OpenCharities

This text was generated using OCR and may contain errors. Check the original PDF to see the document submitted to the regulator.

2020-12-31-accounts

The Parish of Felixstowe, St John the Baptist with St Edmund Diocese of Saint Edmundsbury and Ipswich

‘Open to God …… Open to All’ www.FelixParish.com Reg. Charity No. 1135596

Agenda and Reports for the Annual Meeting of Parishioners and the Annual Parochial Church Meeting

Sunday 23rd May 2021 at 11.15 am

Agenda for the Annual Meeting of Parishioners

(Also known as the Annual Parish Meeting or Easter Vestry Meeting)

  1. Apologies for Absence

  2. Minutes of the Annual Meeting of Parishioners held on 11th October 2020

  3. Matters Arising from the Minutes

  4. Election of Churchwardens

Agenda for the Annual Parochial Church Meeting

  1. Apologies for Absence

  2. Minutes of the Annual Parochial Church Meeting held on 11th October 2020

  3. Matters Arising from the Minutes

  4. Reports of the PCC to the Annual Parochial Church Meeting:

  5. (a) Electoral Roll

  6. (b) Secretary to the PCC

  7. (c) Financial Statement of the PCC for the year ending 31[st] December 2020

  8. (d) Fabric Report

  9. (e) Deanery Synod Report

  10. (f) Church reports

  11. Elections

  12. A minimum of 3 members to serve for a period of 3 years on the PCC and 1 vacancy for Deanery Synod

  13. Appointments

  14. Independent Examiner

7. A.O.B

any items to be raised must be notified in writing to the Chairman no later than 12 noon on Saturday 22nd May 2021.

  1. Closing Prayers

Structure, governance and management

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. Under the Church Representation Rules, the PCC is able to have a maximum of 12 elected lay members, and during the last year has been made up of 9 elected lay members; there are 6 vacancies to be filled at the APCM in 2021.

Objectives and activities

The purpose of the PCC is set out in the Parochial Church Councils (Powers) Measure 1956, and it states:

(1) It shall be the duty of the minister and the PCC to consult together on matters of general concern and importance to the parish.

synod.

Reserves policy

The Reserves policy was agreed by the PCC at the meeting on 15th June 2017. £60,000 is currently set as the level for the Parish Reserves. This will be reviewed by the PCC at the first meeting of the new PCC after each APCM. (This money will only be touched in great need.)

Church attendance

As of March 2020 there were 126 members on the electoral roll.

Review of the year

The report of the Secretary to the PCC is included within this report

Financial Review

The report of the Treasurer to the PCC is included within this report

PCC information for the APCM

The Parish of Felixstowe, Saint John the Baptist with Saint Edmund Annual Reports of the Parochial Church Council for the Year Ended 31[st] December 2020

Administrative Information

Saint John the Baptist’s Church is situated on the corner of Orwell Road and Princes Road within the Felixstowe Conservation Area; and Saint Edmund’s is on Langer Road. It is a part of the Colneys Deanery within the Ipswich Archdeaconry of the Diocese of Saint Edmundsbury and Ipswich. The correspondence address is The New Vicarage, 54 Princes Road, Felixstowe, Suffolk, IP11 7PL.

The Parochial Church Council (PCC) is a registered charity number 1135596

PCC members who have served from 1 January 2020 until this report was approved are:

Priest in Charge: Reverend Andrew Dotchin Chairman
Associate Priest; Reverend Penny Brinkley Ex – Officio
Associate Priest: Reverend Philip Young Ex – Officio
Reader Mr Terry Gibb Ex - Officio
Wardens: Mr Terry Gibb
Representatives on the Deanery Synod
Reverend Penny Brinkley Ex-Officio
Mrs Jan Hickman Ex-Officio Vice Chairman
Mrs Gillian Berry Ex-Officio
Mr Garath Jones Ex-Officio
Elected Members:
Diana Barnard ***
Barbara Bown *
Penny Brookes **
Edwin Candy_(until APCM 2020)_
Sheila Donald *** Secretary to the PCC
Kath George*
Denis Heath *
June Heath *
Sharon Hume ***
Kate Prewer *
Celia Sims_(until APCM 2020)_
Mary Trayler_(until APCM 2020)_
***Term expires at APCM 2020
**Elected in 2019 for 3 years
*Elected in 2020 for 3 years

Minutes of the Annual Meeting of Parishioners held on Sunday, 25th October, 2020 in St. John’s Church

The Revd. Andrew Dotchin welcomed everyone to the meeting, which was much later in the year than usual, due to the pandemic.

