## **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 2024**
## **INCUMBENT: VACANT**
**BANK:** CAF BANK LTD 25 Kings Hill Avenue, Kings Hill West Malling, Kent ME19 4JQ
**INDEPENDENT EXAMINER:** Mr Neil Tullis A.C.A.
1
## **St Francis of Assisi West Wickham Annual Report 2024**
## **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 5 times in 2024 plus one joint meeting with St Mary’s of Nazareth PCC 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 Parish in Interregnum Assistant Priests Rev. Richard Ford and Ven. Carol Coslett SPAs Mrs Lesley East and Mrs Rowena Griffiths Churchwardens Dr Kate Dyer and Mrs Valerie Hamilton Treasurer Mr David Wada Reader - Secretary Mrs Nichola Nightingale Deanery Synod Representatives: Mrs Marion Barry and Mrs Sheila Hawkins
## **Elected Members:**
Until APCM (2025): Mrs Gillian Challenger, Mrs Joan Burford Until APCM (2026): Mrs Barbara Goodchild Until APCM (2027): Mr Roger Dyer, Mrs Kim Teare, Ms Jacqueline Turner
## **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 82 on the Electoral Roll. The average weekly in-person attendance was 61 counted during October, with 41 views for an on-line service shown jointly with St Mary’s.
2
## **Ministry and Mission Report - 2024**
St Francis of Assisi Church in West Wickham is part of a united benefice, together with St Mary’s church. We follow a pattern of three services on a Sunday morning, with the main service at St Francis’ being at 10.45am. On one Sunday each month (normally the first Sunday) there is a joint service at 10am, which alternates where it is held, and on the second Sunday the service is normally non-eucharistic with a variety of themes, such as Christian Aid, Songs of Praise or Mothering Sunday. From Easter this year we began to distribute communion using the common cup, and from November intinction was discontinued. Following the resignation of our Vicar, Rev Hazel O’Sullivan, we are currently in a Vacancy with many in both churches taking on additional roles. Church and Community came together for a special service, a lunch and a community tea to thank Hazel for her service and to wish her well for the future.
The choir are part the congregation for most services, singing together from the back of the church. However, where we have a joint service, they join with St Mary’s choir back in the chancel.
Our on-line presence, streamed from both church buildings continues. 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. Our ministry to young families continues mostly through a monthly Messy Church with an average congregation of 25 made up of children, accompanying adults, and a supporting team which are invaluable in enabling Messy Church to continue. We have reconfigured and improved our children’s area and continued to provide weekly activities for children on Sunday mornings.
Our ministry is founded on prayer, and a corporate Morning Prayer is held on Wednesdays at St Francis and Thursdays at St Mary’s, as well as on-line reflections being sent by email to many in the congregation on six days in the week. St Francis’ Church is also open for private prayer on a Wednesday morning. Additionally, in September a group started to pray for growth in the Church on a weekly basis.
During the current interregnum we are blessed to have Rev Richard Ford as Assistant Priest and the Ven. Carol Coslett, who works in encouraging lay ministry at the Diocese of Southwark, as an Assistant Priest, being licensed to the united benefice.
We have continued with the community garden for referrals from GP social prescribers, which operated in conjunction with St John’s Church, West Wickham, and creation-tide services for both the Sunday congregations and Messy Church.
We also continue with much of our community support, including collecting for Bromley Homeless Starter Packs, facilitating regular donations for local Foodbanks with High Street collection dates in the year and a specific collection for Christmas hampers and a weekly warm space in the winter months.
3
We have promoted the work of the diocesan Modern Slavery Advisors via a presentation to our Women’s Group and a presentation to the congregations on Safeguarding Sunday and a presence at our Christmas Tree Festival.
Other regular activities include:
- Regular community lunches four times a year at St Francis’ and monthly at St Mary’s
- Three home groups met, mostly bi-weekly, throughout the year, with an additional group for Lent
- Our youth group continues to thrive and meets weekly during term time
- A monthly Saturday coffee morning on the first Saturday of each month with the August coffee morning being held for all volunteers in both St Francis and St Mary’s
- Monthly lunchtime recitals during May – September
This year there have been a significant number of deaths across the united benefice and we continue to support the bereaved, including holding an annual Memorial Service in November.
