RECTOR’S INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................... 3 TRUSTEE’S ANNUAL REPORT...................................................................................................... 7 Objectives and priorities ........................................................................................................ 7 St Peter & St Paul ................................................................................................................... 7 St Michael and All Angels ....................................................................................................... 8 Current priorities.................................................................................................................... 8 HEART AND SOUL OF KETTERING .............................................................................................. 8 Church Buildings .................................................................................................................... 8 Bellringers’ Report ................................................................................................................. 9 Pastoral Care Team ................................................................................................................ 9 Tea’s Up, Knees Up .............................................................................................................. 10 NURTURING CHRISTIAN FAITH AND DISCIPLESHIP .................................................................. 11 Mothers’ Union .................................................................................................................... 11 BEING WELCOMING, HOSPITABLE AND INCLUSIVE ................................................................. 12 Soup Kitchen ........................................................................................................................ 12 PROVIDING A SPIRITUAL HOME FOR YOUNG FAMILIES .......................................................... 14 Songs and Stories ................................................................................................................. 14 St Michael’s Sunday School ................................................................................................. 14 1[st] Kettering (Parish Church) Scout Group ........................................................................... 15 1[st] Kettering Beaver Colony ................................................................................................. 16 1[st] Kettering Cub Pack .......................................................................................................... 17 ENGAGING WITH YOUNG PEOPLE AT ST MICHAEL’S............................................................... 18 5[th] Kettering (St Michael’s) Scout Group ............................................................................. 18 WARDENS’ REPORTS ................................................................................................................ 18 Parish Wardens .................................................................................................................... 18 ST MICHAEL’S WARDENS ......................................................................................................... 20 SAFEGUARDING ....................................................................................................................... 21 KETTERING DEANERY SYNOD ................................................................................................... 21 REFERENCE & ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION ..................................................................... 22 Structure, Governance & Management .............................................................................. 24 INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT .................................................................................... 27 Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner ....................................................... 27 Basis of independent examiner’s report .......................................................................... 27 Independent examiner’s statement................................................................................. 27 David Kelland .................................................................................................................... 27
1
Statement of financial activities for the year ended 31 December 2021 ............................... 28 Balance sheet at 31 December 2021 ....................................................................................... 29 Notes to the financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2021............................. 30 Accounting policies .............................................................................................................. 30 Basis of preparation ......................................................................................................... 30 Fund accounting ............................................................................................................... 30 Incoming resources .......................................................................................................... 30 Expenditure and irrecoverable VAT ................................................................................. 30 Allocation of costs ............................................................................................................ 30 Tangible fixed assets ........................................................................................................ 30 Taxation............................................................................................................................ 31 Operating leases .............................................................................................................. 31 Financial instruments ....................................................................................................... 31 1. Voluntary income ............................................................................................................. 31 2. Charitable activities.......................................................................................................... 31 3. Other trading activities .................................................................................................... 31 4. Investment income .......................................................................................................... 32 5. Analysis of expenditure on charitable activities .............................................................. 32 6. Staff costs ......................................................................................................................... 32 7. Analysis of other support costs ........................................................................................ 32 8. Fixed assets ...................................................................................................................... 33 9. Debtors ............................................................................................................................. 33 10. Creditors ......................................................................................................................... 33 11. Analysis of charitable funds ........................................................................................... 33 12. Taxation .......................................................................................................................... 33 13. Analysis of net assets between funds ............................................................................ 34 14. Post balance sheet events ............................................................................................. 34 15. Comparative statement of financial activities ............................................................... 34
2
## **RECTOR’S INTRODUCTION**
2021 lacked the drama and intensity of 2020 but also the genuine hope we later enjoyed in 2022.
After nine months the shock of the first COVID-19 lockdown in March 2020 had receded and a kind of weariness settled in. The first few months of 2021 felt almost endless. Noticeably missing this time was the glorious weather which in spring 2020 had seemed at odds with the state of the world and yet had eased that first lockdown.
Despite this, ministry and mission in the parish continued and sometimes flourished in new, creative ways. This report recalls the life of our two churches during a demanding year.
## Worship
Live streaming of our services enabled our worshipping communities to gather together online whilst locked out of our buildings. We continued to live stream our services once lockdown was over. Our placement ordinand, Tracy Pegram, put together a team, rotas and running orders, providing the chance to make this a sustainable part of our ministry. The technical know-how of our Director of Music, Nicolas Moodie, also proved invaluable. In the summer we realised we needed to upgrade our equipment and this was made possible by the generosity of some of our members.
Live streaming did not always work well for young families, and Wild Church, our monthly outdoor service in the grounds of St Michael's, continued and attracted attention in the parish and beyond. The transformation of the garden into a visible space for prayer has also proved popular. By the end of the year St Michael's felt able once again to renew the 'Bring a Lamb' Christmas service which had been so popular in 2019.
At St Peter & St Paul, a new choir was set up in the autumn: St Peter & St Paul Young Voices. The new choir helps lead our Sunday morning worship once a month and is training a whole new generation of choristers.
Weddings began to be held again during 2021, with seven services at P & P. We were delighted to hold a service of thanksgiving at P & P in November for the Marriage of Raymond and Hazel Goodman. A similar service had been held in September at St Michael's for Simon and Anna Frost .
## Faith & discipleship
Simon and Anna Frost's renewal of wedding vows service was also the moment at which they were both baptised. Sadly because of family illness Simon and Anna were unable to be confirmed in October, when P & P hosted a confirmation service led by Bishop John on behalf of the Kettering Deanery.
