## **THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF ST PETER & ST PAUL, KETTERING** 

**ANNUAL REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2020** 

Registered Charity (England and Wales) number 1135658 

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## **CONTENTS** 

RECTOR’S INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................... 3 TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT...................................................................................................... 9 INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT ........................................................................................ 39 Statement of financial activities for the year ended 31 December 2020 ............................... 40 Balance sheet at 31 December 2020 ....................................................................................... 41 Notes to the financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2020............................. 42 

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## **RECTOR’S INTRODUCTION** 

We entered 2020 expecting to celebrate 800 years since the appointment of the first Rector of Kettering: a moment to give thanks for so many signs of God's goodness in the past, and to be ready to follow wherever we were led in the future. That future turned out to be rather different from what we had expected. 

Just three days into 2020 the BBC reported an investigation by authorities in the Chinese city of Wuhan into a mysterious 'viral pneumonia' which had infected dozens of people. Wuhan was locked down on 23 January. The same day a 50-year-old woman arrived in the UK on a flight from the city who became the first case in this country of a disease which within three weeks was named coronavirus disease 2019 or 'COVID-19' by the World Health Organisation. 

On 23 March this country was locked down and so 2020 turned into the strangest year many of us will ever know. 

For some it was a heart-breaking year. A time of personal loss. For some a time of unemployment, loneliness, anxiety. 

Much of normal parish life had to cease. No services in our churches. No weddings or baptisms. No care home visits. No pastoral care visits. No children’s groups, no weekday study groups gathering to meet, no choir practices, no bellringing. For several months we stopped the church clock from chiming so no one needed to enter the building if something went wrong. 

And so we had to ask ourselves what really mattered. What was most important. What our priorities were. 

And also whether there were new ways of doing familiar things. 

We decided on three priorities: 

**1. our local community** . We wanted to keep the weekly soup kitchen going 

**2. pastoral care** . We wanted to stay in touch with members in danger of becoming isolated 

**3. worship.** We wanted to find ways to keep worshipping together, despite being out of our buildings 

## **Our local community** 

We were very keen to keep our soup kitchen going. Although quite a few volunteers had to self-isolate, new volunteers came forward to help out over the coming months. The soup kitchen had superb leadership through the year, with **Claire Campbell** providing oversight as Team Leader, whilst **Kathy Webster** and a remarkably committed team ensured things worked well on the day. Kathy did remarkable work in helping the soup kitchen win £5k of 

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funding from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). More grants were to follow in 2021. The soup kitchen also benefited from some generous gifts from individual members of the parish. A fuller report on the soup kitchen in 2020 is on p. 16. 

## **Pastoral care** 

We identified one hundred church members most at risk of isolation and set up a system for each of them to be phoned regularly. A small monitoring team met to check whether people were getting the attention and support they needed. We soon recognised that this was an improvement on our previous arrangements for overseeing pastoral care. And this became one of the first good things to come out of a time of tragedy. We've learnt from this and it will continue beyond the crisis. A fuller report on our pastoral care in 2020 is on p. 12. 

A team of volunteers delivered service booklets and a printed copy of our weekly newsletter by hand to members who we knew were not online. We started producing weekly ‘Worship from Home’ resources, which we know were used by members who had online access as well as those who did not. 

Clergy continued to lead funerals at Kettering Crematorium and Cemetery, often in challenging circumstances. For a while there was a noticeable increase in the number of funerals, as much through covering for other clergy needing to self-isolate as through increased deaths. 

## **Worship** 

The clergy and staff team quickly had to learn new skills as we started live streaming our services. We were keen not simply to be 'broadcasting' services, turning worshippers into spectators. This influenced our choice to use the software Zoom, which unlike some alternatives allowed people to take part and help lead our services in real time, wherever they were. We also streamed the service to Facebook, so that others at home could watch without taking part. 

Our ordinand, **Tracy Pegram** , played a key role in organising teams to manage the service. After a few weeks we realised the need for more careful planning: for copies of videos to be shared with more than one of us around the town in case someone's internet access failed. A planning team started meeting weekly and detailed running orders were created for each service. 

Our Director of Music, **Nicolas Moodie** , heroically organised and recorded the choir singing hymns and anthems, although they were all separated, singing in their own homes. After a while the clergy started using more images in their sermons. We learnt how to enable people sitting in their homes to play significant roles in leading our worship. One highlight was a conversation with **Father Aeduk Kim** from our link parish in South Korea. Regular worshippers online included people living in Brussels and North Somerset. We were able to invite guest preachers who took part either live or by offering a recorded sermon, including Bishop Donald and Bishop Ed. Animated gospel readings created by our curate **Alice Watson** soon became a popular monthly feature of our services. 

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Weekday Morning Prayer moved from the Lady Chapel online and attendance throughout 2020 was higher than in recent years. 

In May we were able to share our experience of online worship with the wider church in Kettering, as we hosted an Ascension Day service for Churches Together in Kettering and District. 

In July we began to open up St Peter & St Paul for individual prayer a couple of times a week. 

In September we returned to our buildings for Sunday worship. Our preparation included drawing up risk assessments, training of stewards, setting up online booking for worshippers, and at St Peter & St Paul, rehearsals to work out how to manage camera angles, sound etc. Broadband was installed in St Peter & St Paul and new tech equipment bought. We are grateful for the generosity of those who made this possible. Learning how to live stream a service from the building whilst including both live contributions from people outside the building and video material was a new challenge. The technical knowledge of our Director of Music, Nicolas Moodie, proved invaluable. Over time the 'tech team' grew, including our Verger **Ian Greenwood** . 

The wardens played an invaluable part in all this and **Jo Pearce** put endless energy into making sure we kept people safe. Throughout the parish as our services and other activities started up again, risk assessments were needed and we received invaluable guidance from **Jim Balding** . 

Despite the joy of returning to our buildings, the experience for regular worshippers was changed. The need to book a seat, to wear a mask, to sit silently listening to hymns rather than joining in, to use hand sanitiser, to receive Communion in one kind only. At St Peter & St Paul cameras and a screen became part of the furniture. St Michael’s was especially affected by the need for social distancing, which severely restricted the size of the congregation and meant the joyful noisy and benign chaos which is so much part of the experience was completely missing. Over the summer our curate Alice and **Louise Crookenden-Johnson** took the lead in creating a prayer path in St Michael’s Gardens, featuring pottery by Louise. The aim was to create a peaceful outdoor space for both worship and reflection, open to the whole community. In October a new monthly service, Wild Church, was started in St Michael’s Gardens, aimed at younger families but open to all. When restrictions were tightened this gathering was replaced by drop-in events and installations. 

On returning to our buildings we decided to avoid whenever possible having a priest moving between congregations on the same day. Traditionally it has been the preacher who does this. To avoid every member of the clergy team needing to prepare a new sermon every week, we took the decision that sermons would normally be delivered live in one church (normally All Saints), whilst the other two churches watched a recording. 

It became possible for our choir once again to sing in St Peter & St Paul. But in November congregations were once again shut out of our building. Hymn recordings made by St Martin 

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in the Fields helped our worship when the choir was unable to lead, and we have continued to use them at St Michael’s. The continued growth of cases in Kent, despite November’s tightening of restrictions, revealed the existence of a new and more easily transmissible variant of the virus. COVID cases began to rise sharply again around the country and a few days before Christmas we reluctantly decided to close the doors of St Peter & St Paul for one of our annual highlights, the Christingle services. 

We did though have a congregation for Midnight Eucharist, a poignant climax to our Christmas celebrations, which had included an outdoor Carol and Nativity Service at St Michael’s, a Service of Lessons and Carols at St Peter & St Paul and an online Town Carol Service produced in collaboration with Kettering Rotary. At the time we did not know that with one exception there would be no congregations inside St Peter & St Paul between our Midnight Eucharist and Easter 2021. 

## **Faith and discipleship** 

There came a point during 2020 when we decided to add an additional focus on top of the three priorities we set ourselves at the start of the crisis. This was to nurture Christian faith and discipleship, one of the five priorities we had committed ourselves to a couple of years earlier, but with limited progress. 

We decided to hold Tuesday evenings clear in the church diary each week for nothing but faith and discipleship meetings. Every other week David would make himself available to talk about ‘Big Questions’ of life and faith. Our hope was that this opportunity would reach people beyond the church. That has happened a little, but we need to find more and better ways of publicising it. 

