, Catholic&
Apostolic Church		 to draw strength from and contribute to the wider life of the Church
Plurality of St John &
Woodlands		 to share resources effectively
Group Ministry to share common policies and vision for the town
Frome Area
ChristiansTogether		 to grow in mutual fellowship and ministry
Deanery / Diocese to take an active role in the synodical process
Wider Church to learn from and support the work of the wider church
to give a proportion of our income to support the wider mission and ministry of
Mission partnerships the Church and to welcome fresh understanding of our calling through learning
from the life of the wider church
Community to engage actively with the whole life of the community in which we are set
Pastoral care to share people’s joys and sorrows and provide appropriate care, support and
guidance
Prayer Network to hold in prayer all those whose needs are known to us
Baptism to welcome all who would seek to begin their journey of faith
Marriage to celebrate mutual love and commitment in marriage
Bereavement to support people in the time of grief
Geographical parish to engage with the ordinary life of the community that live, work or take
their leisure within the parish
Resident population to reach out in service and witness to the people of the parish
Voluntary sector to know and be known by those working for the welfare of the local community
Business community to value the people involved in the local economy,especially at Rogation and
Harvest
Education to affirm all involved in the work of education and support individuals of all
ages in their learning and personal growth
Church School to actively share in and contribute to the life of St John’s School
Church as a teaching to enable the use of the Church building for school visits and as a place where
resource learningcan be enriched
Heritage to cherish the inheritance which is in our trust and provide as best we can
for that inheritance to be maintained and developed
The site & building to work creatively with heritage bodies to assure the future of a living site
Parish archives to work with county archives and others to preserve our unique records
Conservation &
access		 to keep safe and ensure security of records, including provision of archive quality
copies; to provide reasonable access to records, including provision of copies,
findingaids and indices wherepossible
Visitors & tourism to welcome casual visitors and organised visits and enrich the experience
of their visit
An open church – to maintain a team of volunteers who will be confident in explaining the history,
stewarding life and mission of the parish
Guides & literature to provide in accessible form a variety of literature which enrich people’s visit
Music & the arts to develop the offering of music and arts within worship and to host
appropriate exhibitions and concerts throughout the year
Frome Festival to work closely with the Festival organisers in promoting music and the arts

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Sta�s�cs for Mission

A number of returns are made each year to the Diocese and Church Commissioners regarding membership, a�endance and other aspects of church life.

Because of the impact of Covid-19, with periods of ‘Lockdown’ and other associated restric�ons, many planned services, both regular and in terms of occasional offices, were not able to be held as usual in 2020.

At the end of 2020 the core worshipping community at St John's, defined as those who a�end worship at least once a month, or would do so if not restricted by health or other reasons comprised 57 individuals, a decrease of 8 on the previous year:

Children (0-10) Youth (11-17) Adult (18-69) Older (70+) Total
1 2 29 25 57 In 2020
1 3 41 20 65 In 2019

The number of bap�sms, weddings and funerals were:

Bap�sms
2020
2019
Under 1 year
2
7
Age 1-4
0
3
Age 5-10
1
1
Age 11+
0
0
Total
3
11		 Number of couples
0
7
Weddings
2020
2019
Funerals
2020
2019
in church
3
8
at crematorium
7
7

The numbers a�ending Easter, Advent and Christmas services were:

Easter Day Communicants A�ending
2020 N/A N/A
2019 66 75
Advent
For congrega�on &
local community
For civic and school
2020
0
0
2019
225
925		 Christmas
Communicants
A�ending
2020
27
42
2019
93
339

Electoral roll

The number on the church electoral roll for 2020 was 84.

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Wardens’ report on the fabric, ornaments and goods for 2020

Everything to do with 2020 was affected by the global coronavirus pandemic. As a result, work done to the fabric of the church was largely confined to finishing things off rather than embarking on new projects.

Changes to the fabric were largely temporary and in response to the pandemic, such as moving pews to create social distancing, installa�on of hand sani�sers and signage.

One thing that got in just before the pandemic was the consecra�on of the Ken Stone just inside the west door. The physical work was carried out in 2019, but we are already seeing the beginnings of a reorienta�on of the west end of the church around it.

The thurible stand was repaired by re-welding one of its feet.