Preparation for baptism and confirmation were part of a 'Christian Basics' course led by Tracy Pegram in the early autumn. During 2021 we made extensive use of online groups to
3
take forward our priority of 'nurturing Christian faith & discipleship'. We studied Mark's Gospel, the gospel read in our Sunday services for much of 2021. During Lent we made use of a series of videos produced by the Bishop of Oxford, Stephen Croft: 'Exploring God's mercy: Five Images of Salvation'. In the summer we studied the Christian Doctrine of the Holy Trinity over several weeks. And during Advent, we watched and discussed the TV drama series 'The Nativity'.
Preaching online and preparing video sermons so our preachers did not need to move between congregations meant our preaching team got plenty of experience in making use of imagery. Some church members hugely appreciated this. It remains to be seen if there is some way of continuing to incorporate images in this way now we are back in our buildings and our preachers are free to move between services.
In the early autumn our sermons focused on the implications for our everyday lives of following Jesus, in a sermon series called 'Holy Habits'.
## Engagement with our community
Despite constraints, the parish made good progress in relation to its first priority, 'helping Kettering rediscover its heart and soul.' Part of this agenda is about putting what used to be the old 'parish church' of Kettering back at the heart of the town's life.
In November, on the evening when the Market Place is at its busiest as the Christmas Tree lights are switched on, we opened up P & P and held a Festive Fair. Thanks to the leadership of Rowena Pickford and Linda Noble, this was a big success and we hope the first of many.
Earlier in the year, in the closing days of the old Kettering Borough Council, our Rector David was serving as Mayor's Chaplain. And so in March he led the dedication ceremony for an addition to the Kettering Market Place timeline, honouring the achievement of Professor (now Dame) Sarah Gilbert, who led the Oxford AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine team. Dame Sarah was born in Kettering and her brother, still living in Kettering, attended the ceremony. At least one member of P & P remembers her from school.
This was weeks before the reorganisation of local government in Northamptonshire, which saw Kettering Borough Council and Northamptonshire County Council replaced by two unitary authorities. The Bishop of Peterborough announced to the Diocese that St Peter & St Paul would act as the civic church for the new North Northamptonshire Council. It is too soon to tell what that might mean in practice.
At the same time a new Kettering Town Council, with limited powers or funding, was established. It chose to have its first open 'parish meeting' in September at P & P and has continued to recognise the important role the church plays in the town. Later in the year, government funding channelled through the Town Council helped fund publicity for the Festive Fair and for additional lighting hired for the Town Carol Service which we organise in conjunction with the Rotary Club of Kettering, thanks to generous provision of lighting from Big Hire UK and oversight by Christine Simmonds.
4
Days after the reorganisation of local government, the death of Prince Philip meant that P & P needed to liaise with the wider diocese and local government as we held a Service of Commemoration, led by Bishop John.
Our soup kitchen has continued to serve some of the neediest in our community in a very visible way, bearing witness to the compassion at the heart of the Christian message. In 2021 it continued to receive funding from central government: nearly £6k channelled through local authorities.
The October Wave of Light service at P & P during Baby Loss Awareness Week continues to grow in significance and reach in the town.
Our Rector David represents the church in the wider town in a number of ways, including at Holocaust Memorial Day in January; as a member of the Bishop Stopford Academy Trust; and as Chaplain for the Royal British Legion.
The peregrines on the P & P church tower have become a focus for local bird watchers. In an attempt better to protect the building but also to fulfil our statutory responsibility for a protected species, during 2021 we worked with the national Hawk & Owl Trust. In November they installed a peregrine tray on the tower, encouraging the birds to stay and mate.
St Michael's continues to be at the heart of its local community. The September Fair was a huge success.
Engagement with the wider church
During 2021 a group of members from both churches and from All Saints Kettering formed a team to communicate and work with a similar group in our twin church of St Columba, Osan in South Korea. The two groups met together online twice in 2021 and have begun to plan ways of working together, including the exchange of regular messages and taking part in each other’s services online.
As in recent years, P & P hosted an Ascension Day service for all the churches in Kettering, as part of the 'Thy Kingdom Come' season. Church leaders from around the town contributed by offering short video messages in place of a sermon.
The Director of the Royal School of Church Music (RSCM), Hugh Morris, visited P & P in November to lead an event for local churches and their musicians. We hope our link with the RSCM continues to strengthen, building on the role our Director of Music Nicolas already plays in the organisation.
Our Rector David represented the church on the Deanery Standing Committee , on Diocesan Synod, on the Diocesan Board of Finance where he also acts as Deanery Treasurer and, for the first part of the year, on Bishops' Council. In the autumn he was elected Chair of Churches Together in Kettering and District. He plays a regular part in meetings of the Kettering Church Leaders Prayer Group.
5
One incidental link with the wider church changed early in 2021: our assistant minister Carys Walsh stopped being Diocesan Curate Training Officer after three years in post. But at the same time she stepped up her involvement in the national Church of England, in which she now leads a project on 'Assessment for Psychological Wellbeing'. At a diocesan level David and Carys attended a farewell service in the Cathedral in October for the departing Archdeacon of Oakham, Gordon Steele. Gordon has been a great support for the parish behind the scenes.
## Lay and ordained ministry
Our Rector David has spent the last two challenging years working with the most gifted and dedicated of teams: curate Alice Watson, assistant priest Carys Walsh, ordinand Tracy Pegram, both parish wardens but especially during times of lockdown Jo Pearce, our Director of Music Nicolas Moodie, Administrator Carol Walters and Verger Ian Greenwood. Week by week this team has negotiated its way through the fog of uncertainty and the tangle of restrictions which have governed our work. They have worked together as a team superbly. We have been most fortunate.
One sad reality of the past two years has been that some lay ministry has ended up 'on hold'. We look forward to the revival of teams which have lain dormant for some time now.
At the same time, new forms of service have emerged. We're grateful to Jim Balding for accepting the appointment as parish Health & Safety Officer at a time when this has been in our attention so much. As it happens, we had begun to introduce a culture of risk assessment back in 2019. But it now has become part of every activity we do and Jim's experience and energy is hugely helpful.
