2024-12-31-accounts

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The Arden Marches Group of Churches

Parish of Studley with Mappleborough Green

(Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Studley) (Church of the Holy Ascension, Mappleborough Green)

Accounts for the Year Ended 31st December 2024

with Mappleborough Green Registered Charity Number: 1135615

Studley with Mappleborough Green

Accounts for the Year Ended 31st December 2024

Reference	Description	Page

	Table of Contents	(i)
	Independent Examiner's Report	(ii)
	Statement of Financial Activities (by Funds)	1
	Statement of Financial Activities (by Church)	2
	Balance Sheet	3
	Review of Financial Activities	4
	Notes to the Financial Statements:
1	Accounting Policies - Funds and Incoming Resources	5
1	Accounting Policies - Resources Used and Fixed Assets	6
2	Incoming Resources - PCC, Studley and Mappleborough Churches	7 a
2	Incoming Resources - Studley Church by account type	7 b
2	Incoming Resources - Mappleborough Church by account type	7 c
3	Resources Used - PCC, Studley and Mappleborough Churches	8 a
3	Resources Used - Studley Church by account type	8 b
3	Resources Used - Mappleborough Church by account type	8 c
	Supplementary Detail:
2	Income: Grants, Legacies, Fund Raising and Donations	9
3	Expenditure: Grants and Activities Directly Relating to Church Work	10
3	Expenditure: Activities Directly Relating to Church Work (continued)	11
3	Expenditure: Fund Raising and Publicity, Church Administration	12
4 to 9a	Staff Costs, Fixed Assets, Church Equipment and Investments	13
	Debtors, Liabilities, Bank Accounts and Funds
5a	Schedule of Fixed Assets - Detail	14
9b	Fund Holdings	15
	Christian Ministry Analysis	16
	Studley Income & Expenditure and Giving v Costs History	17 & 18
	Mappleborough Green Income & Expenditure and Giving v Costs History	19 & 20

ATG 31/01/20

(i)

Independent Examiner's Report to the PCC of Studley with Mappleborough Green

This report on the financial statements of the PCC for the year ended 31st December 2024, comprising the Statement of Financial Activities and Balance Sheet on pages 1 to 3 and Notes to the Financial Statements, numbered 1 to 9 (including also detailed notes 2 and 3 on Incoming Resources and Resources Used, for both St. Mary's and Holy Ascension), is in respect of an examination carried out in accordance with the Church Accounting Regulations 2006 ("the Regulations") and S.43 of the Charities Act 1993 ("the Act")

Respective Responsibilities of Trustees and Examiner

As members of the PCC you are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements; you consider that the audit requirements of the Regulations and Section 43(2) of the Act do not apply. It is my responsibility to issue this report on those accounts in accordance with the terms of the Regulations.

Basis of this Report

My examination was carried out in accordance with the General Directions given by the Charity Commission under Section 43(7)(b) of the Act and to be found in the Church guidance, 2006 edition. That examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the PCC and a comparison of the accounts with those records. It also includes considering any unusual items or disclosures in the financial statements and seeking explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently I do not express an audit opinion on the view given by the accounts.

Independent Examiner's Statement

In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention:

(1) which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements

to keep accounting records in accordance with Section 41 of the Act: and
to prepare financial statements which accord with the accounting records and comply with the requirements of the Act and the Regulations have not been met: or
(2) to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Independent Examiner Simon Billingham FCCA 07/03/2025

(ii)

Parish of Studley with Mappleborough Green Statement of Financial Activities (by Fund) for the year ended 31st December 2024

2024	2024	2024	2024	2024	2023
Unrestricted	Designated	Restricted	Endowment	Total	Prior Year
91,050 3,197 94,247 109,344 822 822 2,698 4,481 10,422 14,903 16,301 11,559 2,892 14,451 7,630 250 250 250
107,912 16,761 124,673 136,223
624 624 1,441 127,716 21,196 148,912 155,421
128,340 21,196 149,536 156,862

-20,428 -4,435 -24,863 -20,639
3,665 3,665 75,892 -3,665 -3,665 -75,892
-16,763 -8,100 -24,863 -20,639
2,356 2,356 -2,174
-16,763 2,356 -8,100 -22,507 -22,813 197,043 90,648 112,880 194,056 594,627 617,440
180,280 93,004 104,780 194,056 572,120 594,627

Studley with Mappleborough Green

Accounts for the Year Ended 31st December 2024

Reference	Description	Page

	Table of Contents	(i)
	Independent Examiner's Report	(ii)
	Statement of Financial Activities (by Funds)	1
	Statement of Financial Activities (by Church)	2
	Balance Sheet	3
	Review of Financial Activities	4
	Notes to the Financial Statements:
1	Accounting Policies - Funds and Incoming Resources	5
1	Accounting Policies - Resources Used and Fixed Assets	6
2	Incoming Resources - PCC, Studley and Mappleborough Churches	7 a
2	Incoming Resources - Studley Church by account type	7 b
2	Incoming Resources - Mappleborough Church by account type	7 c
3	Resources Used - PCC, Studley and Mappleborough Churches	8 a
3	Resources Used - Studley Church by account type	8 b
3	Resources Used - Mappleborough Church by account type	8 c
	Supplementary Detail:
2	Income: Grants, Legacies, Fund Raising and Donations	9
3	Expenditure: Grants and Activities Directly Relating to Church Work	10
3	Expenditure: Activities Directly Relating to Church Work (continued)	11
3	Expenditure: Fund Raising and Publicity, Church Administration	12
4 to 9a	Staff Costs, Fixed Assets, Church Equipment and Investments	13
	Debtors, Liabilities, Bank Accounts and Funds
5a	Schedule of Fixed Assets - Detail	14
9b	Fund Holdings	15
	Christian Ministry Analysis	16
	Studley Income & Expenditure and Giving v Costs History	17 & 18
	Mappleborough Green Income & Expenditure and Giving v Costs History	19 & 20

ATG 31/01/20

(i)

Parish of Studley with Mappleborough Green Balance Sheet at 31st December 2022

		2024	2024			2023	2023
Note	Parish Fund	St. Mary's Studley	Holy Ascension	Total Funds	Parish Fund	St. Mary's Studley	Holy Ascension	Total Funds	Year on Year Change
	£	£	£	£	£	£	£	£	£
5a 5b 6 8a 8b 7 9		120,000	74,056 92,712			120,000	74,056 90,356	194,056 90,356	2,356
		120,000	166,768	286,768		120,000	164,412	284,412	2,356
	300 16,073	1,053 201,521 24,031	900 35,941 11,523	2,253 237,462 51,627	1,286 18,189	3,090 213,801 21,496	1,721 39,881 19,170	6,097 253,682 58,855	-3,844 -16,220 -7,228
	16,373	226,605	48,364	291,342	19,475	238,387	60,772	318,634	-27,292

	-5,534	-24	-432	-5,990	-6,773	-593	-1,053	-8,419	2,429

	10,839	226,581	47,932	285,352	12,702	237,794	59,719	310,215	-24,863

	10,839	346,581	214,700	572,120	12,702	357,794	224,131	594,627	-22,507
	611 10,228	133,649 292 92,640 120,000	46,020 92,712 1,912 74,056	180,280 93,004 104,780 194,056	456 12,246	143,977 292 93,525 120,000	52,774 90,356 6,945 74,056	197,207 90,648 112,716 194,056	-16,927 2,356 -7,936
	10,839	346,581	214,700	572,120	12,702	357,794	224,131	594,627	-22,507

Approved by the Parochial Church Council and signed on its behalf by:

Chairperson …………………………………Date………………. Member …………………………………Date……………….

PMS 07/02/2023

Parish of Studley with Mappleborough Green Review of Financial Activities and Affairs for the Year Ended 31st December 2022

1. Studley - Income from doners in 2024 was £51,202 compared with £58,222 for 2023. The main element of this was Gift Aided donations and their associated tax credits which came to £43,345 in 2024 compared with £49,744 in 2023. Income from fees was £4,305 in 2024 compared with £2,789 in 2023 as there were 4 weddings in 2024 but none in 2023. Interest on investments for 2024 was £7,701 compared with £1,822 in 2023 due to relatively high interest rates throughout the year. The total income for 2024 was £74,503 compared with £79,321 for 2023. Expenditure for 2024 was £85,716 which was a significant decrease in comparison with the 2023 figure of £99,660, however this was mainly the result of very low expenditure from the Fabric Fund, £2,164 in 2024 compared with £20,268 in 2023, with other costs showing a year on year increase. The net result was a £11,213 use of reserves compared with a £20,338 use in 2023.

Mappleborough Green income from donations and voluntary giving was £24,898 in 2024 compared with £27,965 in 2023. Fund raising and grant income was £922 in 2024 compared with £3,705 in 2023 and Fee Income was just £176 in 2024 compared with £3,643 in 2023, reflecting far lower use of the church than in 2023. Dividend income and interest was £6,700 in 2024 compared with £5,732 in 2023, with the net result that total church income in 2024 was £32,696 compared with £41,049 in 2022. Whilst church expenditure decreased slightly from £40,402 in 2023 to £39,286 in 2024 this still meant that church finances showed a deficit of £6,589 in 202 compared with a surplus of £647 in 2023. Ankcorn House delivered a small surplus of £32, but there was a significant use of Fabric Fund of £5,229 meaning that the DCC showed an initial deficit of £11,787 that was partially offset by an unrealised gain on investments of £2,356 to give a net deficit of £9,431

2 2024 saw a slight increase in the financial and investment markets and at the end of the year the Mappleborough Green investment in the M&G Investment Fund for Charities showed an unrealised gain of £2,356 which took the investment to a closing balance of £92,712 at 31st December.

3. A total of £142,093 was spent on providing the Christian Ministry for the Parish, split between Parish £17,7500 St Mary's £83,553 and Holy Ascension £40,790 (See page 16). This sum included the contribution to the Diocese for the Parish Share of £63,396. Total spend of £142,093 compares with £134,907 in 2023 with the increase representing a full year of the Family Link Worker working 30 hours per week, and the continued use of the Anna Chaplain with development of the Dementia Cafe, plus further development of music resources at Studley.

4. Routine maintenance and servicing accounted for £6,105 at Studley and £2,117 at Mappleborough Green. These costs were mainly for boiler servicing, fire extiguisher contracts, PAT Testing, minor electrical work, organ tuning & church alarm system maintenance. Major expenditure at Mappleborough Green was £4,453 relating to repairs of the lightening conducter, car park and footpath; Lighting improvements to the church, pumphouse and Ankcorn House, and repairs to the boiler in Ankcorn House. Expenditure at Studley amounted to £300 relating to a boiler repair.

5. Once again thank you to everyone who has helped with the finances over the past year whether it has been counting the cash from collections at services, giving regularly to church funds or maintaining the accounts. In particular my thanks to Joyce Duffin, Alan Greathead and Ann Chance for their work on the accounts of the two churches. A number of people also provide a variety of resources for which they seek no payment. This is very much appreciated and it is important to bear this in mind when looking at our costs for outreach and services which often do not reflect the full cost because of the generosity of people.

Patrick Smith

ATG 31/01/20

Parish of Studley with Mappleborough Green Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31st December 2022

1. Accounting Policies

The Financial Statements have been prepared in accordance with the Church Accounting Regulations 2006, together with applicable accounting standards and the Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP) 2015 (FRS 102).

The Financial Statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention except for the valuation of investment assets, which are shown at market value. The Parish Account receives funds which are provided by both churches, individually, to pay joint costs but the individual costs are reflected in the individual church financial statements which also reflect the appropriate funds. 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, nor those that are informal gatherings of church members.

Funds

Unrestricted funds are general funds which can be used for PCC ordinary purposes.

Designated funds are part of the unrestricted funds set aside by the PCC for a particular project. The PCC may place these in a separate unrestricted fund called a designated fund. Funds so designated may be redesignated by the PCC and so designation does not prevent funds from being spent on other purposes. All unrestricted funds comprise income funds which the PCC must spend within a reasonable time.

Restricted funds represent (a) income from trusts or endowments which may be expended only on those restricted objects provided in the terms of the trust or bequest, and (b) donations or grants received for a specific object or invited by the PCC for a specific object. The funds may only be expended on the specific object for which they were given. Any balance remaining unspent at the end of each year must be carried forward as a balance on that fund. The PCC does not usually invest separately for each fund. Where there is no separate investment, interest is apportioned to individual funds on an average balance basis.

Endowment funds are funds, the capital of which must be maintained; only income arising from investment of the endowment may be used either as restricted or unrestricted funds depending upon the purpose for which the endowment was established.

Incoming Resources

Voluntary Income and Capital Resources

Collections are recognised when received by, or on behalf of, the PCC. Planned Giving receivable under covenant is recognised only when received. Income Tax recoverable on covenants or gift aid donations is recognised when the income is recognised.

Grants and legacies to the PCC are accounted for as soon as the PCC is notified of its legal entitlement and the amount due.

Funds raised through the fete, garden party and similar events are accounted for gross wherever possible.

Other Ordinary Income

Rental Income from the letting of church premises is recognised when the rental is due.

Income from Investments

Dividends and interest are accounted for when receivable. Tax recoverable on such income is recognised in the same accounting year.