Once again, we held a Christmas Tree Festival in December, well supported by community and church organisations and raising money for ‘Welcare in Bromley’. We also opened the church on the evening of the West Wickham Christmas Lights switchon and provided a quiet, reflective space for families. We also held two music concerts: Croydon Male Voice Choir and ‘Finding Neverland’ a selection of musical theatre songs followed by afternoon tea.
The West Wickham Choir is supported by many in our congregation, and they held a concert in July, raising money for charity and they staged the Big Christmas Sing in December, which raised money for Christian Aid.
Our connection with other local community groups has been strengthened this year through the following support:
- The 7[th] West Wickham Scout Group held their carol service at St Francis and attended our Harvest Festival and St George’s Day service. The Squirrels who meet on a Sunday morning in term time and join with many of our non-eucharistic services for a time at the end continue to grow. The Squirrels also joined with us on Remembrance Sunday.
- A visit by students from Glebe School, a special educational school, in January 2025. Oak Lodge School and Wickham Common School held their Christmas Concerts at St Francis’ this year.
- 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
4
More widely, we have connected with other churches in the Croydon Addington Deanery through participating in a Deanery Pilgrimage in September.
With many thanks to the ministry team and all the volunteers who have contributed to our worship, discipleship groups, and other social events throughout the year.
## **Financial Review/Report:**
We have a small Excess of Income for the year of £700, which is excellent as we have spent over £13782 on repairs & improvements to the Church & Hall. We received a legacy from Joyce Town which we have decided to spread over 3 years, this is the second year.
From our Church activities for charities, Christian Aid received £953.86 from the Big Christmas Sing, which was worth £1087.64 to them with Gift Aid. We raised £1068.09 cash for the Bromley & Shrublands Foodbanks in addition to all the food that we collected for them. Other charity payments are listed on page 8 of the Annual Accounts. The fund for the new disabled toilet in the Hall stands at £4478.97, including a donation of £1095 from the Crittal Trust.
The Parish Giving Scheme is a great help to the Treasurer, saving administration and gift aid time. We would encourage others to join the scheme as once you have signed up it is simpler than a monthly standing order.
The costs of distribution and preparation of the Parish Magazine have increased considerably resulting in a loss this year. The PCC has agreed that the price be £5 minimum for hand distribution & £10 for posting, with immediate effect.
## **Fabric Report:**
We have started to work on making improvements to the church heating by replacing old leaky valves and installing reflectors behind the radiators. More work is planned, including installing air curtains at the external doors. The boiler room gate padlock has been replaced.
Work has been done to improve the facilities for children and families with the reconfiguration of the children’s area and the purchase of a baby change table to install in the church toilet.
The Church Noticeboard remains under review as we are awaiting information from the company regarding costs of additional wording to be added once we have an Incumbent.
5
We have addressed recommendations in our fire risk assessment by decluttering the upstairs office and storage. We also replaced some of our fire extinguishers due to their age.
The PCC has agreed to re-site the organ to the south side of the platform.
Some emergency repairs to our lighting system were undertaken.
Extensive gardening work was done to improve visibility down the south side and some repairs were done to paving and steps.
## **Hall Report:**
Hall Income was up by over £7,000 in the year largely due to the Weight Watchers taking another day and an increase in the Pre School rent to take into account the new kitchenette.
Sundry Maintenance includes the construction and fit out of the Pre School kitchenette, which could be capitalized against it. Stripping that out, maintenance costs were broadly neutral, but we have still not addressed:
- Lack of hot water in the toilets
- Failing window frames
- The kitchen
Projects outstanding are:
- Installing Low Energy lighting in the back hall (especially as this is used all week)
- Planning for replacement of the gas heaters
- Creating a compliant disabled w/c
There is £4,500 in the Disabled Toilet Fund, but further fundraising initiatives are required.