Temporary ligh�ng was installed to be�er illuminate the rood on the rood screen, and in par�cular the figure of Jesus on the cross. This has led to discussions over a more permanent improvement to the ligh�ng in the church and possibly further changes in the years to come.

Some fabric changes have been carried over to next year, in par�cular:

Further projects which are under discussion include:

Neil McCormick and Terry Bushell

Churchwardens 2020/2021

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Report of the proceedings of the Parochial Church Council in 2020

The Council had seven meetings in 2020, three in person (January, February and September), two by email (March and May) and two via Zoom (July and November).

The year started as usual, the January and February meetings being concerned with the planning of dates for the year: APCM in the spring, the well dressing, Frome Festival events, the spring and Christmas sales, the shoebox appeal, the Cards for Good Causes shop. A list of the weddings booked for 2020 was presented. However, with the beginning of the first Coronavirus lockdown in March, everything changed, and in the end none of the events planned at these meetings was able to go ahead.

Our first PCC meeting of the pandemic – in late March – was, not surprisingly, largely concerned with working through government guidance on the pandemic and making plans for keeping in touch with the congregation while the church building was closed and services stopped. For example, services were prepared for people to access via YouTube, a weekly singing session via the Zoom app was established, extra prayers and reflections were included with the weekly sheet, which were distributed via email, post and hand delivery along with the monthly Inspire magazine and an extra weekly newsletter. Underlying all this, the pastoral team were working harder than ever to keep in even more regular touch with all the congregation.

By the next PCC meeting, two months later at the end of May, there was hope that the church could soon re-open, and the PCC meeting was dominated by exploring the safety measures – such as sanitisers and social distancing notices – that would be needed before the church could re-open, which actually happened at the end of June, initially just for stewarded private prayer sessions. Plans were also made to extend the use of the Zoom app to online PCC meetings and informal ‘coffee and chat’ sessions. Church services – initially morning and evening prayer rather than communion services – re-started in mid-July.

The July PCC meeting was therefore an optimistic one, especially with news of the imminent return of communion services, the FACT prayer session and the Julian meeting, also the reopening of the Bennett Centre. There was also news that a grant application to Mendip DC to help with loss of income due to the Covid crisis had been successful.

By the September meeting the PCC was able to meet in-person but socially distanced in the Bennett Centre, during which preparations for the much delayed APCM were made for a date in October, and plans for a return to singing by the choir (though still not the congregation) were made, with the choir mistress, Rosemary McCormick, coming off furlough at the end of September. It was reported that the Cards for Good Causes shop would definitely not be running in the church in 2020.

For the final PCC meeting of the year in November, the PCC had once again to meet via Zoom as the country was back in lockdown. The meeting received news on achieving Eco-Church status, of the toilet twinning arrangement with a school in Zambia; also the plan to hold services via Zoom for the first time. Particularly encouraging was the news that the application to the Cultural Recovery Fund for Heritage for a substantial grant had been successful. As well as helping to cover such essentials as insurance costs, cleaning etc, the grant enabled the meeting to give the go ahead to plans to install Wi-Fi and a contactless giving point in church; also to seek professional advice about partially glazing the inner West doors and undertaking subfloor investigations at the west end.

The year 2020 was a very unusual year for the PCC, as for everyone, and it ended 2020 facing the prospect of a further three months of lockdown in the New Year.

Mandy Crook, Hon secretary

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Statement of financial activities 12

Balance sheet at 31 December 2020

Approved by the standing committee of the Parochial Church Council on 15 April 2021 and signed on its behalf by Revd Colin Alsbury, Vicar and Chair of PCC

13

for the year ended 31 December 2020

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continued

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continued

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Appendix to the statement of financial ac�vi�es Accoun�ng policies

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Church Accoun�ng Regula�ons 1997 together with applicable accoun�ng standards and the Chari�es SORP.

The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost conven�on except for the valua�on of investment assets, which are shown at market value.

Funds

General funds represent the funds of the PCC that are not subject to any restric�ons regarding their use and are available for applica�on on the general purposes of the PCC. Funds designated for a par�cular purpose by the PCC are also unrestricted.

The accounts include all transac�ons, assets and liabili�es for which the PCC is responsible in law. They do not include the accounts of church groups that owe their main affilia�on to another body nor those that are informal gatherings of church members.