In alternate weeks sessions would be aimed at those who wanted to explore their faith more deeply. We held some online sessions in the summer. Later, as we entered Advent, we had an online Introduction to Mark's Gospel. Our assistant priest **Carys Walsh** had published her book _Frequencies of God: Walking through Advent with R S Thomas_ and we were joined by others around the Diocese and country as we hosted Carys talking and answering questions about R S Thomas and her book. 

## **Representing the parish** 

Clergy and laity continued to represent the parish on Kettering Deanery Synod. David was also on the Deanery Standing Committee and Treasurer to the Deanery, representing it on the Diocesan Board of Finance. Carys and David were on Diocesan Synod. David was also on the Bishop's Council. In the Borough he served as Mayor's Chaplain in the last few months of the year. 

## **All Saints Kettering** 

2020 began just days after our clergy had been licensed to the parish of All Saints. From then on clergy from this parish would also be responsible for worship and ministry in another parish. But we also entered the year with an expectation that for the first time in many years our parish would be able to spend no more than its income. 

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Little did we know of the impact that COVID would have on our finances. By the end of the year the situation was not as bad as we had feared in the spring. But COVID did have an impact on our finances and we will need to address that in 2021 and beyond. 

In order to help with the additional responsibilities for our Rector, David, it was agreed to find a volunteer Personal Assistant (PA) to help with some of his administration. In the end our Administrator **Carol Walters** offered to supplement her paid role with this volunteer role. Carol has been a lynchpin of the parish over the past year and this additional work is hugely appreciated by David and others. 

## **Other news** 

Plans to celebrate our 800th anniversary inevitably had to be put on hold. A lot of preparatory work had already been done which we hope will see the light of day in 2022. This included a parish tea-towel designed by Louise Crookenden-Johnson, envisaged as a fundraiser for the 800[th] . 

On 16 February 2020, **Pat Edkins** , who in February 2019 had been commissioned as our Parish Nurse, was licensed by the Bishop of Peterborough at the Cathedral so that her role became one recognised across the Diocese. 

In the first few weeks of the year, a member of St Peter & St Paul, **Martin Hill** of Tollers Solicitors, generously ran a wills campaign, offering to help people make or review their wills in return for a donation to the parish. 

On 6 September, the same day we re-entered our buildings, our curate Alice Watson was ordained priest in Peterborough Cathedral. Only our Rector David was permitted to represent the parish in person although Carys was there in her role as Diocesan Curate Training Officer. The following Sunday Alice presided at her first eucharist: both moments of joy in the strangest of circumstances. 

Also on 6 September, the St Peter & St Paul clock bells sounded for the first time since March and we celebrated the remarkable re-gilding of the clock faces made possible over the summer by generous donations from a small group of people to whom we are indebted. 

Another new beginning in the autumn was the start of **Debby Edgeworth** 's diocesan training for lay licensed ministry. Debby plays an increasingly important role as Pastoral Care Coordinator in the parish and we are delighted in the way her ministry is growing and flourishing. So many members of the parish are grateful for the attention she gave them in 2020. 

In October we held our second Wave of Light service as part of Baby Loss Awareness Week. This year's service was held entirely online, in collaboration with the Chaplaincy and Bereavement Midwifery teams at Kettering General Hospital (KGH). There were around 70 requests for candles to be lit. 

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In December we announced the exciting news that we are to be joined in June 2021 by a new curate, **Clare Glover** . For a while we will share two curates with All Saints, a great gift to us from the wider church, who have entrusted us with their continuing training. 

2020 had more sad news than most years. But every year we find ourselves looking back at those we have lost as we report the deaths of church members, former members, and the families of members. In 2020 they included Joan Bacon, David Barwell, Martin Carnell, Maureen Eaton, Sybil Gregory, Gill Horrocks, Ann Lake, Ann Lawrence, Valerie Munn and Terry White. 

And so we move forward into another year, once again not knowing what it might bring, but willing to be led in new directions and continuing to watch for the signs of God's new creation in our churches and in our town. 

_David Walsh Rector_ 

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## **TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT** 

## **Objectives and priorities** 

The purposes of the charity are the promotion in the ecclesiastical parish of the whole mission of the church: pastoral, evangelistic, social and ecumenical. 

The charity provides: 

- regular public worship open to all 

- sacred space for personal prayer and contemplation 

- pastoral work, including visiting the sick and bereaved 

- the teaching of Christianity through sermons, courses and small groups 

- the taking of religious assemblies in schools 

- the promotion of Christianity through events and meetings 

The parish contains two churches: the historic parish church of Kettering, St Peter & St Paul, (originally founded some 800 years ago) located in the town centre of Kettering, and its sister church of St Michael and All Angels, a ‘tin tabernacle’ type church. 

## **St Peter & St Paul** 

The church of St Peter & St Paul is the oldest building in Kettering. It has stood on the present site for over 500 years and has been at the centre of community life throughout that time. It is a Grade 1 listed building and is a fine example of perpendicular architecture. The tower and spire stand 180 feet in height, and house a peal of 12 bells which were restored and re-dedicated in 2004 and are rung regularly on Sundays and special occasions. 

The parish has a population of 18,700, and is the largest of five town centre Anglican parishes. Before the COVID crisis hit, as well as regular services of worship, St Peter & St Paul hosted civic events for the wider community, and was also available for the sacraments of marriage and baptism to those who live within the parish. 

Morning Prayer was said in the church on weekdays, and worship three times on Sunday, our principal service being at 10.30 on Sunday mornings. 

Much of this had to change as we adapted to the new circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

## **St Michael and All Angels** 

St Michael and All Angels Church was founded to serve as a mission church in 1908. 

Once on the very edge of Kettering the ‘tin tabernacle’ is now at the heart of a thriving community. 

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Over a decade has passed since the interior was re-ordered and refurbished. The result of this process had a re-energising effect on the congregation. The average age of Sunday worshippers nearly halved and congregation size grew, as it became more of a ‘community for the community’. 

The congregation at St Michael’s has a strong, nurturing, relaxed and inclusive attitude to children. But worship at St Michael’s was inevitably hugely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. More information about the impact on St Michael’s and its response is given in the Rector’s Introduction. 

## **Current priorities** 

During 2018, St Peter & St Paul set itself new priorities to shape its ministry and mission over the coming years. 

Inspired by the love of God and a vision of new life, the parish committed itself to: 

- helping Kettering to rediscover its heart and soul 

- tackling loneliness and isolation in our community 

- nurturing Christian faith and discipleship 

- being welcoming, hospitable and inclusive 

- providing a spiritual home for young families 

St Michael and All Angels continues to work to build an action plan based around a vision with the following three priorities: 

1. working towards developing engaged work with our young people who are rising through their teens into young adulthood 

2. running a daytime group for people who are lonely, elderly or otherwise isolated 

3. shaping parts of the church service to ring the changes in the church year, build up our music making, and grow the creative talent of the whole congregation in contributing to our worship 

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## **HEART AND SOUL OF KETTERING** 

## **Church buildings** 

The church of St Peter & St Paul is a Grade I listed building, 500 years old; an icon of Kettering and a source of pride for the charity, for which maintaining the building is a priority both for use in worship and also as part of its priorities in ensuring the charity is at the heart of the town. 

A quinquennial review of the building is carried out every 5 years, as the description suggests. This review is carried out by an architect. It reviews the overall condition of the building and identifies any work that needs to take place to maintain the condition of the building. The last of these happened in 2018. The 2018 review did not contain any big surprises, but at the same time there is a relatively large amount of work to be carried out if our very fine building is to be preserved into the future. 

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## **Bellringers’ report** 

Despite lockdowns, we were able, over the year, to ring for all the possible services but unfortunately were, due to Covid-19, unable to ‘ring in the New Year’ – hopefully this will be possible in 2021! 

We were unable to host visiting ringers and peal attempts, and needed to postpone the tower visit, and the Teddy Bear abseil, but hopefully these will be able to happen again next year. 

Undoubtedly, the highlight of the year was the re-gilding of the clock faces, financed by the ringers, and these prove a notable sight in the approach to Kettering centre from Northampton Road. 

When ringing recommences, we will be happy for anyone interested in learning to ring to attend a ringing practice before making any commitment. 