Gains and Losses on Investments

Realised gains or losses are recognised when the investments are sold. Unrealised gains or losses are accounted for on revaluation of investments at 31st December.

PMS 07/02/2023

Parish of Studley with Mappleborough Green Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31st December 2022

1. Accounting Policies (continued)

Resources Used

Grants

Grants and donations are accounted for when paid over, or when awarded if that award creates a binding obligation on the PCC.

Activities Directly Relating to the Work of the Church

The diocesan quota, or parish share, is accounted for when payable. Any parish share unpaid at 31st December is provided for in the accounts as an operational (though not a legal) liability and is shown as a creditor in the Balance Sheet. The parish share was paid in full in 2024.

Fixed Assets

Consecrated Land & Buildings and Moveable Church Furnishings

Buildings are held at the 1997 insurance value currently and for the foreseeable future as agreed with our Examiner and following discussions with Church House, Coventry.

Consecrated and beneficed property is excluded from the accounts by s.96(2)(a) of the Charities Act 1993.

Moveable church furnishings are held by the churchwardens on special trust for the PCC, and those requiring a faculty for disposal are considered by the PCC to be inalienable property. They are listed in the church's inventory which can be inspected at any reasonable time. For inalienable property acquired prior to 1997 there is insufficient cost information available and therefore such assets are not valued in the accounts. Items acquired since 1st January 1997 have been capitalised and depreciated in the accounts over the anticipated useful economic life on a straight line basis. The economic life used was five years for items acquired up to 31st December 2004. Items acquired after that date have generally depreciated over three years to reflect the rapid technological changes and obsolescence in computers and such equipment.

In 2015 a new printer was purchased for the Administrator but was written off over twelve months due to the relatively low cost. In 2016 a second laptop was purchased for general parish use. In 2017 an additional printer was purchased for the Administration Office and a new laptop for general parish use. In line with a recommendation made by the Indepenedent Examiner at the 2016 accounts review items costing less than £1,000 are now fully written down in the year of purchase. Therefore the items purchased in 2017 were all fully written down in the year. No purchases or disposals were made in 2018 and 2020. In 2019 a new Administration Office computer and a second hand photocopier were purchased. Both were written off during the year. In 2021 a Mevo Camera was purchased to enhance "Live streaming" of services.

Investments

Investments are shown at market value at 31st December.

Current Assets

Amounts owing to the PCC at 31st December in respect of fees, rents or other income, are shown as debtors less provision for amounts that may prove uncollectable.

Short term deposits include cash held on deposit either with the CBF Church of England Funds; at the bank or building society.

Creditors include Grants that have been received but not yet spent for the specific purposes for which they were given. The figure also includes all fees paid as deposits and other advance payments for weddings and funerals

PMS 07/02/23

Parish of Studley with Mappleborough Green Notes to the Financial Statements (continued) for the Year Ended 31st December 2022

Parish of Studley with Mappleborough Green Notes to the Financial Statements (continued) for the Year Ended 31st December 2022
2 Incoming Resources Parish St. Mary's Studley Holy Ascension Mappleborough Total Funds £ £ £ £ 2a Incoming Resources from Donors Planned Giving Gift Aid Donations 36,489 3,622 40,112 Income Tax Recoverable on Gift Aid 7,216 4,796 12,012 Other Planned Giving (including CAF) 2,252 300 2,552 Collections (Open Plate) at all Services 1,419 995 2,414 Give As You Earn Scheme 14,237 14,237 Income towards FLW costs 8,240 8,240 Sundry Donations 1,398 5,024 1,549 7,972 Sub Total 9,638 52,400 25,499 87,538 Legacies Total 9,638 52,400 25,499 87,538 2b Other Voluntary Incoming Resources Charity Fund Raising Grants 6,000 610 100 6,710 Donations (i) Fetes & Other Fund Raising Events 822 822 Fund Raising - Parish Centre/Ankcorn House Income from DCC's for Property Maintenance 250 250 (ii) Income from DCC's for Equipment Purchases Total 6,250 610 922 7,782 2c Income from Charitable & Ancilliary Trading Magazines Orders of Service Lettings - Church/Parish Centre/Ankcorn House 9,487 935 10,422 Memorial Trees Other Income Fees 4,305 176 4,481 Total 13,792 1,111 14,903 2d Other Ordinary Incoming Resources Insurance Claims Total 2e Income from Investments Dividends and Interest 7,701 6,750 14,451 Realised Gains Total 7,701 6,750 14,451 Total Incoming Resources 15,888 74,503 34,282 124,673 N.B. Incoming Resources (2a) includes Gift Day Income 3,606 1,663 5,269 2024	2023
	Parish	St. Mary's Studley	Holy Ascension Mappleborough	Total Funds
	£	£	£	£

		38,007	5,419	43,426
		12,665	5,367	18,032
		2,010	300	2,310
		1,772	1,602	3,374
			14,981	14,981
	7,080			7,080
	1,610	7,797	1,093	10,500
	8,690	62,251	28,762	99,703

	8,690	62,251	28,762	99,703


	5,400	3,230	1,011	9,641

			2,698	2,698

	250			250

	5,650	3,230	3,709	12,589


		160	80	240
		9,069	640	9,709


		2,789	3,563	6,352
		12,018	4,283	16,301




		1,822	5,808	7,630

		1,822	5,808	7,630

	14,340	79,321	42,562	136,223
	4,138 2,044 6,181

PMS 07/02/23

7 (a)

St, Mary's Church, Studley Notes to the Financial Statements (continued) for the Year Ended 31st December 2022

STUDLEY	STUDLEY	STUDLEY	STUDLEY	STUDLEY	STUDLEY	STUDLEY	STUDLEY
2024				2023
General Fund	Parish Centre	Fabric Fund	Total Funds	General Fund	Parish Centre	Fabric Fund	Total Funds
£	£	£	£	£	£	£	£
36,129 360 36,489 7,216 0 7,216 2,252 2,252 1,419 1,419 4,186 551 287 5,024 51,202 551 647 52,400 51,202 551 647 52,400 610 610 610 610 9,487 9,487 4,305 4,305 4,305 9,487 13,792 4,859 2,842 7,701 4,859 2,842 7,701 60,976 10,038 3,489 74,503 3,606 3,606
				37,572		435	38,007
				12,172		493	12,665
				2,010			2,010
				1,772			1,772

				4,696	128	2,973	7,797
				58,222	128	3,901	62,251

				58,222	128	3,901	62,251


				1,047		2,183	3,230




				1,047		2,183	3,230


				160			160
					9,069		9,069

				2,789			2,789
				2,949	9,069		12,018




				1,822			1,822
				1,822			1,822

				64,039	9,197	6,084	79,321
				4,138 4,138

7 (b)

PMS 07/02/23

Holy Ascension Church, Mappleborough Green Notes to Financial Statements (continued) for the Year Ended 31st December 2022

MAPPLEBOROUGH GREEN	MAPPLEBOROUGH GREEN	MAPPLEBOROUGH GREEN	MAPPLEBOROUGH GREEN	MAPPLEBOROUGH GREEN	MAPPLEBOROUGH GREEN	MAPPLEBOROUGH GREEN	MAPPLEBOROUGH GREEN
2024				2023
General Fund	Ankcorn House	Fabric Fund	Total Funds	General Fund	Ankcorn House	Fabric Fund	Total Funds
£	£	£	£	£	£	£	£
3,622 3,622 4,796 4,796 300 300 995 995 14,237 14,237 948 601 1,549 24,898 601 25,499 24,898 601 25,499 100 100 822 822 922 922 935 935 176 176 176 935 1,111 6,700 50 6,750 6,700 50 6,750 32,696 1,536 50 34,282 1,663 1,663
				5,299		120	5,419
				5,287	50	30	5,367
				300			300
				1,602			1,602
				14,981			14,981
				496	597		1,093
				27,965	647	150	28,762

				27,965	647	150	28,762

				1,011			1,011

				2,698			2,698


				3,709			3,709


				80			80
					640		640



				3,563			3,563
				3,643	640		4,283




				5,732		76	5,808

				5,732		76	5,808

				41,049	1,287	226	42,562
				2,044 2,044

2 Incoming Resources

2a Incoming Resources from Donors

2b Other Voluntary Incoming Resources

(i) Fetes & Other Fund Raising Events Fund Raising - Ankcorn House

2c Income from Charitable & Ancilliary Trading

2d Other Ordinary Incoming Resources

2e Income from Investments

PMS 07/02/23

7 (c)

Parish of Studley with Mappleborough Green Notes to Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31st December 2022

Resources Used Grants Missionary and Charitable Giving Church Overseas -Missionary Societies - Relief & Development Agencies Home Missions & Other Church Societies Secular Charities Total Activities Directly Relating to the Work of the Church Ministry - Diocesan Quota - Clergy Expenses - Curates House Cost - Upkeep of Services - Other Ministry Costs (Including Family Link Worker) - Vicarage Maintenance - Training Costs Alpha Course Costs Church - Running Costs - Maintenance Major Repairs & Refurbishment Major Projects Church Equipment Expenditure on Parish Magazine and Bookstall Upkeep of Churchyard Cost of Memorial Trees Upkeep of Field Parish Centre/Ankcorn House Running Costs Ankcorn House Major Repairs Architects Fees Professional Fees Salary of Vergers Salary of Organists Sub Total Depreciation Total Fund raising & Publicity Cost of Fetes, Bazaars and Other Fund Raising Events Advertising Total Church Management & Administration Administration: Secretarial Expenses Office Expenses (incl Printing, Stationery, Postage & Env Scheme Office Furniture/Equipment and Repairs Sundries Covenant Secretary's Expenses Lunchbox Management Expenses Bank Charges Total Total Resources Used Net Resource Before Transfers Fund Transfers Realised Gains/(Losses) on Investments Unrealised Gains/(Losses) Depreciation Net Movement in Funds	2024	2024	2024	2024
	Parish	St. Mary's Studley	Holy Ascension Mappleborough	Total Funds
	£	£	£	£

3 Resources Used

3a Grants

3b Activities Directly Relating to the Work of the Church

3c Fund raising & Publicity

3d Church Management & Administration

PMS 07/02/23

8 (a)

St Mary's Church, Studley Notes to the Financial Statements (continued) for the Year Ended 31st December 2022

STUDLEY	STUDLEY	STUDLEY	STUDLEY	STUDLEY	STUDLEY	STUDLEY	STUDLEY
2024				2023
General Fund	Parish Centre	Fabric Fund	Total Funds	General Fund	Parish Centre	Fabric Fund	Total Funds
£	£	£	£	£	£	£	£




				20			20
				20			20

				42,264			42,264
				624			624

				621			621
				7,420			7,420

				154			154

				5,436			5,436
				1,501	6,823		8,324
						18,745	18,745



				933			933


					6,718		6,718
						1,220	1,220
						234	234


				58,953	13,541	20,199	92,693

				58,953	13,541	20,199	92,693


158			158	141			141
158			158	141			141

3 Resources Used

3a Grants

3b Activities Directly Relating to the Work of the Church

3c Fund raising & Publicity

3d Church Management & Administration

Administration:

5,280			5,280
1,884			1,884




204	60	64	328
7,368	60	64	7,492

PMS 07/02/23

8 (b)

Holy Ascension Church, Mappleborough Green Notes to the Financial Statements (continued) For the Year Ended 31st December 2022

3 Resources Used

3a Grants

Missionary and Charitable Giving Church Overseas

-Missionary Societies
Relief & Development Agencies Home Missions & Other Church Societies Secular Charities Total

MAPPLEBOROUGH GREEN	MAPPLEBOROUGH GREEN	MAPPLEBOROUGH GREEN	MAPPLEBOROUGH GREEN	MAPPLEBOROUGH GREEN	MAPPLEBOROUGH GREEN	MAPPLEBOROUGH GREEN	MAPPLEBOROUGH GREEN
2024				2023
General Fund	Ankcorn House	Fabric Fund	Total Funds	General Fund	Ankcorn House	Fabric Fund	Total Funds
£	£	£	£	£	£	£	£
181 181 181 181


181			181

181			181

3b

Activities Directly Relating to the Work of the Church

Ministry - Diocesan Quota

Clergy Expenses
Curates House Cost
Upkeep of Services
Other Ministry Costs(including FLW and Anna costs) - Vicarage Maintenance
Training Costs Alpha Course Costs Church - Running Costs - Maintenance Major Repairs & Refurbishment Cost of Memorial Trees Church Equipment Expenditure on Parish Magazine and Bookstall Upkeep of Churchyard Cost of Memorial Trees Upkeep of Field Ankcorn House Running Costs Ankcorn House Major Repairs Architects Fees Professional Fees Salary of Vergers Salary of Organists Sub Total Depreciation

22,190			22,190	21,132			21,132
344			344	308			308

510			510	326			326
3,095			3,095	2,966			2,966

81			81	84			84

4,676			4,676	6,380			6,380
1,880	237		2,117	1,874	233		2,107
		3,797	3,797			574	574