Gavin Sylvester became a warden at St Michael's. And Pat Edkins's ministry as a Parish Nurse was validated by the national body, Parish Nursing Ministries UK (PNMUK).
In May, John Morley, a local retired priest who had helped out in the past few years with services – particularly the midweek eucharist – left the area and so we had to thank him for his help and bid him farewell. In October, a member of All Saints Church, Alan Ridley, was admitted to the Office of Reader and is now licensed not only to All Saints but also to this parish. At the same time, a former member (and warden) of this parish, Jane Burns – now a Minister in Secular Employment – was licensed to both parishes, with the expectation that she will also help out in the wider deanery. Debby Edgeworth continues to train for lay licensed ministry whilst acting as pastoral care co-ordinator in the parish.
In the second half of 2021 we were joined by a second curate, Clare Glover. At the end of the year Clare moved on to another benefice to continue her training and we wish her well.
## Deaths
As in every year we look back with sadness for those we have lost. We shared in the sadness of Margaret Grove as she lost her husband Bill. Church members who died included David
6
Bosworth, Andrew Carnell, Stella Diaper, Geoff Judd, Pat Kennedy, Myra Sherwood and Bob Stanley. May they rest in peace and rise in glory.
We give thanks to the God we believe continues to lead us forward. Despite the challenges of 2021, much happened that points the way towards new directions in our life together over the coming years. We are hugely grateful for the continuing involvement, support and encouragement of members and, increasingly, of the wider town.
## **TRUSTEE’S 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 Anglican parishes in the town. As COVID restrictions were eased, St Peter & St Paul was once again able, as well as holding regular services, to host civic events for the wider community, and available for the sacraments of marriage and baptism to those who live within the parish.
Weekday Morning Prayer has continued for the past two years, largely moving online, but sometimes both in the church building and online at the same time. Our principal service is at 10.30 am on Sunday mornings, supplemented once a month with a 7.45 am Traditional Language Holy Communion and around once a month by Choral Evensong.
7
## **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.
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. Worship at St Michael’s was inevitably hugely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic but St Michael’s responded creatively, as outlined in the 2020 Annual Report, with a monthly ‘Wild Church’ service and a Prayer Garden.
## **Current priorities**
Back in 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
## **HEART AND SOUL OF KETTERING**
## **Church Buildings**
8
The Wardens have an important role in the care of our buildings and address this in their report on page [ ].
## **Bellringers’ Report**
Thanks tended again to our incredibly loyal members and regular visitors who help us to ‘keep the bells ringing’. When allowed, both post and between lockdowns, we managed to ring for all the services and special events. We also, with the help of our visiting friends, managed to ring in the New Year at Kettering with all 12 bells, which was truly magical.
As ever, we are still seeking new ringers as we only need to ‘lose’ a couple of our regular ringers to make it difficult for us to ring, and anyone interested is welcome to view a practice and learn more about this ancient art. It is an absorbing hobby and once learned, most towers across the country welcome ‘visiting ringers’.
## _Tower Captain_
## **TACKLING LONELINESS AND ISOLATION**
## **Pastoral Care Team**
In 2021, the pastoral care team continued to reach out to members of the congregations of the churches of St Peter & St Paul and St Michael and All Angels. Throughout 2021 home visits were not recommended because of the Covid-19 pandemic, so pastoral contact was mostly by telephone. Our 15 members were in touch with 63 parishioners during the year.
Our aim is to combat isolation and loneliness. Our role is not to advise, but to listen carefully, and to be responsive. We share in the concerns of our parishioners and pray for them. We are also happy to hear about the good things that are going on in their lives.
The Pastoral Care Team held five meetings in 2021. The first four were on Zoom and the fifth was in the parish hall.
At the January meeting, Mrs. Jo Pearce spoke to us about the importance of sensitivity in dealing with bereaved individuals and about the practicalities of planning for death.
Our second meeting was in March. Our guest speaker was Revd. John Smith, and the subject was ‘“And now I am ill” – being and listening with the sick.’
In May our third meeting discussed the impact of Covid-19 on our team and on our church communities. It was good to share experiences and to confirm that telephone contact was still considered to be important.
9
At our fourth meeting, in July, our parish nurse, Pat Edkins, spoke to us about the causes and effects of dementia.
Our team benefitted greatly from the information and insight given to us by each of our speakers. These are difficult issues that we often face as pastoral carers, and we welcome the valuable advice of those with experience.
Our fifth meeting was held in November, and it dealt with the Covid-19 pandemic and its effects on the functioning of the pastoral care team. It was clear that the existing risk assessment for home visits would have to be amended to include the risk of Covid-19 contagion. With a revised risk assessment in place, the team would be able to make home visits again, once the incidence of cases fell to an acceptable level. The revised risk assessment was presented at the November meeting; members of the clergy and a team member made suggestions to revise it further.
After the November meeting the amended risk assessment was sent to our Health and Safety Officer, Jim Balding, and he requested some further changes which were agreed upon. The new risk assessment was presented to the PCC in December.
At the end of 2021, the Pastoral Care Team members were hopeful we would soon be able to make home visits again. We remain committed to sharing God’s love with members of our church communities.
_Debby Edgeworth Pastoral Care Coordinator_
## **Tea’s Up, Knees Up**
Another difficult year has now gone, and with the spring there seems to be some hope of recovery and regeneration, but first we must box up the past. For the first few months of the year we were unable to meet in person and so we supported the group by telephone. Then, as restrictions began to ease, we started fortnightly meetings in May and were able to move to weekly meetings in July. This was just in time to celebrate one of our member’s 100th birthday. We had cake and bunting and the lady even got to wear a tiara ( she is very special). Also at Christmas we had a small celebration with gifts hanging from Christmas lights, a way to do pass the parcel in Covid times!
