THE ANNUAL REPORT AND ACCOUNTS OF THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF WESTBURY (Charity No. 1134367)
For the year ended 31 December 2025
Parish Church of All Saints, Westbury
Holy Saviour Church, Westbury Leigh
THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF WESTBURY
TRUSTEES' REPORT
For the year ended 31 December 2025
Aims and Purposes
The Parochial Church Council (PCC) of the Ecclesiastical Parish of Westbury has the responsibility of cooperating with the clergy of the White Horse Team in promoting in the ecclesiastical parish, the whole mission of the Church, pastoral, evangelistic, social, and ecumenical.
Objectives and Activities
The primary object of the Westbury PCC is the promotion of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to the doctrines and practices of the Church of England.
The PCC has the responsibility of cooperating with the incumbent in promoting the ecclesiastical parish and the whole mission of the Church, pastoral, evangelistic, social, and ecumenical. It also has the responsibilities for both church buildings and the Parish Hall.
In accordance with the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit the incumbent and the PCC have ensured that all worship is open to all and encourage parishioners to take an active part in all aspects of the life of the Church.
Achievements & Performance
We seek to make Jesus know in Westbury by being a confident, joyful and prayerful community.
A highlight of 2025 was the baptism and confirmation of four adults and one young person at a special service with the Bishop of Ramsbury, the Rt Revd Andrew Rumsey at All Saints. This was held on Advent Sunday, and we were delighted to welcome over 100 people, adults and children, to our church. The candidates gave moving stories of their journey to faith. This was a Team Service and it was good to welcome representatives from all our Team churches. This was a visible sign of the ways in which we are making Jesus known in our communities. It is good to know this is having an impact and that we are drawing new people to faith and joining in Christian life and worship.
As we continue with our vision to Make Jesus Known, we are pleased to be able to offer Collective Worship on a regular basis at four of our local schools, reaching approximately 800 children twice a month. Our Open the Book Team goes in to tell and act out Bible stories, and this is very popular with the children. We also offer three Experience events to our three local Church of England schools each term, for Easter, Pentecost and Holy Communion. We invite the whole of a year group to each event each year. This is a very interactive way of sharing our core Christian beliefs with local children, and they really enjoy it. In addition, we have approximately 12 families attending our Little Lights toddler group, run as a joint venture with Westbury Area Churches Together volunteers. We also welcome several families each week to First Steps to Worship on Wednesday mornings during term-time. This event has been going for over 30 years, and some parents return bringing their grandchildren! Other activities include seasonal family fun events, at Easter, and a Light Party as an alternative to Halloween, reaching many different families. All our local schools and some preschools come into All Saints for their Christmas services, which we host, and retell the Christmas story.
We also run the Friday Night Fun Club where we welcome around 30 young people through our doors on a Friday night, offering hospitality and fun activities, working with staff from 4Youth (SouthWest) charity.
Other outreach activities
Our Christmas Tree Festival was a great success again this year, where we welcomed approximately 1,800 people through our doors over the first weekend in December, and raised about £3,000 for church funds. Many families returned for our Christingle Service on Sunday afternoon and we made a collection for the Children’s Society.
Much of our ministry happens quietly and behind the scenes. We continue to take regular services in four local nursing and residential homes for the elderly and this is appreciated. Sometimes the Rector is called out to tend to those in end-of-life care and offers prayer and support. Our four Lay Pastoral Assistants visit the elderly, sick and infirm in their homes and offer Holy Communion. We invite bereaved families to return for a “Time to Remember” service in the autumn, and usually welcome around 60 people who stay on for tea, cake and chat.
Every month we offer Tea, Cake and Company to around 25-30 people on a Tuesday afternoon, many of whom are on their own and welcome the opportunity to get together. We are grateful to those who bake cakes, make teas and coffees, and offer their time and company as well as lifts to those who come along.
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THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF WESTBURY
TRUSTEES' REPORT
For the year ended 31 December 2025
We have a new group formed from the local community who are working on the plans for the parish hall. The plans are being reviewed and revised so that this is a realistic and manageable project.