2,170			2,170	2,680			2,680


	1,198		1,198		1,113		1,113
		656	656
						1,053	1,053
		806	806


34,946	1,435	5,259	41,639	35,750	1,346	1,627	38,723

34,946	1,435	5,259	41,639	35,750	1,346	1,627	38,723

3c

Fund raising & Publicity

Cost of Fetes, Bazaars and Other Fund Raising Events Advertising Total

243			243		1,128			1,128
222			222		172			172
466			466		1,300			1,300

3d Church Management & Administration Administration:

Secretarial Expenses Office Expenses (incl Printing, Stationery, Postage & Env Scheme Office Furniture/Equipment and Repairs Sundries

Covenant Secretary's Expenses Lunchbox Management Expenses Bank Charges Total

Total Resources Used

Net Resource Before Transfers

Funds Transfers

Amount shown as income in Financial Activities Statement

Unrealised Gains/(Losses) Depreciation Net Movement in Funds

2,640			2,640	2,398			2,398
941			941	831			831




112	70	20	202	123	67	60	250
3,693	70	20	3,783	3,352	67	60	3,479

39,286	1,504	5,279	46,069	40,402	1,413	1,687	43,502
-6,589	32	-5,229	-11,787	647	-126	-1,461	-940
				-450	450
2,356			2,356	-2,174			-2,174
-4,234	32	-5,229	-9,431	-1,977	325	-1,461	-3,115

PMS 07/02/23

8 (c)

Parish of Studley with Mappleborough Green Notes to the Financial Statements (continued) for the Year Ended 31st December 2022

Supplementary Detail

2 Income

2b Other Voluntary Incoming Resources

Grants

Studley/Mappleborough Green Parish Council Other grants Studley Charities Listed Place of Worship VAT Grant & Allchurches Trust Total

Studley	Studley	Mappleborough Green	Mappleborough Green
2024	2023	2024	2023


		0	911
600	600	100	100
10	2,630
610	3,230	100	1,011

Legacies

Studley - Ronald Ward Total

Fetes & Other Fund Raising Events

Parish Party Summer Fete Autumn Fair Smartie Tubes Annual Fund Raising Event/Gift Day General Fund Raising Maundy Supper Fund Raising V900 Lunch Box Other Fund Raising Events Total

Donations

Sundry Total

Total

			368



		552	849
		269	1,481




		822	2,698




610	3,230	922	3,709

PMS 07/02/23

Parish of Studley with Mappleborough Green Notes to the Financial Statements (continued) for the Year Ended 31st December 2022

Supplementary Detail

Studley	Studley		Mappleborough Green	Mappleborough Green
2024	2023		2024	2023

3 Expenditure

3a Grants

Missionary Societies Church societies

Total

Relief & Development Agencies

Other Charities Total

Home Missions & Other Church Societies

Total

Secular Charities

Total Total

		148
		148

67	20	33
67	20	33

67	20	181

PMS 07/02/23

Parish of Studley with Mappleborough Green Notes to Financial Statements (continued) for the Year Ended 31st December 2022

Supplementary Detail

Studley	Studley		Mappleborough Green	Mappleborough Green
2024	2023		2024	2023

3 Expenditure (continued)

3b Activities Directly Relating to Work of the Church

Clergy Expenses

Visiting Speaker Visiting Clergy Expenses - Vicar Expenses- Curate Expenses - Associate Minister Printing - Vicar Printing - Curate Postage - Vicar Stationery - Vicar Stationery - Curate Telephone - Vicar Telephone - Curate Total Upkeep of Services Worship Messy Church Total Other Ministry Costs Songs & Music Tech - Streaming/Broadband Church Music Licence Service Books Royal Society of Church Music Readers Annual Subscription Deanery Levy Contribution to Family Link Worker Contribution to Anna Chaplain Discipling Children & Youth Pastoral Care Schhol & Children Enquirers Courses Occasional Offices Festivals & Community Total Running Costs Cleaning Electricity Oil Water Rent of Ankcorn House Insurance Traidcraft Purchases Sundry Costs Total Maintenance Routine Maintenance - Church Fire Equipment - Church Tuning of Organ & Piano Total PMS 07/02/23
	151	41
	322	376

	121
		18

	58	38
	44	49

	104	49
		53
	800	624

Parish of Studley with Mappleborough Green Notes to Financial Statements (continued) For the Year Ended 31st December 2022

Supplementary Detail

Studley	Studley		Mappleborough Green	Mappleborough Green
2024	2023		2024	2023

3 Expenditure (continued)

1,026 684 1,362 648 1,230 1,173 170 412 1,200 1,200 191 167 2,756 2,424 526 625 483 9,084 7,191 3,165 6,411 12,250 13,602	1,026 684 1,362 648 1,230 1,173 170 412 1,200 1,200 191 167 2,756 2,424 526 625 483 9,084 7,191 3,165 6,411 12,250 13,602
1,026	684	399	369
1,362	648

1,230	1,173	234	230
170	412
1,200	1,200
191	167	289	203
2,756	2,424
526


625	483	345	378
9,084	7,191	1,267	1,180
3,165	6,411	237	233
12,250	13,602	1,504	1,413

3c Fund Raising & Publicity

Stewardship Expenses Summer Fete Expenses Autumn Fair Expenses Parish Party Expenses Sundry Fund Raising Costs - Church Sundry Fund Raising Costs - Fabric Publicity & Advertising Lottery Licence - Parish Centre Total 3d Church Management & Administration Telephone - Parish Administrator Postage - Parish Administrator Stationery - Parish Administrator Printing - Parish Administrator PCC Administration Costs Audit Costs Total





	158	141

	158	141
	1,043	940

	80	155
	471	409
	290	160

	1,884	1,664

PMS 07/02/23

Parish of Studley with Mappleborough Green Notes to the Financial Statements (continued) For the Year Ended 31st December 2022

4 Staff Costs

St. Mary's church paid a self-employed couple to cover the duties of caretaker and cleaner for the Parish Centre. The weekly cost was £40 per week. (These costs are shown under section 3b on page 12)

The Administrator employed by the Parish was paid a salary of £7,920 for the year to 31st December 2024. This was based on the National Living Wage rate of £12.00 an hour for a 55 hour month. (These costs are shown under section 3d on pages 8b and 8c)

Stipendiary clergy have been reimbursed for expenses incurred in the course of their parish duties. These costs are shown on section 3b on pages 8b and 8c. .

Apart from the people mentioned above no other person received any remuneration or reimbursement of expenses and nobody received £40,000 or more per annum

5a Fixed Assets (See Page 14 for details)

Freehold Land and Buildings - Holy Ascension Church

This comprises of Ankcorn House at a 1997 insurance valuation of £74,056

Freehold Land and Buildings - Studley Church

This comprises of the Parish Centre at a 1997 insurance valuation of £120,000

Church Equipment

This refers to equipment owned by the individual churches and shared equipment owned jointly through the PCC and comprises of such items as sound equipment, musical equipment, computers, printers, duplicator and projectors.

5b Investments

At the 31st December 2024 Holy Ascension Church held 6,296.64 units in the M&G Investment Fund for Charities (Charifund), at £14.724 each. This valued the investment at £92,711.73 which showed an unrealised gain of £2,355.58 for the year.

Parish Fund	St. Mary's	Holy Ascension	Total
50 250	767 262 24	405 495	1,172 757 74 250
300	1,053	900	2,253
-964 -405 -3,043 -1,122	-24	-432	-456 -964 -405 -3,043 -1,122
-5,534	-24	-432	-5,990
	123,679 77,842	35,941	159,620 77,842
	201,521	35,941	237,461
16,073	9,821 6,398 7,812	10,450 1,073	36,344 6,398 1,073 7,812
16,073	24,031	11,523	51,627
300 -5,534 16,073	120,000 1,053 -24 201,521 24,031	74,056 92,712 900 -432 35,941 11,523	194,056 92,712 2,253 -5,990 237,462 51,627
10,839	346,581	214,700	572,120

PMS 07/02/23

Schedule 5(a)

Parish of Studley with Mappleborough Green Schedule of Fixed Assets as at 31st December 2022

5 Assets

												Total
	Year			Parish			Studley		Mappleborough			Fixed	Land & Buildings	Total
	Ending	£	Cumulative		Detail	£	Cumulative	Detail	£	Cumulative	Detail	Assets	Studley M/G	Assets
Additions at cost
	2014	-255.01	6,352.07		Scrap Computer/photocopier		21,157.10			9,953.48		37,462.65	120,000.00 74,056.00	231,518.65
	2015	193.80	6,545.87		Administrator's Printer		21,157.10			9,953.48		37,656.45	120,000.00 74,056.00	231,712.45
	2016	639.99	7,185.86				21,157.10			9,953.48		38,296.44	120,000.00 74,056.00	232,352.44
	2017	841.99	8,027.85		Printer, laptop and software		21,157.10			9,953.48		39,138.43	120,000.00 74,056.00	233,194.43
	2018		8,027.85				21,157.10			9,953.48		39,138.43	120,000.00 74,056.00	233,194.43
	2019	1,767.99	9,795.84		Computer and Photicopier		21,157.10			9,953.48		40,906.42	120,000.00 74,056.00	234,962.42
	2020		9,795.84				21,157.10			9,953.48		40,906.42	120,000.00 74,056.00	234,962.42
	2021	547.70	10,343.54		Mevo Camera		21,157.10			9,953.48		41,454.12	120,000.00 74,056.00	235,510.12
	2022		10,343.54			-8,000.00	13,157.10	Old sound system		9,953.48		33,454.12	120,000.00 74,056.00	235,510.12
	2023		10,343.54			10,995.80	24,152.90	New sound system		9,953.48		44,449.92	120,000.00 74,056.00	235,510.12
	2024	-7,185.86	3,157.68		scrap pre 2016 assets		24,152.90			9,953.48		37,264.06	120,000.00 74,056.00	235,510.12
Depreciation charged
Cumulative Balance b/fwd	2014	-548.65	5,828.97			2,597.67	16,599.66			9,953.48		32,382.11		32,382.11
	2015	396.05	6,225.02			2,410.04	19,009.70			9,953.48		35,188.20		35,188.20
	2016	284.06	6,509.08			2,147.40	21,157.10			9,953.48		37,619.66		37,619.66
	2017	1,109.83	7,618.91		Items purchased in 2017 w/off		21,157.10			9,953.48		38,729.49		38,729.49
	2018	213.36	7,832.27				21,157.10			9,953.48		38,942.85		38,942.85
	2019	1,963.57	9,795.84				21,157.10			9,953.48		40,906.42		40,906.42
	2020		9,795.84				21,157.10			9,953.48		33,948.74		33,948.74
	2021	547.70	10,343.54				21,157.10			9,953.48		41,454.12		41,454.12
	2022		10,343.54			-8,000.00	13,157.10	Old sound system		9,953.48		33,454.12		33,454.12
	2023		10,343.54			10,995.80	24,152.90	New sound system		9,953.48		44,449.92		44,449.92
	2024	-7,185.86	3,157.68				24,152.90			9,953.48		37,264.06		37,264.06
Net Book Value
Cumulative Balance b/fwd	2014		523.10				4,557.44					5,080.54	120,000.00 74,056.00	199,136.54
	2015		320.85				2,147.40					2,468.25	120,000.00 74,056.00	196,524.25
	2016		676.78									676.78	120,000.00 74,056.00	194,732.78
	2017		408.94									408.94	120,000.00 74,056.00	194,464.94
	2018		195.58									195.58	120,000.00 74,056.00	194,251.58
	2019												120,000.00 74,056.00	194,056.00
	2020												120,000.00 74,056.00	194,056.00
	2021												120,000.00 74,056.00	194,056.00
	2022												120,000.00 74,056.00	194,056.00
	2023												120,000.00 74,056.00	194,056.00
	2024												120,000.00 74,056.00	194,056.00

Land and Buildings are not depreciated and are recorded in the accounts at the 1997 insurance valuation.

In 2013 projectors and screens were installed in St. Mary's Church just before the end of the year so depreciation will commence from 1st January 2014. In 2014 a new laptop was purchased through the PCC for general use in the churches; the photocopier was sold and an old computer was scrapped. In 2015 a new printer was purchased for the Administrator's use, but the cost was such that it was decided to write it off over 12 months. In 2016 a new laptop was purchased for general use.

At the 2016 review of accounts the Independent Examiner recommended that any items of equipment costing up to £1,000 should be fully expensed in the year of purchase. In 2017 a new computer was purchased through the PCC for Studley Church along with software and a printer for the administrator at a cost of £841.99 which was expensed in the year. No purchases or disposals were made in 2018.

In 2019 a second hand photocopier was purchased for £1,000 plus VAT. It was felt that it would be prudent to write this item off in the year of purchase. A new computer was bought for the Parish Office at a cost of £567.99 and this was also written off.

No purchases or disposals were made in 2020 and there were no asset values to be depreciated in 2020

In 2021 a Mevo Camera was purchased to enchance "live streaming" of service. As the value was under £1,000 the cost were fully written off in year. We also disposed of the photocopier which was purchased in 2005 and the open 2011 balances have been adjusted to reflect this transaction.