We have started a knitting project for toys for the church and are looking forward to an Easter craft event in April.
Although this year we have been a smaller group due to worries and changes of circumstance for our members, we are enjoying the support and friendship of the group. Now that restrictions have been eased we are looking forward to events and becoming a larger group, which is why we have updated our listing in the _Locals_ magazine. So, on reflection this has been a year of consolidation and we are onwards and upwards from here!
## _The Tea’s Up, Knees Up Hosts_
10
## **NURTURING CHRISTIAN FAITH AND DISCIPLESHIP**
Our emphasis on nurturing faith and discipleship has grown over the past couple of years, with special sermon series during Ordinary Time, the creative use of imagery and video in sermons and other learning opportunities; and the introduction and popularity of online study groups on Tuesday evenings.
## **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 sex._
We work as a family supporting each other and the community.
Prayer is our strength.
We give generously to projects empowering women and men worldwide. MU is committed to combatting gender violence against women and girls and we are also committed to the cause of eradicating modern day slavery.
2021 has been a busier year than 2020 for Saints and Angels MU. Although we did not hold any meetings until July we kept in touch using all means of communication available, and continued to send out our monthly newsletter.
Members of MU have helped with the much needed soup kitchen and the Frances Lunch Club, providing support to families.
Unfortunately plans for face to face meetings were continually pushed back until July, when our Rector David gave his kind permission for us to use the lower part of the Rectory lawn, and we were able to meet. Revd. David opened our meeting with prayer. We were delighted to be joined by Tayo Osoba, a member of MU in Nigeria, and her daughter, another Tayo. The weather was not the best, but at least the rain held off for us.
On Mary Sumner Day on 9 August, we joined members of Kettering Deanery MU for a service of celebration. Tayo was with us and gave a splendid address. Cake followed, of course.
In September, we held our AGM which was chaired by Revd. David, who also led our Wave of Prayer service afterwards, a service when we join in spirit with MU members worldwide
At our meeting in October we reflected on how we had been affected by the pandemic, and in November, Revd. Dr. Carys shared a wonderful story of faith with us.
11
Revd. Alice presided at our Advent Carol service: it is always so special to share our faith and fellowship together.
Our thanks go to Ian Greenwood, who has played for us, and the clergy team, who have been a great support for us
This year was not untouched by sadness as Stella Diaper, who gave so much to MU and our church, died. It was a privilege to join the family to say our goodbyes and give thanks for her life.
We have all been touched in some way by the pandemic and I give thanks to God for the work of the Mothers Union.
So onwards to 2022, a new year.
## _Hazel Goodman_
_Branch Leader Saints and Angels Mothers' Union_
## **BEING WELCOMING, HOSPITABLE AND INCLUSIVE**
## **Soup Kitchen**
The Soup Kitchen has now been running for nearly seven years. During this time, we have seen a huge number of people giving up their time to volunteer for a few hours. 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.
Due to the continued threat of Covid, 2021 continued to look very different for the Soup Kitchen. We still operated outside in the Hall car park, and continued to serve food, drinks and other provisions from the gates. Our volunteers have battled all the weather elements: blazing sunshine, rain, snow, and high winds, all with a smile.
As well as a hot meal, each guest was 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 were given out on request. Each week, on average, we saw over 100 guests, and we have noticed many more of these were female and sleeping rough. We are thankful we could continue to provide a hot meal, packed lunch, and food parcels for these guests. We would like to express our thanks to Tesco’s, Morrisons, Linnett newsagents, Kafé Bloc, Kino Lounge (who've helped with cooking when the oven failed), Casa di Roma, and St Edward’s for allowing us to use their hall when the Parish Hall was out of use.
12
We also provided support for several families, some of whom have very young children. We anticipate that in the current economic climate these numbers will only grow. A number of people in our local area will become victims of fuel poverty and must make that choice between food or heat; this is particularly worrying for more vulnerable members of the community. We are grateful to everyone who helps us to help improve these people’s lives.
Our guests come from all walks of life – some are homeless and living in tents, 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 mental 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.
Again, in 2021, we were lucky enough to secure second and third Defra grants through local authorities totalling £5,745. We have used this money to buy a new cooker for the hall kitchen, and a multitude of kitchen accessories to allow us to cater for the ever-growing numbers. We are grateful to M&G Electrics for installing the new oven for free.
We are lucky there were kind parishioners who donate money on a regular basis, which allowed us to provide much needed tents, sleeping bags, blankets, and space blankets to our homeless guests. A number of these donations were from people who are happy to remain anonymous, but please know that we are very thankful. We have also worked with Pete Kenyon from the Sleep Pod charity, who has donated insulated sleep pods for rough sleepers. We continued to give out Christmas presents each year to our guests. This is only possible due to the kindness of donations from others, including Bishop Stopford School for their Christmas hamper collection and Inner Wheel Club of Kettering Huxloe, who kindly donate toiletries for the presents. We are also grateful to several BSS students who wrapped and organised the presents for us.
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. The aftermath of the pandemic and the conflict in Ukraine means that this will only continue, and many of us will see our living costs rising vastly. We will continue to try and support anyone who finds themselves in a situation where they are unable to put food on their table or must choose between keeping warm or going hungry.
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 North Northamptonshire Council, Corona Kitchen (and the amazing Frank and Hilary Rodgers), St Edward’s and Accommodation Concern.
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 Kettering Rotary Club, Kettering Inner Wheel Club, Cranford WI, Kino Lounge, Tesco’s, Morrison’s, Kafé Bloc, Casa di Roma, Rotary Club of Kettering Huxloe, St Andrew’s Broughton for regular food donations, Linnett’s Newsagents, Bishop Stopford School, and
13
other local schools who have kindly donated leftover food and finally some organisations who have asked to remain anonymous.
