Annual report 2024
Parochial Church Council of St Oswald's Sowerby Annual Trustees Report for the year ended 31 December 2024
Incumbent: Revd David Biggs (Priest-in-Charge) Assistant Priest: Revd Pauline Percy (retired June 2024) Independent Examiner: Mr Barrie Cross, ACA
Bankers: HSBC Independent Financial Advisor: Ellis Bates Group Church Architect: David Beaumont
Website: www.stoswaldsowerby.org.uk Facebook: www.facebook.com/stoswaldsowerby
Administrative information
St Oswald's Church is situated in Sowerby in North Yorkshire. It is part of the Diocese of York within the Church of England. The current correspondence address is: The Vicarage, The Close, Sowerby, YO7 1JA PCC is a registered charity; number 1135485.
Members of the Parochial Church Council
Members of the PCC are either ex officio or elected by the Annual Parochial Church Meeting (APCM) in accordance with the Church Representation Rules. In 2024 the APCM was on 21 April 2024. During the year the following served as members of the PCC:
Churchwardens ( ex officio ): David Tucker (joint Vice Chair) (retired May 2024) Simon Birkbeck (joint Vice Chair) Priest-in-Charge ( ex officio ): Revd David Biggs Assistant Priest ( ex officio ): Revd Pauline Percy Reader: David Brooke Children and Youth Minister: Rachel Halkyard Authorised Lay Ministers: Helen Irving Yvonne Bowling Deanery Synod ( ex officio ): Sue Binns Jan Applegarth
Elected Members from 21 April 2024
Retiring 2025 Yvonne Bowling Andrew McCormack Cecily Rands Retiring 2026 Helen Irving (Standing Committee) David Brooke Jane Jackson (Secretary – Standing Committee) Jill Drew Gayle Hartley
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Retiring 2027 Morna Stoakley Liz Harrison Ed Buckingham Wayne Sedgwick Co-opted Graham Merriam (Treasurer – Standing Committee) Rachel Halkyard (Children and Youth Minister - Standing Committee) Pauline Alderson (Deputy Church Warden - Standing Committee)
Structure, governance and management
The Parochial Church Council (PCC) is a corporate body established by the Church of England. It operates under the Parochial Church Council Powers Measure. The PCC is registered as a separate charity with the Charity Commission.
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.
In normal circumstances the full PCC meets six times a year, or more as needed. The PCC is supported by the Standing Committee, consisting of Churchwardens, Treasurer and Secretary and Children and Youth Minister. In addition, there are a few working groups which report to PCC. Our Deanery Synod Representatives attend meetings during the year and report back to the PCC. A special combined meeting of the PCCs of St Oswald Sowerby, All Saints Thirkleby, St Mary’s Kilburn, St Cuthbert’s Sessay and St Mary’s Bagby took place on 9[th] March 2025
Objectives of the PCC
St Oswald's PCC worked with the Priest-In-Charge, the Rev David Biggs, in promoting in the ecclesiastical parish the whole mission of the church, pastoral, evangelistic, social and ecumenical. The PCC is also responsible for the management and maintenance of Sowerby Parochial Hall and Annexe. The Church, the Parochial Hall and the Annexe are normally well-used and valued community assets and a base for our service to members of the congregation and wider outreach to the parish as a whole.
Our Mission
At St Oswald's our vision is that we seek to Love God, Build Community and Serve Sowerby. Our vision leads our mission to be committed to loving God wholeheartedly in prayer and worship, building a welcoming, supportive, and discipleship focused community, and all with a heart to serve the people of Sowerby with the compassion and grace of God.
Priest in Charge’s Report
“Come, all you who are thirsty,
come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk
without money and without cost.” – Isaiah 55:1
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This quote from Isaiah is part of a passage that the PCC looked at together in 2024, it helped us to understand the radical generosity and love that God has for us his people. Isaiah 55 in all of its rich beauty I see as a great reflection of our vision and life of our church. I see St Oswald’s as a place where people come to know that they are loved by God, that they are welcome, where they go deeper in their faith, where they use their gifts for God’s glory and where they grow in their discipleship so that others too can discover all that they have found. Throughout 2024 we have sought to live out our vision, by growing in our Love for God, Building Community and Serving Sowerby, so that many more people will come to know Jesus.