PMS 07/02/23

Schedule 9b

Parish of Studley with Mappleborough Green Notes to the Financial Statements (continued) For the Year Ended 31st December 2022

Fund Holdings

Funds		Parish				St. Mary's				Holy Ascension	Holy Ascension	Holy Ascension		Grand
	Unrestricted	Restricted	Total	Designated	Unrestricted	Restricted	Endowment	Total	Designated	Unrestricted	Restricted	Endowment	Total	Total

Ankcorn House Funds											1,073		1,073	1,073
Ankcorn House Building												74,056	74,056	74,056
Chancel Restoration Fund
Charifund Investment Fund									92,712				92,712	92,712
Children's Arts & Craft Fund				155				155						155
Christian Education											492		492	492
Churches Together
Coffeehouse
Dementia Café		1,370	1,370											1,370
Decor8						659		659						659
Equipment		4,362	4,362											4,362
Fabric Fund						85,257		85,257						85,257
Flower Fund											8		8	8
Friendship Group		28	28											28
General Fund	611		611		133,649			133,649		46,021			46,021	180,281
Lunch Box
Memorials
Mission		80	80											80
New Wine
Parish Centre Funds						6,424		6,424						6,424
Parish Centre Building							120,000	120,000						120,000
Prepaid Funerals
Property Refurbishment		1,470	1,470											1,470
Memorial						300		300						300
Memorial Trees											338		338	338
Outreach				137				137						137
Vision 900 Appeal
Youth Work		2,918	2,918											2,918
Total	611	10,228	10,839	292	133,649	92,640	120,000	346,581	92,712	46,021	1,912	74,056	214,700	572,120

PMS 07/02/23

Parish of Studley with Mappleborough Green Christian Ministry Analysis Year to 31st December 2022

	2024	2024	2024	2024
PARISH	STUDLEY				PCC
General Fund	General Fund	Parish Centre	Fabric Fund	Total Funds	Total Funds
£	£	£	£	£	£
					149,536 4,097 656 1,800 806 84
					142,093

PMS 07/02/23

Studley Income and Expenditure Comparison 2024 v 2023


Income Donors Charitable Trading Voluntary Income Investment Income Total Income	2024 2023
	51,202	58,222
	4,305 610	2,949 1,047
	4,859	1,822
	60,976	64,040

Expenditure Church Costs Grants Support Costs Administration Fund Raising/Publicity Total Expenditure	2024 2023	2024 2023
	63,710	58,953

	5,484	5,012
	1,884	1,664
	158	141
	71,236	65,769

Net Movement Investment Income True Surplus/Deficit	2024 2023	2024 2023
	-10,261	-1,729
	4,859	1,822
	-15,119	-3,551

----- Start of picture text -----
Income Income
70,00070000
60,00060000
50,00050000
40,00040000
30,00030000
20,00020000
10,00010000
00 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
2024 2023
Donors DonorsCharitable TradingCharitable TradingVoluntary Income Investment IncomeVoluntary Income Investment Income
ExpenditureExpenditure
70,00070000
60,60 0 0000
50,00050000
40,00040000
30,00030000
20,000
20000
10,000
10000
0
0 2024 202 3
2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
Church Costs Grants Support Costs Administration Fund Raising/Publicity
Church Costs Grants Support Costs Administration Fund Raising
----- End of picture text -----

----- Start of picture text -----
True Surplus/Deficit
0
-2,000
-4,000
-6,000
-8,000
-10,000
-12,000
-14,000
-16,000
2024 2023
----- End of picture text -----

PMS 07/02/23

Studley Church

Analysis of Donor Giving and Church Running Costs 2024 v2023

----- Start of picture text -----
Income IncomeIncome
Donors 2024 2023 2500025,000
Plate 1,163 905
Envelopes 0 0
Standing Orders 20,626 20,520 2000020,000
Give As You Earn 11,348 14,706
Donations - Gift Aid 4,155 9,091
15,000
Donations - Non Gift Aid 4,186 3,551 15000
Charities Aid Foundation 2,252 2,000
Wedding Collections 60 45 10,000
Baptism Collections 136 336 10000
Funeral Collections 60 174
Christingle Collection 5,000
Income Tax Refund 7,216 11,388 5000
Total Income - Donors 51,202 62,715 0
2024 2023
0 Plate Envelopes Standing Orders
2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
Give As You Earn Donations - Gift Aid Donations - Non Gift Aid
Plate Envelopes Standing Orders Annual Covenant
Donations - Gift AidCharities Aid FoundationDonations - Non Gift AidWedding CollectionsCharities Aid Foundation Wedding CollectionsBaptism Collections
Baptism CollectionsFuneral CollectionsFuneral CollectionsIncome Tax RefundChristingle Collection Income Tax Refund
Expenditure
Church Costs 2024 2023
Parish Share 44,381 41,774 ExpenditureExpenditure
Clergy 961 1,066 5000050,000
Worship 8,469 3,956 4500045,000
Running Costs 9,899 7,783
Total Expenditure 63,710 54,579 4000040,000
3 50005,000
3 00000,000
2 50005,000
2 00000,000
1500015,000
10,00010000
50005,000
0 0
2003 2004 2005 20242006 2007 2008 2009 2010 20112023 2012
RunRun ni ng Costsng CostsParish ShaPa r eish ShareClergy WorshipClergy Worship
----- End of picture text -----

	Average Givin	g 2024				Average Giving 2023	Average Giving 2023	Average Giving 2023
	£	Congregation	£			Congregation	£
	1,163 0 31,974 4,155 4,186 2,252 7,216 50,946	Average Number	Yearly	Weekly		Average Number	Yearly	Weekly
Plate Envelopes Standing Orders Donations - Gift Aid Donations - Non Gift Aid	1,163				1,258
	0				0
	31,974				34,932
	4,155				2,640
	4,186				4,697
Charities Aid Foundation	2,252				2,010
Income Tax Refund	7,216				12,172
Total	50,946	65	783.79	15.07	57,709	75	769.45	14.80

The most recent published data for Church of England shows average tax efficient giving per person per week in 2022 was £16.20 nationally and £15.40 in Coventry Diocese Gift Aid allows us to reclaim 25p for every £1 given by a tax payer.

PMS 07/02/23

Mappleborough Green Income and Expenditure Comparison 2024 v 2023

----- Start of picture text -----
IncomeIncome
30,00035000
30000
25,000
25000
20,000
20000
15,000
15000
10,000
10000
5,0005000
0 0
2001 2002 2003 200420242005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 20112023 2012
DonorsDonors Charitable TradingCharitable Trading Voluntary IncomeVoluntary IncomeInvestment IncomeInvestment Income
----- End of picture text -----

Income Donors Charitable Trading Voluntary Income Investment Income Total Income	2024 2023	2024 2023
	24,898	27,965
	176	3,643
	922	3,709
	6700	5732
	, 32,696	, 41,048

----- Start of picture text -----
40,000 ExpenditureExpenditure
35000
35,000
30,00030000
22 5 0, 0 000
20,00020000
15,000
15000
10,000
10000
5,000
5000
0
2024 2023
0
2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
Church Costs Grants Support Costs Administration Fund Raising
Church Costs Grants Support Costs Administration Fund Raising
----- End of picture text -----


Expenditure Church Costs Grants Support Costs Administration Fund Raising Total Expenditure	2024 2023 34,946 35,750
	181	0
	2,751	2,520
	941	831
	466	1,300
	39,286	40,402

----- Start of picture text -----
True Surplus/Deficit
0
-2,000
-4,000
-6,000
-8,000
-10,000
-12,000
-14,000
2024 2023
----- End of picture text -----

Net Movement Investment Income True Surplus/Deficit	2024 2023	2024 2023
	-6,589	646
	6,700	5,732
	-13,290	-5,085

PMS 07/02/23

Mappleborough Green Church Analysis of Donor Giving and Church Running Costs 2024 v2023

----- Start of picture text -----
Income Income
Donors 2024 2023
18,000
Plate 847 449
Envelopes 0 0 16,000
Standing Orders 15,639 15,820 14,000
Annual Covenant 0 0
Donations - Gift Aid 1,721 3,992 12,000
Donations - Non Gift Aid 949 149 10,000
Charities Aid Foundation 300 300
Wedding Collections 0 0 8,000
Baptism Collections 0 157 6,000
Funeral Collections 0 0
4,000
Christingle Collection 148 40
Income Tax Refund 4,796 4,808 2,000
Total Income - Donors 24,398 25,716 0
2024 2023
Plate Envelopes Standing Orders
Annual Covenant Donations - Gift Aid Donations - Non Gift Aid
Charities Aid Foundation Wedding Collections Baptism Collections
Funeral Collections Christingle Collection Income Tax Refund
Expenditure
Church Costs 2024 2023
Parish Share 22,190 20,887 Expenditure
Clergy 344 427 25,000
Worship 3,686 2,764
Running Costs 8,726 9,353
Total Expenditure 34,946 33,431 20,000
15,000
10,000
5,000
0
2024 2023
Running Costs Parish Share Clergy Worship
Average Giving 2024 Average Giving 2023
Congregation £ Congregation £
Average Number Yearly Weekly Average Number Yearly Weekly
Plate 847 844
Envelopes 0 0
Standing Orders 15,639 15,641
Annual Covenant 0 0
Donations - Gift Aid 1,721 4,139
Donations - Non Gift Aid 949 496
Charities Aid Foundation 300 300
Income Tax Refund 4,796 5,287
Total 24,250 30 808.34 15.55 26,706 35 763.03 14.67
----- End of picture text -----

PMS 07/02/23

Annual Report of the Parochial Church Council

for 2024

Incumbent: Reverend Kate Mier

Independent examiner: Mr Simon Billingham ACCA Head of Finance Spring Housing Association Ltd. Hestia House 22 Old Walsall Road Birmingham B42 1DT

CORRESPONDENCE ADDRESS

The Vicarage Manor Mews Studley B80 7PR 01527 852830

RECTOR’S REPORT

I always enjoy this annual opportunity to look back and give thanks for God’s provision and blessings to us in the past year. Two passages from John’s Gospel inspire me as we consider the purpose of being church in this place: John 2 the wedding at Cana , with its emphasis on hospitality and celebration of community, and John 15 with the image of Jesus as the vine emphasising our connectedness to the Lord and to each other and so bearing fruit.

In 2024 the Arden Marches churches, including Studley and Mappleborough Green congregations, continued to pay attention to our four missional values:

Prayer: living out of a still centre, rooted and grounded in the love of God
Relationships: cultivating homespun family-feel communities that foster deep relationships
Hospitality: offering relaxed, bespoke hospitality to those who come to us
Outreach: being visible and active in the local community.

We held a 24 hours of prayer to mark the start of Advent; a newcomer’s welcome tea; a service to celebrate volunteers; a pet service; a Start course in January and an Alpha Course in the Spring. We now have 5 regular Life Groups where people encourage each other in their faith.

In the summer of 2024 Lynda Barr, Linda Salsbury, Alan Greathead and I attended a Leading Your Church into Growth (LYCiG) conference. The principles we learnt there have informed and shaped our priorities since then. We have focussed on prayer, and on providing the ‘4Ps’ range of events: steps people can take as they meet us and begin to discover the Christian faith: Prayer, Presence, Proclamation and exPloration.

Our pattern of Sunday worship continued in the same pattern as in 2023, offering a wide range of styles of worship including a traditional Communion at 8am, interactive all age services, café style services, Messy Church, Forest church……. Thank you to the many members of our congregations who contribute to our worship. Thank you to our Readers, to Revd Alan Tostevin, and to Laurence and John and all who give a lead to our music.

I am delighted that Celia has continued as our Anna Chaplain and that we have seen development of our work among the elderly, and that Angela has made such a difference to our ministry among children and families and at Studley school. Both of these have worked with congregation members – thank you all.

Since Covid we are conducting fewer Life Events services, but we still had the privilege to take services in 2024, including the funerals of much loved church members Mike Holland, Barbara Beaman and Raye Bird. The numbers of services we conducted in 2024 are shown below:

Baptisms Weddings Funerals	Mappleborough - - 3	Studley 10 4 9 plus 4 funerals at the crematorium

During 2024 we said farewell to longstanding church members who moved away, including Revd Judy Stote and Alan and Jennie Jarmy, and Keith and Sue Johnson. Judith McLelland finished her time as our church administrator – I am very grateful for all her support over the years. And I am delighted that Rachel Nicholas has taken on this vital role.

The reports following this introduction are testimony to the wide range of ministries that we are involved in – thank you to everyone who contributes their time, talents and financial support, and above all thank you to the Lord God who energises, guides and provides and who gives us each a place in his worldwide intergenerational family.

Revd Kate Mier

ELECTORAL ROLL REPORT 2024

As of 25[th] February 2025 the total number on the Electoral Roll was 153 : Studley 101 and Mappleborough Green 52.

New church electoral rolls are prepared every sixth year, meaning everyone must come off the roll and re-apply. The Hubb system automatically removed everyone from the Electoral Roll, therefore information on new members and removals for the past year was not available for this report.

Rachel Nicholas, Church Administrator

CHURCHWARDEN’S REPORT : 2024-25

- Church of the Holy Ascension Mappleborough Green

Thank you to all who have contributed towards our varied weekly worship this past twelve months, whether it is in the planning, actual running of the services or the preparation that goes into planning of worship on a Sunday morning. As with many things in church, the services depend on more than just the people we see at the front of church, although their contribution is extremely important, including things that we don’t necessarily see - the cleaning of the church, preparation of the flowers in church, preparing and playing the music, selecting hymns and readings, arranging rotas to ensure that people are notified of upcoming duties.