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. I hope the Soup Kitchen community continues from strength to strength.
_Claire Campbell Soup Kitchen Co-ordinator_
## **PROVIDING A SPIRITUAL HOME FOR YOUNG FAMILIES**
## **Songs and Stories**
We have had a really successful return to Songs and Stories since September, when we made the decision to resume our Wednesday face to face sessions. Despite the time that had passed since our last physical meeting, the first session was well attended by 10 families. This was a very positive step, as many of the children were younger siblings of those who had attended before the Covid lockdowns.
The team supporting the group has also grown, with parents and carers taking on more responsibilities. By the end of the year we had increased our numbers to an average of 13 children a week, with other families attending regularly when time allowed.
The structure of Songs and Stories remains the same, as it is well received by the children: we often hear about them singing our songs at home or waiting eagerly on the doorstep on Wednesday mornings.
Moving forward, planning meetings will occur termly, involving all the team members, so a well organised and robust programme of events, including Bible stories, crafts and music, is readily available for all participating families to see.
Our wishes are to visit Wicksteed Park again this summer, as was becoming our tradition, and to revisit the idea of a reunion for all children and families who have previously attended Songs and Stories.
Here’s to an upcoming year of fun!
_The Songs and Stories Team_
## **St Michael’s Sunday School**
Due to the continued restrictions of Covid in 2021 unfortunately it wasn’t possible for the Sunday School to meet face to face as it usually would. However, St Michael’s has continued
14
to have a Sunday School WhatsApp group which enabled communication between members to continue.
Our plan for 2022 is to restart Sunday School. Although there are fewer adults able to lead sessions since Covid, we are hoping to recruit more helpers and leaders. We are also awaiting some DBS certificates for our leaders and helpers. When these are in place, we plan to start our Sunday School rota again, enabling children to attend.
Initially, due to fewer adults, we plan for this to take place once per month.
The Sunday School sessions will be planned in advance, and the teaching during the sessions will be linked to the weekly church reading. We expect the children who attend will be aged between 3–16, and the activities will be planned and differentiated in order to match the children’s ages and needs. The sessions will include a weekly prayer, stories from the bible, games and often a craft activity. The Sunday School has always been popular and successful in the past and the children engaged well and thought the sessions were fun and enjoyable.
During Covid, many families who regularly attended Sunday School have been to ‘Wild Church’ and have enjoyed many activities, which have included a prayer trail, making bird feeders, planting bulbs and many other fun activities.
We look forward to starting the Sunday School again soon.
## **1[st] Kettering (Parish Church) Scout Group**
Looking forward from 2020, who’d have thought we’d continue to experience the devastating effect of Covid on our health, wellbeing, employment and financial stability during 2021?
Our group continued to provide scouting education and entertainment via Zoom until we were able to resume firstly outdoor, and then indoor meetings, as the staged recovery from full lockdown to normality progressed, with all activities being subject to appropriate and detailed risk assessment.
We were very pleased to be able to hold our first group event for two years over the November Remembrance Weekend, packed full of activities and culminating in all sections of the Group ‘marching’ on the Sunday morning from the District Scout Centre (Woodcroft) to the Parish Church for the Service.
So over this last year our Group has continued to flourish, being served by very hard working, dedicated and talented Leaders who put an enormous amount of time and effort into ensuring our young people receive the very best experience that scouting has to offer. Since returning to face-to-face meetings – with all appropriate hygienic controls being practised – the reward for all that time and effort is that our numbers of young people have stayed consistent, and all signs are that we have started to increase in numbers.
15
Our fundraising this year also continues to provide much needed financial support to the Group, mainly by the 59 Club. This initiative has proved to be a resounding success, and we thank everybody who has contributed and who have promised to continue contributing. In particular, these funds cover the annual cost of the Loc-Box storage facility where our camping and other equipment is stored in a safe and secure environment.
Following a cancellation the previous year, the Scoutpost Christmas Post took place once again in 2021, which also brought welcome funds into the Group.
We continue to explore other avenues of fundraising to support the Group, with one particular success being the recovery of gift aid from HMRC on the regular subscription payments. A big ‘thank you’ goes to our Treasurer who, in addition to the ‘usual’ treasurer duties, has been continuing to work hard to ensure our applications to HMRC ensure the return of significant funds back into the Group.
We also successfully applied for a Covid grant, which covered the shortfall in our coffers through cancellation of the 2020 Christmas Post and supermarket bag packing.
During this last year, our Group has been a key influence in the formation of an Explorer Unit (the Kraken Unit) for those moving on from the Scouts, and we are excitedly planning the formation of the new pre-Beaver Section – the Squirrel Scouts – which we hope will commence during 2022.
We appreciate the ongoing support from all members of the clergy and congregation, and we look forward further to developing our working together through the following year as the Church becomes fully inclusive.
***
We are crossing fingers and praying our freedom to keep on training and developing both our young people and our leaders continues in 2022 without any pandemic or other hindrance, thereby maintaining our position as one of the most successful Groups in the District and County.
_Group Scout Leader, Group Executive Chair, and all Leaders and Members of the Group Executive Committee_
## **1[st] Kettering Beaver Colony**
Zoom meetings were the order of the day for the first few months, when the Beavers continued to meet regularly and carried on working towards a number of badges such as Digital Makers, Astronomy, and Emergency Aid. Once lockdown had lifted to allow outdoor meeting, the Colony turned its attention to nature by building bug hotels, and identifying trees while walking through Wicksteed Park. It was at this latter meeting when ten Beavers were invested – the first opportunity to catch up on carrying out this very first step on the Scouting ladder.
16
Meetings outdoors, and then indoors, included a number of fun games, which also taught about other important subjects such as life skills, recycling, and making space for those with disabilities.
