THE PARISH OF ST MARY'S SLAUGHAM AND
ST MARK'S STAPLEFIELD COMMON
End of Year Financial Statements
Year ending 31[st] December 2024
TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT
The Parochial Church Council of the Ecclesiastical Parish of St Mary’s
Slaugham and St Mark’s Staplefield Common
registered charity number 1134786
for the year ended 31[st] December 2024
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AIMS AND PURPOSES
Slaugham & Staplefield Parochial Church Council has the responsibility of co-operating with the Rector to promote the whole mission of the church (pastoral, evangelistic, social and ecumenical) within the ecclesiastical parish, comprising the villages of Handcross, Pease Pottage, Slaugham, Staplefield and Warninglid.
The PCC maintains an overview of worship throughout the parish and makes suggestions on how our services can involve and include the different people who live within our parish.
Our services and worship put faith into practice through prayer, scripture, music and sacrament.
When planning our activities for the year, the incumbent considered the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit and, in particular, the specific guidance on ‘charities for the advancement of religion’. We tried to enable local people to live out their faith as part of our parish community through:
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worship and prayer, learning about the Gospel, and developing their knowledge of,
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and trust in, Jesus.
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provision of pastoral care for people living in the parish.
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outreach.
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missionary support.
To facilitate this work, it is important that we maintain the fabric of our three church buildings, St Mary’s Slaugham, St Mark’s Staplefield and All Saints Handcross.
As a united parish there are times when we jointly worship together and plan together so that maximum benefit can be derived for both the whole parish.
Objectives for 2025
As we continue to develop the work of the wider parish and see encouraging signs of growth we are reflecting a great deal around the theme of welcome. What does it mean for each of
our churches and activities run by them, to be creating safe and welcoming places for worship, discipleship, fellowship and encounters with the risen Jesus. Our three main priorities of the year are
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To understand what ‘Welcome home’ means for each of our individual contexts
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To develop and strengthen the links with Warninglid residents and businesses
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To grow in generosity
We also have the privilege of becoming a training parish and will be welcoming a curate in July 2025!
Attendance at worship
Our average attendance is between 90 and 110 each week across the Parish, which comprises people of all ages. Whilst there has been a slight decrease at St Mary’s, we have seen and are seeing signs of growth across the parish as a whole. With two new regular congregations that previously didn’t exist it is great to able to offer a variety of services through the month and to have more local expressions of church for many people.
Developing and supporting believers, both established and new
There has been a specific focus on discipleship in the past year, especially of those who have been recently baptised. A number of small discipleship groups and one-to-ones have been happening across the parish and most notably in Pease Pottage.
Prayer remains a central part of all we do across the parish. We have continued our monthly prayer gatherings and have plans to develop these further and offer more opportunities for people to pray together for the needs of the parish, the schools and wider world issues.
We conducted eight weddings, twenty-three baptisms (15 children & 8 adults), and twentythree funerals (including ashes interments) in 2024.
The joint choir of St. Mary’s and St. Mark’s Staplefield and musicians were able to participate at services held for Harvest, Remembrance and Christmas, including at our annual carol services and crib service on Christmas Eve. All of our Christmas events, held in all 5 villages, were very well attended and supported, and the engagement with schools was higher than previous years with more services and Handcross Primary having their carol service in St Mary’s for the first time in over 10 years.
Evangelism and outreach
The Handcross Community Pantry has been renamed to the ‘West Weald Community Pantry’ and remains our main and most thriving activity for mission, supporting local families with food supplies, and building community through the Saturday morning café. There has also been an increased focus on reducing food waste which has led to us seeing a different group of people.
The All Saints congregation has become more established with regular Sunday morning services now taking place. We have also developed the work in Pease Pottage and now have monthly worship gathering established in the Hub as well has having a weekly discipleship group for the children involved in those services.
The Rector continues to be heavily involved in all our schools and we have seen a number of children at St Mark’s coming to faith.
Provision of the church buildings
We are blessed with having three church buildings in the parish. St Mary’s in Slaugham would normally be used regularly for most of our church services as well as other activities and groups. All Saints in Handcross is good and centrally placed, and has become much more utilised in the past year, it is especially encouraging to see regular Sunday services taking place there. St Mark’s is used regularly for Tuesday and Sunday worship and has been used for other prayer events for school and church. We want our church buildings to be used by the wider community as well as for church services, and we welcome groups meeting there; we seek to see St Mary’s used more for quiet days and retreats, and it has also been used more by local Slaugham residents for events.