1. Apologies

Vicki Westren, The Revd Peter Leitch, Twig Shrubb

2. Minutes

Kate Prewer proposed that the previous year’s minutes be accepted by the meeting, this was seconded by Dawn Kemp and agreed unanimously.

3. Matters arising

There were no matters arising.

4. Election of Churchwardens

Andrew told the meeting that no nominations had been received for churchwardens. He explained that if there were no churchwardens the incumbent would distribute the various duties among the PCC.

Andrew expressed the thanks of the church for the sterling work done by Terry Gibb as sole churchwarden for most of the last very difficult eighteen months. Much work had been done on the fabric in that time.

Minutes of the Annual Parochial Church Meeting Held on Sunday, 25th October, 2020 in St. John’s Church

1. Apologies

Vicki Westren, The Revd Peter Leitch, Twig Shrubb

2. Minutes

Steve Kemp proposed that the 2019 minutes be accepted by the meeting, Jean Leitch seconded, and the minutes were agreed.

3. Matters arising

There were no matters arising.

4. Reports of the PCC to the Annual Parochial Church Meeting

(a) Electoral Roll

Sharon Hume said that there were now 126 members in total on the Electoral Roll, of whom 54 were resident in the parish, and 72 non-resident.

(b) Secretary’s Report

Sheila Donald reported that there had been 11 PCC meetings over the year – 10 full meetings and 1 brief one.

A considerable amount of time had been spent on church fabric. The roof repairs at St John’s had been a major subject, also various repairs at St Edmund’s hall. The proposed automatic glass door for the Tower corridor had finally been set in motion.

Finance had also taken up much time. A contactless terminal had been purchased and the Parish Giving Scheme had been started.

A great number of Health and Safety policies had also been set in place.

(c) Financial Report

Alan Middleton reported that due to the roof repairs there had been a considerable deficit of income over expenditure. The Reserve fund now stood at £87,574.97 and the Browse Bell fund at £53,622.97.

Thanks were given to Terry Gibb for paying the invoices, and Susanne Barsby and Sharon Hume for banking and producing the Gift Aid figures, also Philip Keble for examining the accounts.

(d) Fabric Report

Terry Gibb had overseen a tremendous amount of work on the fabric. The roof repairs had been completed on both sides, with a grant of £9,000 given towards the cost from the Taylor Review.

Mary Traylor, as Health and Safety officer, had done a full safety audit and many measures had been put in place, including extra hand rails, PAT testing of all electrical appliances, and portable emergency lighting .

The front door of St Edmund’s hall was replaced at a cost of £1,600.

A faculty had been submitted to the DAC to install an electric glass door in the main entrance and the boxing in of all the electric boxes. This had been carried out since the report was written.

The church grounds had been given a good tidy up following the roof repairs.

(e) Deanery Synod Report

There were no questions on the Deanery Synod report.

(f) Church reports

There were no questions on the other church reports, so the meeting continued with the elections.

5. Elections

(a) Deanery Synod

Andrew explained that Deanery Synod members were ex-officio members of the PCC. Two nominations had been received, Garath Jones and Gillian Berry, who were elected to the Deanery Synod.

(b) PCC members

There were 6 vacancies for the PCC. 4 nominations had been received before the meeting, Denis and June Heath, Kate Prewer, and Barbara Bown, who were duly elected. Kath George was elected from the meeting, proposed by Franks Atkinson, and seconded by Diana Barnard. Andrew thanked the retiring members for their service.

6. Appointments

(a) Stewards

Andrew told the meeting that a list of stewards would be published separately.

(b) Independent examiner

Philip Keble was proposed as Independent Examiner, which was agreed by the meeting.

7. Any other business

Churchwarden’s presentation

Andrew said that Terry Gibb had overseen the renewal of the roof of St John’s on both sides, had the doors at St Edmund’s Hall replaced, and organised the automatic glass door which had been an ongoing project for many years. He thanked Terry for going above and beyond his duties as Churchwarden. The Revd Elizabeth Corker thanked Pam Gibb for her continual support. A presentation was made to Terry.