The Beavers also took part in the Group Sleepover, and attended the Remembrance Day Church Parade when the Chief Scout Bronze Award was presented to seven very proud Beavers.
## **1[st] Kettering Cub Pack**
Similarly to Beavers, it was regular Zoom meetings which kept the Cubs meeting and working ‘virtually’ towards badges such as the Navigator and Astronomer Badges. The Cubs also learnt about pioneering and followed recipes to produce home-cooked meals.
Things really took off when face-to-face meeting was allowed. Pioneering, backwoods cooking, raft building and kayaking were some examples of the activities carried out. Cub Leader Raksha gained her Activity Permit for Archery, so the Cubs, Beavers and Scouts took full advantage of having a home grown expert to oversee the activity and archery became a favourite.
During the Remembrance Day Church Service, fourteen Cubs proudly received their Chief Scout Silver Award.
## **Scout Troop**
The Scouts also used their Zoom meetings to continue their badge work, and also for communicating wider across the world to include Scouts from other Districts in the UK, and with the Ugandan Scout Leader of the Gifted Hands Scout Troop in Kampala.
The Annual District Kettering Leader Trophy competition was held on Zoom, with four teams from our Scout Troop entering – and achieving first, second, third and fourth places. A remarkable result.
With lockdown over, back came the many outdoor pursuits our Scout Troop is famous for: kayaking, geocaching, pioneering, both local expeditions and the London visit, backwoods camping and cooking, night and day wide games, and a chip shop survey.
During the Remembrance Day Church Service four Scouts proudly received their Chief Scout Gold Award.
## **Kraken Explorer Unit**
This new Unit was formed to meet a requirement in Glendon District for Scouts up to 18 after they leave the Scout Troop. Although the membership is primarily from the 1st Kettering Troop, the Unit is open to any eligible Scout from other town centre Troops. A number of the Explorers support our Group sections as Young Leaders, which means they are helping the development of our young people while continuing their own training and development. And in just a few months the numbers have moved from an inaugural eight to twenty.
17
## **ENGAGING WITH YOUNG PEOPLE AT ST MICHAEL’S**
## **5[th] Kettering (St Michael’s) Scout Group**
After a bad 12 months mostly on Zoom we started back together doing mainly outside activities with all sections. In April 2021, numbers in Cubs and Scouts remained good; Beavers were a bit low as we didn’t recruit many new during the pandemic, just moved up to other sections when ready. Beavers carried on in September even without me after my serious accident, thanks to Vicky and Toni running things with parents’ support. I started to return gradually in late October.
Since then, we have had a few new recruits and are building numbers up slowly. Beavers are up to 15, with three of those moving to Cubs after Easter and another three joining to replace them at the same time. Cubs have moved a group up to Scouts recently – judging by feedback all are enjoying it. Surprisingly, learning survival skills has been a hit, especially gutting a small Muntjac dear and rabbit – learning new skills.
All sections have full on programmes with exciting activities running. Beavers have enjoyed a District Fun Day at the Sir John Lowther Centre with lots of adventurous activities including archery, shooting, camp cooking, go karts etc. along with 70+ others from around Kettering and Corby.
Looking forward to 2022, we have a sleepover booked for all our Beavers in early April, with Cubs and Scouts going away on camp in Bedford this May.
We’re gearing up to be back face to face for our annual plant fundraising sale back in the church grounds at St Michael’s. It will be on the first weekend in June this year due to having to move things around because of Easter and extra bank holidays etc. Watch out for advertising flyers and information in church service sheets etc.
Lots more excitement is planned for the coming months in group and with district.
_Angela Haynes GSL 5th Kettering Scout Group_
## **WARDENS’ REPORTS**
## **Parish Wardens**
This has been a challenging year for our congregation and those whose support their worship. One of our principal achievements has been our role as part of an extended Team supporting the online production of our weekly services, and the organisation and delivery of worship as this has been allowed more and more during the past year. This was true particularly with the return of our services over Christmas. As was the case last year, Zoom has been instrumental
18
in keeping our services, meetings and study sessions ongoing and we would like to thank Tracey 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 organisation of our dedicated Team of cleaners, gardeners 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 doing this under the potential risk of infection, made to our ability to keep some form of worship alive. Jo and I would like to formally thank all those volunteers involved.
As our church has gradually re-opened it has been clear that the role played by Ian has been instrumental in this happening. His constant reassuring presence both in his role as verger (and stepping in to play the organ) has significantly helped with the difficult transition we have and are making coming out of the previous year’s Covid restrictions. We would formally like to thank Ian for this.
Jo has been a constant presence at the soup kitchen and has played an extremely important role in supporting this vital service through her role as Church Warden and via her personal experiences and contacts within Kettering. Again we would like to formally mention the soup kitchen and thank them for the incredible work it does to support those in our community in need.
Jo and I have had regular meetings (Zoom) with David and have kept our focus on maintaining what we need now and looking towards 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.
Specific events, and actions recommendations during the past year, are listed below:
## Church
- Flaking of paint on the north wall needs urgent attention
- Peregrine falcons nest box installed
- Indoor light shows trialled during the festive period
- Organ was tuned (other works are required)
- Removed surplus kneelers (donations were sought)
- Replacement of broken glass/window repair has been undertaken
- Servicing of fire extinguishers
- New security camera on roof
- New equipment for live streaming
- Church cleaned regularly by volunteers led by Jean Bellamy
## Grounds
- Ongoing general gardening by Robin Bellamy and team
- Boiler house roof reinforced
- Steps require urgent attention (funding required)
- Successful trial illumination of church spire (continuation subject to funding)
19
## • Queen’s green canopy
Parish Hall
- Installation of new cooker
- Updating electrical supply (generously completed for free by M&G Electrics, Desborough)
- Repair of kitchen roof
- Full replacement of kitchen roof recommended (£12,000)
- A professional cleaner is now responsible for day to day cleaning
- Unblocking of drains
- We are now taking bookings
Once we are able to, we will need to move further forward with the actions from our last quinquennial report. Grounds and Buildings 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. Funds to do some works are not available so we need to consider fundraising and other funding streams.