The Creative Expressions art group continues to meet at St Mary’s on Fridays.
We are pleased when people enjoy the church building, be they worshippers or visitors, and our visitor book regularly has entries which reflect our care of the church for the enjoyment of all.
Future developments for the church buildings and properties
We continue with the plans to install a toilet at St Mark’s, new designs have been created and a faculty application has been made with the plan to be starting work in Spring 2025, and we are re-opening discussions about the access at All Saints.
Care for others – pastoral care, tangible support, charitable giving – within the parish and beyond
Pastoral care takes place through visiting, whether people are at home, in hospital or in a nursing home. The Rector visits when possible but there are a number of people involved in visiting. We also continue to be able to hold our regular visits to the Belle Vue nursing home in Warninglid.
There has also been support of the wider community. Our Parish Hardship Fund was used to help a number of people who had been struggling financially.
Helen Arnold has been regularly phoning the older members of our community through her role on the Rosemary Club, and has been informing the Rector of any needs or concerns and Sarah Grose has been making the Rector aware of others who need visits.
FINANCIAL REVIEW OF 2024
This year was the second year of the new Parish, and we are still learning the complexities of that from a financial management point of view. We also had a change of treasurer within 2024 and so there are some things that are affected by the handover process. There are still separate bank accounts for the churches of St Mark’s and St Mary’s with All Saints, though the Parish Share is now paid for the entire parish as one whole. Sensitivity has to be applied when people make gifts expressly for the benefit of one or other churches and this has to be respected.
Income
Total income from donations and legacies for 2024 was £153,481 which was slightly up on 2023. This was due to some new givers and some significant gift days towards the work of All Saints. The Parish Share now paid to the Diocese for the Parish of St Mark’s and St Mary’s and we paid 80% of our share with a view to increase that by 5% each year, following consultation between the Diocese and the Rector, which was paid in 12 monthly instalments as usual. This money pays for clergy salaries, pensions, housing costs, training and also a contribution towards the Church of England at a national level. It also helps churches less able to pay for themselves within the Diocese.
Staff Posts
We currently have three part-time employees: Fae Widdowson as Parish Administrator, Paul Hollinshead as Digital Communications Outreach Worker and Phil Hawksley as Lay Apostolic Worker for All Saints. We remain incredibly grateful for the work of our amazing staff and will be reviewing their pay in 2025.
A number of members of the PCC also receive payments throughout the year for expenditure incurred in the running of the church, especially the wardens responsible for church supplies such as palm crosses and candles. Barbara Butfoy has continued, as in previous years, to be pivotal in obtaining supplies for the Pantry. We now have a separate Pantry bank account into which donations can be made. Barbara has a debit card to make purchases.
Churchyard Maintenance
Matt Sugrue, continues to maintain the church yard really well as is a real asset to the church and those who visit the churchyard
Church Maintenance
The usual expenditure was required on annual inspections of electrical and safety systems.
The new heating regime appears to be satisfactory, whereby the underfloor heating is switched on only for the main Sunday services, funerals, etc. Whilst the church is not as
warm as it used to be, the congregation has adapted well. There are fleece blankets available for those who need them, and the heating costs are manageable. The increased usage of All Saints has resulted in an increase in electricity bills in that church.
Mission Giving
Ignoring income to restricted funds and wedding and funeral fees collected on behalf of the diocese, our Mission giving was about 11% of income. This includes donations to the Pantry, as well as giving to those we regularly support and organisations that we support on an annual basis.
Reserves Policy
It is the policy of the PCC to maintain 2 months’ worth of expenditure in unrestricted funds.
STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT
The Parochial Church Council (PCC) has registered with the Charity Commission as required by the Charities Act 2011.
Membership of the PCC is determined under the Church Representation Rules and consists of certain ex-officio members (the incumbent, curate, lay readers licensed to officiate in the church), the churchwardens and members of the Deanery, Diocesan or General Synods, and a maximum of twelve members of the churches, who are elected at the Annual Parochial Church Meeting (APCM). Members are warmly encouraged to stand for election to the PCC and we try to ensure a balance of skills and experience where possible.