St Oswald’s has continued to grow in our love for God through 2024. We have embedded our pattern of Sunday worship to now regularly include a Family Holy Communion on a 4[th] Sunday. Across our Sunday worship we have seen steady growth in numbers attending, across all ages. To help us grow in loving God, we have continued to enjoy sung worship, with both traditional hymns and learning new songs of worship. Our teams of service leaders, lay ministers and retired clergy, have helped to lead our worship creatively, and also have challenged and encouraged us all through their preaching and leading. Our desire as a church is for all ages to grow in their love for God, and it has been brilliant to see our children and young people join in with worship, and grow in their love for God through their activities. We have engaged in a preaching series thinking about how we Be with Jesus, Become like him and Do as he did. This challenged us to think about our own spiritual disciplines and how we are growing in our faith.
We have seen community being built especially through the Thursday house group meeting in Orchid house. This has been complimented by a shared Lent course led by Revd David Bacon on Christian Mindfulness, and then at Christmas we gathered for advent groups reflecting on Carols. As a church family the year was punctuated with moments that allowed us to build up our community, with Celidhs, Agape Meal, Summer Socials, Working Parties, Soup Lunch and many others beside. During 2024 we ran an Alpha course in partnership with St Mary’s Thirsk, welcoming along 8 guests. In June 2024 we said farewell to Revd Pauline and Howard, as they retired from ministry. It was good to gather all together at All Saints’ Thirkleby to celebrate Pauline’s ministry and pray for them as they started this next chapter.
St Oswald’s longs to serve the people of Sowerby and share the good news of Jesus with them. It was especially great to celebrate the 2[nd] Birthday of the Warm Welcome Soup Lunch in 2024. With over 40 regular guests, it is a blossoming ministry reaching out into our community. Alongside this we have continued to welcome in the community for weddings, funerals and baptisms. A particular highlight of 2024 was our Christmas celebrations welcoming in hundreds of local people to celebrate the good news of Christmas. 2024 saw the beginning of building plans for reordering parts of St Oswald’s so that we can better function with our growing team and welcome in our community more freely.
A big thank you is due to Revd Richard Grant, who covered my paternity leave at the start of 2024. Also to Revd Sandra Howells, David Brooke, the Worship for All team, Early Worship team, and all the retired clergy covering services in our sister parishes.
Revd David
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Children, Youth and Families Ministry
After starting in post at the end of 2023 Rachel Halkyard continued settling into the paid role as Children, Youth and Families Worker in 2024. Having initially started the job on a six month trial basis, this was changed to a permanent contract in June 2024 and the job title changed to Children Youth and Family Minister at the end of the six months trial.
The children youth and families work continues to be made possible by a large number of dedicated and skilled volunteers who work tirelessly to enable the good news of Christ to be spread to the children, young people and families in the local area.
Summary of the activities that have run in 2024
Little Wonders
Little Wonders parent and toddler group continued to meet on Monday mornings during term time in the Parochial Hall. This group is run by a dedicated group of volunteers from St Oswald’s, Sowerby Methodist Church and the Salvation Army.
The group continued to thrive with an average of 31 children and 27 parents and carers attending on a weekly basis. Feedback from parents and carers is overwhelmingly positive about this group. It is a very valued resource within our community.
A joint summer trip and picnic to Monk Park Farm with the Little Ark toddler group from St Mary’s and the Nurture parent and baby group was enjoyed by all who attended.
Open the Book (OTB)
Due to changes in the way Open the Book is run, requiring all existing volunteers to update their training, and also as an opportunity to offer Open the Book to more schools in the south Mowbray Deanery, an in person training day was arranged at Saint Oswald’s church in October 2024. Around 30 people attended this training which has enabled all current volunteers to have their training renewed and also a significant number of new volunteers to receive training.
Open the Book continues to visit four local primary schools, providing each of these schools with 12 Open the Book assemblies per year. This results in more than 400 local school children hearing Bible stories regularly in their schools.
Feedback from children and staff at the schools who receive the assemblies is overwhelmingly positive. The children love the interactive nature of the assemblies and are always keen to take part when invited.
We are currently in conversation with a number of additional primary schools about ~~hosting~~ providing Open the Book assemblies for them and we anticipate starting in these additional schools from September 2025.
Sunday Morning Kids Club
Kids Club meets on a weekly basis during the 10.30am service during term time. A group of committed volunteers enable Kids Club to happen. It has been a joy to have some new volunteers come forward to help with Kids Club in 2024.
On the first two Sundays of the month Kids Club is Godly Play which is hosted in the Godly play room and run in partnership with Sowerby Methodist Church. The third Sunday per month is our
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Worship for All service when the children stay in church to worship together with the adults. For the 4[th] and 5[th] Sunday it is Family Communion With Kids Club provision for part of the service. For these sessions we use material from Roots or Forest Church type activity.