Team staffing
Our Team Curate, Holly Newton, finished her curacy successfully after four years. She has taken up the opportunity to do an MA in Disability and Theology and has moved to Trowbridge. We were sorry to see her go and wished her well for the future. She made a great contribution to our mission and ministry and left a legacy of a new disability and church inclusion group, which seeks to make our churches, events and activities accessible for people with different needs; as well as Little Lights; Tea, Cake and Company and the children’s fun events which she set up.
Our Team Administrator, Lynne Vercoe announced her retirement and left at the end of July. We were sorry to see her go after eight years’ service, and we gave her a good send-off. We recruited a new Administrator, Sharon Waggott, who started in September and she has made a great start to her time with us.
The Team Vicar vacancy was advertised as a Pioneer role with a special focus on reaching children and families. Unfortunately, we received no suitable applications, so this is being re-advertised at the time of writing and we are hopeful for some good applications in 2026.
We would like to thank everyone who contributes so much to the life, worship, mission and ministry to our parish: for our clergy, lay ministers, PCC members, office-holders and people for their dedication and service throughout the year.
Life Events in 2025
-
Baptisms = 12
-
Weddings = 3 plus two services of Thanksgiving for Marriage
-
Funerals = 16 and two Memorial services
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Confirmations = 5
Plans for 2026
We hope to appoint a new Pioneer Team Vicar in 2026 and interviews are planned for March 2026.
We continue to work on our Mission Action Plan and look to develop our mission to our parish and our ministry in the church and community. The latest version of the Plan will be shared at our APCM in May and we invite people’s comments and engagement.
We are undertaking a gifts and skills campaign in Lent; encouraging all our church members to respond to God’s call to use their gifts and skills in His service. We look to grow our mission to make Jesus known so that all may flourish and grow.
We are also planning a gift day in May when we shall be inviting all church members to consider their financial contribution to our church, so that we can continue to offer lively ministry and mission to our parish, maintain our buildings and meet all our costs which go up every year. It is important that we seek to increase our contribution to the parish share which we give to the Diocese of Salisbury, so that we can continue to meet the needs of our parish.
We hope that the new parish hall group will be able to move forward with the plans for the hall, which will, in due course, mean a large fundraising appeal and applications for grant funding. We look forward to seeing the hall development result in a modern and vibrant centre for community and church life.
Financial Review
The financial position continues to be a challenge. Regular giving including gift aid is £8,366 less than in 2024. At the end of 2025 the general reserves were £10,328 in deficit and so this amount has been drawn down from the Phyllis Griffin Bequest to remove the deficit. This fund now is now reduced to just £1,686 so will no longer be available to offset any similar future deficits. We are grateful to the Diocese of Salisbury for a reduction on the Parish Share request for 2025 by £4,000 but none the less we continue to only be able to pay 60% of the total request of £67,720.
We are encouraged by more members giving through the Parish Giving Scheme which automatically collects gift aid if appropriate and reduces the administrative burden on our volunteers. None the less this remains less than required to be able both to pay our full share to the Diocese of Salisbury and maintain parish life. We have built up a small reserve in the fabric fund, but this will not be sufficient for all the needs identified, particularly with the repair needs of the roof and stonework.
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THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF WESTBURY
TRUSTEES' REPORT
For the year ended 31 December 2025
Our Gift Day in May 2005 resulted in £2,810 for both the General and the Fabric fund. Additional Fundraising included the summer fair in June, tower tours in September and the Christmas Tree Festival. All these events not only helped to raise funds but also provided valuable opportunities to welcome the wider community of Westbury into our church.
Reserves Policy
It is PCC policy to try to maintain a balance on unrestricted funds which equates to at least three months unrestricted payments. This is equivalent to approximately £27,000. It is held to smooth out fluctuations in cash flow and to meet emergencies. The cash balance of approximately £25,700 held on unrestricted (including designated) funds at the year-end nearly meets this target, although the funds are largely designated for particular purposes. It is the PCC’s hope to maintain this over time but are mindful of the future demands on these funds.