The full PCC met regularly during the year, as did the St Mark’s subcommittee. The PCC Standing Committees (comprising rector, curate, two churchwardens, treasurer and one assistant warden) are able to transact the business of the PCC between meetings, subject to any directions given by the council. There are two unelected assistant churchwardens at St Mary’s who help greatly.
The Mission Partnership Committee advises the PCC on funding and support issues relating to people and organisations. The church understands the correlation between mission and evangelism, and gives away at least a tenth of its disposable voluntary income.
The Ministry Support Team (comprising Rector, churchwardens, All Saints Missional Community Leaders, Catering Outreach Manager, Digital Outreach Worker, Administrator, Mentoring Co-ordinator) meet on a weekly basis to pray and share ideas and vision, and they also communicate regularly on WhatsApp.
During the year the following people served as members of the Parochial Church Council.
Rev. Carl Smith (Chair) Mr Frank Moss Ms Jane Moss Mr Colin Tomlinson Ms Elizabeth Cox Miss Barbara Butfoy Mr Michael Howard Mrs Jan Elliott Mr Philip Hawksley Mr. Rick Grose Ms Rosemary Gregory Miss Anna Sesemann Mrs Lizzie Reynolds Mr. Jon Rotheray Mrs Shana Fleming Mrs Alison Coley Mrs Helen Arnold
This report was approved by the Trustees on
………………………………………………………………………… and signed on their behalf by:
Colin Tomlinson Churchwarden
Helen Arnold Churchwarden
Receipts and Payments Account
| Prior | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unrestricted | Designated |
Restricted |
Endowment | Total | year | |
| funds | funds | funds |
funds | funds | total | |
| funds | ||||||
| Receipts | ||||||
| Donations and legacies | 122,354 | 338 | 30,789 |
- | 153,481 | 135,833 |
| Investments | 7,557 | - | - |
- | 7,557 | 5,576 |
| Other income | - | - | - |
- | - | 324,528 |
| Income from charitable activities | - | - | - |
- | - | - |
| Other trading activities | - | - | - |
- | - | - |
| Total Receipts | 129,912 | 338 | 30,789 |
**- ** | 161,039 | 465,936 |
| Payments | ||||||
| Expenditure on charitable activities |
151,236 | 1,590 | 25,639 |
- | 178,466 | 135,808 |
| Raising funds | - | - | - |
- | - | - |
| Other expenditure | - | - | - |
- | - | - |
| Total Payments | 151,236 | 1,590 | 25,639 |
**- ** | 178,466 | 135,808 |
| Excess of receipts over payments before transfer |
(21,325) | (1,252) | 5,150 |
**- ** | (17,427) | 330,128 |
| Transfers: | ||||||
| Gross transfers between funds - in | - | - | - |
- | - | - |
| Gross transfers between funds - | ||||||
| out | - | - | - |
- | - | - |
| Excess of receipts over payments before other gains |
(21,325) | (1,252) | 5,150 |
- | (17,427) | 330,128 |
| Net movement in funds | (21,325) | (1,252) | 5,150 |
**3,321 ** | (14,106) | 338,478 |
| Reconciliation of funds | ||||||
| Excess of receipts over | ||||||
| payments at beginning of the | 48,883 | 37,497 | 128,747 |
**123,351 ** | 338,478 | - |
| year | ||||||
| Excess of receipts over payments for the year |
27,558 | 36,245 | 133,897 |
**126,672 ** | 324,372 | 338,478 |
Balance Sheet (Summary)
| As at 31/12/2024 As at 31/12/2023 |
|
|---|---|
| Fixed assets Investments Current assets Cash At Bank And In Hand Liabilities Net current assets less current liabilities Total assets less current liabilities Liabilities Total net assets less liabilities Represented by Unrestricted Unrestricted - General Funds Designated Designated - All Building Projects Fund Designated - Hardship Fund Designated - May Ball 2019 Designated - St Marks Toilet Fundraising Restricted Restricted - All Saints Re-Ordering Restricted - Carpet Fund Restricted - Church And Churchyard Repair Restricted - Heating Costs Restricted - Leaving Gift |