On a weekly basis Kids Club has between 8 and 16 children attending with all children age 3 – 11 years being welcome. Children under three years can attend but need a parent or guardian with them.
Worship for All Team
The Worship for All team runs the third 10.30 service per month at St Oswald’s. The team is formed of a large number of volunteers from the church community and is a service the young people are often involved in.
Efforts are made to make the service inclusive to all, a service that families and people unfamiliar with “church” can feel comfortable in. Baptism families and couples preparing for marriage are encouraged to attend a Worship for All service as part of their preparation. Music for the service is usually provided by the band, a music group with a variety of instruments and a wide age range including several children and young people.
The Worship for All service is well attended and very well received by the church community.
Youth Group
Youth group meets on a Sunday evening 6:30 to 8:00 PM during term time. The group is run by a committed group of volunteers and is open to all young people in school years 6 to 13. Around 25 young people are connected to Saint Oswald's youth group with an average weekly attendance of about ten young people.
The group aims to provide a mixture of time for biblical teaching and opportunities for the for young people to grow in their faith and relationship with God, and also time to socialise and build friendships.
In addition to the weekly youth group sessions the youth were also offered the opportunity to participate in the York Diocese GROW programme which offered four evening teaching sessions and two day sessions throughout 2024. Seven young people from Saint Oswald’s youth group attended and completed this programme. Feedback from the young people who completed it has been very positive.
Messy Church
Messy Church continued to run over 2024. Three Messy Churches were provided, Good Friday, “Follow the Light Night” as an alternative to Halloween and Christingle. Messy Church is run by a team of committed volunteers and continues to be well attended and very well received by the families who attend.
Summer Fruits
Summer Fruits was a series of sessions run over the school summer holidays for families.
The volunteers running the sessions were gathered from St Oswald’s, St Mary’s and Sowerby Methodist Church and the sessions were hosted at the Parochial Hall and also East Thirsk Community Hall.
Based loosely on a messy church model families gathered for a number of crafts or activities with some bible teaching and worship as part of the session. During the sessions refreshments were
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provided. The sessions were well attended and well received by families, with many families coming to several sessions.
Family Camp
Family camp, a diocesan weekend for families at Wydale Hall ran again in 2024 with two families from St Oswald’s attending.
CandY News
At the start of 2024 CandY news was started. It is a term time weekly newsletter sent out to all families on the CandY mailing list. The newsletter consists of a short thought/teaching message and information on the events running for children, young people and families at St Oswald’s and the south Mowbray Deanery. The aim has been to have one point of information for families. About 120 contacts are on the mailing list and feedback from families who receive it has been positive.
Giving, Mission and Community
We continued to support Jigsaw Kids Ministries in the Philippines through regular gifts to CMS (to support their mission partner Tim Lee) and to Jigsaw directly. We were inspired to hear from Tim Lee at a service on 1st September about the ways in which Jigsaw had continued its ministry to underprivileged and street children in Metro Manila and their plans to further develop their ministries. We are pleased to actively support their project to provide practical gifts of healthcare items and sewing materials.
Warm Welcome Lunches continue to take place on Friday lunchtimes from 12 noon in the Parochial Hall. These are intended to provide a place for people to come where it is warm and welcoming and to have a simple lunch. The lunches are free. A rota of helpers is organised by Pauline Alderson to ensure this happens. Special thanks are due to Penny Merriam and Sandra Howells who cook the soups and source the ingredients. We are grateful for the generosity of those who contribute financially.
We regularly support Thirsk Community Works (CW) in their service to the wider community. Our harvest gifts and occasional offerings on special services (e.g., Christmas) have been given to them. We also give from the generous donations of those who attend the Friday lunches. We also have a box in church available for non-perishable food donations towards their food bank.
Pastoral work
Informal Pastoral Care
At St Oswald’s Pastoral Care is seen as a way of showing our love and support for each other and is part of the ethos of our church family and therefore the responsibility of all church members. Unfortunately it became clear early in 2024 that some people had ‘slipped through the net’ and for one reason or another had struggled with problems without anybody offering support. Under the leadership of David Brooke a small group put together a list of all regular attenders at St Oswald’s and approached twenty people who might offer to to keep in contact with designated individuals informally, in person or by telephone, and to ask each person if this would be appreciated. The idea of this friendly extra support system was generally received well and is now in place.