It is an absorbing hobby and any practising ringer is welcome to visit any tower in the country and ring with the local band. 

It is important to again to offer thanks to all our incredibly loyal regular ringers, both local and ‘visiting’: we realise that without them our bells would be silent. We are very fortunate in having such a willing band. 

_Pat Edkins Tower Captain_ 

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## **TACKLING LONELINESS AND ISOLATION** 

## **Pastoral Care Team** 

In 2020 the pastoral care team continued to reach out to the church communities in the parish of St Peter & St Paul with St Michael and All Angels. 

In the period between the beginning of January 2020 and the beginning of lockdown in midMarch our team of 15 carers visited those who were housebound, ill, or troubled. At that time there were about 25 people on our visiting list. House bound church members were able to receive Holy Communion in their homes. We could share a pot of tea, have a friendly chat, and pray together. People in care homes and hospital were visited too. 

Of course, after mid-March it was a different story. Like most things, delivery of pastoral care in 2020 has been severely affected by the coronavirus pandemic. 

Very soon after the first lockdown was announced, our Rector, David Walsh, and our ordinand, Tracy Pegram, set up a Covid-19 Response Team (CRT). The CRT consisted of seven pastoral care team members who were familiar with the ChurchSuite database. This database has been extremely helpful to the team in generating a contact list for the team to use. Since vulnerability to the coronavirus is age related, anyone on the database who was over 70 years of age was on the list. Added to this list were people under 70 who were receiving pastoral care before lockdown began. This left us with a list of about 90 people with whom we wanted to make contact weekly. The CRT phoned people weekly at first, but as the pandemic wore on, we decided that some people only needed fortnightly or monthly contact. 

Quarterly meetings were held before and during the pandemic. The first was held at the parish hall in February, before the first lockdown. Our guest speaker was Revd. Neil Tyrer, head chaplain at Kettering General Hospital. He told us what it is like to be a hospital chaplain, entrusted with the spiritual care of the sick. 

In July we had our first Zoom meeting. Our guest speaker was Revd. John Smith, who talked to us about dealing with grief and loss, an important topic for our team to consider. 

Our third meeting was held on Zoom in September. At this meeting we discussed handing over some of the pastoral care that the CRT was doing to other members of the pastoral care team. Team members who had not been delivering pastoral care for several months were eager to get back to work. 

In December we invited Revd. John Smith to continue to share his knowledge about dealing with grief and loss. 

As discussed at the September meeting, we began to implement a plan to bring all members of the pastoral care team back into action. This was a slow process, partly because of the difficulty of introducing people over the telephone rather than in person. However, at the end of 2020 we were making progress. 

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Keeping in contact with our church members has been rewarding. There have been sadnesses but mainly our conversations have been uplifting. It has been inspiring to experience their good humour, resilience, patience, kindness, and their faith in God. We look forward to a time when we can meet up with them in person. 

_Debby Edgeworth Pastoral Care Co-ordinator_ 

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## **Tea’s Up, Knees Up** 

After a lovely Christmas in 2019, including a Christmas party and a raffle for fundraising, we were looking forward to a promising 2020. Our plans included some of our members sharing their stories, including our most senior member sharing her experiences of nursing. We met for coffee, cake, chats and even jigsaw puzzling up until 23 March 2020 when Covid-19 forced us to stop. 

My co-host Helen and I decided to telephone the members who had filled in emergency contact detail forms to let them know we could not meet for the foreseeable future and to ask if we had their permission to call them fortnightly to stay in contact and offer support. 

Sadly during this year we lost two members, one whom is too poorly to attend again and one who has passed away. We will miss them both for their good humour and their smiles. 

As is true for most of us, many of our group are dealing with fear, isolation and a sense of loss whether that is for the people who have died or the loss of company and freedom. It has been a complicated, sad year for all but talking to our group has kept us going. 

In summer, when restrictions were less, we managed to meet twice for an outdoor _Tea’s Up_ – all appropriately socially distanced and bringing our own refreshments. If anybody noticed Helen and I rushing around measuring the grounds, carrying chairs outside and cleaning them before these meetings, we were not mad – it was all for a good cause! Some of our group found these meetings useful as a safe way to come back into the real world. Covid-19 and lockdown has made many people anxious and we were trying to help alleviate this. 

Of course then the rule of six came in and we could not see a way of meeting again. Our phone conversations are continuing and we look forward to reaching the stage where we can have our normal meetings back. Since many are having their vaccinations there is real hope that this will be sooner rather than later and in time to celebrate our most senior member’s birthday, as it will be a special one! 

_Melanie Bale and Helen Wignall Hosts_ 

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## **NURTURING CHRISTIAN FAITH AND DISCIPLESHIP** 

In 2018 the Parochial Church Council (PCC) committed the parish to focusing on five key priorities in the coming years. One of these was ‘nurturing faith and discipleship’. For a couple of years we found it hard to make progress in this area. But 2020 was the year we made some significant strides forward. 

In March we had a Teaching Eucharist designed to help worshippers better understand the service. This was the beginning of a project to encourage lifelong learning about Communion so that the very youngest and the oldest of our worshippers might learn about how to receive Communion and discover new things about what it means for us. Our Rector David spent time with children in both churches talking about receiving Communion. 

This turned out to be just days before lockdown. To begin with, the shock and disruption and the need to learn completely new ways of organising worship disrupted all thought of making more progress in this area. 

After a while we began to experiment with using images in our sermons and this soon became an important part of the way we communicated in online services. The use of images is likely to change the way we preach and teach far beyond our current crisis. 

Being online enabled us to make better use of the rich resources available on the internet. As a result we hope that more genuine learning has happened in 2020 than in most years. One casualty has been our annual preparation of candidates for confirmation: there were no confirmations in 2020 and we hope to make up for that in 2021. 

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## **Mothers’ Union** 

_Mothers' Union (MU) is a worldwide faith organisation committed to supporting family life in all its diverse forms. No one is excluded either by age or gender._ 

This must be the shortest report I have written for what has been the longest year for all. 

Our prime object is not to chat, drink tea and eat cake. My picture of MU is like that of a jigsaw: many pieces put together as a whole making a complete picture. 

We work as a family supporting each other and the community. This year we have been helping those who have been in need of support to make their life easier during the pandemic through Away From it All Holidays. 

Prayer is our strength. We give generously to projects empowering women and men worldwide. MU is committed to action against gender-based violence against women and girls and we are also committed to the cause of eradicating modern day slavery. 

January was our AGM which was chaired by our Rector David, with our MU Diocesan Vice President, Elizabeth, coming to talk to and encourage us. 

In February, our speaker was Jo Moore from Accommodation Concern, a charity giving support to those in Kettering who are struggling. The amount of work that they do was certainly an eye opener. 

And in March the world changed. We were preparing for our Lent Communion and enrolment of a new MU member, Debby Edgeworth, when the news came through from David that there could be no Communion. But Tim did enrol Debby and that was the last time we met as a group. 

We have not been idle, keeping in touch by phone, sending out updates from the Diocese and publishing a monthly Saints and Angels newsletter. One member made masks which were sold to raise funds for MU so that we could continue to give the much needed support locally and worldwide. 

_Hazel Goodman Branch Leader Saints and Angels Mothers' Union_ 

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## **The Choir** 

For the choir, 2020 was an important and memorable year. Following on from the initial lockdown shortly before Easter, rehearsals moved online. This was important both to keep up musical momentum within the choir, but also to maintain the social elements which are crucial to any such group. Online rehearsals have also allowed the choir to explore new and challenging music without the pressures of a live rehearsal. In the early days of livestreamed services, the lack of music was very noticeable. For Easter Day, the choir produced their first home-recorded offering, and it was amazing to hear the choir singing after so many weeks and against all the odds. 

Home recording has been a challenge for members of the choir – using technology in a completely new way and singing confidently at home without other voices to lend support. It’s a different kind of experience to singing with the choir, and one which members of our choir embraced, continuing to provide music for our online services right through until September. 

Following a rigorous risk assessment, the choir were able to return to the church in September, socially distanced. This brought its own challenges, making it difficult for singers to hear each other. However, the quality of singing and the music sung by the choir was fantastic week by week. November’s All Souls service, featuring Fauré’s _Requiem_ , and December’s service of Nine Lessons and Carols, were particularly memorable for the choir’s moving contribution to the worship. 