8. Closing prayers

The Grace was said to close the meeting.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

SECRETARY’S REPORT TO THE APCM 2020 – 2021

Since the October APCM there have been 3 PCC meetings, 1 Zoom PCC meeting, and 1 very brief meeting. Various items have been agreed via email, and ratified at the next meeting.

The main topics of discussion have been financial concerns, which have been very worrying since the pandemic, safeguarding, Covid protocols, and the ongoing successes of the Pushchair Pitstop and Parish Pantry.

Sheila Donald April 2021

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

FINANCIAL, STATEMENT TO THE APCM

Due to the Covid Pandemic the church like many others suffered a loss of income. Services were suspended, Parish Hall Hirings apart from the playgroup were stopped, and social events such as Coffee Mornings, Easter Lunch, Summer Lunch and Harvest Supper were likewise suspended. Only £47,130 of the 2020 Parish Share was paid but the final payment for 2020 has now been paid. Thanks to some generous donations including one for £25,000, reclaim of Gift Aid and VAT the finances are stable and due to past budget savings it was still possible to install the glass door in the entrance to St Johns Church and other essential maintenance carried out

T R Gibb Reader and Acting Treasurer

St John the Baptlst wlth St Edmund5 Fellxstowe Flnanclal Statement 0110112020 to 3111212020 Assets Bank Balances oVoy2020 £3,963.37 £ioo.IK) £485.39 £87,574.97 £53 622.97 £145.746.70 3111212020 £2,552.81 £9,652.16 £1.448.91 £67,844.CXJ £53 820.97 £135,318.85 Barclays General Acount Barclays Restricted Account Barclays Welfare Account CCLA Reserve Account CCLA Bells Account Freehold property of a Flat at Graham Court £259.CK)O Incom 2020 FWO Plate STO Envelopes Parish Giving Scheme Gift Aid on Parish Giving Scherne Goodbox £6,522.(X) £18.304.CX) £7.343.(Kl £7,602.00 £1,779.00 £1,610.CM) £43,160.(K) Other Income Rent Graham Court DBF Funerals Weddings Hirin8S Donations Cellnex Gift Aid Reclaim Vat Reclaim Heritage Grant Rotsf Repairs DBS Grant Screen irh Parish Hall ST Eds Group Housing 21 Refund Magazine/lNewsletter Voltives Tealcoffee Charity Events Parish Lunch Flood Lighting Producel Tombola Ladders Sale £8,240.1)0 £2,443.IX) £770.txJ £9,416.00 £27,039.00 £5.189. £16,200.00 £3,897.(X) £629.00 £i.OLXJ.(X) £35.00 £123.48 £62.00 £129.(Kl £873.00 £647.00 £60.00 £421.00 £50.00 £77.223.48 £77,223.48 £120,383.48 Totsl

St John the Bapt15t with St Edmunds Fellxstowe Flnandal Statement 0110112020 to 31IIV2020 Expenditure 2020 E3.357.QX) £1,084.00 £402.LX) £303.00 £308.00 £37.00 £1,808.00 £104.00 £834.1Th) £1.745.00 £1.371.00 £5,749.00 £360.00 É399.00 £4,038.00 £827.00 £303.00 £47,130.00 £278.(M) £728.00 £232.00 £3,444.00 £3.376.00 £3,824.00 £198.00 £0.00 £0.00 £o.(J) £710.00 £147.00 £66.00 £664.15 £5.929.00 £1,145.00 £26,416.Q) £3,228.(K) £90.00 £294.CKI £200.00 £772.00 £121,900.15 St Johns Utilities St Edmunds Utilities St Johns Water Parish Hall Water St Edmunds Water St Johns Maintenance St Edmunds Maintenance Parish Hall Mainrenance New Parish Hall Door fjround5 Maintenance Stjohns Church Insuran Stationary Office Supplies New Prlnter Printer Costs Vestry Costs Performing Rites Licenece Parish Share Barnk Charges fjraharn Court Agent Fees Insurance on Graham Court Admin Salary Cleaner Salary Rev Dotchirs Expenses Rev Brinkley Expenses Rev Corker Expenses Rev Young Reader Gibb Organist Catering Sign Hymns A&M Parish Lunih Architect Fees Charitable Donations Glass Door and Electric Cupboard Church Deep Clean St Edmunds Group Bells Service Faculty Fees Health And Safety £121,gY).00 IncomelExpenditure 1£1516.521 unt Intome Idonatlonsl Expenditure on deseNln8 causes £1,858.30 £895.86

Independent Examiner’s Report via email

PhilipKeeble Philip.Keeble@cofesuffolk.org[Thu, Mar 4, 8:42 PM] to me

Hi Terry,

I’ve had a chance to look over your accounts for 2020, and I’m very happy with them. Obviously a very challenging year, as with so many Parishes but you have firm financial foundations which are good.