Many members of our church family visit elderly or ill friends and help them by offering lifts and help with shopping and gardening.
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Formal Pastoral Care
Yvonne Bowling and Cecily Rands have taken Holy Communion to groups of residents at Meadowfields, Orchid House and The Limes monthly.
Holy Communion has also been taken to individuals in Care Homes and in their own homes on a regular basis.
Hospitality
At the end of December Margaret Turner retired from the Sunday Tea & Coffee rota. Many thanks Margaret for your hard work and dedication in over 50 years.
Liz Harrison has taken on the role and has made recent requests for new volunteers to be involved in providing refreshments after Sunday worship. The response has been very good. There is now a rota with sufficient regulars devoting one Sunday a month and a handful of extra helpers to assist at busy times or when regulars are on holiday. Thank you all, it is very much appreciated. If you feel able to help in anyway whatsoever please contact Liz. All are welcome.
Prayer Circle
There are 49 people active on our Prayer Circle, there is a representative from each of the five parishes who will pass on to their congregation where necessary. It could be used more, not just bad news but also good news to be shared and give thanks for. Prayer gives one hope, and is very important in our church of St Oswald’s.
Brass Cleaning
The brasses in church are cleaned each month by two volunteers. There is a rota for this pinned up by the treasury where there is also a list of brasses to be cleaned. We have six pairs of volunteers which means that each couple are only called on twice a year. Thank you to those who give their time.
Parish and Community Events
We have continued to hold various parish and community events throughout the year. Alongside this a number of groups use St Oswald’s to host concerts and other events.
Throughout the summer, summer socials were once again organised as a way to build community over the quieter summer months.
The regular Warm Welcome soup lunch has continued.
Coffee, Cakes and Crafts was held in the Parochial Hall in November 2024.
A public service on Remembrance Sunday, 10 November, took place at the war memorial and the church was beautifully decorated with flowers and the outside walls with knitted and crocheted poppies. We were able to host a full program of Easter and Christmas services celebrating the good news of Jesus with our community.
Many thanks to Barbara Thornton and her team for continuing to provide flower arrangements and to Kath Reynard for tending the outdoor planters.
Farming Chaplaincy
Yvonne Bowling continued her work as an assistant chaplain working under Rev Dianne Gamble to provide support to the farming community at the Auction Mart located in the parish.
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Mothers Union
Last year during our branch meetings we had a number of guests giving a variety of talks including - Family Law, Garden Pests, Ecclesiastical Embroidery, The. Month of April , the Franciscans, and Women of the Nativity.
We enjoyed a lunch together at Thirsk Garden Centre and journeyed to Ripon cathedral where we were given a tour and entertained to tea by Ripon MU. Our fund raiser last year was Marske Fisherman's Choir a concert at St Oswald's and our Wave of prayer service. was Transformation Now and included links to 5 African Diocese.
Ecumenical relations
St Oswald’s values the covenant with the Methodist Church. A joint Christmas card with the Methodist Church was distributed using the delivery team. The children and youth team have continued to work ecumenically especially around the provision of God Play and Open the Book. We particularly enjoyed sharing our Agape meal on Maundy Thursday together.
Safeguarding
This past year has been a busy one for Gayle and I .
We have successfully processed a number of DBS checks for new church volunteers and new volunteer members of the children and young people's team. This naturally is very encouraging, and it is a joy to see our church growing.
Processing the DBS check is quite straightforward and almost the easy part ; encouraging people to complete their Safeguarding training can be trickier.
I have enjoyed my two years as PSO for St Oswald's and the Rural Churches however I am very aware that there is much I haven't done and due to personal circumstances don't have the time to do. So, it is with a lot of thought and prayer that I have resigned my role and will step down in the coming months.
I would just like to say a huge Thank you to Gayle, I really couldn't have done what I have done without her and a Thank you to Rev David for all his support and understanding.
Thank you and God Bless Mandy
Deanery Synod
The Synod usually meets three times a year. Some of the meetings are open to all members of the congregations in the Deanery such as the meetings held in recent years to propose and discuss the future reorganisation of the Deanery.
Of the three sessions held this last year, one particularly interesting session gave the synod representatives the opportunity to meet and hear from lay members who, with the guidance of a mentor, had widened and developed their interests and skills to provide a ministry in their own churches. The most recent session of 2024 was an interesting one with Bishop Barry.