2020 has proved that the choir is an incredible, loyal, and crucial part of the church. For choir members, it has been a welcome routine through the lockdown, and the choir have found ways to continue to learn new music and sing together, providing music for worship, even whilst being unable to sing live in person. 

_Nicolas Moodie Director of Music_ 

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## **BEING WELCOMING, HOSPITABLE AND INCLUSIVE** 

## **Soup Kitchen** 

The soup kitchen has now been running for nearly six years. During this time, we have seen a huge number of people giving up their time to volunteer for a few hours a week. For some volunteers, this means working at the soup kitchen on a Thursday afternoon preparing food, cooking, serving, interacting with guests or cleaning up. Other volunteers are unable to offer this time, but are happy to provide food preparation at home, cooked meals to reheat, cakes or donations of food or money. We are especially grateful to all our volunteers in these uncertain times. 

This year has looked very different for the soup kitchen. Covid-19 restrictions meant we had to move outside to the Hall car park, and now serve food and drinks from the gates. Our volunteers have battled all the weather elements – blazing sunshine, rain, snow, and high winds – all with a smile. Thank you to the 1[st] Kettering Scouts for loaning us their gazebo: there have been several times when we have been very grateful for this protection! 

As well as a hot meal, each guest is also able to take a packed lunch and a food parcel made up of necessities home with them. Alongside the food we have donations of toiletries and clothes that are given out on request. Each week, on average, we are seeing 65 guests, mainly male but there is an ever-growing number of females. Our guests come from all walks of life – some are homeless and living in tents, and others have accommodation but need a hot meal and somewhere to meet a few friendly faces. In these troubling times we have had definite impacts on people’s metal health for both our guests and our volunteers. A friendly face each week, support for guests and each other, and the ability to give back to the community go a long way. 

We are lucky that there are kind parishioners who donate money on a regular basis. This allows us to provide much needed tents, sleeping bags, blankets, and space blankets to our homeless guests. We have also finally returned the Scouts gazebo and have been able to buy our own. 

It is a cause of great sadness that in a country as wealthy as the UK many people still require the use of soup kitchens and food banks, and this has been particularly true in the last year with numbers nearly doubling. Whilst in Kettering we are lucky that there are several organisations offering these facilities across the week, we continue to have an ever-growing need for them. On the basis of this we are developing closer relationships with a number of local organisations including KBC, Corona Kitchen (and the amazing Frank and Hilary Rodgers), The Shack and Grange Resource Centre, Accommodation Concern and The Stella Foundation and are participating in networking meetings for similar food focussed groups in North Northants. 

Over the course of this year we have had so many offers of help from various organisations. I would like to express my gratitude and thanks to each and every one of them, including The Raj, Kettering – for providing hot meals each week from March to mid December, Kettering Rotary Club, Kettering Inner Wheel Club, St Michael’s Sunday School, Kino Lounge, Blitz Café, Tesco’s, Morrison’s, Totan Jewellers, Hawthorn Stores, McDonalds, the Rotary 

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Club of Kettering Huxloe, Inner Wheel Club of Kettering Huxloe, Linnet’s Newsagents, St Giles Desborough and St Andrew’s Broughton for regular food donations, Bishop Stopford School for Christmas presents and food hampers, other local schools who have kindly donated leftover food, and finally those organisations who have helped us but have asked to remain anonymous. 

We were very pleased to be awarded a grant of £5,000 from DEFRA funding through local authorities to support the provision of food and other essentials to people in need due to the Covid-19 pandemic. This funding has enabled the soup kitchen to support more people with meals and food parcels, toiletries and household essentials. 

I wish to express my sincere thanks to all our volunteers who give so much of their time – without them we simply would not be able to run – and to all the many others who donate generously through other means. An especially big thanks goes to Kathy Webster who does an amazing job of the day-to-day running and applying for DEFRA grants. 

I hope that the soup kitchen community continues from strength to strength. 

_Claire Campbell Soup Kitchen Co-ordinator_ 

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## **PROVIDING A SPIRITUAL HOME FOR YOUNG FAMILIES** 

## **Songs and Stories** 

2020 has obviously been a very unusual year and, of course, Songs and Stories has sadly been unable to meet for most of it. Despite the lack of face to face contact, for the early weeks of lockdown, Linda provided an excellent storytelling and craft session which families could access from the parish newsletter, being well received by carers and children alike. This continued until the end of the summer term (when the group would usually close for the summer holidays) with the sessions becoming available on the church’s Facebook page. As the pandemic continued, we set up a WhatsApp group so we had a way of contacting members collectively. This worked well, also allowing members to make contact with one another and share their thoughts. 

We are hopeful and confident that, when conditions allow, Songs and Stories will thrive and flourish once again. We will look at the format and procedures based on future guidelines, but hope we can keep or adapt our usual format which has worked so well in the past. 

Songs and Stories is a group attended by some families on a weekly basis and also regularly sees new faces who have read about us in local magazines. The leaders continue to be Rowena Pickford, Linda Noble and Katie Draper, who take the sessions on a rota basis. Sessions are supported by a growing team of helpers who are involved with a multitude of tasks including tidying up, making coffees and cleaning toys. There is no charge for coming to the group but voluntary donations are welcomed. We plan the sessions a term in advance, reusing resources that we have built and we feel confident that we are delivering fun and vibrant sessions that try to follow the religious calendar in a ‘tot friendly’ way. 

We love to have parties to celebrate Christmas and in the summer, together with an annual trip to Wicksteed Park in the summer holidays. 

We provide an informal and welcoming place for people to find company and friendship; many have expressed their appreciation of what the group has to offer and several friendships have flourished beyond the group. 

The future may be uncertain at the moment but we are sure that, at the appropriate time, Songs and Stories will return to thrive and grow as it has done before. We look forward to welcoming our children and their carers back! 

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## **St Michael’s Sunday School** 

Due to the restrictions of Covid-19, unfortunately it has not been possible for the Sunday School to meet face to face as it usually would. However, St Michael’s Church continues to have a Sunday School What’s App group which enables communication between members to continue. 

At the beginning of 2020, when face to face Sunday School sessions were still able to take place, there were approximately 50 children who regularly attended the Sunday School at St Michael’s Church (not always at the same time). The Sunday School sessions were planned weekly, with five adults who regularly led the sessions and 10 adults who were helpers. During the sessions the teaching is linked to the weekly church reading. The children who attended were aged between three to 16, and the teaching and activities are differentiated to match the children’s age and needs. However, this can sometimes be challenging due to the range of children of such different ages. The sessions included a weekly prayer, stories from the bible, games and often a craft activity. The Sunday School is popular and successful. The children engaged well and the sessions were fun and enjoyable. 

During Covid-19, many of the families who regularly attended Sunday School have been to the ‘Wild Church’ and have greatly enjoyed the activities which have included a prayer trail, making bird feeders, planting bulbs and many other fun activities for children to enjoy whilst being in their family bubbles. It was also especially lovely for families to take a prayer home to share as a family and to write messages of support on hearts to hang outside the church. 

We look forward to continuing to attend the Wild Church or when, it is safely possible, meeting face to face at Sunday School. 

22 



## **1[st] Kettering (Parish Church) Scout Group** 

Despite the impact on face to face meetings since March caused by Covid-19, the group has continued to flourish. Our leaders were very quick to seize the opportunity of using technology, and since the first (March) lockdown the regular meetings for Beavers, Cubs and Scouts have been held on Zoom. We were one of the first groups in the country to move to YouTube and Zoom for meetings and despite early mistakes we have grown into masters of the virtual meeting and have been able to help other groups around the district to set up and improve their own meetings. 

We were also one of the first groups in the county to develop and have approved comprehensive risk assessments for face to face meetings. We managed to hold a couple of meetings in the open air before the second lockdown descended and closed off this avenue again. 

Our fundraising this year has taken a giant leap forward with the launch of the 59 Club. This has proved to be a resounding success, and the funds raised have helped significantly in keeping the group finances stable. In particular, this initiative has covered the annual cost of our new LocBox storage facility which houses all our camping and activity equipment in a safe and secure environment. 

