ST BOTOLPH'S CHURCH THE PARISH OF CHEVENING
ANNUAL REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST BOTOLPH'S IN THE PARISH OF CHEVENING, KENT
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2024
Incumbent: The Reverend Hannah Adams
Address:
The Church Office Chevening Parish Hall Homedean Road Chipstead, Sevenoaks Kent, TN13 2RU
THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST BOTOLPH'S THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF CHEVENING SEVENOAKS DEANERY - DIOCESE OF ROCHESTER
ANNUAL REPORT FOR 2024
Administrative information
St Botolph's Church is situated on Chevening Road in the parish of Chevening, Kent. It is part of the Diocese of Rochester within the Church of England. The address for correspondence is Chevening Church Office, Homedean Road, Chipstead, TN13 2RU.
The Parochial Church Council of St Botolph's (the PCC) is a corporate body established by the Church of England and it operates under the PCC Powers Measure 1956 as amended and the Church Representation Rules. The PCC was formerly an excepted charity and its registration with the Charity Commission was approved on 10th March 2010.
Information about the PCC and its activities can be found on the Charity Commission website under registration number 1134784. The PCC is subject to the Charities Act 2011 as amended.
The PCC officers and members who served during 2024 were:
Incumbent The Reverend Hannah Adams Churchwardens Mr Joseph Devine Mrs Sally Munro Treasurer Mr Graham Higgs Deanery Synod Secretary Mr Peter Wilson Members Mrs Lela Weavers Diocesan Synod Mrs Fiona Jordan Safeguarding Officer Mrs Donna Hill Mr James Gale Mr Thomas Geldard Mr Andrew Taylor Mrs Rebecca Pilcher Mrs Hannah Williams Mr Christopher Austen Mrs Susan Wandless Mrs Sophie Osborne Mrs Jessica Lewis
St Botolph's is a member of 'Churches Together' in Sevenoaks and District.
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THE CHIPSTEAD CHAPEL CHARITY (Charity Number 1147141)
The PCC is the managing trustee of this charity and it can therefore be considered as connected but, as the nature and purpose of the two entities are not the same, consolidation of the accounts is not considered as appropriate.
STRUCTURE AND GOVERNANCE
The method of appointment of PCC members is set out in the Church Representation Rules. All church attendees are encouraged to register on the Electoral Roll and stand for election to the PCC.
OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES
The primary duty of the PCC is to support the incumbent of the parish, the Reverend Hannah Adams, in promoting the whole mission of the church in the parish. It is also the function of the PCC to be responsible for the financial affairs of the church and the care and maintenance of the church fabric and its contents.
ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE
In 2024 we continued to focus on the following priorities:-
Provision for Children and Young People especially practical space in church Growing our midweek small groups
Improving our welcome and integrating newcomers Unity across services
We have made great progress with these priorities. The PCC have been working hard on plans for improving our Children's Area and the Refreshment Area and we have introduced an additional small group with new people joining. Our Harvest Pub Quiz is a great example of our bringing our church together as a community from across our three different services and we plan to do more fellowship events. We have seen an increase in new people joining us on a Sunday with an increase in attendance at both our 9 a.m and 10.30 a.m services.
Our 2024 Community Barbecue showed the highest attendance ever with approximately 250 from our local community enjoying a fun filled afternoon. 2024 also saw the renewed Chevening School Sunday Service which has not been held since before Covid. Seeing the Church filled with families from the School Community was fantastic and 2024 has seen the long standing relationship between the school and church continue to strengthen.
For the year 2024, statistics show that our worshipping community consists of the following:-
| Age Groups: | 0-17 | 30 |
|---|---|---|
| 18-69 | 59 | |
| 70+ | 31 | |
| Total Worshipping | Community | 120 |
These numbers remain encouraging especially in the number of children and young people which is far above the national average although we do recognise that we cannot solely place value on purely numerical factors. Each number represents a person, a person who God loves and we will continue, as a church family, to work together towards our vision to be
A BEACON OF HOPE
and seeing God's Transformational love at work in our lives and in our Community.
The Reverend Hannah Adams
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ELECTORAL ROLL AND PCC MEETINGS
At the time of the Annual Parish Meeting in 2024 there were 257 on the electoral roll including 128 who were not resident in the parish. The average number of adults attending each morning service on Sundays was 66 compared with 61 for 2023.