The Deanery Leadership team has continued to progress the proposed deanery re-organisation and a formal consultation is now in process which is requesting feedback from all the PCCs about the proposals. As part of the reorganisation, Sowerby would revert to becoming a single parish while Sessay, Kilburn, Bagby and Thirkleby would become part of the new benefice of the South
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Mowbray Rural Parishes. The parish of Sowerby at the same time will be a hub providing help and resources for the rural parishes in the wider area of the southern deanery.
Financial review
The accounts for the year show a surplus of £925 (2023 - £8,528) . Significant factors are a legacy of £12,000 received from the Estates of Martin and Eleanor Hooper, continued increase in Giving through Gift Aid and some large donations, including those from other local parishes, to support the work of our Children and Youth activities.
Set against this is the £64,980 that we gave to York Diocese as Freewill Offering (2023 - £62,400) and a full year salary to our CandY and Admin staff of £27,790 (2023 - £7,886). PCC Fees received were lower this year and we anticipate that this might be a continuing trend with the proximity of Maple Park Crematorium and also the increase in numbers of secular licensed wedding locations. Costs of Fabric amount to £8,036 (2023 - -£287) reflecting the completion of work on the AV system and Architect’s costs in drawing up a rolling plan for future development which we shall start in the Spring of 2025.
Our general overheads are in line with expectations and largely beyond our control; contracts for utilities are in place to make the best of existing and anticipated supply scenarios.
The Parochial Hall continues to make a useful surplus of £1,469 (2023 - £2,525) after decorating the exterior. We have to recognise that continued vigilance and maintenance are essential. Our investments (£33,167 at 31/12/2024) continue to provide a cushion for our activities giving us both growth and income.
None of this would be possible without the continued financial support of our congregation who continue to give so generously.
Reserves Policy
It is the PCC’s intention to spend those Reserves that are Restricted on their defined purposes, in due course. Unrestricted Reserves include an amount that is Designated for the Parochial Hall and the PCC aims to safeguard these for an ongoing plan of refurbishment. The remainder of Unrestricted Reserves represent approximately three months income which the PCC feels is the minimum that it should aim to hold for normal levels of activity.
The Church building, fabric, ornaments and furnishings.
1. General condition of the building.
The condition of the building is as described in the last Quinquennial Report conducted by Beaumont Brown Architects (dated March 2020). The building is in a satisfactory condition and the nature of the recommended works is relatively minor in scope and extent. The buildings support group continues to undertake minor repair works. A new Quinquennial Report (QI) is due in 2025.
2. Buildings and Facilities Support group
The support group has been established to focus on the condition of the building, its facilities and surrounds. This group reports to the PCC. We have held several working parties throughout 2024 to include the cleaning out of gutters, down-pipes and drains.
- Goods and Ornaments
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All goods and ornaments are unchanged with the exception of various items which were disposed of following the granting of a faculty (see 4. below).
4. Faculty for the removal of various items from within the church.
Various items have been removed: several shorter pews, a long pew, catafalque, red kneelers, litany desks (unused), a wall clock (unused), and notice boards (disused). All items to be disposed of were previously approved by the PCC.
5. Minor building repairs
The correction of slipped tiles (as noted on the QI report) and replacement of the door to the organ blower building were done in 2024.
6. Gas Main
The gas pipe serving the boilers was very close to the surface of the access paths. In early December 2023 there was a gas leak – possibly caused by frost and movement. We applied for and obtained an emergency faculty for a builder to come and dig a new trench in order for the gas main to be laid at a safe depth. An archaeologist from the Diocese attended the work to make sure no ancient artefacts were disturbed. In the end minimal excavation was required as the gas pipe feeding the internal boiler was found at a satisfactory depth. This is now also feeding the boiler in the boiler house and the shallow depth pipe is now redundant. The work was undertaken in early 2024.
7. Tree works.
We continued to remove a lot of undergrowth around the base of trees in the western end of the churchyard – in accordance with the Tree surgeon recommendations. We hired a chipper to chip the remains of all this work. In late 2024 a storm destabilized a Cypress Tree in the middle of the churchyard. We applied for permission for its removal (done in early 2025).
8. Installation of screens in church.
AV screens were purchased following approval of a faculty for consent to install them in church for AV display during services.
9. Routine maintenance
The usual tasks of maintenance and servicing have continued throughout 2024. These included general cleaning, organ and piano tuning, servicing of church clock, fire extinguishers and PAT testing of electrical appliances.