Incoming resources

Voluntary income and capital sources :

(3) Income tax recoverable on covenants or gi� aid dona�ons is recognised when the income is recognised.

(4) Grants and legacies to the PCC are accounted for as soon as the PCC is no�fied of its legal en�tlement and the amount due.

(5) Funds raised by fetes, garden par�es and similar events are accounted for gross.

Other ordinary income : Rental income from the le�ng of the church premises is recognised when the rent is due.

Income from investments : Dividends and interest are accounted for when receivable. Tax recoverable on such income is recognised in the same accoun�ng year.

Gains and losses on investments : Realised gains and losses are recognised when investments are sold. Unrealised gains or losses are accounted for on revalua�on of investments at 31 December.

Resources used

Grants: Grants and dona�ons are accounted for when paid over, or when awarded if that award creates a binding obliga�on on the PCC.

Ac�vi�es directly rela�ng to the work of the church: The diocesan quota or parish share is accounted for when payable. Any quota unpaid at 31 December is provided for in these accounts as an opera�onal (though not a legal) liability and is shown as a creditor in the balance sheet.

Prepayments: Prepayments below the threshold of £75 and non-recoverable payments less than £100 are generally treated as payment at the �me rather than being appor�oned over relevant years.

Fixed assets

Consecrated land and buildings and movable church furnishings:

(1) Consecrated and beneficed property is excluded from the accounts by s.96(2)(a) of the Chari�es Act 1993.

(2) No value is placed on movable church furnishings held by the churchwardens on special trust for the PCC and which require a faculty for disposal since the PCC considers this to be inalienable property.

All expenditure incurred during the year on consecrated or benefice buildings and movable church furnishings, whether maintenance or improvement, is wri�en off as expenditure in the statement of financial ac�vi�es (SOFA) and separately disclosed.

Other fixtures, fi�ngs and office equipment: Equipment used within the church premises is depreciated on a straight line basis over 4 years. Individual items with a purchase price of £2,500 or less are wri�en off when the asset is acquired. Items that have had no net book value for a clear financial year are retained on the inventory but no longer listed on the accounts.

Investments: Investments are valued at market value at 31 December.

Current assets:

(1) Amounts owing to the PCC at 31 December in respect of fees, rents or other income are shown as debtors less provision for amounts that may prove uncollectable.

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Addi�onal notes regarding accoun�ng policies

Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme

Monies recoverable under this scheme have been iden�fied as debtors to the parish un�l the monies are received. Changed policy includes a risk that not all claimable VAT expenditure will be subject of a grant in compensa�on. Whilst VAT expended which may be or is the subject of a claim will con�nue to be shown as debtors there will be a future risk of non receipt. Such non receipt will be shown as a bad debt within the accounts.

Employment

Persons employed (e.g. church administrator) and self-employed persons who contract to provide regular services (e.g. organists) have been grouped together for accoun�ng purposes within salaries and honoraria. Such grouping together is of no bearing with regard to their employment status.

Reserves policy

A formal reserves policy has been adopted sugges�ng that a working reserve of unrestricted funds of the order of half the annual parish share plus three to four months other ordinary turnover is vital to sustain sensible cash-flow management. This is reinforced by cash-flow modelling of income and expenditure through the year.

A further factor in management of reserves is that at 1 Jan a substan�al sum of addi�onal reserve (of the order of 20% of projected project cost) is required in years where substan�al capital expenditure is planned involving reclaim of VAT under the government Listed Places of Worship grant scheme as the VAT has to be paid first and reclaimed later with some uncertainty now as to whether funds will always be fully recoverable due to changes in government policy.

The end of year posi�on for 2017 showed a balance close to the ideal reserve figure for the second consecu�ve year a�er several difficult preceding years. Astute cashflow management over those years, during which we have steadily moved back into a posi�on where we have now paid our full parish share, has been cri�cal in achieving this progress.

Successive years of running at a deficit had exhausted unrestricted reserves, and the PCC is now aiming to operate a balanced budget at all �mes.

Now that finances are reaching stability the PCC will be looking to develop a modest working reserve so that some of the many important or desirable capital works and mission ini�a�ves previously unable to be funded by the general funds of the PCC can be taken forward.

Policy documents

Policy documents – including a dona�ons and fundraising policy document adopted in September 2014 – are available for inspec�on at the Open Door sessions in church (on the second Saturday of every month) or in the parish office.