Volunteers
We would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has supported our parish during 2025. We are grateful to all those who give their time so generously to sustain the life of the parish and our community. We pray that we will continue to grow in our faith, as we seek to make Jesus known in Westbury and continue to be a loving and welcoming community to all.
Structure, Governance and Management
The Parochial Church Council is a corporate body established by the Church of England. The PCC operates under the Parochial Church Council Powers Measure. The PCC is registered with the Charity Commission
The method of appointing the PCC members is set out in the Church Representation Rules. Clergy, Churchwardens, and elected representatives on the Deanery Synod are ex-officio members and up to nine members are elected at the Annual Parochial Church Meeting. All Church attendees are encouraged to register on the Electoral Roll and stand for election to the PCC.
Administrative information
The Parochial Church Council for the Ecclesiastical Parish of Westbury (PCC) is a registered charity, number 1134367. The principal office of the charity is The White Horse Team Office, Churchyard, Westbury, BA13 3BT.
The registered Trustees at the time of this report are:
| Team Rector | The Rev’d Rebecca Harris | |
|---|---|---|
| Team Vicar | VACANT | |
| Churchwarden | Ruth Hann | |
| Deanery Synod Reps | Elisabeth Thomas | |
| Simon Thorne | ||
| Elected Members | Caroline Dunseath | Lily Munday |
| Judith Newton | Brian Osborne | |
| Jenny Wray-Bliss | ||
| Ex- officio | Ashley Jones LLM |
The Parish Church is located off the Market Place in Westbury and is dedicated to All Saints’. There is a chapel of ease at Westbury Leigh which is dedicated to the Holy Saviour. The Parish is part of the White Horse Team Ministry in the Heytesbury Deanery in the Diocese of Salisbury within the Church of England.
There are two Church Schools in Westbury and our Foundation Governors are:
Westbury Junior School: The Rev’d Rebecca Harris Westbury Leigh Junior School: Anthony Williams
At the end of 2025 there were 85 members on the electoral roll.
Approved by
Rev’d Rebecca Harris (Team Rector) Date
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INDEPENDENT EXAMINERS REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF WESTBURY
(Charity number 1134367)
For the year ended 31 December 2025
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity for the year ended 31 December 2025 which are set out on pages 5 to 8.
Responsibilities and basis of report
As the charity trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”).
I report in respect of my examination of the Trust’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
Independent examiner's statement
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:
-
accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act or
-
the accounts do not accord with the accounting records
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
James Gare FCA DChA
2 Henford Close Warminster Wiltshire BA12 9RA
Date
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THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF WESTBURY
RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNTS
For the year ended 31 December 2025
| Section A Receipts and payments and movements in investments | Section A Receipts and payments and movements in investments | Section A Receipts and payments and movements in investments | Section A Receipts and payments and movements in investments | Section A Receipts and payments and movements in investments | Section A Receipts and payments and movements in investments | Section A Receipts and payments and movements in investments | Section A Receipts and payments and movements in investments | Section A Receipts and payments and movements in investments | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A1 Receipts | General funds to the nearest £ 6,029 - - - 5,145 20,172 33,186 1,000 425 4,306 |