126,672 123,351 |
| 126,672 123,351 197,700 215,127 |
|
| 197,700 215,127 |
|
| - - |
|
| 197,700 215,127 |
|
| 324,372 338,478 - - |
|
| 324,372 338,478 27,558 48,883 700 700 38 450 28,391 28,391 7,116 7,956 83,867 83,867 1,736 1,320 30,149 30,149 1,000 1,000 285 285 |
| Restricted - Parish Ministry By Avril Or Phil Restricted - Parish Relief Fund Restricted - StM Toilet Restricted - Teacher Fund Endowment Endowment - Gibson-Warren Endowment - Mission Sale Endowment - Sunday School Endowment - Warren Endowment Fund Totals |
5,440 1,236 890 890 10,480 10,000 50 - 29,450 28,587 40,803 39,607 11,515 11,257 44,904 43,899 |
|---|---|
| 324,372 338,478 |
Statement of Assets and Liabilities (by fund)
| Balance Previous balance |
|
|---|---|
| Investments 0010: Warren Endowment Warren Endowment Endowment 44,904 43,899 44,904 43,899 0011: Sunday School Fund Sunday School Endowment 11,515 11,257 11,515 11,257 0012: Sale Mission Room Mission Sale Endowment 40,803 39,607 40,803 39,607 0013: Gibson-Warren Gibson-Warren Endowment 29,450 28,587 29,450 28,587 Investments 126,672 123,351 Cash At Bank And In Hand 2000: HSBC Current account General Fund Unrestricted 4,248 15,594 Hardship Fund Designated (412) - Parish Relief Fund Restricted 890 890 St Marks Toilet Fundraising Designated (840) - StM Toilet Restricted 480 - Teacher Fund Restricted 50 - Parish Ministry By Avril Or Phil Restricted 5,440 1,236 Carpet Fund Restricted 1,736 1,320 11,592 19,039 2001: Pantry Account General Fund Unrestricted 1,143 885 1,143 885 2002: HSBC Saving account General Fund Unrestricted 9,807 9,210 |
44,904 43,899 |
| 44,904 43,899 11,515 11,257 |
|
| 11,515 11,257 40,803 39,607 |
|
| 40,803 39,607 29,450 28,587 |
|
| 29,450 28,587 |
|
| 11,592 19,039 1,143 885 |
|
| 1,143 885 9,807 9,210 |
| All Saints Re-Ordering | Restricted | 21,291 | 21,291 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 31,098 | 30,501 | ||
| 2003: CCLA CBF Deposit | |||
| All Saints Re-Ordering | Restricted | 62,576 | 62,576 |
| 62,576 | 62,576 | ||
| 2004: Barclays | |||
| All Building Projects Fund | Designated | 700 | 700 |
| Church And Churchyard Repair | Restricted | 416 | 416 |
| General Fund | Unrestricted | 9,766 | 22,228 |
| Hardship Fund | Designated | 450 | 450 |
| Heating Costs | Restricted | 1,000 | 1,000 |
| Leaving Gift | Restricted | 285 | 285 |
| May Ball 2019 | Designated | 28,391 | 28,391 |
| St Marks Toilet Fundraising | Designated | 7,956 | 7,956 |
| StM Toilet | Restricted | 10,000 | 10,000 |
| 58,964 | 71,426 | ||
| 2005: CCLA CBF Deposit (St M) | |||
| Church And Churchyard Repair | Restricted | 29,733 | 29,733 |
| General Fund | Unrestricted | 2,581 | 953 |
| 32,314 | 30,686 | ||
| 2006: Petty cash | |||
| General Fund | Unrestricted | 13 | 13 |
| 13 | 13 | ||
| Cash At Bank And In Hand | 197,700 | 215,127 | |
| Grand Total | 324,372 | 338,478 |
Fund movement summary
Fund[Opening][Incoming][Outgoing Transfers] Gains/Losses Journals Closing
| **Fund ** | **Opening ** | **ncoming ** | Outgoing Tra | nsfers Gains |
/Losses Jou | **rnals ** | Closing | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Building | ||||||||
| Designated | 700 | - | - | - | - | - | 700 | |
| Sub-totals | 700 | - | - | - | - | - | 700 | |
| Carltrip | ||||||||