We have an excellent team of section leaders, sectional assistants, assistant leaders, young leaders/explorers and indeed many occasional helpers which enables our Beavers, Cub Scouts, Scouts, Young Leaders, Explorers, and indeed the leaders themselves, to continue to be given the very best opportunities to learn and develop. They are in turn supported by a hard working Executive Committee who might only meet formally a few times a year, but who provide excellent support behind the scenes. Whilst our numbers have declined during the lockdown, some of our youngsters may return to scouting when weekly indoor meetings, outdoor meetings, hiking, canoeing, camping, wide games etcetera once again become the ‘norm’ for scouting. We also appreciate the ongoing support from all members of the clergy and congregation, and we look forward to rekindling and increasing our working together once the lockdown allows. 

_Geoff Toseland – Group Scout Leader Chris Winfield – Group Executive Chair_ 

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## **1[st] Kettering Beaver Colony** 

The past year has been interesting to say the least. Beavers has undergone many changes such as a new Section Leader – Victoria Gascoyne – and of course Covid-19. We’ve also said goodbye to one of our leaders, Bagheera. However she will be there for us to offer advice and support when required. 

Our Zoom meetings have been either weekly or fortnightly with ‘homework’ for the Beavers to complete to gain their badges and awards. We have filmed videos which have been put online via Facebook and YouTube. We have also had the occasional guest speaker which the Beavers enjoyed. The Christmas cards we made at home were collected up and delivered to local care homes, and we ran a ‘musical’ night creating a virtual orchestra on Zoom, and finished the year with a bingo night, excellently run by one of our parents. 

We have maintained our numbers to 17 at present, and hopefully more will return once we can meet face to face. 

Last year the Beavers have all worked very hard on their badges and have collectively completed 71 badges. One Beaver achieved the Bronze Award, with others gaining badges such as International, Cook, Space, Gardener, Nights Away, World, Cyclist and Creative. 

We also took part in the ‘Hike to the Moon’ Challenge for BBC Children in Need and Comic Relief as organised by Tim Peake and Bear Grylls. In June our Beavers took part in the District Photographic competition, and we are proud to say that one of our Beavers was the winner of the Flower category. We held an indoor virtual camp one Friday/Saturday during November which was enjoyed over two days by Beavers, leaders and parents alike. 

We shall continue to guide the Beavers at the start of their scouting journey and offer as much support as we can to ensure their needs are met. Hopefully, we can start getting back to normal soon. 

_Victoria (Mafeking); Rachel (Cairo); Chloe (Hanover); Lucy (Milan); Chris (Marabar)_ 

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## **1[st] Kettering Cub Pack** 

Before lockdown we were cooking and making things, playing snakes and ladders, playing ball and running games and many more activities, including a visit to the Police Station hosted by our own Group Scout Leader. 

During lockdown the Cubs have continued working hard at their badge work via Zoom and Facebook. They have been gardening on allotments, playing ‘Guess Who’ and have had guest speakers. These included a children’s poet who encouraged the Cubs to write their own poems during the session, and a small creatures (rodents and reptiles) expert who provided some fascinating facts about his pet snakes, tortoises, rats and lizard. 

A virtual Christmas party was held with a riotous rendition of Twelve Days of Christmas. Recently the Cubs joined the University of Hull Astronomy Department for a digital viewing evening of the night sky as part of their Astronomy badge. 

We are proud to announce nine of our Cubs have achieved their Chief Scout Silver Award. 

We have around 18–19 regularly attending our virtual meetings and are looking forward to increasing that number once we can meet face to face again. 

Thank you to all parents for your support and to our dedicated team of leaders. 

_Tom (Akela); Emma (Raksha); Mickey (Hathi); Joe (Baloo); Dan (Kaa); Jen (Jakala)_ 

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## **Scout Troop** 

Before lockdown we were carrying out all our usual hectic indoor and outdoor programme, which included camping, Navigator Level 4 and Air Activity Level 4 badges. 

Since March 2020 our meetings moved onto YouTube and then Zoom, offering troop night meetings, activity badges and competitions. 

Zoom means we can go international! We have made new Zoom contacts in Uganda and the Maldives, and have had an ex-1[st] member Explorer join us from Svalbard. We have also held joint Zoom meetings with other district troops, and had a number of guest speakers including the mayor, the (real) explorer, and a lieutenant commander in the Royal Navy. 

Following submission of our comprehensive risk assessment we managed to run three face to face meetings in the four-week window between lockdowns one and two, as well as a magnificent night hike following lockdown two for 28 Scouts walking in a beautiful starry and wintery night from Arthingworth to Maidwell. 

We currently have six patrols with around 36 Scouts, but have been keeping the older ones until we have an Explorer unit to pass them to. Again, we hope that following return to ‘normality’ some of those Scouts who didn’t do Zoom will come back to the troop and that we’ll attract new Scouts. In the meantime we have three ‘orphaned’ Scouts from a dormant troop who are joining in with the activities. 

_John, Chrissie, Yvonne, James, Richard, Cairo (Rachel – we keep her busy!), Nell, Abbie, and many visiting supporters – Akelas (new and old), Raksha, Geoff, Alex, Harry, Josh, Harv and Dan._ 

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## **Guides** 

It has been a very strange year as we only managed a few weeks of face to face meetings following the new Guide Programme. 

We managed to have a Guide holiday in January with Guides from other units and we celebrated Thinking Day in February. During our last meeting in April, we managed to combine crafts for Mother's Day and Easter. 

The girls have been sent information for activities to do at home, and we are looking forward to having regular meetings as soon as restrictions are listed. 

If you would like to be a part of Girlguiding as a leader, or know a girl aged 10 years or above who would like to join the units, please contact _geraldinecockshoot@btinternet.com_ 

## _Geraldine Cockshoot_ 

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## **ENGAGING WITH YOUNG PEOPLE AT ST MICHAEL’S** 

## **5[th] Kettering (St Michael’s) Scout Group** 

## _Beavers_ 

We currently have 18 Beavers aged 6–8 who attend regularly. We have in the last year done a few exciting events. We had a joint camp with the Cubs, where we took 18 Beavers over two nights outside in tents at Spotley Wood, where we spend most of the weekend outside in the woods only using the building for meals. We have made prayer flags to hang in St Peter & St Paul, and the Beavers are looking forward to seeing them on display in the summer. We have presented four Chief Scout Bronze Awards, which is the highest award a Beaver can gain, and we have more receiving Bronze awards at this year’s St George’s Day Awards Ceremony. We are always working on new awards and looking out for new ideas, and we always welcome new visitors. 

## _Cubs_ 

We currently have 30 Cubs attending the Group, aged between eight to ten-and-a-half. We have been working towards several awards in the last 12 months, and the young people have worked very hard. Cubs put on a shadow puppet show in front of the ADC Cubs. The Cubs continue having fun, and we have completed several camps, sleepovers and hikes in the past 12 months with more to come this year. We have had eight young people who have achieved the highest award that they can achieve in Cubs, which is the Chief Scout Silver Award, which means that they have worked hard and completed seven Challenge Awards and at least six individual badges. There will be another five Chief Scout Silver Awards being presented at our St George’s Day Parade in April. 

## _Scouts_ 

Currently there are 18 Scouts at our group, ranging from 10 to 14 years. Most of these have come through the movement, apart from a couple who heard about us from friends. We have varying abilities within the group, including a couple with additional needs. 

We hold active evenings where the Scouts are learning many skills from fire lighting to axe and knife training, to looking at their wellbeing and health and fitness. We have many visitors who come in to share their knowledge with the Scouts. The Scouts are a fantastic set of young people, who really enjoy everything they do, and we strive to provide them with a varied and enjoyable programme, including lots of activities both inside and outside. These range from camps to archery, shooting and hikes. 

## _Group_ 

As a whole group, we have been collecting crisp packets and doing recycling, working on our SNAPP (Scouts Northamptonshire Avoiding Plastic Pollution) Badges, with some of our youngsters wearing both parts on their uniforms, We have had all sections attending district events. We are very happy to have had Gavin Stanger, our Assistant Cub Leader, receive his Five-Year Service Award. We saw Ben and Sarah, our Scout Leaders, get married and also saw Vicky Geary, our Assistant Beaver Leader, receive her Chief Scout Commendation Award for all the hard work she puts into helping within section as well as our fundraising, especially our annual plant sale. We are doing lots of fundraising events, with our biggest being the plant 

28 



sale at the end of May. Look out for our posters! We are always looking for new members, with youngsters from six years old, and adults are always welcome to join us in any section. 