Our regular worship of Going Deeper on the first Sunday of each month continues to bring interesting discussions and speakers to listen to. Café Service on the third Sundays is our main family service, although it is sometimes challenging for the team to think of new and energising forums for discussion each month. Our Communion for All worship gives us the opportunity to use Angela’s skills as our Family Link Worker.

This year we lost a few significant people from our Church family, through moving out of area and starting new lives closer to their families, and the sad loss last Autumn of Mike Holland especially. However, in their place we are experiencing small growth with new people choosing to worship at the Church of the Holy Ascension. A special thank you to Kate and Alan Tostevin, along with visiting retired ministers for holding us in their hearts as our clergy, doing those many things that the laity cannot do.

On 29 June 2024 the Alcester Minster Rural Mission Hub, supporting church growth in rural Warwickshire hosted a full day at Mappleborough Church and its grounds offering innovative ideas for other Deanery church delegates to experience. Guy Allen spoke and shared his experiences of Forest Church, along with Angela Corlett sharing Messy Goes Wild as part of other opportunities for different worship styles and prayer spaces. Again in June, we held an inaugural Pet Service, where admittedly dogs were the main theme, but very well supported by new and existing church members. Pat Wheeler and Charlotte need to take full credit for organising that, and we look forward to another experience in the not too distant future. Another thank you and much appreciation goes to all who

organise, run and support our fundraising events throughout the year. The Summer Cream teas, Classic Car show and a slightly different Harvest Supper of fish and chips were enjoyed by a lot of community and church members who attended.

Outside of the church we have had a wonderful opportunity this past year of unpaid workers from the Warwickshire Probationary teams, albeit on an irregular basis, helping with overgrown areas of hedges and churchyard maintenance keeping them looking so beautiful. The 2024 task list from our Quinquennial Inspection now has some ticks next to it and more tasks highlighted for roof work are planned over the next few years. Part of that inspection suggested opening up our roadside visibility, and work has already started with volunteers at the driveway entrance. When funds permit, along with planning permission new signage and display boards are proposed to illuminate our presence more within the local community.

Members of the District Church Council who serve our church in making plans for the physical running of the church have been vigilant in overseeing that things run smoothly. Maintenance contractors have regularly attended, providing their professional skills where needed. Our invaluable electrician, Peter Denscombe has managed a lot of our essential tasks this year, offering annual portable appliance testing and the provision of replacement light fittings outside the Church entrance and pathway to Ankcorn House. This was very much appreciated at our evening Christingle Service. In addition, enhanced lighting above the servery has made a significant difference to support health and safety associated with use of hot water facilities. Regular annual checks for fire extinguisher certification, boiler servicing, both for church and Ankcorn House, and organ tuning have also been carried out.

Ankcorn House, will formally be registered with the Land Registry by the Coventry Diocese on behalf of the PCC after several years of trying to identify historical Conveyancing documentation. Sadly, bookings for this facility remain limited, but annual costs have, on the whole, been covered this year by its use, alleviating the need for the Church to totally finance the building.

We have continued to have our monthly coffee mornings at Studley Garden Centre, which is an opportunity to meet up for a chat and some fellowship. It is usually on the third Thursday of the month and all are welcome. From May we will be combining this event with ‘Prayer the Powerhouse of the Church’ sessions.

Thank you to our congregation for your regular attendance at services and for your giving to support the church.

Christmas Eve, we had our annual Christingle service which was very well attended along with our Christmas Day worship too.

I would like to thank you everyone who has supported me personally during my first year, especially my deputy churchwardens John Styler and Mark Crompton whose help is very much appreciated. Looking ahead to the rest of this year, we know it won’t be easy whilst a new incumbent is sought, but we stay positive and open minded for our future as part of Arden Marches Churches.

Linda Salsbury, Churchwarden - Church of the Holy Ascension, Mappleborough Green

The Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Studley

Our District Church Council has met regularly throughout the year to plan and co-ordinate the mission and ministry of our Church and to oversee routine administration, including the maintenance of our buildings.

The Annual Report will no doubt include reports for various groups about the activities that we have been involved in both in the Church and the Community. Gathering together for events designed to help us to grow in our faith and activities organised to help us to grow together socially, almost all including food.

Church Building

The maintenance of the church building in particular the tower has been of some concern and having received two quotations to carry repairs to the tower that were noted in the 2023 Quinquennial we have appointed Heritage Stone Access to carry out a detailed inspection and make the tower safe by removing any loose debris at a cost of £3,500 plus vat following which they will provide a fully costed estimate for the repairs.

During the year maintenance checks have been carried out monthly. Annual/six monthly inspections have been completed by appropriately qualified contractors and any faults identified have been repaired. The checks include - Fire Extinguisher Maintenance, Portable Appliance Testing, Fire Alarm System, Portable Appliance Testing, Emergency Lighting Testing, Organ Tuning, Central Heating Boiler, Security Alarm System and the Lightening Protection System. The building team, Lynda Barr, Louise Grubb, Richard Spray, Mark Herauville and I have put together a list of jobs that need to be carried out during 2025 and we will be looking for volunteers with the appropriate skills to help.

Paul in his letter to the Colossians writes “ Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters” Col 3:23

We are so blessed to have so many people willing to work wholeheartedly serving God in our church and community with over fifty members of our congregation carrying out at least one task whether that be participating in a service, behind the scenes or in the community. So, looking back over the year we can be so thankful to God for providing the resources to enable us to fulfil the work He has called us to.

It remains for me to thank our Rector Kate Mier for her faithful service during the past year and we pray that God will guide her as she looks forward to her retirement in August 2025.

Thank you to everyone who made a contribution to the day to day life of our Church for all of the hard work you so faithfully carried out during 2024 and to those of you who have supported me personally in particular Louise Grubb who has carried a large part of the Churchwarden duties during the past year.

God Bless You.

Phil Pattison – Churchwarden

STUDLEY WITH MAPPLEBOROUGH GREEN PCC REPORT

The PCC as a body continue to make important decisions on behalf of Studley with Mappleborough Green Parish and will discuss and action any business or legislation directed from the Diocese. There

have been three PCC Meetings since the last APCM, each attended by 10, 14 and 12 members respectively out of a possible 14.

Items typically reported on and discussed at PCC:

Leadership and Mission, including Clergy wellbeing, Family Link Worker, Anna Chaplaincy, Arden Marches Forums, Rector’s Report, matters of concern to the Church of England, Finance, Contracts, Employment and HR, Safeguarding oversight and policy reviews, Health & Safety policies. Diocesan and Deanery Synod reports. DCC reports, School Matters including the appointment of Foundation Governors.

Decisions taken and proposals voted on during the last year:

June 2024:

Approval given to initiate a schedule of repairs to Studley Church Tower as recommended in the 2023 Quinquennial Report.

Finance – all present were in favour of suggesting a 3% increase in our parish share at a future Deanery meeting.

A shortfall in the funding for our Family Link Worker led to a decision by PCC to use the money from the dormant Youth Worker Fund to make up the shortfall for this year.

Approval was given to look further into the process of Arden Marches becoming one PCC.

October 24:

Finance – PCC voted to extend the FLW contract for a further 2 years from May 2025, with reduced hours. Funding to be shared 75% from Studley and 25% from Mappleborough Green reflecting the allocation of hours.

PCC accepted the Draft Budget for 2025. Fees and staff salaries were reviewed.

There was a vote of thanks to Pat Smith who had prepared his last budget before stepping down at the APCM. Pat has served 5 years as PCC Treasurer.

All were in favour of inviting representatives from Spernal, Morton Bagot and Oldberrow PCC to attend SMGPCC meetings as observers, to aid discussions about whole benefice governance.

Annual reports from Foundation Governors for Studley and MG schools submitted . There were no new appointments this year.

All PCC members were encouraged to attend a Training Course in Coventry this month about Practical Skills for Difficult Conversations.

February 2025:

Prior Year Accounts presented by the Treasurer and approved.

The budget for 2025 was approved.

Approval was given to adopt the following policies: Health and Safety Guidance, Church Health and Safety, Lone Working, and Keeping People Safe.

Preparation for the Arden Marches vacancy from August 2025 was discussed. A date was agreed for a Vision Meeting to take place with Archdeacon Barry this month.

Approval was given for the nomination of Alan Greathead as Foundation Governor of Mappleborough Green Primary School.

Approval was given for the appointment of Rachel Nicholas as Electoral Roll Officer.

In addition to the above meetings, the Standing Committee has met in between to discuss urgent matters and draw up Agendas for PCC Meetings. PCC Forums (comprising Studley with Mappleborough PCC/DCC, representatives from the Spernal with Morton Bagot and Oldberrow PCC and other church members who wish to attend) have taken place and this past year have been in the form of Away Days at Sambourne Church in July and February, focusing on Leading Your Church into Growth, and a November evening meeting to give feedback on the October Training Course - Practical Skills for Difficult Conversations.

The minutes of all PCC meetings are available to church members and our PCC representatives are willing to discuss any non-confidential matters with church members.

Janet Green, PCC Secretary

SAFEGUARDING REPORT - Annual Safeguarding Update

Activity to date

We continue to work on our Parish Dashboards to ensure that our SG requirements are up to date and being carried out across the Parish. I can say that we are in a good place across both Parishes: Studley with Mappleborough Green, and Morton Bagot and Oldberrow.

I can confirm that the PCC has continued to comply with the duty to have ‘due regard’ to the House of Bishops’ Safeguarding Policy and Practice Guidance.

I am delighted to report that a new volunteer is interested in taking over the Parish Safeguarding role - the Safer Recruitment process will be followed. Whoever takes on the new PSO role will have my ongoing support.

1. Safer recruitment

‘The Church will select and vet all those with any responsibility related to children, young people

and vulnerable adults within the Church.’ The safeguarding handbook instructs that each volunteer appointment needs to have:

Job description
Application form
Confidential declaration form
Interview
References x2
Letter of appointment
DBS check

Although this may seem onerous, templates are available for each of these stages. It is the Diocesan’s SG policy that leaders in the church looking to make volunteer appointments to work with children, young people or vulnerable adults contact the PSO to discuss the safer recruitment requirements and that these are all completed PRIOR TO THE INDIVIDUAL STARTING THEIR ROLE . This not only safeguards vulnerable people but gives a clear direction to the volunteer about the job role and expectations.

As PSO, I feel it is important to make efforts to ensure that this process is being followed accordingly at all times.

2. Renew lapsed DBS checks

DBS status needs to be reviewed every 3 years. As PSO I am to contact everyone within 3 months of their DBS expiring, to ensure sufficient time to get an updated DBS in place, so as not to cause any disruption to anyone's volunteer role.

3. Ensure training is up to date

Appropriate training needs to be reviewed every 3 years. Diocesan guidelines are clear as to what level of training is required for various roles within the church. As PSO I am also monitoring all the training records for all volunteers and again aim to give 3 months’ notice to those whose training is due to expire.

4. Consider safeguarding issues in our social media

As social media continues to expand and grow in our church lives, it is vital that we are following accurate SG policies. Safeguarding guidance considers the use of social media and the potential for harm and misuse. Social media includes sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok; writing or commenting on a blog, whether it is your own or the blog of another person; and taking part in discussions on web forums or message boards.

Notable updates:

We received excellent support from the Diocesan Safeguarding team in helping us with a safeguarding concern during the year. There are no current Safeguarding concerns which have been brought to our attention.

Training updates:

The Domestic Abuse Pathway is mandatory for anyone working with children, young people or vulnerable adults. The deadline for completing this training depends upon individual circumstances but generally, if you have previously done this training then it needs to be repeated every three years.
The Domestic Abuse Pathway is no longer mandatory for PCC members (although it is still recommended).

As you are probably now aware, there is a significant update of the training requirements, such that anyone with a regular role on the Sunday service rotas, (who has not already completed this module) is now required to complete the BASIC safeguarding training module every 3 years. There is some in-person SG training due to be delivered in Ankcorn House in September, by one of the Diocesan SG leads. This is an ideal opportunity for anyone who has not yet completed these modules including: Basic, Foundation and Raising Awareness of Domestic abuse. We will keep you informed of the dates soon.

To note: we have removed the Youth group Activities from the Parish Dashboard at present, as this is not currently an active activity.

Finally, as always, just to reiterate the importance of good SG practice in helping to protect the most vulnerable of those in our communities. I am trying hard to meet more of those within the Churches and church affiliated activities, to become as familiar and approachable as possible to our wider church community.

Charlotte Fitchett, Parish Safeguarding Officer

MUSIC IN WORSHIP AT STUDLEY PARISH CHURCH REPORT

The musical aspect of worship at Studley Parish Church continues to enrich the spiritual experience of our congregation. Each month, John Parker leads the music on the first Sunday, whilst I take the lead on the second, third, and fourth Sundays.

On occasions, John Parker has been joined by Jonah Corlett, who contributes by playing music during the distribution of communion. This has been widely appreciated, with many commenting on the serene and peaceful ambiance Jonah’s playing brings to this meaningful part of our service. On the fourth Sunday of each month, Paul and Guy join me, playing their guitars further enhancing the music ministry of the church.