Risk management

The PCC iden�fied the following principal risk categories. The issues arising under these categories are reviewed annually.

Financial risk – the most common category of risk and it is possible to measure many nonfinancial risks in terms of financial impact. Financial risks can be managed through budgets and internal financial procedures as well as strategic business and development plans, and management accounts.

Cash flow management has been �ghtly managed through the recovery of the past few years and similar controls will remain in place to assure a firmer foo�ng for future development.

18

continued

Reputa�onal risk – can have an impact on parishes if, for example, unwelcome publicity hinders the mission of the Church.

Statutory and legal requirements – such as health and safety, employment law, Equality Act, Chari�es Act, safeguarding (Child Protec�on and vulnerable adults) and associated ma�ers which could lead to substan�al liabili�es arising from claims or other legal ac�on.

Con�nuing vigilance with regard to Safeguarding policy has been an important aspect of work in close collabora�on with the Diocesan Safeguarding Officer and other local churches through the Deanery and Frome Area Chris�ans Together.

The PCC is commi�ed to and complies with the Na�onal Safeguarding policies of the Church of England and those of the Diocese of Bath & Wells which require every PCC to have due regard to House of Bishops' guidance on safeguarding children and vulnerable adults (sec�on 5 of the Safeguarding and Clergy Discipline Measure 2016).

A Fire Safety risk assessment and plan is in place.

The test of ‘reasonable’-ness in the Equali�es Act, Disability Discrimina�on Act and similar du�es with regard to Health and Safety clearly requires any organisa�on to exercise due diligence at all �mes. We have a responsibility to recognise, plan and implement response to these issues as a priority claim on resources.

First Aid provision, emergency procedures, exit routes and related ma�ers need to be regularly reviewed and all sidesmen, stewards and other responsible persons kept up to date in training.

New General Data Protec�on Regula�ons (GDPR) legisla�on came into force in 2018 (replacing the Data Protec�on Act), and the PCC has worked to take on board the implica�ons of this new legisla�on.

The parishes of the Frome Town Group are able to collaborate through a Group Council. In order to balance the pastoral care responsibili�es of the benefices within the town there is a working agreement in place whereby some parts of Christ Church parish are cared for by Holy Trinity and St John’s.

Opera�onal risk – relates to threats to the Church’s ability to deliver its objec�ves due, for example, to damage to the church building.

Steps have been taken to reduce risk in this area in rela�on to alarm systems, stewarding at �mes of higher risk, etc.

In 2020 the global Covid-19 pandemic provided an unan�cipated level of opera�onal risk to all manner of businesses, chari�es and churches. Throughout the pandemic ongoing risk assessments have been made regarding day to day func�oning. On overview statement follows on the next page of this report.

Risk assessment can feel a nega�ve process – it is also an opportunity to define priori�es and imagine and develop strategies to overcome deficiencies.

19

Opera�onal risk statement: Impact of Covid-19 in 2020 and beyond

In 2020 the global Covid-19 pandemic provided an unan�cipated level of opera�onal risk to all manner of businesses, chari�es and churches. The loss of ability to func�on in the normal pa�erns of worship, fellowship, mission, use of premises etc, has had significant consequences, and it is likely that aspects of ‘normal’ func�oning may not fully return un�l well into 2022 at the earliest.

For much of the year gathering for public worship has been impossible, or significantly restricted. Alterna�ves were provided using online facili�es such as YouTube and Zoom. Such mi�ga�on is only par�ally effec�ve as there are a number of people without online access and whilst regular emails and postal mailings have been sent out there will be a number of people who will have lost contact with the life of the parish. The pastoral team have made considerable effort to mi�gate this by trying to keep in touch with people by phone or otherwise.

The provision of occasional offices has been severely affected. Many bereaved families have only been able to hold modest limited services remembering their loved ones; A significant number of couples have had wedding plans thrown into confusion resul�ng in postponements, or very small ceremonies. Hardly any bap�sms have been possible. The consequent impact on the wider network of those who feel St John’s to be ‘their’ church cannot yet be assessed, but some loss of engagement and support seems inevitable.

A wide range of regular hires of our premises, especially the Benne� Centre, have not been able to proceed, resul�ng in significant loss of income. Most fundraising events have not been able to proceed.