The full Parochial Church Council met on 10 occasions with an average attendance of 81.6%. The Standing Committee met regularly throughout the year and the minutes of these meetings were received by the PCC, discussed and adopted as appropriate.
WYNDHAM STRODE & ANOTHER (Charity Number 307745)
This charity, founded in the early part of the 18th Century, is administered by Trustees being the Rector and Churchwardens of St Botolph's. The objects are to assist poor persons who are resident in the Parish of Chevening, who are under 21 years of age and who are preparing for, entering upon or engaged in any trade, occupation or service, to buy outfits, pay fees of instruction, travelling expenses or such means for their advancement in life or to enable them to earn their living, as the Trustees think fit. The entities are not connected.
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THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST BOTOLPH'S
FINANCIAL REVIEW 2024
Income
Total incoming resources were £146,342 (£114,482 in 2023) and these are detailed in the financial statements. Voluntary unrestricted income has increased to £115,998 from £106,511 in 2023. The income has benefitted from a gift of £10,000 from the estate of a parishioner.
Fees for weddings and funerals were £3,501 compared with £2,805 in 2023.
Expenditure
Our expenditure on church activities was £128,930 (£152,265 - 2023) this includes our parish contribution of £45,957 (2023 - £60,000) to the costs of administering the Diocese and the cost of the Rector's stipend and associated costs.
Generally our expenditure has been strictly controlled this year but there continue to be a number of repair and maintenance issues which will need to be resolved in the coming year.
Reserves
As a result of our activities in 2024, our unrestricted funds increased to £57,759 from £39,709 in 2023. Restricted reserves increased from £79,672 in 2023 to £79,800 after completing the investment in a new Audio Visual resource.
It is PCC policy to maintain a balance of unrestricted funds of at least £25,000 to cover emergency situations that may arise from time to time. Unrestricted reserves, at the year end, amounted to £57,759 which, after setting aside the minimum referred to above, is equivalent to approximately 18 weeks compared to 6 in 2023.
Our restricted funds include the Building Fund which consists of monies given and retained towards meeting the costs of major repairs to the fabric of the church itself including such costs as may arise from our Quinquennial Inspections. We also have funds remaining after the completion of the work on the nave roof which, in the opinion of the PCC, may be used for further essential roof repairs and church maintenance. These funds total £54,804.
It is the policy of the PCC that funds held in excess of foreseeable needs shall be invested with the CBF Church of England Deposit Fund with the CCLA.
Approved by the Parochial Church Council and signed on its behalf by:
Reverend Hannah Adams Rector and PCC Chair
The Reverand Hannah Adams
Date
31st March 2025
The notes attached form part of these accounts
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THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST BOTOLPH'S
Statement of Financial Activities for the year ended 31st December 2024
| Income and endowments Voluntary income Investment income Fees Other income Total income Expenditure Church activities Costs of generating funds Total expenditure Net income (-expenditure) Unrealised gains or losses Net movement in funds Funds brought forward Funds carried forward |
Notes | Unrestricted Restricted Endowment Total Total funds funds funds 31.12.24 31.12.23 |
|---|---|---|
| 2a 2b 2c 2d 3a 3b |
115,998 22,825 138,823 104,449 4,018 4,018 2,528 3,501 3,501 2,855 4,602 |
|
| 123,517 22,825 0 146,342 114,434 |
||
| 105,146 23,784 128,930 148,401 3,864 |
||
| 105,146 23,784 0 128,930 152,265 |
||
| 18,371 -959 17,412 -37,831 -321 527 560 766 1,685 |
||
| 18,050 -432 560 18,178 -36,146 39,710 55,236 24,436 119,382 155,528 |
||
| £57,760 £54,804 £24,996 £137,560 £119,382 |
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THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST BOTOLPH'S
Balance Sheet as at 31st December 2024
| Accumulated funds Unrestricted funds Restricted funds Endowment funds Total Church Funds Represented by Fixed assets Investments Current assets Accounts receivable-payable Balances at bank Total Church Assets |
Notes 6 7 8 |
31.12.24 57,759 54,804 24,996 £137,559 34,254 34,254 -5,316 108,621 103,305 £137,559 |
31.12.23 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 39,710 55,236 24,436 |
|||
| £119,382 | |||
| 33,490 | |||
| 33,490 | |||
| 4,994 80,898 |
|||
| 85,892 | |||
| £119,382 |
| Approved by the Parochial Church Reverend Hannah Adams Rector and PCC Chair Date |
Council and signed on its behalf by: |
|---|---|
| The Reverend Hannah Adams | |
| 31st March 2025 |
The notes attached form part of these accounts
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THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST BOTOLPH'S
Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31st December 2024
1 ACCOUNTING POLICIES
The Financial Statements have been prepared in accordance with the Charities Act 2011 and in accordance with the Church Accounting Regulations 2006 governing the individual accounts of PCCs and with the Regulations regarding 'true and fair view'. They have been prepared under FRS102 (2016) as the applicable accounting standard and the 2016 version of Recommended Practice, Accounting and reporting by Charities (SORP9 FRS102).