Over the past year, I have assembled choirs and large bands for festival services, drawing participants from both within and outside the Church family. This initiative not only adds depth and richness to the musical experience but also welcomes new faces to the church, often accompanied by their families. All the musicians and singers have dedicated their time to rehearsals and services, ensuring that each is special and memorable. Such efforts have been contributory in fostering a greater sense of community and shared worship.

I arrange the music for Paul and Guy on the fourth Sundays and all the music for the bands and choir during festival services. These arrangements are tailored to suit the diverse skill levels of the musicians involved, ranging from professional players to students working at Grade 2. By providing appropriate instrumental parts, it creates opportunities for developing musicians to play in a professional-quality band, encouraging growth in their artistry and their attendance at church services.

In addition to coordinating the musical performances, I select hymns and songs for every Sunday. These selections are shared with the worship leaders, allowing for adaptations to suit the needs of individual services. Once finalized, PowerPoint presentations are prepared for all songs. I also maintain records of all songs performed, enabling accurate reporting for the annual CCLI return.

The dedication of all involved in the music ministry at Studley Parish Church continues to enrich our worship experience, foster community engagement, and inspire heartfelt praise and reflection. We are deeply grateful for the efforts and talents of everyone who contributes to this vital aspect of our church life.

Laurence Nicholas, Music leader

FAMILY LINK WORKER’S REPORT

I am approaching 3 years in the role as Family Link Worker. Below is a snapshot of some of the key areas in which we have seen change / growth in the last year.

Sunday Services

Provision for children has become embedded at both Mappleborough and Studley and we now have a number of children accessing age-appropriate provision to help encounter Jesus and learn about the Bible.

Studley children’s church meets twice a month on first and third Sundays with between 5 and 10 children attending regularly, an increase on last year in the number of families attending

church. The children are now following their own programme – a chronological study of the Bible. We continue to develop our age-appropriate worship, teaching, storytelling, and role play and prayer activities. We are using Scripture Union resources in our planning to help us meet the needs of the group which has a wide age range – 18 months to 14yrs. The same resources are used at Mappleborough on a second Sunday with 2-3 children regularly attending. Thank you to the volunteers whose commitment to the children make this happen.

The ‘pray and play’ space has continued to develop into a space where families can explore the Bible and a relationship with Jesus. We now have 4 Bible Story boxes available for families to use both on a Sunday and when they visit the church during the week. They contain a Bible story and activities / toys / games to help children explore the story.
The number of families frequently and actively involved in the Sunday services has seen significant growth over the last year – a wonderful answer to prayer. Young people have been invited and agreed to take on diverse roles on a Sunday morning including reading, chalice, communion music, sound and projector, bellringing, sharing testimony, sharing what they have learned in their groups Please continue to pray for growth.

Youth

Sadly, we had to take the decision to wind up the youth group. Numbers had shrunk and having enough leaders was a challenge. 2 of the group have now joined a church youth group in Alcester, and one is now attending a church youth group in Redditch with a friend.

Sunbeams

Sunbeams continues successfully. The volunteer teams welcoming and making cakes continue to be invaluable in making the group a success, as have the leaders and helpers who come every week to set up / pack away, provide drinks / snacks, run craft tables. The format of the group is continuing to be popular, with free play, snack time (for adults and children) music/songs and story time. We have moved from entirely secular stories to including 2 Bible stories a half term which we explore through craft and interactive storytelling. We haven’t implemented Bubble Church concepts as it was felt that smaller steps needed to be taken to help families access faith. We intentionally offer prayer which a number of parents have been grateful for. We also sign-post Messy Church and worship for all and we have seen several Sunbeams families join us at Messy Church.

Baptisms

There has been varying success with delivering Baptism boxes to families. Some families have been difficult to maintain contact with in this way. Those whom we have visited have enjoyed receiving the boxes and welcome the prayers and invitations from the church to church events. Thank you to those who gave up their time to put these together and to those who are sponsoring families.

More sponsors are needed please.

Baptism packs are available at all Baptisms to help children engage with the service and explore what baptism is both during the service and afterwards at home.

Mappleborough Green School

Linda and I had a successful launch of Messy Church Goes Wild’ at the school. It met fortnightly straight after school, providing families with the opportunity to explore faith and spirituality through active outdoor and science activities. We had 5 families join us until the weather changed and we made the decision to stop running with the possibility of restarting spring/summer 2025. Linda and I have been exploring with the headteacher the best way for the church to serve the school community.

Linda and I set up the Easter prayer space in their library again this year where a variety of reflective activities enabled children to reflect on the events and their own emotions. This was very well received by the children who engaged well with the activities – there were some very thoughtful responses.

Links with Studley St Mary’s Junior School

Links between the school and church communities with teams of volunteers working in the school and the church building to help the children explore Easter, Harvest, the church building itself and the challenges of transition from infants to juniors continue this year. Year 6 Leaver’s service in the summer of 2024 was a good opportunity to increase links between church, school, and home as all Year 6 and their parents came to the church to celebrate the children’s successes over their time at Studley St. Mary’s. Years 3 and 4 came to the church again to perform their nativity to a packed audience of adults and supported by members of the congregation. Thank you to those who helped with parking, sound, serving refreshments and welcoming school families to the church. The whole school also came to the church for their Carol service in the last week of the autumn term.

Year 6 requested to come to church this year to support their work in RE (they have not been during the year in previous years). 55 children and their teachers visited the church for a Murder Mystery style exploration of the death of Jesus. The children and staff loved using the interactive stations and the experience led to some good conversations both at school and in families’ homes. This is still available for people in the community to access over the Easter holidays.

In the last year I have developed a permanent prayer and reflection space in the school which will be available for children to use during 2 lunchtimes per week. There is a wide range of activities available to help children reflect on themselves and God.

I have also developed a curriculum for the school worship teams to help them explore what worship is so they can then share their understanding of spirituality with the school community. There are now 2 worship teams which I meet with weekly.

Having 2 worship teams in school has enabled the links between school and church to develop. We have had 2 services which the worship teams from school have come to with their families to help lead through drama, role-play and prayers. The teams will be invited to do this once each term.

My role in school has also developed over the course of this year. I continue to work with small groups and individual vulnerable children who are struggling emotionally. Because of time constraints, I have been unable to launch the Parenting Course.

Collective Worship

This continues to happen weekly in both schools with Linda Salsbury and Joe Bevan from the Baptist Church recently joining the team. This is an important part of the church’s link with the schools.

Church Links with families in the Community

The messy church team have continued to provide free events for families during the school holidays. There are churchyard trails at both Mappleborough and Studley churches which are changed periodically to reflect the seasons / church festivals – each currently has a different trail to help families learn more about Easter.

At Christmas and Easter there are trails around the shops in the village and families are invited to a celebration event / service.

Craft activities have also been offered inside the church during the snowdrop teas and as part of the churchyard trails.

In the summer we trialled ‘hobbyhub’ - two sessions of arts and crafts at the Parish Centre – these had some attendance, but it was significantly lower than film showings we’ve done in previous years – so this might be something we return to.

Last summer I also helped to run a deanery wide praise party to which children were invited to come and learn some new worship songs, learn about God and perform a concert at the end of the morning for friends and family. There was a great atmosphere and the children had a lot of fun.

The Easter Murder Mystery developed for Year 6 was turned into a trail round the church that anyone could do to explore the meaning of Easter.

A huge thank you to all who have committed so much time, energy and prayers to our work with children and families. It has been another enjoyable and successful year.

Angela Corlett, Family Link Worker

MESSY CHURCH REPORT

We continue to thrive at Messy Church, assisted by a committed team of volunteers, led by me. We meet once a month, with additional events at Easter and Christmas.

Members of the congregation also assist with generous donations of food which we serve to everyone who comes. (We couldn’t do without Linda Moffat’s tuna sandwiches!)

Advertising is done though emails to families who have signed up, and through local social media pages – Studley Matters, Studley Chatters, Enjoyably Studley and the Arden Marches pages on Facebook and Instagram.

The activities and storytelling vary every month, though we follow a basic plan – Welcome, song, story, message, activities, prayer and tea.

All the families who come regularly say how enjoyable they find it; the children all engage in the activities and the parents get to chat to church members and other like-minded parents.

We now promote other family friendly services that happen in the month, and one or two of our regulars have been to these services in church.

Thanks to all the team, without any of whom it would not be possible – Mary, Angela, Linda, Ruth, Jenny, Mercia, Bob, Caroline, Lynn, Ann, and our young helpers Keeley and Amy.

We have been joined this year by 2 young people who are using Messy Church as part of their Duke of Edinburgh awards (volunteering). Toby and Pippa will be very helpful.

Ann Bond, Messy Church Leader

ANNA CHAPLAINCY REPORT

‘Is not wisdom found among the aged? Does not long life bring understanding?’ Job 12:12 September marked the 2[nd] anniversary of Anna Chaplaincy in the Arden Valley and Arden Marches. The ministry continues to grow and become better established.

Care Home Services

The regular Care Home services have resulted in special relationship between the residents, staff and the church. 3 Four Acres residents died over Christmas 2023 and the families of two of them

specifically thanked the Care Home for the Chaplaincy services and Church visits.

In April, Joan Lock started taking Holy Communion to residents on a more regular basis.

To continue building our relationship with the Care Homes, dates are in the diary for monthly services for the whole of 2025.

There have been special services held for Remembrance Day (at Sebright in Leamington Spa) and all the homes had Christmas services which included a re-telling of the Christmas story and a special Christmas blessing.

Various people have joined me at the services: Ron Robinson and Rev Jo Parker (from Arden Valley), Joe Bevan (Studley Baptist Church) and Ray and Sue with Teddy the dog.

Dementia Cafe

After a meeting with volunteers, it was agreed to start a second Café each month – on the 3[rd] Thursday. This began on October 17[th] with Claire Fowler leading singing.

Fliss took a break at the beginning of the year and in March introduced us to baby Theo! We’ve enjoyed watching him grow over the year. At the end of the year, Fliss announced that she had been promoted and so May 2025 would be her last Café.

Pastoral Care for the Elderly Meetings

VISION of Arden Marches

to value and cherish people into their old age.

to foster their continuing spiritual growth through the changes that old age brings.

How is the vision being addressed through activities and events in the Arden Marches?
Are the church services meeting the spiritual needs of older people?
What training support is needed for volunteers?

Meetings have been held on March 6[th] , August 29[th] and November 15[th] . They are proving invaluable in sharing news and highlighting areas of concern.

During this year, I had the opportunity to meet up with Birmingham Anna Chaplains, attended online training (Faith in Later Life, talk with Ian Knox) and spoke at several Arden Marches services.

Regular meetings have taken place with Kate to monitor the ministry and to provide advice and supervision.

Celia Spiers, Anna Chaplain

ADMINISTRATOR’S REPORT

2024 was a fairly “normal” year for me, working my usual hours at the vicarage.

There was all the usual publicity via Facebook, website, and email. Producing weekly news sheets, notices, and posters for, amongst others, Christmas, Messy church and Easter, with input from Kate and others.

There have also been service booklets to produce and PowerPoints to create. And also there have been the usual funeral, wedding and baptism enquiries to process.

There was more work involving the HUBB, the website and also time spent preparing for and handing over my role, as I retired at the end of the year.

Judith McLelland, Church administrator

ANKCORN HOUSE REPORT

Ankcorn House building offers a meeting capacity of up to 40 people, depending on the room layout and catering facilities within the combined kitchen area.

Historical data had been reviewed regarding the Title Deed for Ankcorn House ownership. On 23 May 2022 the Jaffrey family solicitors were requested to confirm acceptance that Ankcorn House had been conveyed to the Church. Unfortunately, despite communication between our Incumbent and the solicitors; the matter remained unresolved almost two years later. Support from the Coventry Diocese Legal Registrar and team to progress this matter during 2024 reached a satisfactory conclusion in March 2025 when archived conveyancing documents were discovered identifying the transfer of the property to Coventry Diocese and PCC Trustees. Formal notification will be sent to the Land Registry to formally register the ownership of the building.

Following actively promoting the venue, Ankcorn House has secured regular monthly paying users, from the National Childbirth Trust (NCT) and the West Warwickshire Pony Club. In addition regular Church Committees/Groups for administrative meetings plus Arden Marches PCC Forums use the facilities, but with no financial contribution towards the running costs from these bookings. Nominal annual rental fees are also recouped from storage within Ankcorn House from the local Parish Council and immediate neighbours. However some of the storage fees will be affected in the next twelve months when the current neighbour sells their house and relinquishes the storage shed rental agreement.

New potential users have been identified only this month, for regular weekly social events and it is hoped that this will benefit not only the local community but also assist with some financial support.

Although the last twelve months’ rentals have improved financial income, the venue continues to only just break even and continues to be subsidised by the General Church funds for its heating costs.

Linda Salsbury, Booking Coordinator

PARISH CENTRE REPORT

The Parish Centre has had a very successful year in the period under review and continues to consolidate its operating position with increased levels of hire since my last review in April 2024. Many of our local user groups, including Live & Local Cinema, Brownies, Sunbeams, Rainbows, Souper Bowls, Tea Cake & Friendship and Messy Church all meet at the hall on a regular weekly or fortnightly basis. The start of 2025 has seen a steady increase in interest from family party booking enquiries with the hall already almost fully booked at weekends for the first half of the year.