As we move on from this year we are looking forward to the full resumption of Church services and welcome everyone to a safe and welcoming Church.
A final but extremely important thank you must go to Carol who has supported us Wardens throughout the year to help us deliver what we could. _Josephine Pearce John McLaren_
## **ST MICHAEL’S WARDENS**
The last year continued to be difficult for all, but it is so lovely that St Michael’s is starting to feel like the Church we all know and love. The relaxing of social distancing and Covid rules has seen an influx and return as St Michael’s pre-Covid congregation attend more regularly.
Although, again, it was a difficult year to navigate, we managed to create and have some positive highlights. These included the very popular Bring a Lamb service, the September Fair and Wild Church.
St Michael’s community remained strong and continues to work together with projects such as the Big Clean Up Day and the regular painting of the Church fence and garden maintenance.
It was amazing to welcome Gavin Sylvester as fellow Church Warden. He is invaluable to the team. His experience and knowledge have helped guide us through the past year taking the lead on navigating and implementing St Michael’s through the ever changing Covid regulations.
_Torie and Oli King and Gavin Sylvester Church Wardens_
20
## **SAFEGUARDING**
Over the last year as a church we have complied with the 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 use the Parish Dashboard to generate our safeguarding action plan, which has been adopted by the PCC. We are looking to make further use of Church Suite to record training undertaken, in addition to DBS checks and safe-recruitment information. We now need to have a system to ensure the Safeguarding Team is aware of all training members of the Parish have undertaken in their roles. Carol carries on in the role of Lead Recruiter and we are now happy we have a robust system in place for recruitment of parishioners into new roles. 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, which have appeared on the Dashboard for the first time this year.
Over the year, leaders of church activities, or members of the clergy team, have raised a small number of safeguarding concerns, a couple of which have been significant enough to report to the Diocese. These concerns are not directly related to church activities, but do give evidence of increasing awareness of safeguarding within the Parish.
In January 2022 the revised Church of England Safeguarding Learning & Development Framework came into force. Training requirements have been updated, so remain a priority in the forthcoming year. Fortunately, a greater number of courses are available online. Courses on Zoom have also been introduced.
St Michael’s has been without a safeguarding officer over the last year. However we have a potential new recruit currently going through the safe-recruitment process.
_Pauline Dixon_
_Parish Safeguarding Officer_
## **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 were three virtual meetings of the Deanery Synod this year, using the Zoom platform, covering items as listed below for each meeting.
Between the May and October meetings an extra, short meeting was convened via Zoom to elect/confirm officers:
Lay Chair: Peter Jackson Treasurer: Revd. David Walsh Secretary: Steve Atkins
21
## **February 2021**
1. Prayer and worship
2. Financial report by our Deanery Treasurer, Revd. David Walsh. This included a brief outline of Parish Shares paid by each Parish/Benefice in 2020 and confirmed the freezing of the size of Parish Share for 2021.
3. Deanery update (by our Rural Dean, Revd. Hannah Jeffrey). Here we noted the appointment of Revd. Tom Houston as Vicar of St Andrew’s, Kettering and that the Benefice encompassing Cranford, Grafton Underwood, Twywell and Slipton remains in vacancy.
4. Outline plans for the virtual Thy Kingdom Come meeting in May.
## **May 2021**
1. Prayer and worship, with a focus on Paul’s Prayer in Ephesians 1.15–19 for others to know Jesus and his hope and power.
2. Attendees were placed into breakout rooms to share what God has been doing and saying in their churches and other prayer requests. This led into small group prayer.
## **October 2021**
With the Rural Dean on sabbatical the session was chaired by Revd. Eleanor Jeans, Acting Rural Dean. Local chaplains from Kettering General Hospital, St Mary’s Hospital and Bishop Stopford School joined and/or sent outlines of their work, especially concerning the pandemic and mental health.
1. Prayer and worship.
2. Deanery Treasurer, Revd. David Walsh, presented a financial update.
3. The Acting Rural Dean gave a Deanery update, including feedback from the General Synod elections
4. Attendees placed into breakout rooms for sharing and prayer.
The Pastoral and Standing Committee also met three times in the year, again via Zoom.
Finally, but importantly, the Deanery Synod paid tribute to Gwyneth Mellors, former Deanery Secretary, who decided to stand down from the post mid-2021. We are grateful for her diligence and prowess in the role over the past few years.
_Steve Atkins Deanery Synod Secretary KettDeanSec@virginmedia.com_
## **REFERENCE & 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 2021.
22
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 and 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 are:
|**Name**|**Appointed**|**Term ended**|
|---|---|---|
|Revd. David Walsh|Rector (ex officio)||
|Revd. Carys Walsh|Assistant Priest (ex officio)||
|Revd. Alice Watson|Curate (ex officio)||
|Revd. Clare Glover|Curate (ex officio) from Jun-Dec 2021||
|Revd. Jane Burns|Assistant Priest (ex officio)||
||from Oct 2021||
|John McLaren|Warden (ex officio)||
|Josephine Pearce|Warden (ex officio)||
|Pat Edkins ^|Licensed Lay Minister.||
||Ex officio Deanery Synod representative||
|Victoria Gascoyne ^|Deanery Synod representative||
|Hazel Goodman ^|Deanery Synod representative||
|Benita Hewitt ^|Deanery Synod representative||
|Kay Short ^|Licensed Lay Minister .||
||Ex officio Deanery Synod representative||
|Jim Balding*|Elected May 2021||
|Alison Bagley+||May 2021|
|Ann Buckby*|Elected May 2021||
|Rose Byrne*|||
23
Melanie Collier+ May 2021 Louise Crookenden-Johnson+ May 2021 Max Cruttwell* May 2021 Sam Dearden* Debby Edgeworth* Elected May 2021 Martin Hill* Spurgeon Jalli+ May 2021 Linda Noble* Jacky Moisey* May 2021 Mary Randall+ Resigned May 2021 Lisa Stent* Gavin Sylvester+ May 2021 Chris Turner* Kathy Webster* Elected May 2021
* = Elected + = Co-opted ^ = Deanery Synod Representative
## **Structure, Governance & 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. A new Roll is created 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.