_Angela Haynes GSL 5th Kettering St Michael’s_ 

29 



## **10[th] Kettering Brownies** 

The Brownie pack has not met face to face for the last year due to Covid-19, but the Brownies have completed challenges at home, including the VE challenge award. 

Two of the Brownies successfully completed the Brownie Gold Award and will move on to Guides. 

Brownies were unable to visit the Harry Potter House at Christmas; however, they made cards for all the residents as we would normally do. 

We have not had any of our outdoor events due to lockdown. We all look forward to lockdown coming to an end and meeting face to again. 

There are a number of girls waiting for their first meeting with us all. 

## _Jean Gregory_ 

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## **WARDENS’ REPORTS** 

## **Parish Wardens** 

This has been a challenging year for our congregation and those whose support their worship. One of our principal achievements, as a church, has been our role as part of an extended team supporting the online production of our weekly services as well as the organisation and delivery of worship when this was allowed in the church. The role of Zoom has been instrumental in keeping our services, meetings and study sessions ongoing and we would like to thank Tracy and her team for all they did and are continuing to do. 

Our role as wardens, in particular that of Jo, has been with the rota organisation of our dedicated team of cleaners and stewards, without whose support, commitment and professionalism we simply would have not been able to deliver what we did. I cannot emphasise enough what an incredible difference having these volunteers who stepped up to give their time and energy as well as the doing this under the potential risk of infection, made to our ability to keep some form of worship alive. We would like to formally thank all those volunteers involved. 

Jo and I have had regular meetings (Zoom) with David and have kept our focus on maintaining what we need now and looking towards to how to move on from the impacts of the pandemic and achieve our parish objectives. We are confident that in the future we will be able, through our roles and responsibilities, to help support our church with our plans. 

Once we are able to we will need to move further forward with the actions from our last quinquennial report. The Grounds and Buildings Team have been working on the recommendations listed in the quinquennial inspection report and we now have a list of priorities regarding the repairs needed on the building. 

As we move on from this year we are looking to resume our church services and welcome everyone to a safe and welcoming church. And finally, a big thank you must go to Carol, our Parish Administrator, and Ian, our Verger, who have supported us Wardens throughout the year to help us deliver what we could. 

_Josephine Pearce John McLaren_ 

## **ST MICHAEL’S WARDENS** 

While the last year has not made it possible for us to worship as we normally would at St Michael’s, we have been able to worship and celebrate in different ways. This difficult year has given us the chance to explore and make use of the amazing grounds surrounding our church in which we could still come together and worship as a community. Wild Church, created by our curate, Alice Watson, brought families within our community together and provided them a bubbling, fun and creative space to worship within nature. In contrast to that, the prayer walk, which leads through the grounds, creates a quieter option for people to worship. 

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Taking place within the grounds, the Christmas Carol Concert, led by Alice, was most definitely the highlight of our year. It brought so many (socially distanced) people together from our community, spilling out onto the pavement, and felt incredibly magical, injecting some much needed festive cheer into everyone’s hearts during such a challenging time. 

Although our church has been physically shut for most of the year, our wonderful clergy, David, Carys and Alice, have worked hard and continue to do so to create online services, providing people with a weekly form of worship using Zoom and Facebook. 

We are so looking forward to the days when we can all be together again. 

_Torie and Oli King Church Wardens_ 

32 



## **SAFEGUARDING** 

Over the last year as a church we have complied with our duty under section 5 of the Safeguarding and Clergy Discipline Measure 2016 to have due regard to the House of Bishops' guidance on safeguarding children and vulnerable adults. We continue to make further progress in ensuring our safeguarding practice is in line with the advice given by Peterborough Diocese. 

We are now using ‘Parish Dashboard’ to generate our safeguarding action plan. This has identified the next level of training applicable for me; Carol, our Administrator; Church Wardens and members of the PCC, although we are waiting for some courses to come online, whilst in-person training is not available. We are looking to make further use of ChurchSuite to record training undertaken, in addition to DBS checks and safe recruitment information. Carol carries on in the role of Lead Recruiter. Safeguarding remains a key agenda item at the Team Representatives meetings. We continue to work on job descriptions and person specifications for the roles within the parish, as well as carrying out and recording risk assessments when planning activities within the parish, particularly those involving children and vulnerable adults, including online activities for the first time this year. 

Our Safeguarding Officer for St Michael’s, Martin Young, has sadly left the team, so during the next year we look forward to a new recruit joining us. 

_Pauline Dixon Parish Safeguarding Officer_ 

33 



## **KETTERING DEANERY SYNOD** 

Our mission is to encourage and support the churches of our Deanery to build the Kingdom of God. We do this by building relationships, sharing resources and praying for each other. 

There have been three meetings of the Deanery Synod this year: one as a group and two on Zoom. 

## **January 2020 – Hayfield Cross Primary School** 

1. Charlie Nobbs introduced the local Open the Book volunteers who did a retelling of the servants and talents bible story using costumes and props. The Synod then divided into groups which then performed their own story. 

## 2. Finances 

- a. Revd. David Walsh gave a financial report and wanted to have a meeting of all parish treasurers. There would be a shortfall of £116,000 in the Deanery Parish Share. The Diocese faces a deficit of £750,000 a year meaning that reserves would run out in 2022. 

- b. David was then nominated and seconded as Deanery Treasurer, which was carried unanimously. 

## 3. Deanery update 

- a. Cranford in interregnum, parish profile is ready, Parish Share paid. 

- b. Revd. David Walsh is Priest-in-charge of Kettering All Saints. 

c. Revd. Nick Wills to leave Kettering St Andrew’s in March. 

4. AOB – plans for _Thy Kingdom Come_ . The Cathedral planned to hold a service and hog roast on Pentecost Sunday. 

## **May 2020 – Zoom meeting** 

1. The Rural Dean did a short introduction and a Deanery update. 

2. Attendees were placed into breakout rooms to talk about good news within the churches and prayer items which were then prayed about. 

## **October 2020 – Zoom meeting** 

1. Revd. David Walsh presented a financial update. 

2. The Rural Dean gave a Deanery update. 

3. Attendees were placed into breakout rooms for prayer. 

_Gwyneth Mellors Deanery Synod Secretary_ 

34 



## **REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION** 

The trustees of the Parochial Church Council of the Ecclesiastical Parish of St Peter & St Paul, Kettering (‘the charity’, or ‘the PCC’, or ‘the parish’) present their annual report and financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2020. 

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out in note 1 to the accounts, and comply with the Charities Act 2011 and Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland published on 16 July 2014. 

The trustees acknowledge that the charity complies with section 4 of the Charities Act 2006 regarding providing a public benefit and confirm that they have referred to the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit when reviewing the charity’s aims and objectives and in planning future activities. 

The Parochial Church Council (PCC) is a registered charity with the Charity Commission in England under the name ‘The Parochial Church Council of the Ecclesiastical Parish of St Peter & St Paul, Kettering’ with registration number 1135658. 

The Parish Church of St Peter & St Paul is situated next to the Market Place in Kettering, on Sheep Street. It is part of the Diocese of Peterborough within the Church of England. The correspondence address is The Rectory, Church Walk, Kettering NN16 0DJ. 

St Michael and All Angels’ Church is on Garfield Street, Kettering, NN15 6BU. 

PCC members who have served in the year under review until 12 May 2021, when this report was approved, are: 

**Name Appointed** Resigned Revd. David Walsh Rector (ex officio) Revd. Carys Walsh Assistant Priest (ex officio) Revd. Alice Watson Curate (ex officio) from July 2019 John McLaren Warden (ex officio) Josephine Pearce Warden (ex officio) from Sept 2019 Pat Edkins Deanery Synod representative Victoria Gascoyne Deanery Synod representative Hazel Goodman Deanery Synod representative Benita Hewitt Deanery Synod representative Damon Long Deanery Synod representative Kay Short Deanery Synod representative Alison Bagley* Rose Byrne* 

35 



Louise Crookenden-Johnson* Max Cruttwell* Sam Dearden* Martin Hill* Spurgeon Jalli+ Linda Noble* Jacky Moisey* Mary Randall+ Lisa Stent* Chris Turner April 2019 

* = Elected + = Co-opted ^ = Deanery Synod Representative 

## **Structure, governance and management** 

The Parochial Church Council of the Ecclesiastical Parish of St Peter & St Paul, Kettering is the body that oversees the historic parish. Members of the PCC are the trustees of the charity for the purposes of the Charities Act 2006. 