| Restricted | - | 880 | 880 | - | - | - | - | |
| Sub-totals | - | 880 | 880 | - | - | - | - | |
| Churchrepair | ||||||||
| Restricted | 30,149 | - | - | - | - | - | 30,149 | |
| Sub-totals | 30,149 | - | - | - | - | - | 30,149 | |
| General | ||||||||
| Unrestricted | 48,883 | 129,912 | 151,236 | - | - | - | 27,558 | |
| Sub-totals | 48,883 | 129,912 | 151,236 | - | - | - | 27,558 | |
| Hard | ||||||||
| Designated | 450 | 338 | 750 | - | - | - | 38 | |
| Sub-totals | 450 | 338 | 750 | - | - | - | 38 | |
| Heating | ||||||||
| Restricted | 1,000 | - | - | - | - | - | 1,000 | |
| Sub-totals | 1,000 | - | - | - | - | - | 1,000 | |
| Leaving gift | ||||||||
| Restricted | 285 | - | - | - | - | - | 285 | |
| Sub-totals | 285 | - | - | - | - | - | 285 | |
| MayBall | ||||||||
| Designated | 28,391 | - | - | - | - | - | 28,391 | |
| Sub-totals | 28,391 | - | - | - | - | - | 28,391 |
Relief
| Restricted | 890 | - | - | - | - | - | 890 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sub-totals | 890 | - | - | - | - | - | 890 |
| StM Toilet | |||||||
| Designated | 7,956 | - | 840 | - | - | - | 7,116 |
| Sub-totals | 7,956 | - | 840 | - | - | - | 7,116 |
| StM Toilet res | |||||||
| Restricted | 10,000 | 480 | - | - | - | - | 10,480 |
| Sub-totals | 10,000 | 480 | - | - | - | - | 10,480 |
| Teacher | |||||||
| Restricted | - | 50 | - | - | - | - | 50 |
| Sub-totals | - | 50 | - | - | - | - | 50 |
| ParMin | |||||||
| Restricted | 1,236 | 28,963 | 24,759 | - | - | - | 5,440 |
| Sub-totals | 1,236 | 28,963 | 24,759 | - | - | - | 5,440 |
| AllSaint | |||||||
| Restricted | 83,867 | - | - | - | - | - | 83,867 |
| Sub-totals | 83,867 | - | - | - | - | - | 83,867 |
| Warren | |||||||
| Endowment | 43,899 | - | - | - | - | 1,005 | 44,904 |
| Sub-totals | 43,899 | - | - | - | - | 1,005 | 44,904 |
| Sunday | |||||||
| Endowment | 11,257 | - | - | - | - | 258 | 11,515 |
| Sub-totals | 11,257 | - | - | - | - | 258 | 11,515 |
| Mission | |||||||
| Endowment | 39,607 | - | - | - | - | 1,196 | 40,803 |
| Sub-totals | 39,607 | - | - | - | - | 1,196 | 40,803 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gibson | ||||||||
| Endowment | 28,587 | - | - | - | - | 863 | 29,450 | |
| Sub-totals | 28,587 | - | - | - | - | 863 | 29,450 | |
| Carpet | ||||||||
| Restricted | 1,320 | 416 | - | - | - | - | 1,736 | |
| Sub-totals | 1,320 | 416 | - | - | - | - | 1,736 | |
| Totals | 338,478 | 161,039 | 178,466 | - | - | 3,321 | 324,372 |
INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF THE UNITED BENEFICE OF ST MARY'S SLAUGHAM AND ST MARK'S STAPLEFIELD COMMON (Registered charity no 1134786)
I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the United Benefice Of St Mary's Slaugham And St Mark's Staplefield Common, for the year ended 31 December 2024.
RESPECTIVE RESPONSIBILITIES OF TRUSTEES AND EXAMINER
As the charity’s 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 charity’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all 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 giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:
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accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 130 of the Act; or
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the accounts do not accord with those records.
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Sarah E Bestley BSC ACA
Date
CARTER NICHOLLS LIMITED
Chartered Accountants
Victoria House
Stanbridge Park
Staplefield Lane
Staplefield
West Sussex
RH17 6AS