We continue to attract several local fitness organisations on a regular basis, including Pilates, Yoga and a Martial Arts group Wing Chun. At various times over the winter months, we have also attracted interest in using the hall from Studley Tennis Club and Studley Karate Group. In June 2025 our Dementia Café will celebrate its second anniversary since launching its regular meetings on the first

Thursday each month back in June 2023. The Café now also operate a monthly ‘Singing for Fun’ session on the third Thursday each month which is proving to be a popular addition to the group’s activities. The Dementia Café is a much valued service to our local community, helping to relieve some of the considerable pressures on families faced with a loved one diagnosed with this challenging illness.

We have recently been approached by some new and exciting groups aiming to provide valuable support services to our community. Glowing Mamma, a postnatal support group, started regular weekly sessions every Wednesday afternoon from March 2025. The Studley Repair Café will start monthly sessions at the hall every second Saturday of the month from April 2025. Most recently, All Round Voices, a community choir venture, will start weekly sessions on Monday mornings from May 2025 to fill a demand for singers of all abilities who want to meet during the daytime.

Upkeep of the fabric of the Centre continues to be a challenge. We experienced a major pipe burst during December 2024 which has now been successfully repaired and a new mini wall heater installed in the entrance foyer to replace the failed unit. Our Wi-Fi and Bluetooth facilities continue to benefit all hall users along with our new remote Wi-Fi heating controller system which offers more flexibility and reliability than our previous manual systems. Our hire pricing points remain the most competitive in the area.

My thanks go to Phil Pattison for his continued support and encouragement to me during the last year, and for taking over the day to day supplier contact management duties at the hall from January 2025 due to my recent spell of ill health. I will continue to concentrate my future activities at the hall to handling all booking enquiries at the hall until further notice

These changes mean that we are now looking to set up a dedicated Studley Parish Centre Fabric Management Team to drive the hall development forward onto the next level. This will ensure that there will be wider local involvement in the successful operation of our valuable local facility. If this is something you can offer, your skill set and commitment, however large or small, could help the Parish Centre continue to thrive. Come and join us. Our contact details are:

- Mike Moffat - Parish Centre Bookings - parish centre@ardenmarches.co.uk Phil Pattison - Parish Centre Acting Coordinator - 07594 948534 .

Mike Moffat, Parish Centre Bookings manager

STUDLEY CHURCHYARD REPORT

‘Doesn’t the churchyard look lovely’, ‘I like the way you keep areas for wildlife and wild flowers’ and ‘the churchyard is a disgrace, why isn’t it kept like the cemetery across the carpark? These are typical comments that we receive about the churchyard and we just know we can’t please all the people all the time.

At the beginning of the year it does look beautiful when carpeted with snow drops. These are followed by daffodils, primroses, cowslips, violets. Then come the bluebells and garlic and the grass gets longer. Hogweed comes in summer and waves its heavy white heads which then turn into large seed heads. Brambles have become an increasing problem and we try to keep pathways clear of these.

We have a small group of volunteers who try to meet up on the first Saturday of each month to maintain the churchyard and garden of remembrance. Numbers, age, fitness and mobility are limiting factors to what we can do, not to mention the weather – we had a lot of wet first Saturdays in 2024.

We are a church with a bronze eco award and we try to maintain a balance in the churchyard between areas that are kept neat and low, areas which are cut two or three times a year and areas that are cut once a year when the wild flowers have seeded. Compost heaps are now hidden in the corner of the churchyard and these are turned and emptied as appropriate.

Unfortunately there is still an area in the south west corner that is not really managed by us at all due to the limitations mentioned and it being an area of many graves, which are not arranged in straight lines with paths between them. If anyone would like to tackle this area you would be very welcome to join us!

Thank you to all those who come and help – not all are church people. More volunteers are always welcome.

Hilary Volrath, Coordinator

BELLRINGERS REPORT

In July William Blizzard was selected to ring in the Ringing world National youth Competition in London culminating with 900 ringing members in St Pauls Cathedral.

On Thursday 5[th] September, 20 Wayfarers ringers visited to ring on the bells, and they held their annual meeting in the church.

In September, Richard, Ethan and I went on the Worcestershire Guild southern branch outing to Bath. We thoroughly enjoyed the day, ringing at five different towers. The tenor bell at Bath Abbey weighing over 1.5 tons took two people to ring the bell up into the ringing position. Ethan, being the youngest on the outing was one of the ringers who was roped in for the task. The day was made extra special as we were able to go out onto the roof of the Abbey and look over into the Roman Baths. This year we are going to Nottingham.

Also in September, with the help of local ringers we attempted to ring a peal which takes around three hours to complete. Unfortunately, after 61 minutes it was brought to a halt! We are going to attempt this again on Thursday 26[th] June to coincide with June and Richard Spray’s Diamond wedding anniversary who met through bellringing.

On Saturday 5[th] October, Richard and I were selected to represent the Southern branch of the Worcestershire Guild bellringing Association Inter Branch striking competition at Malvern Link. We were part of the 6-bell competition. The test piece was 120 of Plain Bob Minor and we came first. In November, a team from Studley Tower entered the Southern Branch striking competition held at Norton, we entered a rounds and call changes band.

During the year, we have been out and about visiting other towers. Alcester, Inkberrow, Evesham Belltower, Eckington, Pershore Parish Centre and Pershore Abbey which, for those people who have visited will tell you, is an experience just getting up into the ringing chamber. We have also visited towers with the Arden Cluster Group, Coughton, Alveston, Sherbourne and Barford.

During the year, Ethan has joined the Coventry Guild and Worcester Guild of Bellringers and Dave and Stuart the Worcestershire Guild.

We have all purchased matching sweatshirts with the Worcestershire guild logo and Studley tower. We are going to copy this for the Coventry Guild in due course.

To attract new bell ringers, we have held two open days. We were visited by Daniel who is now attending regularly, visitor from the castle and a family from church who will hopefully join us when they have settled in their new home. We also saw the return of Rob, a bellringer from some years ago.

We have invited the Studley Beavers and Church Rainbow group to come and visit, date to be arranged.

Dave, who is a member of Henley in Arden Tower, has supported Studley every Sunday morning and Thursday evening practice, we thank him for this. I would also like to extend a thank you to everyone who has dedicated their time, attending Thursday practices and to keep the bells ringing out across Studley, calling people to worship each Sunday morning.

As we approach the 80[th] Anniversary of VE day, Studley church bells will ring out in a special act of remembrance and to pay tribute to those who made the ultimate sacrifice so that we might live in a free world. On Thursday 8[th] May, parishioners have been invited to come and have a go at chiming the bells with the rest of the nation at 6.30pm, this has been advertised in the Parish Council news sheet. An exhibition of bellringing in Studley since the second world war has been set up in the church.

Louise Grubb, Tower Captain

MAPPLEBOROUGH GREEN CHURCH OF ENGLAND PRIMARY SCHOOL REPORT

We have continued to enjoy close links with Mappleborough Green Church of England Primary School. Kate or Angela have led Collective Worship nearly every week. We are very encouraged by the children’s knowledge of Christian stories and values. We use the story of Jesus aged 12 in the Temple as a focus for our school vision for our children to be living and learning in the love of God: ‘Jesus grew in wisdom and stature and in favour with God and people’. The whole school is always warmly welcomed into church for Christmas, Easter, Harvest and the Leavers service, and it has been lovely to welcome their families too. (The harvest service was held in school in 2024). The children’s nativity and Easter performances of the accounts of the central moments in Jesus’ life are always deeply moving.

We welcomed the new Reception Class parents with pastries and hot drinks in the autumn term. Angela and Linda Salsbury offered an after school family outdoor Messy worship event in the school grounds over the warmer months – which involved quite a lot of fire – and was much enjoyed by the few families who attended. We gave children’s Bibles to all new starters, and holding crosses to Year 6 leavers together with ‘it’s your move’ books to support them through the transition to High School.

Diane Pannell volunteers in school every week, and Linda and Kate are Foundation Governors. Alan Greathead is applying to be a Foundation Governor. Linda now also works in the school, so we have even stronger connections. If you would like to get involved in volunteering at school do speak to us.

Revd Kate Mier, Foundation Governor

STUDLEY ST MARY’S CE ACADEMY REPORT

Predictably, this has been a busy year for staff and pupils alike at Studley St Mary’s and there is much to report since this time last year. Academically, the school continues to forge ahead, going from strength to strength, and 2024’s Year 6 SATs results were an admirable reflection of four years’ diligent hard work and effort, whereby the school’s results overall were above national figures in every subject. Similarly, attendance figures are also above the national average which further shows that the children are happy and settled in their school life.

Within the community, the children have been playing their part with continued enthusiasm and gusto. For example, if you attended the village Christmas lights switch on in November, you would have heard the children singing carols (and perhaps joined in!). Links with the church remain strong and all year groups have attended events at the church. The school’s worship group have begun to play an increasing role at church, leading the worship recently in March in enacting the story of Zacchaeus, ably led and supported by our family link worker, Angela Corlett. In a similar vein, the Prayer and Reflection Shed at school has been transformed into a warm, quiet and comfortable space at school where children can step back and take what they need with a little help from prayer and the Bible. Anyone from church who has a little time, is a good listener and would like to support this is encouraged to speak to Angela for further information.

Sport plays an increasingly important role in the school’s co-curricular life and at the end of the academic year 2024 in July over 40 fixtures and tournaments had been played over the course of the year, involving 60 different children playing in a team of their choice. The school has also hosted and attended regional American football events. Within the teams there is a mentoring system in place between Year 6 and Year 5, encouraging children to support each other in a practical way and live out the school values.

The PTFA has also been very active in its fundraising and support of the school. In July 2024 £3418 had already been raised with the aim of funding new playground equipment and some fun activities for the children e.g. a visit to the pantomime. Breakfast with Santa towards the end of term in December was, not surprisingly, a popular treat, followed closely by a more traditional Christmas raffle. The school and the church are immensely grateful for this group’s energy, imagination and hard work in supporting the school and their children.

Various workshops have been held throughout the year to inform and support the children’s families. In addition to the regular curriculum evenings, a workshop on understanding children’s behaviour was held at school in November, led by Warwickshire Children and Family Support. Likewise, the school communicates a wide range of parenting courses offered by Warwickshire and FACE (Family Advice, Communication, Education) via the school Sway.

Mental health is central to being able to live out the school vision of ‘Living life in all its fullness’ and the offer at St Mary’s is fully embedded. Staff know their children and families very well and so the ability to offer support for children’s well-being and mental health is well established, for example:

Time to Talk Boxes, Boomerang Resilience groups and Mental Health Ambassadors. More significant needs are supported through the school’s mentoring programme and access to a fully trained counsellor is available too. The appointment of a Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENDCO) in September 2024 is also strengthening the offer even further, and children are becoming more comfortable in identifying and articulating their own needs.

Within the sphere of SEND, there has been a significant update recently regarding the school’s provision for those children with high levels of need. The school currently has in operation an unofficial provision, the Base, for children unable to access mainstream school for a whole day. The Base has been brilliantly and ably run by two teaching assistants for two years now with no additional funding. The Headteacher, Mrs Gordon, has recently successfully worked with the Local Education Authority to formalise this provision, thus securing full funding and enabling the recruitment of a specialist SEND teacher for the Base for the next academic year. In addition to this recognition from the LEA of the hard work and strength of the school in this area, it will also help to streamline transition from the infant school which already has a local authority resource base.

Support for Salford Priors CofE Academy has continued throughout the year, supporting the school through their Ofsted inspection and further. From January, Mrs Gordon became Executive Head of St Mary’s and Salford Priors and the Deputy Head, Adam Clark, became the Head of School at Studley. This was indeed further evidence of the journey St Mary’s has been on over the past few years and confirmation from the Coventry Diocese MAT that the school is considered stable, secure and a beacon school in the group. As many of you will know, Mrs Gordon is leaving St Mary’s at Easter and so we take this opportunity to thank her for her hard work and single-minded focus in transforming the school in the years she has been with us, wishing her every success in her next endeavour. Sad though we are to see her leave, looking ahead, the good news is that Adam Clark has been confirmed as her successor and all at St Mary’s feel reassured and confident that the school will continue seamlessly on its current positive and upward trajectory.

Shirley Stout, Foundation Governor

TEA, CAKE AND FRIENDSHIP REPORT

Tea, Cake and Friendship continues to be popular. Recently there have been some weeks when we have had to set out more tables as we have had some new “Friends” come to join us. We are delighted that Alan Greathead has rejoined us on the helpers’ team. Thank you to all our helpers and to everyone who supports the group.

Joan Lock, Coordinator

THE FRIENDSHIP GROUP REPORT

This year I also oganised a New Years Day Bring & Share lunch, in Ankcorn House at 12 clock, along with Jacket potatoes and home made desserts on 1[st] January 2024, followed by a quiz for anyone who was one their own today. It went very well and 21 people arrived and enjoyed our time together. I was unable to arrange to do this for 2025, but hopefully will do again in 2026.