The method of appointment of PCC members is set out in the Church Representation Rules. Primarily this is an elected body, with members elected for three year terms, with annual elections taking place as the terms of members expire. 

Under the Church Representation Rules, the parish maintains an Electoral Roll, to which amendments can be made at any time as notified to the PCC, but which is subject to a full revision every six years. All church attendees are encouraged to register on the Electoral Roll subject to certain eligibility requirements, and stand for election to the PCC. 

The Electoral Roll stood at 255 on the date this Report was approved, compared with 268 at the last Annual Meeting in 2019. 

The PCC is represented day-to-day in the parish by the Rector (‘the incumbent’).The Reverend David Walsh is the Rector of Kettering, and is appointed by the Bishop of Peterborough, subject to the recommendation of the PCC. The appointment of the Rector is a continuing appointment. 

The PCC then delegates some of its responsibilities to sub-committees and working groups. 

The PCC monitors the work of the St Michael’s Church Council, the Grounds and Buildings, Finance and other committees, and aims to make sure that parish life continues to grow and flourish. 

36 



## **Standing Committee** 

The PCC is required to appoint a Standing Committee, whose role is to transact the PCC’s business between meetings of the PCC. Our Standing Committee also understands its role is to help manage the flow of work through the PCC by planning its agendas, passing comment on draft papers and ensuring any enquiries or requests for further work made by the PCC are followed up. Existing Standing Committee members were re-appointed in 2019, as well as the Rector and the wardens, Louise Crookenden-Johnson, Sam Dearden, Martin Hill and Tracy Pegram. Tracy stood down on becoming an ordinand in September 2019. 

## **Finance Committee** 

The finance committee is constituted of the Incumbent, the Chair (nominated/co-opted by the PCC), the Treasurer of the parish (appointed by the PCC), the Treasurer of St Michael and All Angels (nominated by the St Michael’s Church Council), the Wardens and other members appointed by the PCC. 

## **Grounds and Buildings** 

The Grounds and Buildings sub-committee has had something of a revival in the past year, with new members and plans put in place to take forward work identified by the last quinquennial inspection. We are very grateful to an anonymous donor for a generous gift towards work on the fabric of St Peter & St Paul. 

## **Communications** 

Like many of the church’s teams, the Communications Team was affected by the COVID crisis. But it did meet and members of the team were responsible for the ‘makeover’ of the 2019 Annual Report and for early discussions of what a new website might look like. 

## **Financial review** 

The parish continues to operate in a highly pressured financial environment. The parish ran on a deficit for a number of years. The licensing of our clergy to the nearby parish of All Saints Kettering in December 2019 allowed the setting of a balanced budget in 2020. But the impact of COVID-19 on hall hiring income and on some regular givers inevitably caused financial challenges in 2020. We had to reduce the amount we give to the Diocese (our ‘Parish Share’). Our hope is to return to full payment in future years. 

The PCC continues to be enormously grateful for the continued generosity of donors to the parish. You make the work of the parish possible. 

## **Reserves policy** 

It is current PCC policy to maintain a balance on unrestricted funds, which equates to approximately three months’ unrestricted payments excluding Parish Share, to cover emergency situations that may arise from time to time. 

The balance of £45,511 on unrestricted funds at the year-end exceeds this target. The reasons for this are two-fold; firstly, the parish has held back parish share payments, as it determines the final impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on its overall finances. Around £12,000 of this figure is likely to be used to support parish share payments during 2021. Secondly, this balance is largely held by St Michael’s Church, and not by St Peter & St Paul’s 

37 



Church, where the majority of the central costs of the parish are met. 

The balance of £28,358 is held in restricted funds. £13,381 is retained in the Fabric Fund towards the ongoing cost of maintaining the church buildings. The parish’s Soup Kitchen held £12,138 following the receipt of several donations, and a government grant. 

## **Independent examiner** 

A resolution to re-appoint David Kelland of Meadows & Co as independent examiner for the ensuing year will be proposed at the Annual Parochial Church Meeting. 

38 



## **INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT** 

I report on the accounts of the charity for the year ended 31 December 2020, which are set out on pages 32 to 38. 

## **Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner** 

The charity’s trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The charity’s trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144(2) of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act) and that an independent examination is needed. 

It is my responsibility to: 

- examine the accounts under section 145 of the 2011 Act 

- follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act 

- state whether particular matters have come to my attention 

## **Basis of independent examiner’s report** 

My examination was carried out in accordance with the general Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, 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 130 of the 2011 Act; 

   - to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the 2011 Act 

   - 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 

## **David Kelland** 

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER 

September 2021 

39 



## **STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2020** 

|Notes<br>Income from:<br>Voluntary income<br>2<br>Charitable activities<br>3<br>Other trading activities<br>4<br>Investment income<br>5<br>Other income<br>Expenditure on:<br>Charitable activities<br>6<br>Net income (expenditure)<br>Transfers between funds<br>Net movement in funds<br>Reconciliation in funds<br>Total funds brought forward<br>Total funds carried forward<br>12|Unrestricted<br>funds<br>£<br>107,186<br>1,036<br>12,620<br>2,444<br>300|Restricted<br>funds<br>£<br>21,513<br>—<br>—<br>—<br>—|Total funds<br>2020<br>£<br>128,699<br>1,036<br>12,620<br>2,444<br>300|Total<br>funds<br>2019<br>£<br>113,438<br>6,644<br>25,471<br>3,509<br>1,139|
|---|---|---|---|---|
||123,586<br>111,701|21,513<br>4,933|145,099<br>116,634|150,201<br>178,803|
||11,885<br>4,274|16,580<br>(4,274)|28,465<br>—|(28,602)<br>—|
||16,159<br>29,352|12,306<br>16,052|28,465<br>45,404|(28,602)<br>74,006|
||45,511|28,358|73,869|45,404|



There were no other recognised gains and losses in the years other than those shown above. 

40 



## **BALANCE SHEET AT 31 DECEMBER 2020** 

|Notes<br>Tangible fixed assets<br>9<br>Current assets<br>Debtors<br>10<br>Cash at bank and in hand<br>Liabilities<br>Creditors: amounts falling due within one year<br>11<br>Net current assets<br>Total assets less current liabilities / total net assets<br>The funds of the charity:<br>12<br>Restricted income funds<br>Unrestricted funds|2020<br>£<br>3,847<br>1,120<br>96,795|2019<br>£<br>—<br>4,557<br>58,241|
|---|---|---|
||97,915<br>(27,893)|62,798<br>(17,394)|
||70,022|45,404|
||73,869|45,404|
||28,358<br>45,511|16,052<br>29,352|
||73,869|45,404|



The financial statements of the charity were approved and authorised for issue by the Council on 12 May 2021 and signed on its behalf by: 

Revd. David Walsh Rector 

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## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2020** 

## **Accounting policies** 

The principal accounting policies adopted, judgements and key sources of estimation and uncertainty in the preparation of the financial statements are as follows: 

## **Basis of preparation** 

The charity is a Parochial Church Council as established under the Parochial Church Council (Powers) Measures of 1921 and 1956. 

The charity has opted to prepare accruals based accounts, and therefore the financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) 2019. 

The charity meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102. Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historic cost or transaction value. 

As described in the trustees’ report, the trustees consider that the charity has adequate resources available to it to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. Accordingly they have adopted the going concern basis in preparing the financial statements. 

## **Fund accounting** 

Unrestricted funds are general funds that are available for use at the trustees’ discretion in furtherance of the objectives of the charity. Restricted funds are funds that have been donated or granted for a specific use. These funds are expended in accordance with the requirements of the donor or grantor. 

## **Incoming resources** 

Income is recognised in accordance with the SORP requirements for entitlement, probability and measurement. 

## **Expenditure and irrecoverable VAT** 

Expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis. Expenditure includes VAT which cannot be recovered, which is reported as part of the expenditure to which it relates. 