The Financial Statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention except for investment assets which are shown at market value. The Financial Statements include all transactions, assets and liabilities for which the PCC is responsible in law. They do not include the accounts of church groups that owe their main affiliation to another body nor those that are informal gatherings of church members.
FUNDS
Unrestricted funds are those that can be used by the PCC for any qualifying general purpose.
Restricted funds are those that can only be used for the specific purpose for which they have been given. Details of the restrictions currently in place are given in the notes to the accounts.
Endowment funds are those where the capital amount must be maintained and only the income arising therefrom can be used for the specified purpose. The PCC have taken note of the provisions of the Trusts (Capital and Income) Act 2013 whereby they may opt for a division of total income and capital that balances the need to achieve the objectives of the endowment with the need to maintain the long term capital value of the fund.
INCOMING RESOURCES
Planned giving, collections and donations generally are recognised when received. Tax recoverable is recognised when the income to which it relates is received. Grants and legacies are accounted for when the PCC becomes legally entitled to the amounts concerned. Dividends and interest are accounted for when they become due.
RESOURCES EXPENDED
Grants and donations are accounted for when paid over or when awarded, if that award creates a binding or constructive obligation on the PCC.
The annual parish contribution to the diocese is paid by equal monthly instalements.
FIXED ASSETS
Consecrated and beneficed property is not included in these accounts in accordance with S.10(2) of the Charities Act 2011.
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Movable church furnishings held by the Rector and Churchwardens on special trust for the PCC and which require a faculty for disposal are inalienable property and listed in the church's inventory which can be inspected at any reasonable time by arrangement with the church office.
Tangible fixed assets are capitalised on acquisition, included in the balance sheet and subsequently revalued at each year end. Depreciation on tangible fixed assets is not provided in these accounts unless considered appropriate.
Investments are valued at market value on the balance sheet date where available.
Short term deposits are cash held on deposit either with the CCLA or at Barclays Bank plc, Sevenoaks.
2 INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS
| a Voluntary income planned giving one off donations, collections other donations, appeals Gift Aid recoverable Grants Legacies Grants in 2024 included b Investment income dividends interest c fees for funerals and weddings d other income TOTAL INCOME |
Unrestricted Restricted Endowment Total Total funds funds funds 31.12.24 31.12.23 |
|---|---|
| 68,021 68,021 63,522 14,497 14,497 10,249 10,000 22,825 32,825 560 17,480 17,480 17,389 6,000 6,000 8,697 4,032 |
|
| 115,998 22,825 0 138,823 104,449 |
|
| 1,186 1,186 643 2,832 2,832 1,886 |
|
| 4,018 0 0 4,018 2,529 |
|
| 3,501 3,501 2,855 |
|
| 3,501 0 0 3,501 2,855 |
|
| 4,649 | |
| 0 0 0 0 4,649 |
|
| £123,517 £22,825 £0 £146,342 £114,482 |
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THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST BOTOLPH'S
Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31st December 2024
3 EXPENDITURE
| a Mission & charitable giving Parish contribution to Diocese Salaries for support staff Communications fees Visiting clergy Honoraria, organists, vergers Ministry support Rectory costs Church running costs Church repairs & maintenance Church equipment Parish office costs Governance & audit b Fundraising costs TOTAL EXPENDITURE |
Unrestricted Restricted Endowment Total Total funds funds funds 31.12.24 31.12.23 |
|---|---|
| 1,606 1,606 2,818 45,957 45,957 60,000 23,445 23,445 19,878 3,520 3,520 10,521 466 466 1,072 2,270 2,270 1,935 1,641 1,641 4,541 3,747 3,747 5,047 12,534 12,534 13,114 4,905 4,905 26,343 23,784 23,784 5,055 5,055 3,132 |
|
| 105,146 23,784 128,930 148,401 |
|
| 3,864 | |
| £105,146 £23,784 0 £128,930 £152,265 |
c In 2019 a restricted fund was established in the name of the Reverend Maurice Hewitt to provide a stained glass window in the church. Extensive repairs were needed to the window concerned to enable the project to be completed and they were completed in January 2020. The window and explanatory plaque were completed and installed in 2022
4 STAFF COSTS
| FF COSTS | |
|---|---|
| Average number of employees Wages costs |
2 2 |
| £23,445 £19,878 |
5 RELATED PARTIES
PCC members and officers are reimbursed for making approved purchases as agents of the PCC. These transactions are not regarded as personal and no disclosure of them is required.