10. Notice Board
The outside church notice was damaged in a recent storm. The PCC have approved the purchase of a new board in 2025. This will require consent
Thanks
Grateful thanks are expressed to all at St Oswald's who have worked so hard, sometimes in different ways from normal, and with so much dedication for the benefit of the church and wider community.
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May we continue to love God and our neighbours near and far as we seek to serve Christ in this place. We remember that our hope is always in Jesus Christ, our Saviour.
Approved by the PCC on 10[th] March 2025, and signed on their behalf.
Simon Birkbeck Rev David Biggs Churchwarden Priest-in-charge
Love God. Build Community. Serve Sowerby.
Registered charity number 1135485
Parochial Church Council of St Oswald's Church, Sowerby Accounts For the year ended 31 December 2024 Registered Charity Number 1135485 Index Page Independent Examiner's Report Statement of Financial Activities 2 - 3 Balance Sheet Notes to the Accounts
Independent examiner's report to the Trustees of The Parochial Church Council of The Ecclesiastical Parish of St Oswald Sowerby I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts for the year ended 31 December 2024 which are set out on pages 2 to 7. 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 Trustee's accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 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 2011 Act. Independent examinerfs 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: (l) accounting records were not kept in respect of the Trust as required by section 130 of the Act. or (2) the accounts do not accord with those records. or (3) 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 of an independent examination. 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. Barrie Cross ACA The Barker Partnership Chartered Accountants 17 Central Buildings Market Place Thirsk North Yorkshire Y07 IHD Date:
Parochial Church Council of St Oswald's Sowerby Statement of Financial Activities for the Year ended 31 December 2024 Unrestricted Restricted Funds Funds 2024 Total 2023 Total Incoming and endowments from: Voluntary Income Giving through Gift Aid Tax Refunds Other planned Giving Collection Plate Occasional & Other Services 48,884 16,239 7,987 1,775 1,991 48,884 16,239 7,987 1,775 6,226 46,162 14,959 7,355 1,967 5,507 4,235 Donations General Donations - General Electronic Donations into Candy account & Gift Aid Donations from other Parishes re Candy Legacy Received Wall box & Bookstall Photocopying 16,551 1,373 6,510 6,700 12,000 35 32 120,077 16,551 1,373 6,510 6,700 12,000 35 32 124,312 7,723 783 6,234 1,200 52 54 91,996 4,235 Other Fees Received pcc Organist & Choir Bell Ringers YDBF 7,924 1,190 300 4,010 7,924 1,190 300 4,010 9,891 1,190 140 5,048 Income from Events Sunday Coffee Fund Raising & Sale of Furniture Hire of Church Candy Activity Income 440 1,177 1,468 2,641 440 1,177 1,468 2,641 430 3,073 1,004 2,500 Recurring Grants Wayleave & Rent Sowerby Parish Council 129 1,200 20,479 129 1,200 20,479 122 2,400 25,798 Other trading activities Parochial Hall Income (note 13) Parochial Hall Earnings from 100 Club Parochial Hall Refurbishment Grants Parochial Hall Donations Received Soup Lunch Donations 21,572 1,140 21,572 1,140 20,105 1,286 3,590 942 4,511 30,434 870 870 4,342 27,924 4342 4,342 23,582 Investments Dividends (Gross) & Bank Interest 1,626 1,626 1,626 1,626 1,406 1,406 Total Incoming Resources 165,764 8,577 174,341 149,634 Expenditure on Charitable activities (see note 3) 165,957 8,540 174,497 142,236 Net incomel(expenditure) before gainsl(losses) on investments -193 37 -156 7,398 Net gainsl(losses) on investments 1,081 1,081 1,150 Net movement of Funds 887 37 925 8,548 Balances blfwd 1 January 2024 54,996 3,422 58,418 49,870 Balances clfwd 31 December 2024 55,884 3,459 59,343 58,418
Parochial Church Council of St Oswald's Sowerby Unrestricted Funds Restricted Funds 2024 Total 2023 Total Note 3 Charitable activities Freewill Offering 64,980 64,980 62,400 Salaries, Honoraria and YDBF YDBF Candy Salaries and on-costs Admin Salary Organist and Choir- inc Occ. Services Bellringers - Occ. Services 4,010 21,158 6,632 2,130 270 34,200 4,010 21,158 6,632 2,130 270 34,200 5,048 7,886 2,150 130 15,214 Expenses of Clergy and Candy Staff Vicarage Costs Mileage Allowance Expense for Candy work Gifts Recruitment costs Mission Outreach Training & ReSoUrS 886 376 2,558 85 886 376 2,558 85 1,120 874 1,921 43 575 206 797 5,536 1,361 5,275 1,361 5,275 Church Running Costs Cleaning