Charitable activities expenditure comprises the costs of the primary activities of the charity. 

## **Allocation of costs** 

Costs are classed as either directly charitable, or as support costs of the charity. Support costs are those incurred in providing day-to-day administrative support or underpinning the infrastructure of the charity. 

Support costs are allocated wholly to charitable activities as there are no other classes of expenditure incurred by the charity. 

## **Tangible fixed assets** 

The charity capitalises as assets fixtures and fittings costing individually more than £1,000. Fixtures and fittings are depreciated over 10 years. 

Consecrated and beneficed property (for example, the church buildings, including parish and community halls) are excluded from the financial statements under the provisions of section 10 of the Charities Act 2011. 

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## **Taxation** 

As a registered charity, the PCC is exempt from taxation on its income and gains falling within chapter 3 of part 11 to the Corporation Taxes Act 2010 and section 256 Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992, to the extent that these are applied to charitable purposes. 

## **Operating leases** 

Rentals under operating leases are charged to the Statement of Financial Activities on a straight-line basis over the lease term. 

## **Financial instruments** 

Financial assets and financial liabilities are recognised when the charity becomes a party to the contractual provisions of the instrument. 

The charity only has financial assets and financial liabilities of a kind that qualify as basic financial instruments. Basic financial instruments are initially recognised at transaction value and subsequently measured at their settlement value. 

Trade and other debtors are recognised at the settlement amount due after any trade discount offered. 

Prepayments are valued at the amount prepaid net of any trade discounts due. 

Cash at bank and cash in hand includes cash and short-term highly liquid investments with a short maturity of three months or less from the date of acquisition or opening of the deposit or similar account. 

Creditors and provisions are recognised where the charity has a present obligation resulting from a past event that will probably result in the transfer of funds to a third party and the amount due to settle the obligation can be measured or estimated reliably. Creditors and provisions are normally recognised at their settlement amount after allowing for any trade discounts due. 

## **1. Voluntary income** 

|**1. Voluntary income**|||
|---|---|---|
|Regular giving<br>Grants<br>Other donations|2020<br>£<br>79,700<br>5,000<br>43,999|2019<br>£<br>86,995<br>—<br>26,443|
||128,699|113,438|



## **2. Charitable activities** 

|PCC fees for weddings and funerals<br>**3. Other trading activities**<br>Buildings hire / rentals<br>Fundraising events<br>Other|2020<br>£<br>1,036|2019<br>£<br>6,644|
|---|---|---|
||1,036|6,644|
||2020<br>£<br>11,237<br>1,220<br>163|2019<br>£<br>22,401<br>2,590<br>480|
||12,620|25,471|



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## **4. Investment income** 

|**4. Investment income**|||
|---|---|---|
|Income from cash and cash deposit funds<br>**5. Analysis of expenditure on charitable activities**<br>Parish ministry, including Parish Share<br>Staff costs<br>Other support costs|2020<br>£<br>2,444|2019<br>£<br>3,509|
||2,444|3,509|
||2020<br>£<br>62,627<br>18,022<br>35,985|2019<br>£<br>112,363<br>21,017<br>45,423|
||116,634|178,803|



Parish ministry costs include £46,523 (2019: £95,129) paid to the Diocese of Peterborough in Parish Share, which is an assessment on individual parishes based on a number of factors around parish size. This primarily funds the salary and some accommodation costs of parish clergy, who are employed by the Diocese. The parish has paid 70% (2019: 100%) of its Parish Share assessment. The overall assessment was reduced this year as part of a cost reduction plan involving the sharing of clergy with another Kettering parish. The shortfall against the assessment was as a result of the impact of Covid-19 on the overall parish financial position. 

## **6. Staff costs** 

|**6. Staff costs**|||
|---|---|---|
|Remuneration and employers NI contributions|2020<br>£<br>18,022|2019<br>£<br>21,017|
||18,022|21,017|



The parish has two employees, both working part time. No employees had remuneration of over £60,000 in the year. 

## **7. Analysis of other support costs** 

|**7. Analysis of other support costs**|||
|---|---|---|
|Energy / utilities<br>Insurance<br>Maintenance<br>Administration|2020<br>£<br>13,197<br>7,538<br>6,324<br>8,925|2019<br>£<br>15,025<br>7,420<br>9,032<br>13,946|
||35,984|45,423|



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## **8. Fixed assets** 

|**8. Fixed assets**|||
|---|---|---|
|Cost<br>Additions in year and total<br>Depreciation<br>Charge in year and total<br>Net book value at 31 December 2020|Fixtures and<br>fittings<br>£<br>4,274|Total<br>£<br>4,274|
||(427)|(427)|
||3,847|3,847|



## **9. Debtors** 

|Trade debtors|2020<br>£<br>1,120|2019<br>£<br>4,557|
|---|---|---|
||1,120|4,557|



## **10. Creditors** 

|**10. Creditors**|||
|---|---|---|
|Trade creditors|2020<br>£<br>27,893|2019<br>£<br>17,394|
||27,893|17,394|



## **11. Analysis of charitable funds** 

|Roughton Memorial Maintenance Fund<br>Fabric Fund<br>Diocesan fees<br>Music<br>Special Collections<br>Soup Kitchen<br>St Michael’s Improvement Fund<br>St Michael’s Garden Fund|At 1 January<br>2020<br>£<br>1,324<br>9,381<br>—<br>1,000<br>30<br>3,832<br>205<br>280|Income<br>£<br>—<br>4,000<br>—<br>—<br>5,100<br>12,413<br>—<br>—|Expenditure<br>and transfers<br>£<br>—<br>—<br>—<br>—<br>(5,100)<br>(4,107)<br>—<br>—|At 31<br>December<br>2020<br>£<br>1,324<br>13,381<br>—<br>1,000<br>30<br>12,138<br>205<br>280|
|---|---|---|---|---|
||16,052|21,513|(9,207)|28,358|



## **12. Taxation** 

The charity is exempt from tax on income and gains falling within section 505 of the Taxes Act 1988 or section 252 of the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992 to the extent that these are applied to its charitable objects. 

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## **13. Analysis of net assets between funds** 

|**13. Analysis of net assets between funds**|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|Fixed assets<br>Debtors<br>Cash<br>Creditors – amounts falling due within one year|Unrestricted<br>funds<br>£<br>3,847<br>1,120<br>68,437<br>(27,893)|Restricted<br>funds<br>£<br>—<br>—<br>28,358<br>—|Total funds<br>2020<br>£<br>3,847<br>1,120<br>96,795<br>(27,893)|Total<br>funds<br>2019<br>£<br>—<br>4,557<br>58,241<br>(17,394)|
||45,511|28,358|73,869|45,404|



## **14. Post balance sheet events** 

The coronavirus pandemic meant that once again, from January 2021 the parish did not hold regular church services. In contrast to the 2020 lockdown, the church could legally have held services. However, the PCC took the view that the local situation meant that the risk to people’s health of gathering larger numbers of people together for services was too great. Services continued online, but this situation has continued to have an impact on the parish finances. In the immediate short-term, the parish ensures the sustainability of its cash flow by management of its Parish Share payments. 

Congregations returned to in-person services from Easter Eve on 3 April 2021. 

## **15. Comparative statement of financial activities** 

|Notes<br>Income from:<br>Voluntary income<br>2<br>Charitable activities<br>3<br>Other trading activities<br>4<br>Investment income<br>5<br>Other income<br>Expenditure on:<br>Charitable activities<br>6<br>Net expenditure<br>Transfers between funds<br>Net movement in funds<br>Reconciliation in funds<br>Total funds brought forward<br>Total funds carried forward<br>10|Unrestricted<br>funds<br>£<br>110,461<br>—<br>25,471<br>3,495<br>1,139|Restricted<br>funds<br>£<br>2,977<br>6,644<br>—<br>14<br>—|Total funds<br>2019<br>£<br>113,438<br>6,644<br>25,471<br>3,509<br>1,139|
|---|---|---|---|
||140,566<br>170,845|9,635<br>7,958|150,201<br>178,803|
||(30,279)<br>756<br>(29,523)<br>58,875|1,677<br>(756)<br>921<br>15,131|(28,602)<br>—<br>(28,602)<br>74,006|
||29,352|16,052|45,404|



There were no other recognised gains and losses in the years other than those shown above. 

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