28.2.25
6
**ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI WEST WICKHAM PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL Charity No: 1134856**
**FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST. DECEMBER 2024**
## **PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI, WEST WICKHAM**
## **STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST. DECEMBER 2024**
|Notes
**Incoming Resources**
Voluntary Income
2a
Activities for generating funds
2b
Income from investments
2c
Church activities
2d
Legacies
2e
**Total Incoming Resources**
**Resources Expended**
Costs of generating voluntary income
3a
Fund-raising trading costs
3b
Church activities
3c
Missions
3d
Payments from Lighting Fund
15
Payments from Repairs Legacy
17
Governance Costs
3g
**Total Resources Expended**
Net Movement in Funds
Total Funds brought forward at 1st. January 2023
Net Movement of Funds for year
**Total Funds carried forward at 31st. December 2024**|Unrestricted
Restricted
**Total**
**Total**
Funds
Funds
**Funds**
**Funds**
**2024**
**2023**
41,576
41,576
47,165
2,674
2,674
698
3,836
3,836
3,146
37,568
37,568
29,947
1,500
1,500
1,500|
|---|---|
||87,154
0
87,154
82,456|
||0
0
0
0
0
0
85,254
85,254
79,962
1,200
1,200
1,200
0
0
0
0
0
5,207
0
0
0|
||86,454
0
86,454
86,369|
||700
0
700
-3,913|
||469,494
26,011
491,592
495,505
700
0
700
-3,913|
||470,194
26,011
492,292
491,592|
Page 1
## **PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI, WEST WICKHAM**
## **BALANCE SHEET AT 31ST. DECEMBER 2024**
|Notes
**Fixed Assets**
Tangible Fixed Assets
5
Investments
6
**Total Fixed Assets**
**Current Assets**
Debtors
8
Short term Deposits
Cash at Bank
Creditors: amounts due within one year
9
**Net Current assets**
**Total Assets less current liabilities**
Represented by:
**Parish Funds**
7
Restricted
10
Unrestricted
10|**2024**
390,915
0
390,915
8,884
52,327
53,136
114,347
-12,970
101,377
492,292
20,792
471,500
492,292|**2023**
390,915
0|
|---|---|---|
|||390,915
5,195
51,590
62,206|
|||118,991
-18,314|
|||100,677|
|||491,592|
|||20,792
470,800|
|||491,592|
Approved by the Parochial Church Council on 18 March 2025 and signed on its behalf by:
Dr. Kate Dyer Churchwarden & PCC Chair
The accompanying notes form part of these financial statements
Page 2
## **PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI, WEST WICKHAM**
## **Cash Flow Statement for the Year ended 31 December 2024**
|Net Cash from Operating Activities
Net Income
Adjustments for:
Decrease/(Increase) in Debtors
(Decrease)/Increase in Creditors
Legacy Use
Net cash provided by operating activities
Analysis of Cash
Cash
Deposits|**2024**
700
-3689
-5344
0
-8333
10573
94890
105463|**2023**
1295
-209
3163
5207|
|---|---|---|
|||9456|
|||15761
98035|
|||113796|
Page 3
## **PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI, WEST WICKHAM**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST. DECEMBER 2024**
|2
**Income**
a
**Voluntary Income**
Planned Giving
Collected at all services
General Donations
Other receipts
Tax recoverable
b
**Activities for generating funds**
Events
Refreshments
Gift Day
c
**Investment Income**
Interest
d
**Income from Church Activities**
Church & Hall Lettings
Fees from Weddings, etc.
Parish Magazine
e
Income from Legacies
**Total Incoming Resources**|Unrestricted
Restricted
Total
Total
Funds
Funds
Funds
Funds
**2024**
**2023**
£
£
£
£
30,521
0
30,521
32,271
2,656
0
2,656
3,519
477
0
477
2,142
223
0
223
1,081
7,699
0
7,699
8,152|
|---|---|
||41,576
0
41,576
47,165|
||1,199
0
1,199
192
543
0
543
506
932
0
932
0|
||2,674
0
2,674
698|
||3,836
0
3,836
3,146|
||35,840
0
35,840
28,121
1,765
0
1,765
1,805
-37
0
-37
21|
||37,568
0
37,568
29,947|
||1,500
0
1,500
1,500|
||87,154
0
87,154
82,456|
Page 4
## **PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI, WEST WICKHAM**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST. DECEMBER 2024**
|3
**Expenditure**
a
Costs of generating Voluntary Income
Stewardship Costs
b
Fund-raising Trading Costs
c
Church Activities
Ministry Costs
Diocesan Parish Contribution
Other Clergy Costs
Church Running Expenses
Upkeep of Services
Honoria & Fees
Church Hall Running Costs
Church Repairs etc.