Please pass on my best wishes to Andrew.

Regards

Philip

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Supplementary Financial Report

It is now nearly six months on from the financial statement and the parish finances are still struggling as a result of the pandemic and lock down

On average the parish outgoings exceed the income by £1927 per month.

At the start o the pandemic our reserves with the CCLA investment bank was £87,574.00 It now stands at £42,673.00

Terry Gibb {Church Warden and Acting Treasurer}

…………………………………………………....

Deanery Report 2020-2021

Lockdown has not permitted our Deanery meetings so this is the shortest report I have ever given with nothing to report other than the very sad news that the Lay Chairman John Dangerfield died last year. John will be very sadly missed by all at deanery and beyond in the wider world where he was loved and respected. Our sad loss indeed.

Jan Hickman May 2021

Church Wardens Report APCM 23/05/2021

Fabric Due to Covid restrictions little has happened since the last APCM. The fire extinguisher inspection has been carried out.

Some minor repairs carried out in the toilets at the Parish Hall and the disabled ramp repaired for health and safety reasons. The price for this came in at £300 under budget due to the underlying structure being in better repair than first thought. An external WiFi has been installed in the church to allow live streaming of services, weddings and funerals

During this time Andrew introduced a Parish Pantry using the surplus food from local super markets. Opening seven days a week has provided much needed food for the deserving and needy in the parish and has been an outstanding success

St Edmunds Church has now been shut of over a year. The Push Chair Pit Stop moved as a temporary measure to the meeting room and have again provided a much needed help for Mums during the pandemic.

The Parish Hall has been used exclusivity for the play group during the pandemic. A screen and projector has been installed in the Parish Hall paid for by a council grant.

In the coming year the new PCC will, in consultation with the whole congregation, be looking at future usage of St Edmunds Church.

T Gibb [Church Warden]

………………………………………………………………………………….

St Johns Mothers’ Union Group

Sadly after February 2020 we have been unable to meet in person for our monthly get-togethers. Speakers booked for 2020 meetings will hopefully be able to reschedule when we meet again. Thanks to Elizabeth for keeping us up to date and Jenny for her Mothering Sunday and Easter gifts to each member.

We were able to contribute to the annual Blythswood Christmas shoebox appeal and with help from Felixstowe’s Inner Wheel members 50 shoeboxes were filled, collected and distributed to needy families in E Europe.

We are hopeful we can look forward to our annual MU Summer Evening with fish and chip supper at The Hut on Tuesday 13 July after a break of 16months.

Gillian Berry

April 2021

Choir Report

What a strange year in the life of the Choir, indeed in all our lives. The research which suggested that the corona virus was spread more by singing than by talking has affected the way we worship whether as a member of the congregation or a member of the choir. Since the original lockdown ended and St John’s opened again for services, the choir, as an affiliated member of the Royal School of Church Music, has been governed by the RSCM guidance on how we may safely sing and comply with legal regulations.

Before we started singing again in September, we had to complete a risk assessment to make sure choir members were “covid secure”. We are fortunate to have a big chancel at St John’s which allows eight choristers to be 2 metres apart in all directions. We do not robe because there is not enough room in the vestry to maintain social distancing when changing. For the same reason we keep our music in our places in the chancel throughout the week so that we do not get too close together getting music from the cupboard. Once we are in our places, we are allowed to remove our masks, but if we move from our places we put them back on. As there is no congregational singing at the moment, we are only singing during communion.

We were able to sing up until Christmas, and then with the further full lockdown, not until Easter though we could provide a solo singer, hence Nick sang the Nunc Dimittis at the Candlemas service. We started singing again as a choir on Low Sunday. It is not easy singing so far apart; sometimes we feel very vulnerable because we hear all our own little mistakes, our wobbly notes, or shortage of breath. Without Jeremy at the organ giving us confidence it would feel impossible.

We are all longing for the time when the congregation can join us in singing the service with a full quota of hymns, and so we can achieve that great value of singing together, that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts.