Designated funds to the nearest £ - 11,500 2,736 - 295 - 20 - - 623 |
Restricted funds to the nearest £ 80 - - 9,332 994 - 8,082 5,000 - 200 |
Endowment funds to the nearest £ - - - - - - - - - - |
Total funds to the nearest £ 6,109 11,500 2,736 9,332 6,434 20,172 41,287 6,000 425 5,130 |
Last year to the nearest £ |
|||||
| Fundraising | 6,029 | 5,416 | |||||||||
| Grants | - | 26,560 | |||||||||
| Church hall lettings | - | 5,156 | |||||||||
| Fees from occasional services | - | 9,079 | |||||||||
| Dividends and interest | 5,145 | 5,745 | |||||||||
| Gift Aid donations | 20,172 | 25,227 | |||||||||
| Other donations | 33,186 | 37,188 | |||||||||
| Legacydonations | 1,000 | - | |||||||||
| Gift aid reclaimed | 425 | 6,499 | |||||||||
| Other income | 4,306 | 13,378 | |||||||||
| Total receipts A3 Payments |
|||||||||||
| 70,263 | 15,174 | 23,688 | - | 109,125 | 134,248 | ||||||
| 41,158 7,968 583 3,031 17,116 - 1,084 |
- - - 12,206 23,554 - - |
- 3,030 - 439 1,800 - 2,553 |
- - - - - - - |
41,158 10,998 583 15,676 42,470 - 3,637 |
|||||||
| Parish Share | 41,158 | 41,158 | |||||||||
| Worship | 7,968 | 8,642 | |||||||||
| Fundraising | 583 | 2,251 | |||||||||
| Administration | 3,031 | 14,028 | |||||||||
| Premises | 17,116 | 44,697 | |||||||||
| Major Capital Works | - | 19,998 | |||||||||
| Other costs | 1,084 | 3,899 | |||||||||
| Total payments Net of receipts/(payments) A4 Investmentgains |
|||||||||||
| 70,940 | 35,760 | 7,822 | - | 114,522 | 134,673 | ||||||
(677) |
(20,586) | 15,866 | - | (5,397) | (425) | ||||||
| Unrealised (losses) / gains on CBF |
- | - | (712) | (7,662) | (8,374) | 7,248 | |||||
| Sub total | - | - | (712) | (7,662) | (8,374) | 7,248 | |||||
| Net of receipts / (payments) and investment gains A5 Transfers between funds A6 Monetary funds last year end Monetary funds this year end |
|||||||||||
(677) |
(20,586) | 15,154 | (7,662) | (13,771) | 6,823 | ||||||
| - 334,127 320,356 |
|||||||||||
| 2,132 | 1,876 | (4,008) | - | - | - | ||||||
| (1,455) | 44,477 | 99,423 | 191,682 | 334,127 | 327,303 | ||||||
- |
25,767 | 110,569 | 184,020 | ||||||||
- |
25,767 | 110,569 | 184,020 | 320,356 | 334,127 |
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THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF WESTBURY
RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNTS
For the year ended 31 December 2025
Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period
| Categories sets retained for arity’s own use bilities y one or two trustees f of all the trustees sh funds and held in the CBF h of England ment Fund |
Details | Details | General funds to nearest £ |
General funds to nearest £ |
Designated funds to nearest £ |
Designated funds to nearest £ |
Restricted funds to nearest £ |
Restricted funds to nearest £ |
Endowment funds to nearest £ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lloyds TSB | - | 25,767 | 44,627 | - | |||||
| Bell ringers Account | - | - | 5,702 | - | |||||
| CBF Church of England Investments | - | - | 60,240 | 184,020 | |||||
| Details Total cash funds (agree balances with receipts and payments account(s)) |
- | 25,767 | 110,569 | 184,020 | |||||
| OK | OK | ||||||||
| Current value (optional) |
|||||||||
| - | |||||||||
| Details | When due (optional) |
||||||||
| - | |||||||||
| Signature | Date of approval |
||||||||
| Rev’d Rebecca Harris (Team Rector) | |||||||||
| Ruth Hann (Churchwarden) |
B1 Cash funds and funds held in the CBF Church of England Investment Fund
B2 Assets retained for the charity’s own use
B3 Liabilities
Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees
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THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF WESTBURY
RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNTS
For the year ended 31 December 2025
Section C Statement of funds at the end of the period
| Brought Forward to nearest £ C1 Unrestrictedgeneral funds |
Brought Forward to nearest £ C1 Unrestrictedgeneral funds |
Brought Forward to nearest £ C1 Unrestrictedgeneral funds |
Income to nearest £ |
Income to nearest £ |
Expenditure to nearest £ |
Expenditure to nearest £ |
Transfers to nearest £ |
Transfers to nearest £ |
Gains on Investments to nearest £ |
Gains on Investments to nearest £ |
Carried Forward to nearest £ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General fund | (1,455) | 70,263 | (70,940) | 2,132 | - | - | |||||
| Sub total (1,455) C2 Unrestricted designated funds DiscretionaryFund 5,074 RectoryFund 1,431 Office - Phyllis Griffin Bequest 12,014 Parish Hall 11,427 Youth Club 14,531 |
(1,455) | 70,263 | (70,940) | 2,132 | - | - | |||||
| - 295 - 4,123 - 2,736 8,020 |
- - - (16,327) - (9,196) (10,237) |
- - - 12,204 (10,328) - - |
- - - - - - |
||||||||
| DiscretionaryFund | 5,074 | 295 | - | - | - | 5,369 | |||||
| RectoryFund | 1,431 | - | - | - | - | 1,431 | |||||
| Office | - | 4,123 | (16,327) | 12,204 | - | - | |||||
| Phyllis Griffin Bequest | 12,014 | - | - | (10,328) | - | 1,686 | |||||
| Parish Hall | 11,427 | 2,736 | (9,196) | - | - | 4,967 | |||||
| Youth Club | 14,531 | 8,020 | (10,237) | - | - | 12,314 | |||||
| Sub total | 44,477 | 15,174 | (35,760) | 1,876 | - | 25,767 | |||||
| C3 Restricted funds | - 18,216 7,903 1,058 5,762 269 - - 981 3,218 1,069 60,947 |
- 7,376 6,323 - - 63 394 9,532 - - - - |
- - (1,800) - (59) (99) (340) (5,524) - - - |
- - - - - - - (4,008) - - - - |
- - - - - - - - - - - (712) |
- | |||||
| A-S Fabric | 18,216 | 7,376 | - | - | - | 25,592 | |||||
| A-S Organ | 7,903 | 6,323 | (1,800) | - | - | 12,426 | |||||
| A-S Music | 1,058 | - | - | - | - | 1,058 | |||||
| Bells Revenue | 5,762 | - | (59) | - | - | 5,703 | |||||
| Children's Mission | 269 | 63 | (99) | - | - | 233 | |||||
| Curacy | - | 394 | (340) | - | - | 54 | |||||
| Fees | - | 9,532 | (5,524) | (4,008) | - | - | |||||
| Hall Redevelpoment | 981 | - | - | - | 981 | ||||||
| H-S Fabric | 3,218 | - | - | - | - | 3,218 | |||||
| St Aldham Grant | 1,069 | - | - | - | - | 1,069 | |||||
| Tin Hut Deposit | 60,947 | - | - | - | (712) | 60,235 | |||||
| Sub total | 99,423 | 23,688 | (7,822) | (4,008) | (712) | 110,569 | |||||
| C4 Endowment funds | - | - | - | - | - | - | |||||
| AS Church Repair Fund | 10,366 | - | - | - | - 414 | 9,952 | |||||
| H-S Endowment | 6,636 | - | - | - | - 265 | 6,371 | |||||
| Holy Saviour church repair fund |
11,249 | - | - | - | - 450 | 10,799 | |||||
| Knight Endowment | 7,532 | - | - | - | - 301 | 7,231 | |||||
| Mabel Smith Endowment | 145,281 | - | - | - | - 5,808 | 139,473 | |||||
| Stafford Brown CCLA | 10,618 | - | - | - | - 424 | 10,194 | |||||
| **Sub total ** | 191,682 | - | - | - | - 7,662 | 184,020 | |||||
| Totals | - | - | - | ||||||||
| 334,127 | 109,125 | (114,522) | - | (8,374) | 320,356 |
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THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF WESTBURY
RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNTS
For the year ended 31 December 2025
Section D Notes to the accounts
D1 Basis of accounts preparation
Although the accounts are prepared on a receipts and payments method, the unrealised gain on the funds held in the CBF Church of England Investment Fund have also been included to provide a fuller understanding of the Charity's monetary assets.
D2 Endowments
All Saints' Church Repair Fund incorporates: Cox bequest, Cutler/ Francis bequest, Massey Lopes bequest, Timsbury bequest.
Holy Saviour Church repair fund incorporates: Henry Butcher bequest, W/L Church Repair fund
Stafford Brown Endowment incorporates Gibbs bequest.
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