Insurance Candles and SeNice Costs Repairs Organ Churchyard 1,646 2,451 288 4,771 116 2,448 11,720 1,646 2,451 288 4,771 116 2,448 11,720 1,352 2,298 477 2,635 183 2,873 9,818 Church Utilities Gas Water Rates Electricity 6,626 372 997 7,995 6,626 372 997 7,995 3,221 180 1,095 4,496 Church Administration Computer, Phone & Broadband Professional Fees Brokerage and Commission Fees Bank Charges LiCenS and Subscriptions Postage and Stationery Costs of Coffee Copier Costs 585 834 394 227 1,718 249 169 2,062 6,238 585 834 394 227 1,718 249 169 2,062 6,238 3,596 3,474 378 231 1,109 621 375 9,784 Donations to Charities Overseas Mission - from own Funds To Local Charities from Soup Lunches Other - special and funeral collections 3,800 1,600 3,800 1,600 4,235 9,635 3,800 1,250 2,764 7,814 4,235 4,235 5,400 Costs of generating funds Parochial Hall (note 13) Operating costs ExptIOnal expenditure Soup Lunch Costs 17,979 4,134 17,979 4,134 4305 26,418 16,062 7,336 4,063 27,461 4305 4,305 22,113 Fabric Costs Architect's Fees Fabric Costs 5,310 2,726 8,036 5,310 2,726 8,036 -287 -287 Total charitable activities 165,957 8,540 174,497 142,236
Parochial Church Council of St Oswald's Sowerby Balance Sheet as at 31 December 2024 Note 2024 2023 Fixed Assets 1,628 2,033 Current Assets Investments Debtors Bank Accounts Prepayments Cash Balances 33,167 4,685 21,668 33,192 2,794 22,125 54 200 58,365 200 59,720 Creditors Sundry Creditors YDBF - admin grant received in advance 100 Club Deposits for following year 1,005 1,000 1,980 1,980 2,005 Net Current Assets 59,343 58,418 Represented by: Unrestricted Funds Restricted Funds 10 55,884 3,459 54,996 3,422 Net Funds 59,343 58,418 Approved by the Parochial Church Council on and signed on its behalf by
Parochial Church Council of St Oswald's Sowerby Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2024 Accounting Policies Accounting Convention The accounts are prepared under the historical cost convention and in accordance with the Church Accounting Regulations 2006 and the Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to Charities preparing their accounts in accordance with FRS 102 (Charities SORP (FRS 102) and the Charities Act 2011. The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention except for the valuation of investment assets which are shown at market value. Funds General funds represent the funds of the PCC that are not subject to any restrictions regarding their use and are available for application on the general purposes of the PCC. Funds designated for a particular purpose by the PCC are also unrestricted. The accounts 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 or those that are informal gatherings of church members. Incoming Resources Voluntary income and capital sources Collections are recognised when received by or on behalf of the PCC. Planned giving receivable under Gift Aid is recognised only when received. Income tax recoverable on Gift Aid donations is recognised when received. Grants and legacies to the PCC are accounted for when received. Funds raised by events are accounted for gross. Sales of books and magazines are accounted for gross. Other income Income from the Parochial Hall is recognised when due. Income from bank investments Bank interest entitlements are accounted for as they accrue and appear gross. Resources expended The diocesan parish share is accounted for when it is paid. The PCC has paid its full share within the year. Balance Sheet- Fixed Assets Consecrated property and moveable church furnishings Consecrated and beneficed property of any kind is excluded from the accounts by S10(2a) of the Charities Act 2011. Moveable church furnishings held by the Vicar and Churchwardens on special trust for the PCC, and which require a faculty for disposal, are accounted as inalienable property unless consecrated. They are listed in the church's inventory which can be inspected at any reasonable time. For inalienable property acquired prior to 2000 there is insufficient cost information available and therefore such assets are not valued in the accounts. Expenditure incurred in the year on consecrated or beneficed buildings, individual items under £1000 or on the repair of movable church items acquired before 1 January 2000 is written off. Other Fixtures and Fittings Depreciation is provided at 10 % of cost on Hall Furniture and Equipment which is calculated to write off the cost less residual value of each asset over its useful life. Individual items of equipment with a purchase price of £1000 or less will be written off as the asset is acquired. Net Incomingloutgoing Resources 2024 2023 This is stated after charging: Depreciation and other amounts written off tangible fixed assets 405 405 Reporting accountant's fees 250 250