Liz Watson – May 2021

Social Report

There has been no formal social events at St Johns during lockdown. Thanks to the Parish Pantry and Pushchair Pitstop there has been a lovely social atmosphere on many occasions which has been lovely.

Looking forward, the first coffee morning will be held on Saturday July 10th, 10 am- noon with coffee and cake etc being served in the Vicarage garden and the stalls will be in church. Proceeds to go to church.

We are hoping to reintroduce monthly Sunday lunches after church £10 including wine. There will be a raffle or tombola and all profits to church.

Do come and support events and help us get back to enjoying each other’s company and make some much needed cash .

Diana Barnard

Safeguarding Report 2020-2021

From your Safeguarding Officer Jan Hickman

Last year I reported 63 of you had completed a Basic Awareness course (C0). This course needs to be refreshed every three years. Those who completed the course in 2018 need to refresh. I am sorry to report that the renewal of this course has had a poor response within our congregation. So far the 39 members of the congregation who did this course in 2018 up to 30/04/2021 has dwindled to 6. There may be a few reasons why this has happened:-

People may feel that through age or infirmity they are not able to commit to this service. Covid 19 has surely played its part.

People are used to attending church through social media and will continue to do so and not physically give service.

People feel they have done their bit. People do not like on line participation.

There of course many other reasons but when we do get out of restrictions there appears to be a lack of volunteers.

I am pleased to report that the requirement of a foundation course (C1) to all PCC members has been duly completed.

Two young ladies that help run the Parish Pitstop have completed a DBS and are undergoing safeguarding training.

There have been numerous courses I have had to attend by zoom and online and am pleased to report these have successfully been completed. We now have a Parish Roadmap that I must complete (Boris is not the only person to have a Roadmap).. this roadmap has various statistical information and various leaflets to bring to the attention of the PCC.

There is always new literature and compliance I have to deal with so life as a safeguarding Officer is not boring.

I look forward to the return of some semblance of normality in the near future.

Jan Hickman May 2021

Messy Church:

Although we have not been able to meet up with our Messy Church families for over a year we have kept in touch with regular emails, sending them issues of Young Church magazine, copies of the parish newsletter and crafty and cooking ideas that we would have been doing in our usual Messy sessions.

We are restarting again on Wednesday 12th May, as we have families who have expressed an interest in returning. Messy Church will be a bookable event for the time being. Things will be a little different but we will make it work again!

Sharon and the Messy Church Team

Pushchair Pitstop

This year has seen Pitstop being moved from St Edmunds to St John’s since the first Lockdown. It has meant we have been able to be open at all times, helping parents both new and old, when they have been unable to shop for baby supplies.

Over this time Gina has gathered a group of enthusiastic helpers around her and we now endeavour to have someone available to sort and help when we are open. We would like to say a really big thank you to everyone one who helps, at times it can be thankless but others so rewarding, when you see the relief on some parents faces. We have had many tears of joy over the year and hope we will continue to be able to bring joy to many more parents. All helpers have done or are in the process of doing their necessary safeguarding.

The addition of clothes rails has helped to make the meeting look much better and is far easier to keep tidy. These have been purchased through monies that have come into the Pitstop either as donations or raffles.

We are now starting to look at what happens after ‘Lockdown’ and moving back to St Edmunds and hopefully starting to be able to have a stay and play time and offer teas, coffee and support again. This is envisaged to happen after playgroup have broken up for the Summer Holidays.

We have been able to arrange a couple of events starting with a BBQ in the vicarage garden last summer, to visit by Father Christmas, with all children receiving a goody bag, over 50 were given away and an Easter trail with goody bag where we also gave away 50 bags. These events were in connection with Messy Church families. We are planning another BBQ for this summer.

God Bless

Rev Penny and Gina

The Parish Pantry

Feeding Bodies, Nurturing Souls

Report to the APCM - 23 May 2021

How we began

When the first Lockdown due to Covid-19 was enforced in March 2020 the BASIC Life Charity chose to close all of its Pop-up Shops including the one at St Edmund’s Church. When the lockdown was lifted BASIC chose to move the pop-up shop from St Edmund’s to the River of Life Church for a while but this venture has not persisted and left our Parish as the only part of Felixstowe, Walton and Trimley without any easily accessible provision to help those most at need (The West End of Felixstowe is amongst the 10% most deprived in our nation).