Hall Repairs etc.
d
Gifts to Missions
e
Payments from Lighting Fund
f
Payments from Repairs Legacy
g
Governance Costs
Independent Examination Fee
Cost of Annual Accounts
**Total Resources Expended**|Unrestricted
Restricted
Total
Total
Funds
Funds
Funds
Funds
**2024**
**2023**
£
£
£
£
0
0
0
0|
|---|---|
||0
0
0
0|
||39,500
0
39,500
38,250
490
0
490
882
14,492
0
14,492
11,995
307
0
307
254
4,490
0
4,490
4,640
11,831
0
11,831
13,173
3,918
0
3,918
8,136
10,226
0
10,226
2,632|
||85,254
0
85,254
79,962|
||1,200
0
1,200
1,200|
||0
0
0
0|
||0
0
0
5,207|
||0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0|
|||
||86,454
0
86,454
86,369|
Page 5
## **PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI, WEST WICKHAM**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST. DECEMBER 2024**
- 4 **Staff Costs**
- _Wages & Salaries_
|**2024**|**2023**|
|---|---|
|£4,490|£4,640|
Fees have been paid to 3 organists to cover services and choir rehearsals.
- b. _Payments to PCC members_
- There were no disclosable transactions in respect of PCC members nor persons closely related to them nor other related parties.
## 5 **Tangible Fixed Assets**
|**Cost or Valuation**
At 1st. January 2024
Additions
Disposals
Revaluation
At 31st. December 2024
**Deprecation**
At 1st. January 2024
Additions
Disposals
At 31st. December 2024
**Net Book Values**
At 1st. January 2024
At 31st. December 2024|Freehold Land
Church Hall
Total
& Buildings
Contents
**£**
**£**
£
372,873
18,042
390,915
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0|
|---|---|
||372,873
18,042
390,915|
||0
0
0|
||0
0
0|
||372,873
18,042
390,915|
||372,873
18,042
390,915|
The Freehold Land & Buildings comprise the Church Hall. For accounting purposes, the value of this property and it's contents are at the valuations made for insurance purposes in 2005.
## 6 **Investments**
There are no Investments.
## 7 **Analysis of Net Assets by fund at 31st. December 2024**
|Fixed Assets
Current Assets
Current Liabilities
8
**Debtors**
Income Tax Recoverable
Prepayments & accrued income
Other debtors|Unrestricted
Restricted
Total
Funds
Funds
Funds
£
£
£
390,915
0
390,915
114,347
114,347
-12,970
-12,970|Unrestricted
Restricted
Total
Funds
Funds
Funds
£
£
£
390,915
0
390,915
114,347
114,347
-12,970
-12,970|
|---|---|---|
||492,292
0
492,292||
|||**2024**
**2023**
£
£
6,508
2,369
1,338
2,826
1,038
0|
|||8,884
5,195|
Page 6
## **PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI, WEST WICKHAM**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST. DECEMBER 2024**
|9
**Creditors - Amounts falling due within one year**
Deferred income
Accruals for utilities & other costs
Other creditors|**2024**
**2023**
£
£
2,508
943
1,268
1,521
9,194
15,851|
|---|---|
||12,970
18,315|
|10
**Statement of Funds**
**Unrestricted Funds**
General Fund
Legacies
Fabric Fund
**Restricted Funds**
Lighting & Improvement Fund
Church Repairs & Maintenance Fund
**Total Funds**|Bal b/fwd
Income
Expenditure
Bal c/fwd
1.1.24
31.12.24
£
£
£
£
324,400
87,154
86,454
325,100
125,172
0
0
125,172
21,228
0
0
21,228|
|---|---|
||470,800
87,154
86,454
471,500|
||13,601
0
0
13,601
7,191
0
0
7,191|
||20,792
0
0
20,792|
||491,592
87,154
86,454
492,292|
The Unrestricted General Fund includes the valuation of the Church Hall Buildings & Contents of £390,915
## 11 **Analysis of Running Costs & Maintenance of Church & Hall**
|Heating & Lighting
Cleaning
Insurance
Rates - General & Water
Administration
Maintenance
Interregnum Costs
CCTV
Total|Church
Hall|
|---|---|
||**2024**
**2023**
**2024**
**2023**
£
£
£
£
3,918
3,749
3,112
3,694
1,223
1,272
6,342
6,717
4,645
4,388
1,698
1,681
163
90
679
1,081
2,479
2,496
0
0
3,918
5,986
10,226
2,632
909
0
0
0
0
2,150
0
0|
||17,255
20,131
22,057
15,805|
12 Donations to the Church from PCC members during the year totalled £9078
Page 7
## **PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI, WEST WICKHAM**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST. DECEMBER 2024**
|13
**Gifts to Charities**
Amounts paid to Charities
OMF in Japan
EarAid Nepal
Anglican Eye Clinic Ghana
Bromley Foodbank
Shrublands Foodbank
Action Aid
St. Andrew's, Zimbabwe
Christian Aid
The Children's Society
Demelza House
Welcare in Bromley
St. Christopher's
Macmillan Cancer
Bishop's Lent Appeal
Wateraid
DEC Ukraine
British Heart Foundation
14
**Fabric Fund**
**Balance 1.1.24**
**Balance 31.12.24**
15
**Lighting & Improvement Fund**
**Balance 1.1.24**
**Balance 31.12.24**
16
**Legacies**
**Balance 1.1.24**
**Balance 31.12.24**
17
**Church Repairs & Maintenance Fund (Legacy)**
**Balance 1.1.24**
**Balance 31.12.24**
Page 8|**2024**
£
400.00
400.00
400.00
534.08
514.01
0.00
2982.00
1760.53
380.71
95.00
593.64
291.62
0.00
315.50
145.00
0.00
0.00
8812.09|**2023**
£
618
400
400
938
775
500
0
1,455
339
71
419
67
67
0
0
251
225|
|---|---|---|
|||6,525|
|||Unrestricted
£
21,228|
|||21,228|
|||Restricted
£
13,601|
|||13,601|
|||Unrestricted
£
125,172|
|||125,172|
|||Restricted
7,191|
|||7,191|
||||
INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF ST. FRANCIS WEST WICKHAM
PAROCHIALCHURCH COUNCIL
Accounts certificate for the year endin8 31 December 2024 which are Set out on pages I to 8.
Respectlve responsiblllties of the Trustees and Independent Examlner
The charitles, trustees consider that an audit is not requlred under sectlon 144121 of the Charities Act 2011 and
that an Independent examination is needed.
It is my responsibillty to:
l. Examine the accounts undersection 145 of the 2011 Art
2. Follow the procedures laid down In the General Directlons 8iven by the Charities Commisslon
sertion 14515llbl of the 2011 Act
3. State whether particular matters have come to my attention
Basis of Independent Examine5 Report
My examinatlon wa5 carried out in accordance wlth the General Dirertlons 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 dlsclosures In the
accounts and seeking explanatlon from the management committee concerning any such matters. The
procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required under a full audit and
consequently I do not present an audited opinion on the accounts.
Independent Examinerfs Statement
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection
wlth the exarnination giving me cause to believe that in any material respert:
accounting records were not kept in respect of the Trust as required by sectlon 130 of theAct; or
the accounts do not accord with those records; or
the accounts do not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of
accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any
requirement that the accounts give a 'true and fair view which is not a matter considered as part on
an independent examination.
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connettlon with the examinatlon to which
attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be
reached.
Neil Tullis ACA
59 Greenway5
Beckenham
Kent BR3 3NQ
February 26, 2025