The lunches started on 22[nd] March 2024 our first outing was to The Guild at Bromsgrove. It was nice to meet up again with the 30 members who came. The rest of our outings during the year averaged 35.

Due to all the rising costs this year, I decided that we would have a change of venue for our Christmas meal, as over the last 8 years we have enjoyed our meals at Kings Court Hotel. This year we went to The Nevill Arms on 6[th] December , it went very well and I had 42 members, everyone had enjoyed their meals. But I was told they had missed Kings Court!

During this year, we have had 2 member who have sadly passed away - we will always remember the happy times we all shared together with fondness and love.

The Friendship Group has now been running for 13 years, it is nice to see how friendships have grown over the years, and that I always have new members wanting to join.

Once again I would like to thank all of my volenteer drivers, as with out them, this mission of outreach would not be possible.

I look forward to our next year together.

God Bless

Margaret Lee, Coordinator

2ND STUDLEY (ST. MARY’S) RAINBOWS AND BROWNIES REPORT

2024/25 has been another busy action packed year.

Both Brownies and Rainbows run over subscribed units once a week during term time. Currently Brownies have 32 girls, Rainbows 28, with still long waiting lists for both.

Brownies:

Again this year they have supported a homeless charity, providing 40 shoe boxes full of essential items.

They’ve had a Science based sleepover.

Studley in bloom visited and Brownies helped with planting around the Parish Centre

Rainbows:

Raised money for the Red Squirrel Trust through a Bring and Buy sale.

They Visited 4 Acres Care home, in the Summer to plant in their raised beds and pots, We try to visit them twice a year.

A Stratford Division afternoon was organised by me in Alcester where 60+ Rainbows attended including 20 from Studley.

Rainbows finished the spring term with a forest school in Bidford where we explored the grounds, built dens and toasted marshmallows over a fire we lit.

Rainbows use the church once a term for their “Promise Night” This is where our newest Rainbows make their promise and parents come along to watch. We are very appreciative of this facility which makes for a very special evening which is always well attended by our parents.

Girlguiding Studley:

For “Thinking Day” We (Rainbows, Brownies and Guides) walked across the fields to the church where we ate hot dog sausage rolls and drank hot chocolate. All the groups had made lanterns for our walk and guides explored the grounds in the dark with torches. Over 50 girls were in attendance.

The Guide unit in Studley meets at the Methodist church, but we still don’t have a church aided guide unit (10-14yr olds) .

We do worry going forward that this unit will also be lost if new leaders aren’t found as the two current leaders would like to take a step back.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank the church for being so accommodating to our needs at the Parish Centre and when we want to use the church itself.

Pamela Winfield, leader in charge of Rainbows and District Commissioner

ARDEN FOODBANK REPORT

The Arden Foodbank opened in April 2013, as part of the Trussell Trust Foodbank network and serves Alcester, Studley and the surrounding area. Food is given out on 2 afternoons a week, on Tuesdays from Studley Methodist church and on Fridays from the Eric Payne centre in Alcester having moved from Alcester Methodist church during the year.

Care professionals, such as health visitors, schools, citizens advice and social workers, as well as local church ministers and others, identify people in crisis and issue them with vouchers. Vouchers vary from a single person to a large family. We then redeem the voucher for three days’ nutritionally balanced, non-perishable food, the amount of food given depends on the number of people the voucher is for.

When we opened our doors, eleven years ago, the hope was that within a couple of years the need would no longer be there. The figures show that we are needed more each year. In 2024 from Studley , (Alcester numbers in brackets), we fulfilled 218 (558) vouchers. We fed 280 (826) adults and 185 (604) children. Whilst the total number of adults over both centres was 40 less than in 2023 , the number of children fed rose by 140 from 2023. 13,337 kg of food was given out to clients. All this food had been given or bought, was sorted, dated and stored in the warehouse and then transported to the centres to fill the small cupboards kept there as required, usually weekly.

For the fourth year running at Christmas, we distributed 226 food boxes to families, identified by the local schools in our area as being in need. Again thanks very much for the use of the parish centre for a day and a half for packing and distributing these parcels.

In November our manager, Susan Kinnersley, said she would resign in April 2025. Susan has been involved with the foodbank since its inception in 2013, having been her idea initially to set up a foodbank. She has been an inspiration and we thank her for her all her work for the foodbank. Early in the year we had a new communication manager, Helen Watson. Helen has raised our profile online, looking after the day to day running of our website and social media. We were on Midlands Today in August with the Ready, Steady, Cook, event in Studley. Helen is willing to take on the role of manager if we can find someone to replace her.

We have had stalls or been represented at various events in Alcester and Studley.

We continue to receive generous donations from companies, organisations and individuals who have continued to support us with food or money during the last year, without these donations we could not continue to operate and help local people in our community.

We are a totally volunteer run foodbank, quite a rarity, and have a very loyal and dedicated group of volunteers, without whom we would not be able continue. They not only work at the distribution centres and warehouse but also in other roles that keep the foodbank running smoothly.

Hilary Volrath, Coordinator

STUDLEY CHURCHES TOGETHER REPORT

All the churches in Studley are struggling with numbers and leadership but representatives of most churches meet 4 or 5 times a year to hear about what we are doing as individual churches and plan what we can do together.

The year starts with the week of prayer for Christian unity in January and instead of a combined service we had a breakfast in the Methodist church hall followed by a short worship session. Lent brings a busy time for the churches, and we try to make many events open to all the churches starting with an Ash Wednesday service. This is followed by the combined churches Lent course which in 2024 was based on the film ‘The greatest showman’ - which we started in 2020 but couldn’t finish. Some of the Methodist church joined us for the Maundy supper, then the next day, Good Friday, we had a walk of witness round the village stopping at various points for prayer and handing out hot cross buns to people we saw.

Another combined service was held on Ascension Day and a tea was held for Pentecost which also was part of Christian Aid week in 2024. Once again envelopes were delivered to every house in Studley for Christian Aid week.

During the summer churches together had a stall at the D-Day celebrations and again at the village flower and vegetable show. The churches were asked to lead the worship at the war memorial for Remembrance Sunday with Kate Meir giving the talk.

The Christmas period started with carol singing at the lights switch on, followed by the tree festival at the Methodist church and every house in Studley being given a card with details of Christmas services at all the village churches.

With changes of personnel at the churches during the we had to say goodbye to Anne Batchelor who has helped run the churches together meetings as she has moved to other responsibilities within the Methodist circuit. Fortunately, we have been able to welcome a new leader from the Baptist church, Joe Bevan, who has brought more involvement from that church with him. Sadly, we still have no current involvement from the Roman Catholic church, but we keep them informed of our activities. Please support churches together events and show the village God’s love by working together not in competition.

Hilary Volrath, Coordinator

ALCESTER DEANERY SYNOD PARISH REPORT

Studley with Mappleborough Green Parish is one of twenty three parishes in the Alcester Deanery. This year the Annual Parochial Church Meeting (APCM) should include the election of Deanery Synod Representatives. The Deanery Synod is an important part of the governance of the Church of England, and shares the mission of the Church in local areas. They are places for sharing good practice between the Parishes of a Deanery, and act as a communication line between the Diocesan Synod and the Parishes. It is really important that Parishes are well represented at Deanery Synod, and would strongly encourage people to stand for election.

The number of deanery synod representatives that our parish can elect is based on our electoral roll numbers:

Studley Parish 3 Deanery Synod Representatives Mappleborough Green 2 Deanery Synod Representatives

Studley and Mappleborough Green currently have 1 vacancy each.

Once elected, Deanery Synod representatives are ex officio members of our Parochial Church Council (PCC) until the next election at APCM in 2026.

The Deanery Synod is regulated by the 1969 Synodical Government Measure which sets out five functions:

to consider matters concerning the Church of England and other matters of religious or
public interest;
to bring together the views of the parishes of the Deaneries, to discuss and formulate
common policies, to foster a sense of community and interdependence among those parishes, and generally to promote in the Deaneries the whole mission of the Church;
to make known and put into effect any provision made by the Diocesan Synod;
to consider the business of the Diocesan Synod and to sound parochial opinion;
to raise matters with the Diocesan Synod.

Alcester Deanery Synod met on 18 June and 17 October in 2024 and on 4 March 2025. At each of these events Speakers were invited to attend and share their experiences and knowledge of their faith and spiritual journeys:

Archdeacon Barry Dugmore and Gareth Fitzpatrick, Evangelism Enabler shared with us ways to communicate the ‘good news’ of Jesus clearly and effectively through their Sharing Jesus training experience. Which our PCC partially took forward as part of its Growing Healthy Churches discussions looking at BEN’s and ANN’s.

Canon for Worship & Welcome, Nitano Muller introduced himself to the Alcester Deanery after only a few weeks of being in the UK. Nitano’s life in South Africa led him on many pathways but experienced a great opportunity of working alongside Bishop Desmond Tutu. His story was fascinating and the opportunity to join Coventry Diocese from a small fishing village in South Africa was a true story of faith.

Newly appointed clergy to the Deanery Revd Jo Parker and Revd Cath Rindl highlighted their callings to ministry and what had drawn them to be part of the Alcester Deanery. As vicar for Arden Valley group of churches, Revd Jo will be bringing her knowledge and experience of working with the elderly and is keen to develop the Anna Chaplaincy role within the Deanery. Rev Cath has chosen to focus on

children and families and hopes she can help bring all age worship and link generations together, and consequently encourage families to encounter God through more community worship.

All of these speakers offered valuable advice and support to Parish Deanery Representatives, and an opportunity to share the information with their church communities, to support developing faith within our churches.

In addition to these varied speakers, the Deanery Synod Representatives receive reports from the Coventry Diocesan Synod and Deanery Leadership Team on initiatives and proposals for the Parishes within the Alcester Deanery. Deanery funds and general accounts are reviewed quarterly, of which appropriate amounts of money are identified as Parish Shares; for the parishes to contribute to pay for mission and ministry, specifically for clergy stipends (living costs) and their housing. Unfortunately, the long-standing Deanery Treasurer left the Diocese this year, and there is an urgency to fill this vacancy as part of essential management for the Alcester Deanery.

Whilst some discussions may seem quite challenging and focussed on issues outside of one’s own Parish, the experience of being a Deanery Synod representative has been rewarding by appreciating that we are not alone, and other parish churches within the Deanery are feeling the same as ourselves. The Deanery Synod members can share and support one another as part of these meetings, and also outside as part of their normal church duties.

As our own Parish moves towards a period without our own vicar, the Alcester Deanery Leadership Team are seeing the vacancy of two other clergy posts within the Deanery. An opportunity to look at ourselves and open up new opportunities for sharing across parish boundaries.

Linda Salsbury, Deanery Synod Representative

The Arden Marches Group of Churches

Parish of Studley with Mappleborough Green

Accounts for the Year Ended 31st December 2024

Studley with Mappleborough Green

Accounts for the Year Ended 31st December 2024

Table of Contents

Respective Responsibilities of Trustees and Examiner

Basis of this Report

Independent Examiner's Statement

Parish of Studley with Mappleborough Green Statement of Financial Activities (by Fund) for the year ended 31st December 2024

Studley with Mappleborough Green

Accounts for the Year Ended 31st December 2024

Table of Contents

Parish of Studley with Mappleborough Green Balance Sheet at 31st December 2022

Approved by the Parochial Church Council and signed on its behalf by:

1. Accounting Policies

Funds

Incoming Resources

Voluntary Income and Capital Resources

Other Ordinary Income

Income from Investments

Gains and Losses on Investments

1. Accounting Policies (continued)

Resources Used

Grants

Activities Directly Relating to the Work of the Church

Fixed Assets

Consecrated Land & Buildings and Moveable Church Furnishings

Investments

Current Assets

Parish of Studley with Mappleborough Green Notes to the Financial Statements (continued) for the Year Ended 31st December 2022

2 Incoming Resources

2a Incoming Resources from Donors

2b Other Voluntary Incoming Resources

2c Income from Charitable & Ancilliary Trading

2d Other Ordinary Incoming Resources

2e Income from Investments

3 Resources Used

3a Grants

3b Activities Directly Relating to the Work of the Church

3c Fund raising & Publicity

3d Church Management & Administration

3 Resources Used

3a Grants

3b Activities Directly Relating to the Work of the Church

3c Fund raising & Publicity

3d Church Management & Administration

3 Resources Used

3a Grants

3b

Activities Directly Relating to the Work of the Church

3c

Fund raising & Publicity

Total Resources Used

Parish of Studley with Mappleborough Green Notes to the Financial Statements (continued) for the Year Ended 31st December 2022

Supplementary Detail

2 Income

2b Other Voluntary Incoming Resources

Grants

Legacies

Fetes & Other Fund Raising Events

Donations

Total

Supplementary Detail

3 Expenditure

3a Grants

Missionary Societies Church societies

Relief & Development Agencies

Home Missions & Other Church Societies

Secular Charities

Supplementary Detail

3 Expenditure (continued)

3b Activities Directly Relating to Work of the Church

Clergy Expenses

Supplementary Detail

3 Expenditure (continued)

3c Fund Raising & Publicity

4 Staff Costs

5a Fixed Assets (See Page 14 for details)