During the second Lockdown in October 2021, as St John’s could not be used for any other activities, the North aisle was used as a collecting point for customers from the Pushchair Pitstop. It was during this time that we were approached by Morrisons who asked, as there were children visiting the Pitstop, if we might pass on some of their free packed lunches for schoolchildren. The response was immediate and immense as we gave away almost 60 meals in two days. This showed us that there was an unmet need in our parish and the idea of the Parish Pantry was born.

How we operate

Parish Pantry seeks to provide food without cost or condition to anyone who enters our premises. We do this in a spirit of charity and without judgment of the need of our clients recognising that we are called to serve Christ through our care of the thirsty and the hungry, the sick and the stranger. (Matthew 25v37-40).

While offering pastoral care to all who come through our doors we will not demand that anyone pay for the services provided nor pry into their personal circumstances.

We depend on the work of the Holy Spirt to draw people towards God and offer our buildings as a place where that encounter may begin without any coercion on our part.

Our Guiding Principles are the Five Marks of Mission of the Anglican Communion paying special attention to the imperatives that we respond to human need by loving service and strive to

safeguard the integrity of creation, and sustain and renew the life of the earth. The latter being done chiefly by the use of surplus food which may otherwise be discarded.

This work is chiefly done by the provision of free food and toiletries laid out on tables in the South Aisle of St John’s. We are open for six hours a day every day of the week. However the majority of goods are collected within the first hour of opening. If we have a large amount to pass on the tables are re-stocked during the day. In seven months of operation we can count on the fingers of one hand the number of times the end of the day has not seen empty tables.

Our guests

Those who use the Parish Pantry number between 50 and 70 people each day with a core of about 20 who visit at least every other day. There are several identified groups of people who use the Pantry. Some are well known to us having been previous users of the Pop-Up Shop at St Edmund’s. With Pushchair Pitstop also being at St John’s there is a group of mums and young children who now use the Pantry but were unable to visit the Pop-up Shop. We have a core group of families of Eastern European descent, (mostly Polish and Romanian speaking) who find the church setting very comforting and often remain in church to light candles and pray once they have collected food. There are a handful of young adults who are living in supported accommodation who use the pantry. Always a pleasure to have them in the morning queue as they are very caring of the more elderly and offer help as needed. During the most recent lockdown we have also noticed an increase in visits by elderly people in the late afternoon who have found it difficult to return to normal shopping routines and see the Pantry as a safe place to collect a few necessities.

Though no donations are expected many of our guests put a gift in the wall safe or use the Goodbox contactless machine. These gifts are added to the Parish General Funds.

Who we work with

Far and away the majority of the donations to the Pantry are made by several local supermarkets. Morrisons, both Lidl stores, and Marks & Spencer (Martlesham) and Boots provide regular donations of waste and surplus food. Morrisons have been particularly generous with gifts of chilled and frozen food which has enabled us to join the national Community Fridge Network. Many supermarket deliveries are coordinated through a group called Neighbourly and it was through them that we obtained a £400 grant from Aldi to specifically buy food for children. This has been greatly appreciated in Pushchair Pitstop which is able to keep baby and toddler meals to give away. We also, through a government grant to Suffolk County Council, have a weekly delivery of 300Kg of fruit, veg and tinned food by Fareshare. Another of our bulk deliveries is coordinated by Garath Jones who operates a delivery service to homes in Whitton and Castle Hill from the Castle Hill Community Centre. We are fortunate that Garath is also a member of our PCC and we have a weekly date where we exchanged surplus supplies that each of us has with each other to ensure nothing is wasted.

Another consistent source of supplies are a group of very faithful parishioners who, week by week, have gone shopping and bought bags and bags of fresh produce to place on the tables. On some

days these gifts have been the only thing we have had to put on the tables. They are like manna from heaven. There are other groups that help as well, notably a group of men in Ipswich who, no longer able to drink in their local pub, cooked Sunday lunch together by Zoom and bought a monthly delivery of fruit and veg with whatever they had left in their kitty. Several parishioners make regular donations to the Parish Welfare account which enables the Pantry to buy items to fill the gaps in provision by other donors so that we can provide a balanced diet for all.

Lastly, and humbling to watch in action, our guests themselves when they come and collect items often leave on the table food that they have at home that they cannot use immediately.