Investments During 2009 the Church became entitled to the Arthur Dreyheller Thompson Trust Fund following the death of the residuary life tenant. The investments are quoted in the accounts at market value as at 31 St December 2024. The use of this fund is unrestricted. Employment Costs Included in employment costs are salaries paid to PCC members in their roles as the Charity's Children and Youth Workers. No employee or PCC member received emoluments of more that £60,000. (2022: None) 2024 2023 Debtors Hall Hire Gift Aid on large donations Due from Benefice parishes & others for administrative costs & copying 3,011 1,375 299 4,685 2,463 331 2,794 Bank Accounts Church Parochial Hall Deposit "Sowerby Candy" (Note 12) 7,201 792 12,380 1,295 21,668 704 1,851 11,524 8,046 22,125 Creditors: Falling due within one year and more Sundry Creditors and Receipts in Advance Hall 100Club- 2023 Subscriptions 2,005 1,980 1,980 2,005 Analysis of Net Assets by Funds Unrestricted Restricted Total Fixed Assets Current Assets Current Liabilities Fund Balance 1,628 56,261 2,005 55,884 1,628 59,720 2,005 59,343 3,459 3,459 10 Unrestricted Funds Designated funds are included in unrestricted funds and are for the maintenance and improvement of the Parochial Church Hall. See note 12 11 Analysis of Restricted Funds 11112024 Movement In Movement Out 3111212024 Bells Charity Saints Alive Mexico 2021 Trip Soup Lunches 898 898 4,235 4,235 750 988 786 3,422 750 988 823 3,459 4,342 8,577 4,305 8,540 Saints Alive is the residue of money handed over from the old joint Saints Alive account. The Bells account is a long-standing fund from which repairs are taken over time. Mexico 2021 is deposits taken on a proposed youth trip now deferred and held for general youth activity. 12 Sowerby Candy This account is a joint venture between St Oswald's Church and Sowerby Methodist Church. It is a vehicle for raising money to support children's and youth work. The activity is reflected in St Oswald's accounts as a restricted fund for convenience and transparency.
13 Parochial Hall 2024 2023 Income Lettings Earnings from 100 Club Refurbishment Grants/Donations Received Donations received Total Income 21,572 1,140 20,105 1,286 3,590 942 25,923 870 23,582 Operating Costs for the year Caretaker & Cleaner Cleaning Materials Window Cleaning 7,072 359 130 7,072 538 260 utilities Gas Electricity Water Insurance 3,699 1,587 537 725 2,736 1,646 413 700 Repairs & Maintenance Miscellaneous repairs 5 year EICR Electrical Certificate Gas certificate and boiler repairs Fire Protection & PAT Testing Hobart Dishwasher Annual Service Kitchen supplieslequipment De-fibrillator pads 271 1,126 324 319 245 263 80 921 321 229 Administration Hallmaster Booking System Subscription Professional Fees re Scout Hut ground rent Bank Charges Bad Debt Depreciation of Equipment 265 698 123 104 147 405 405 Total Operating Costs 17,658 16,062 Exceptional Expenditure for the year Exterior Painting - Alex Watson LED lights in rear foyer Tree surgery on carpark trees Car Park entrance and fencing (2023) extra parking (2024) Annexe TV & Blinds 3,871 198 420 6,348 568 386 Total Exceptional Costs 4,455 7,336 Surplus for the year 1,469 2,525 Fund Balance at 1 January 2024 10,822 8,297 Residual Fund Balance at 31 December 2024 12,291 10,822 This fund is designated but not restricted.
Independent examlnerfs report to the Trustees of The Parochial Church Council of The Eccleslastical Parish of St Oswald Sowerbv I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts for the year ended 31 December 2024 which are set out on pages 2 to 7. 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'l. I report in respect of my examination of the Trustee's accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charlty Commission under section 145151{b) of the 2011 Act. Independent examlnerfs ststement I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention In connectlon wlth the examination 8iv5ng me cause to believe that in any material respect: {1) accounting records were not kept in respett of the Trust as requlred by sectlon 130 of the Act; or 121 the accounts do not accord w5th those records; or 13) 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 of an Independent examination. 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. Barrie Cross ACA The Barker Partnership Chartered Accountants 17 Central Buildings Market Place Thlrsk North Yorkshlre Y07 IHD Date: