2022-12-31-accounts

ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI CHURCH RAVENSWOOD AVENUE WEST WICKHAM, KENT BR4 0PW (CHARITY NO: 1134856)

ANNUAL REPORT & FINANCIAL STATEMENT OF THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL For the year ended 31[st] December 2022

INCUMBENT:

Rev. Hazel O’Sullivan, St Mary’s Vicarage, The Avenue, West Wickham, Kent BR4 0DX

BANK:

CAF BANK LTD 25 Kings Hill Avenue, Kings Hill West Malling, Kent ME19 4JQ

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER: Mr Keith Earthrowl

1

St Francis of Assisi West Wickham Annual Report 2022

Background:

St Francis is part of the United Benefice of St Mary of Nazareth and St Francis of Assisi, West Wickham, with each church having their own PCC. We are also in a Group Ministry with St John the Baptist, West Wickham. The Parochial Church Council (PCC) is a corporate body established by the Church of England. It operates under the Parochial Church Council Powers Measure, and is a registered charity. It has the responsibility of co-operating with the incumbent in promoting in the ecclesiastical parish, the whole mission of the Church: pastoral, evangelical, social and ecumenical. It also has maintenance responsibilities for the church and hall buildings and grounds with the buildings being insured by Ecclesiastical Insurance. The PCC met 6 times in 2022 with an average attendance of 70%.

Membership:

Members of the PCC are either ex-officio, co-opted or elected by the APCM in accordance with the Church Representation Rules. Members are elected to serve for 3 years.

Vicar Rev. Hazel O’Sullivan Assistant Priest Rev. Richard Ford SPAs Mrs Lesley East and Mrs Rowena Griffiths Churchwardens Dr Kate Dyer and Mr Tim Shingler Treasurer Mr David Wada Secretary Mrs Nichola Nightingale Deanery Synod Representatives: Mr Brian Griffiths (Reader) and Mrs Sheila Hawkins

Elected Members:

Until APCM (2023): Mrs Barbara Goodchild Until APCM (2024): Mr Roger Dyer, Mrs Kim Teare Until APCM (2025): Mrs Gillian Challenger, Mrs Joan Burford

Co-Opted Members:

Until APCM (2025): Mr Matt Thompson (Youth Club)

Committees:

The PCC operates through two Committees which meet between full meetings of the PCC:

• Standing Committee: this is the only committee required by law. It has the power to transact the business of the PCC between its meetings, subject to any direction by the Council.

• Hall Committee: has responsibility for the management and maintenance of the hall.

Church Attendance:

There are 96 on the Electoral Roll. In 2022 following the lifting of Covid-19 restrictions we reverted back to three services on a Sunday – 8.00am; 9.15am (St Mary’s) and 10.45am (St Francis) with first Sunday of each month alternating between St Francis and St Mary’s. The average weekly in-person attendance was 41 counted during October, with an additional average of 25 views for an on-line service shown jointly with St Mary’s.

2

Ministry and Mission Report - 2022

St Francis of Assisi Church in West Wickham is part of a united benefice, together with St Mary’s church. Following the Covid-19 pandemic church closures, at the start of 2022 we had returned to a pattern of three services on a Sunday morning, with one Sunday each month involving a joint service at 10am. However, the year began with one weekend when a significant proportion of the ministry team were unwell and services for that weekend were on-line, except for an 8am communion service. Thankfully, since that time we have been able to meet in-person for our main services. We continue to distribute communion by priestly intinction and sharing the peace with a wave, except for those who are physically nearby.

Our on-line presence, streamed from both church buildings also continues, as does our paper-based communication for those not on-line. This, together with pastoral visiting in person and by telephone for those who are housebound, ensures that we keep in touch with the whole of our community.

We have also continued with much of the community support that went on during the pandemic, including support for local Foodbanks through regular donations being facilitated, two High Street collection dates in the year and the delivery of Christmas hampers, as well as telephone befriending and distributing bereavement support bags. New community initiatives that were started during the year have been the provision of a defibrillator outside our hall and a weekly warm space in winter months, as well as setting up a community garden that will open in 2023 for referrals from GP social prescribers.

The year has been marked by many of our pre-Covid activities restarting and, because we have worked much more closely with St Mary’s during the pandemic, there are more activities that members of both congregations attend, so it feels as though there is much more going on. This includes:

• A monthly Messy Church normally with an average of 14 children and 10 or so accompanying adults, as well as a team of over 10 people involved.

• A monthly bereavement support group.

• A thriving Youth Group that meets weekly during term time.

• Four community lunches on a Sunday at St Francis’ and midweek monthly lunches at St Mary’s.

• Monthly lunchtime recitals during May – September.

• Three home groups meeting mostly bi-weekly throughout the year, with an additional group for Lent when we studied The Beatitudes.

• A return to a monthly Saturday coffee morning, at the same time as a regular Zoom meeting stopped.

Other annual and regular events that returned included concerts in the church building and a Children’s Society coffee morning, and the Big Christmas Sing saw numbers back

3

up to pre-Covid levels. At St Mary’s a Valentines’ Lunch, Garden Party and a Harvest Supper all started again, and the Christmas Market could also be repeated, offering a variety of opportunities for important social interaction.

The end of February saw the invasion of Ukraine by Russia and we opened both churches as places for prayer and reflection. The news was full of difficult stories, and we worked to provide support in this area of need through the following:

• Our Mothering Sunday services bought buggies and highchairs for refugee families coming to the UK.

• A cake and craft event at St Francis’, organised by St John’s, and a coffee morning at St Mary’s raised money for charities operating in Ukraine and surrounding countries.

• We have contributed items to a monthly van which takes supplies to refugees in Poland.

• A women’s event in July at St Mary’s welcomed many Ukrainians who were being hosted locally with clothing available and the opportunity to have hair and nail treatments.

• Together with other churches in West Wickham we have tried to put local Hosts for Ukraine in touch with each other and there was a combined service giving an update on the situation in October, hosted by West Wickham and Shirley Baptist Church.

In July and September/October we held a Festival of Art to illustrate how visual arts and the written word have a positive effect on mental health. It was great to see the church spaces transformed with exhibits from a number of local artists and The 100 Books that Shaped the Twentieth Century, as well as work from Hawes Down School. This all helped to raise money for Bethlem Gallery and MIND.

The death of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in September provided another focus for the news and a desire on the part of some to make connections with the church. We opened for private prayer on a couple of occasions and held a Commemorative Service of Holy Communion on the Sunday before the funeral. A Community Service of Commemoration was held at St Francis’ on behalf of Churches Together in West Wickham. A Book of Condolence for the united benefice was opened and a note of thanks for its existence was recently received from King Charles III.

Our connection with other local community groups has been strengthened this year through:

• Hosting an open-air concert in June for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee to coincide with a street party and the Churches Together Pentecost Service.

• Services in St Francis’ where the 7[th] West Wickham Scout Group were invited for Mothering Sunday and were hosted for their annual carol service.

• Contributing to the Churches Together presence at the West Wickham Village Day at Blake Park in May.

• We hosted the West Wickham Christmas Lights event and opened the church on that occasion, with many from the community coming in to light a candle.

More widely, we have connected with other churches in the Croydon Addington Deanery through being part of a Deanery wide Ascension Day service in May and participating in a Deanery Pilgrimage in June.

In late October our vicar, Hazel, went on a six-week sabbatical and we look forward to hearing more from her about contemplative living in 2023.

Many of the events and initiatives listed above have built on work done during the previous year by a new Vision Group. It is only by working together with St Mary’s Church that much of this activity takes place and this indicates the benefit of being part of a united benefice. The Vision Group and Joint PCC will continue to meet and discuss what can be done together, and the ministry team continues to plan for worship and discipleship materials that can be delivered jointly, as well as continuing with separate Sunday services on three or four Sundays each month.

With many thanks to the ministry team and all the volunteers who have continued to keep our worship going and discipleship groups meeting, as well as other social events being introduced throughout the year.

Financial Review/Report:

We have almost broken even for the year, having finished with a loss of £433. Even better when one considers that we had £1536 in legal fees.

This has been a great year for raising funds for charities associated with our Church activities. We have raised a total of £12214, including £1927 for both Mind Beckenham and the Bethlem Gallery from the Festival of Arts, £1297 for the Bromley Foodbank and £1252 for Christian Aid at the Big Christmas Sing. Our Gift Day raised enough to buy the Defibrillator and send £1222 to the British Heart Foundation. Congratulations to all those involved in our fundraising. I know that the Charities are very thankful from the letters that I have received. The note 13 to the accounts shows the details. These figures do not include £500 raised by the Matchbox Theatre for Ukraine or £910 raised by the residents of Ravenswood Avenue for the Bromley Foodbank.

The Parish Giving Scheme is a great help to the Treasurer, saving administration and gift aid time.

The cost of the new lighting works down the side of the Church to the main entrance of £953, has been set against the Legacy for Church Repairs.

Much of the costs of the new Garden behind the Church have been and are being met by the Crittal Trust.

5

Fabric Report:

We are continuing to address the issues raised in our 2020 Quinquennial report. In addition we have carried out a number of repairs to the Church building, including a repair to the main roof in April 22 and a more recent repair to the Bernard Dent Room roof, also repairs to our external telephone cable.

We have had new gates fitted to allow entry into the new Community Garden space and new doors fitted to the north side of the Church. A new heater has been fitted to support our Warm Space initiative in the Youth Room. We have fitted a public access defibrillator to the external wall of the Hall. A smart meter has been fitted.

Further work planned includes a replacement gate to the shed area, installation of CCTV, work to the East Window to reduce bird damage and a refurbishment of the Choir Vestry and toilet on the south side.

Hall Report – 2022/23:

Hall use has continued to grow during the year with the return of the Matchbox Theatre, The Youth Club (now with twenty members) using it for games and greater numbers in our Scout Group (who now have over 160 members across their sections). External booking have also grown and in addition to the long-term lease with the Pre-School, Hope Church have been regular users on a Sunday, with other party bookings at weekends and an occasional Saturday Market. Whilst this is obviously to be welcomed, it has exposed the frailty of the facilities.

Last year the hall was redecorated by the Explorers and larger than usual donations were made by the Matchbox Theatre and Scout Group. Thus far we have only spent money on upgrading the lights in the main hall and some minor maintenance to repair the leaking roof, faulty hot water supply to the kitchen and various issues with the toilets. Unfortunately we also had to buy a number of new tables as some were taken by an unknown user.

Current issues are:

• Continued issues with the gas heating. This is largely due to faulty ignition buttons and users switching them off rather than just turning them down. Accordingly these will need consideration to change to more appropriate forms of green energy in the mid term

• Both water heaters are broken in the Ladies and Gents toilets

• The windows are warped and overdue redecoration, with consideration to replacement.

• The (at best ‘Ambulant’) Disabled toilet is in poor repair

• The kitchen is in poor repair

6

• There is an acute lack of storage, making the stage un-rentable to party bookings and un-usable by regular users other than the Matchbox

Proposed projects for the coming year are:

• Create 3 storage cupboards on the rear wall for Matchbox, Scouts and a Catering Store for us. Funded 33% each. This will free up two under stage cupboards for bulky stage extensions and lighting equipment, thereby making the stage available all year round

• Create a proper Disabled w/c with easier access from the church. Part fund raised and part expense

• Put a new w/c at the end of the rear corridor (Fire Officer already agreed that fire door not needed) Funding TBC

• Turn the current Ambulant Disabled into an inward facing kitchenette for the back hall. Part funded and increase in Pre-school rent

April 2023

7

PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI, WEST WICKHAM

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST. DECEMBER 2022

13 Gifts to Charities Amounts paid to Charities OMF in Japan EarAid Nepal Anglican Eye Clinic Ghana Bromley Foodbank Shrublands Foodbank Action Aid CLIC Sargent Christian Aid Croydon Refugee Centre The Children's Society Demelza House Welcare in Bromley Care4Calais Bishop's Lent Appeal DEC Ukraine Mind - Beckenham Bethlem Gallery British Heart Foundation 14 Fabric Fund Balance 1.1.22 Balance 31.12.22 15 Lighting & Improvement Fund Balance 1.1.22 Balance 31.12.22 16 Legacies Balance 1.1.22 Balance 31.12.22 17 Church Repairs & Maintenance Fund (Legacy) Balance 1.1.22 Expenditure Balance 31.12.22 Page 8	2022 £ 400 400 400 1297 295 500 190 1,252 190 363 83 140 0 696 932 1927 1927 1222 12,214	2021 £ 400 400 400 1177 0 500 164 867 28 211 139 170 851 0 0 0 0 0
		5,307
		Unrestricted £ 21,228
		21,228
		Restricted £ 13,601
		13,601
		Unrestricted £ 125,172
		125,172
		Restricted 13,352 954
		12,398

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF ST. FRANCIS WEST WICKHAM PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL

Accounts certificate for the year ending 31[st] . December 2022 which are set out on pages 1 to 8.

Respective responsibilities of the Trustees and Independent Examiner

The charities’ trustees consider that an audit is not required under section 144(2) of the Charities Act 2011 and that an

independent examination is needed.

It is my responsibility to:

1. Examine the accounts under section 145 of the 2011 Act

2. Follow the procedures laid down in the General Directions given by the

Charities Commission section

145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act

1. State whether particular matters have come to my attention

Basis of Independent Examiner’s Report

My examination was carried out in accordance with the General Directions of the Charity Commission.

An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the Charity and a comparison of the accounts

presented with those records. It includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts and

seeking explanation from the management committee concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do

not provide all the evidence that would be require under a full audit and consequently I do not present an audited

opinion on the accounts.

Independent Examiner’s Statement

1. In connection with my examination no matters have come to my attention which give me reasonable cause to

2. believe that in any material respect the requirements

3. To keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 0f the 2011 Act,

or

To prepare accounts which according to these accounting records have not been met, or

1. To which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts

Keith Earthrowl 47 Boundary Way Addington Village Croydon CR0 5AU

February 12. 2023