It’s not only food and toiletries

Working with Suffolk County Council alongside Langer Primary and Grange Primary we were able to provide over 30 households with food vouchers that we purchased from Morrisons. The total grant of £3 000 was used to buy £25 vouchers which were distributed to families and individuals according to their circumstances. We are in the process of applying for a larger government grant through the Suffolk Community Foundation which will enable us to help families directly affected by Covid with food and fuel cost for up to £500 per family.

The Future

Sadly, even once Covid is under control, we expect community need for assistance to remain at similar levels. Our economy may be beginning to recover quickly but it will not return to pre 2020 levels for some time and many jobs and sources of income have now gone forever. Our guests were already vulnerable to the ups and downs of the economy before Covid and even if new work is available most of them do not have the skills or resources to retrain.

Under God’s guidance, and with your support we hope to continue to see the work of the Pantry continue until it is no longer needed.

Thank you Di, Alison, Jo, Garath, Mark, Julia, James, Catherine, Jane, Kate, and all the others who make the Pantry a success and a place of succour. Our prayer is that we will soon join the ranks of the ‘unemployed’ as need decreases. Until then please continue to support our work by gifts in kind, in cash, and in prayer.

Pax et Bonum

Revd Canon Andrew Dotchin - Vicar

Bellringers' Report for APCM 2021

Mrs J. Savage. Tower Captain, St John’s, Felixstowe. 28 April 2021

2020-21 has been a year wherein very little happened.

During Lockdown 1, there was no ringing at all, but the Summer easing of restrictions allowed a small group of ringers to ring for Sunday services - following strict guidelines. The Tiers and Lockdown 2 meant that we were grounded again, but we managed to ring 2 bells for Christmas. During this period, our long-serving and skilled Tower Captain, Brian Aldous, stood down. He left a big hole, which Lesley Barrell and I hope to fill together.

Meanwhile, the Suffolk Guild of Ringers set in motion the plan to install a simulator in the tower to enable practices for new ringers without disturbing the neighbours. This has, unfortunately, been delayed while we await permissions from above.

St John’s, Felixstowe, is now an A.R.T. (Association of Ringing Teachers) accredited tower. I am happy to report that there has been a start to practices (a child and 2 adults, with the permission of Rev. Dotchin, Vicar of Felixstowe Town and Rural Dean of Colneis, and following the CCCBR guidelines), and we hope to start Sunday ringing on 1st May.

Our ringing band is very small at the moment, but we intend to recruit (together with Falkenham Church) after June 21st, when we will be allowed to teach again. This is the early stages of discussion at the moment, but we might have a “Have-A-Go” practice night or an “Open Towers Day” (split in two), possibly on Heritage Day in September.

Mr. Flatters and Mr. McArthur, SGR technical advisors, gave the bells their annual inspection yesterday. Here is their report:

St John the Baptist Felixstowe.

Following a request, Chris McArthur and I carried out an inspection of the bell installation on Tuesday 27[th] April. We are both members of the Suffolk Guild of Ringers and our advice and assistance is given freely and in good faith.

The installation dates from 2003 and is generally well protected from the elements by boarded louvres and a floor to the base of the spire.

The bellframe is of composite construction comprising cast iron H section frame sides for the seven bells in the lower tier and lowside frames for the upper tier, these are all painted in red gloss and are generally in good order except for some rust on the tops of the side frames and the arms of the H castings. You need to clean these and apply a spray coat of red primer paint. The H castings bolt to a base of galvanised rolled steel girders, the ends of which are further protected by bitumastic paint where they are set in the walls in concrete. The upper arms are tied by an angle iron structure with further steel beams carrying the fourth bell, some access decking and euro grid is built over this to give access to the upper level. All galvanised steel is in good condition.

The bolt fixings between the castings and steel gate end assemblies show some signs of rust. Spray paint these for protection.

The fifth bell was reported to be acting oddly, Chris positioned himself next to it and I rang it up slowly. We report that the bell handles well and sets properly and the pulleys rotate as the rope passes over them.

All clappers were checked for tightness through the heads of their respective bells and headstocks. The clapper bushes were checked for wear, these show some looseness appropriate to their age.

Some bellropes had been poorly tied off around the wheels, I retied those of the treble, 2[nd] , 5[th] and 6[th] and showed Jacky how to tie the 4[th] off. New ropes were fitted to the two tenor bells, set to normal height, then rung up and the tail lengths set and tied off. The bells were then rung down.

We hope this enables this superb light ring to be used once the current lockdown is rescinded.

Jed Flatters. 29/4/2021