Although an ex officio member of the PCC, the Rector is employed by the Church of England and her stipend and associated costs are included within note 3(a).
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THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST BOTOLPH'S
Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31st December 2024
6 FIXED ASSETS
| INVESTMENTS Holding Purchased DBF CBF Investment Fund 1,081 Nov 1967 BP Amoco 8% Cum 1st pref 500 April 1992 City of London Trust 4.2% pref 500 April 1992 COIF Investment Fund £456 Mar 2001 7 FUNDS a ANALYSIS OF NET ASSETS Unrestricted Restricted Investments 9,258 Current assets 103,305 £103,305 £9,258 b ANALYSIS OF FUNDS General Fund 103,305 Restricted funds 9,258 Stanhope Fund £103,305 £9,258 8 CURRENT ASSETS Gift Aid recoverable Receivables less Money held for Chipstead Chapel Charity Barclays Bank plc CCLA general CCLA building CCLA other restricted |
Holding Purchased |
Cost | 31.12.24 31.12.23 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,081 Nov 1967 500 April 1992 500 April 1992 £456 Mar 2001 Unrestricted Restricted |
1,000 £ 360 £ 265 £ 4,610 £ |
24,995 24,436 £ 690 830 £ 430 440 £ 8,267 8,201 £ |
|
| 6,235 £ |
34,382 33,907 £ |
||
| Endowment | 31.12.24 31.12.23 |
||
| 9,258 103,305 |
24,996 | 9,258 33,490 128,301 85,892 |
|
| £103,305 £9,258 |
£24,996 | £137,559 £119,382 |
|
| 103,305 9,258 |
24,996 | 39,710 55,236 24,436 |
|
| £103,305 £9,258 |
£24,996 | £137,559 £119,382 |
|
| 5,308 3,693 4,375 3,610 |
|||
| 9,683 7,303 15,000 4,994 |
|||
| -£5,317 2,309 |
|||
| 35,582 23,582 49,134 27,313 12,805 12,159 11,101 10,541 |
|||
| £108,622 73,595 |
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THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST BOTOLPH'S
Year ended 31st December 2024
Independent Examiner's Report to the Parochial Church Council of St Botolph's Church in the parish of Chevening, Kent
I report on the accounts for the year ended 31st December 2024 which are set out on pages 5 and 6.
Respective responsibilities of the Trustees and the Independent Examiner
The church trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts and they consider that an audit is not required for this year under Section 145 of the Charities Act 2011.
It is my responsibility, as Independent Examiner, to:
-
examine the accounts under Section 145 of the Charities Act 2011
-
follow the procedures laid down in the general directions given by the Charity Commissioners in Section 145(b) of the 2011 Act
-
state whether particular matters have been brought to my attention
Basis of Independent Examiner's Statement
My examination was carried out in accordance with the General Directions given by the Charity Commission. Such examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes a consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts and seeking explanations from appropriate trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit and, consequently, no opijnion is given as to whether the accounts present a 'true and fair view' and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below:-
In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention:
-
1 which gives me reasonable cause to believe that, in any material respect, the requirements
-
to keep accounting records in accordance with Section 130 of the 2011 Act or
-
to prepare financial statements which accord with those accounting records
have not been met or
- 2 to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
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Signed
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Joshua Peake Date 31st March 2025
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Mr Joshua Peake, ACCA
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