Key steps in planning the process of managing the situa�on and planning ahead for the process of recovery include:

Rebuilding of fellowship and community as and when restric�ons significantly ease will need to be a priority for the life of the parish. Par�cular thanks are due to the regular givers whose stewardship giving has remained near constant through this challenging �me.

Colin Alsbury, Vicar

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ST JOHN THF. BAPTIST CHURCH FROME PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL Rewrt and financial staiemenls for the year ended 31" December 2020 We B O A Accountancy Llas Bcrkelcy Hall l.imited of Unit 2, Southgate, CoTnmerce Park, frome, rcport ihat w¢ have earried out an examination in a¢Lordanc¢ with th¢ ChurLh A¢Lounting Regulations 1998, the regulations rnade under Part IV of ihe Charities Act 1993 and in accordance with any applicable directions given by the Ch￿ltY Lommi5sioners. In connection with ihis examination we can confirm that no matter has come to our attention which would give mc rcasonablc cause to believe that in any matcrial r¢sp¢ct'. A) 1lie Council's accounting records have not been kept in accordance with Section 41 of the Charities Act 1993 and with above regulations. B) That the accounts do nol accord with those records. c) The statement of accounts which have been prepared on an accnjals b&sis does not COTnply with any of th¢ r¢quirctncnl5. No maller has come to my attenlion which in our opinion should be disclosed in the report in ordcr to cnablc a proper undcr5tanding to bc rcached. S A Smith ACA ATII 21

Property notes

Benne� Centre – St John's Church Hall

The Benne� Centre was built in 1854 as a school on land partly the site of the former Grammar School (of Edward VI founda�on) and partly land acquired by Vicar Benne� that had been occupied by a number of small poor-quality dwellings. Below the Centre the spring and cistern that lay within the courtyard of those proper�es remain, evidencing the 18th century ground level. The site is held by the PCC, having been acquired for £5 under a conveyance of 19th May 1961, and is subject to a reversion clause should it cease to be used as a Church Hall or for church purposes. The book value to the PCC of the property is therefore limited to the sum of £5. The Centre has been significantly improved over recent years with two of three intended phases of works now effec�vely complete.

Churchyard and Cur�lage

The ancient churchyard included the western half of the present nave and part of the present forecourt. The visible churchyard was officially closed for burials by Order in Privy Council in 1854 and the southern area substan�ally re-landscaped at that �me. Somewhat irregularly, burials resumed and con�nued un�l the mid-20th century. The present-day care and maintenance of the (walled) churchyard, including trees, is the responsibility of the Mendip District Council, although the PCC remains responsible for the structure of the Via Crucis. Interment of ashes within the churchyard is allowed within the area along the eastern edge of the main churchyard and the PCC has worked through the DAC (Diocesan Advisory Commi�ee) to remove the restric�on that has been in place for some 30 years or so that such interments could not be marked in situ with memorial slabs.

Via Crucis

The extension of the churchyard to include the Via Crucis in the 1860s is the subject of a memorandum of Agreement dated 25th of September 1856 between the then Marquess of Bath and the then Vicar and Churchwardens. The Via Crucis is Listed in its own right, and structural repair work has qualified for the LPWG Scheme. The steps in this area have been repaired by Mendip District Council working with Somerset County Council, and occasional services of 'Sta�ons of the Cross' are now held at the Via Crucis.

Blindhouse

The ‘Blindhouse’ in the corner of the southern churchyard appears to have been relocated to its posi�on where what was Twa�le Alley met Church Lane (as Blindhouse Lane was formerly known) in 1798. The re-ordered churchyard was consecrated in 1801 by the then Bishop of Bristol.

Forecourt

The forecourt as now seen was formed in about 1818 when Bath Street was cut. It includes an area of the old churchyard and land formerly parochial glebe and other proper�es belonging to the Vicar and Churchwardens. It was cleared on the north side between 1815 and 1818 and on the south side between 1826 and 1837. Somerset County Council maintains the highway through the forecourt under a licence agreement, and a further agreement from 1848 allows the owners of 8 Bath Street access to the rear of their property through the forecourt area.

Church Co�age

The Co�age site was conveyed to the Vicar and Churchwardens from the Longleat Estate, and since its use as the Verger’s residence, it has been let in all or part to a variety of bodies. It has been managed by the PCC on behalf of the Vicar and Churchwardens and currently provides office space including our own parish office, and some storage. The PCC authorised significant works including

Continued

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rewiring and reloca�on of the toilet in early 2019 ready for new users (Focus Counselling) to move in.

Church School

The school site is formed from a total of six parcels of land originally the site of the Rectorial Manor House and Tithe Barn of Frome and now vested in the Diocesan Board of Trustees as holding trustees on behalf of the owners, the Vicar and Churchwardens. One parcel is held under the School sites act for educa�onal purposes having been given by the Lamb Brewery in 1932, but the remainder were purchased at various dates from 1910 to 1918 and in 1939 and are all held for general church purposes.

Chancel repair liability

By October 2013 all liability for Chancel Repair should be registered at the Land Registry as any land related liability remaining unregistered at that date will cease upon the next conveyance of that land.

Anciently the responsibility fell to Cirencester Abbey and was accepted by Longleat when they acquired the Rectory of Frome in the 16th century. Though Longleat is described as ‘impropriate Rector’ in the 1936 Tithe Act documenta�on, there is some lack of clarity concerning liability for Chancel Repair as it a�ached to the Rectorial Glebe of the parish and other proper�es listed in the relevant Schedule of Ascertainments. A lengthy and thorough period of inves�ga�ons has revealed that the lands described as Rectorial Glebe in 1840 known as ‘Hewish’ near the present Frome sta�on were acquired by the Wilts, Somerset and Weymouth Railway about 1846, and that area of land is now fragmented into a considerable number of separate ownerships. A copy of the Schedule of Ascertainments has also been obtained from the Na�onal Archives, and it lists several hundred parcels of land as having a propor�onate liability. Many of these parcels have since that date been divided into further smaller parcels as development has taken place in the area.

In the light of guidance received through the Diocese and Church Commissioners, and following research as to the number of proper�es listed in the relevant Schedule of Ascertainments, the PCC decided in 2012 that no registra�on against proper�es in respect of Chancel Repair Liability will be made.

This decision has been made bearing in mind the administra�ve burden involved in iden�fying the many hundreds of proper�es that would be involved, the legal and other costs that would be incurred both in registra�on and in any future enforcement of the liability, and the reputa�onal risk and pastoral consequences of registra�on against a substan�al propor�on of proper�es in the parish.

Christ Church Churchyard

The northern extension to the churchyard at Christ Church was originally conveyed to the parish of Frome St John the Bap�st, and details of current �tle are awai�ng clarifica�on.

Mary Baily Playing Field

Although this field is vested in other par�es and managed by the Town Council for recrea�onal use by children, there is a clause in Mary Baily’s will specifying that upon any breach of the trust upon which the land is held it will then be given over to the Vicar and Churchwardens of Frome St John the Bap�st with power of sale and any such proceeds to be held for the general purposes of the parish.

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Commi�ee reports

St John’s and St Katharine’s Worship Commi�ee

Our first Worship Commi�ee mee�ng of 2020 was on Saturday 18 January. Li�le did we realise, then, that it would be the only �me we would meet to review and plan worship in our churches. We enthusias�cally planned ahead: Mothering Sunday, Holy Week (there was some talk of a donkey at St Katharine’s), Easter, VE day, a Confirma�on service, the Well Dressing, some weddings, a possible Pulpit Swap, Patronal Fes�val. The date of our next mee�ng was to be 2 May 2020. Of course, none of this happened, or at least not as we had planned it. Colin quickly started a series of YouTube services: the Easter period provided opportuni�es for some interes�ng and reflec�ve pieces, especially the Easter Day daybreak service. As we moved through 2020 we experienced further �mes of lockdown and brief relaxa�ons. Some of us have become used to si�ng apart, to waving at each other during the Peace, to receiving Communion in an unfamiliar way, to listening to a choir singing, but not joining in. Some of us discovered something called Zoom and were able to join in services where our fellow worshippers appeared in li�le squares on our screens. Sadly, for some of us, worship as part of St John’s or St Katharine’s congrega�on just did not take place in 2020.

There have been some bright points: our final service at St Katharine’s before lockdown was the Daffodil service, at the beginning of which we were able to pay tribute to Joy Chant who had been such a valued member of both our church choirs; both congrega�ons were able to sing a carol outside church following services at Christmas; faithful lesson readers and intercessions leaders have con�nued their valued ministry either in church or via Zoom; music at St John’s has con�nued thanks to Rosemary’s weekly choir sessions and occasional Compline services, in addi�on to the Sunday Zoom services; every week we are all receiving an order of service together with a reflec�on, by email, post or hand delivery (and thanks are due to everyone involved in that process). We look forward to normal services being resumed. Janet Caudwell

St John’s Social Commi�ee

Our pa�ern of fortnightly Parish lunches in 2020 began brightly with three full lunches (with puddings!) before we embarked on the FACT lunches. We managed to host three Lent Lunches before, following guidance from several churches, we suspended all hospitality. The empty months without the fellowship of lunches and Tea Time at St John’s, Harvest Supper and Christmas Lunch have been bleak. We hope that we will be able to resume this valuable aspect of parish life eventually. Janet Caudwell

St John’s Pastoral Team

The personal contact with members of our congrega�on, maintained by a small group of parishioners, has proved a real life-line during this difficult year. Many of us have not seen each other face to face throughout 2020, but the occasional telephone call or email have each been reassuring. Christmas and Easter Cards and Palm Crosses have been well received. By keeping close contact with each other (usually by email ‒ but we did meet in someone’s gazebo) the Pastoral Team tries to ensure that we do not lose touch with anybody. In a year of isola�on we have tried to maintain the fabric of our church life. Janet Caudwell

Stewardship report

As we all know this has been a very confused year for all of us, no normal church services, minimal socialising with no coffee mornings, tea�me at St Johns or Parish lunches. There have also been no opportuni�es for raising larger amounts of money such as at our regular sales and raffles. We are very grateful to everyone who has con�nued to support us financially with regular giving by standing order, weekly envelopes and generous dona�ons. This income has helped to pay the bills, some of which such as insurance, gas and electricity s�ll need to be met. Thank you all again and hopefully we will have a more op�mis�c report next year. Judith Davies. Stewardship treasurer

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Bennett Centre (St John’s Church Hall) Report

The first three months of 2020 were extremely busy. Bookings really took off and the diary was filling up rapidly for the forthcoming year. It was not unusual for Janet to come home from work and have 10 or so emails, inquiring about the availability of space for hire. We had even booked in a regular Saturday for a Finnish language school for children to start in September.

On the redevelopment front the year started well too with the home-built bell tower (fleche) being li�ed into place on a bright February morning, and the bell now rings during the daylight hours. The fleche meant we could also complete the lightning protec�on and that was cer�fied just before the March 2020 lockdown. We began to plan for further fundraising then …

COVID!

Like everywhere else we had to lock down, but we managed to keep the Frome Food Hub running as it was providing an essen�al service, and it has kept running throughout the year. Once we had clarity on what we could and could not con�nue to do during lockdown, we also completed the remaining H&S aspects in the kitchen by installing the cleaner’s sink and a hand wash basin in the kitchen itself. The volunteers, socially distanced, salvaged enough lias from the offcuts of the cloister floor to complete dressing the half dozen steps within the Upper Room corridor. Thanks to all who helped there. What we can consider in 2021 will depend on further lockdown arrangements and, of course, funding.

With the gradual easing of the lockdown restric�ons in July, we were able to allow some social distancing events to take place over the summer and early autumn: exercise classes, children’s groups, Chris�an Fellowship, individuals rehearsing and some educa�onal training, but overall many classes were understandably cau�ous to come back. Then we had to lockdown again for the month of November, and when restric�ons were eased for December only one or two groups felt it was worth returning for the three weeks before Christmas.

One poten�al piece of good news appeared in an enquiry from an organisa�on suppor�ng young people with learning difficul�es in Somerset, helping them get more from life. They are interested in ren�ng the Cloister space from Monday to Friday on a 3-4 year basis whilst also inves�ng considerably in the space by bringing disabled access to the Cloisters and finishing the windows and doors. This could be an amazing opportunity, bringing us closer to comple�ng the building work. Before Christmas we held two construc�ve mee�ngs with them at the Benne� Centre, and hopefully in the New Year we can take this further, COVID permi�ng.

David Daniels

Management Commi�ee, Benne� Centre.

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Charity/Trust funds Income and expenditure accounts 2020

Notes:

statement of the purposes for which the relevant funds may be applied.

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