On the date this Report was approved the Electoral Roll had [258] members. This compares with a membership of 268 in 2019, following the creation of the new Roll.
The PCC is represented day-to-day in the parish by the Rector (‘the incumbent’).The Reverend David Walsh is the Rector of the parish, and is appointed by the Bishop of Peterborough.
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 & Buildings, Finance and other committees, and aims to make sure that parish life continues to grow and flourish.
24
## **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 2021. As well as the Rector and the wardens, Sam Dearden, Martin Hill, Benita Hewitt were elected members by the PCC. Louise Crookenden-Johnson stopped being a member on leaving the PCC in May 2021.
## **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 & Buildings**
The Grounds and Buildings sub-committee has continued its work to manage any maintenance and repairs to the church buildings during the year.
## **Financial review**
The parish continues to operate in a highly pressured financial environment, both structurally and as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The parish has run a financial 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; this has resulted in a significant cut in the Diocesan ‘Parish Share’ assessment.
However, the impact of COVID-19 on our key external sources of income, from users of some of our buildings, hall hiring income and on some regular givers inevitably caused financial challenges in 2020, and we had to reduce the amount we give to the Diocese (our ‘Parish Share’).
2021 has seen a slightly improved position, and indeed we are gradually now able to re-open our buildings to paying users, and in this year have met our Parish Share payments in full, albeit this has required use of some of the amount held back from the previous year, where the amount not paid was conservatively estimated.
2022 will see the parish need to continue its ability to meet Parish Share requirements, the chief headwinds this year being a requirement to join the national “Parish Giving Scheme”, a new platform for regular donors to be able to make their gifts, which replaces the current process whereby the Diocese administers standing orders on our behalf.
The PCC continues to be enormously grateful for the continued generosity of donors to the parish. You make the work of the parish possible.
25
## **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 parish now holds some fixed assets, and ignoring these items, the “free reserves” of the parish (being the balance of £41,826 on unrestricted funds at the year-end, less the fixed assets value of £8,363) are £33,463. The target reserves level calculates to £17,000.
The balance currently held exceeds this target. The PCC will continue to keep the situation and its reserves policy under review; the parish is currently in a deficit position and any excess reserves held are therefore currently being used to support the existing activities of the charity.
## **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.
26
## **INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT**
I report on the accounts of the charity for the year ended 31 December 2021, which are set out on pages 28 to 34.
## 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 FCA
Meadows & Co Limited Headlands House Kings Court Kettering NN15 6WJ 2 November 2022
## **STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021**
|Notes
Income from:
Voluntary income
1
Charitable activities
2
Other trading activities
3
Investment income
4
Other income
Expenditure on:
Charitable activities
5
Net income (expenditure)
Transfers between funds
Net movement in funds
Reconciliation in funds
Total funds brought forward
Total funds carried forward
11|Unrestricted
funds
£
108,110
1,723
18,539
2,273
1,511|Restricted
funds
£
9,141
—
—
—
—|**Total funds**
**2021**
**£**
**117,251**
**1,723**
**18,539**
**2,273**
**1,511**|Total
funds
2020
£
128,699
1,036
12,620
2,444
300|
|---|---|---|---|---|
||132,156
135,840|9,141
14,596|**141,297**
**150,436**|145,099
116,634|
||(3,684)
—|(5,455)
—|**(9,139)**
**—**|28,465
—|
||(3,684)
45,511|(5,455)
28,358|**(9,139)**
**73,869**|28,465
45,404|
||41,827|22,903|**64,730**|73,869|
There were no other recognised gains and losses in the years other than those shown above.
28
## **BALANCE SHEET AT 31 DECEMBER 2021**
|Notes
Tangible fixed assets
8
Current assets
Debtors
9
Cash at bank and in hand
Liabilities
Creditors: amounts falling due within one year
10
Net current assets
Total assets less current liabilities / total net assets
The funds of the charity:
11
Restricted income funds
Unrestricted funds|**2021**
**£**
**8,363**
**5,320**
**74,054**|2020
£
3,847
1,120
96,795|
|---|---|---|
||**79,374**
**(23,007)**|97,915
(27,893)|
||**56,367**|70,022|
||**64,730**|73,869|
||**22,903**
**41,827**|28,358
45,511|
||**64,730**|73,869|
The financial statements of the charity were approved and authorised for issue by the Council on 12 May 2022 and signed on its behalf by:
Josephine Pearce Warden
29
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021**
## **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.
30
## 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
Legacies
Grants
Other donations|2021
Unrestricted
funds
£
79,453
5,000
745
22,912|2021
Restricted
funds
£
—
—
5,000
4,141|**2021**
**Total funds**
**£**
**79,453**
**5,000**
**5,745**
**27,053**|2020
Unrestricted
funds
£
2020
Restricted
funds
£
2020
Total funds
£
79,700
—
79,700
—
—
—
—
5,000
5,000
27,486
16,513
43,999|
||108,110|9,141|**117,251**|107,186
21,513
128,699|
## **2. Charitable activities**
|**2. Charitable activities**|||
|---|---|---|
|PCC fees for weddings and funerals|**2021**
**£**
**1,723**|2020
£
1,036|
||**1,723**|1,036|
## **3. Other trading activities**
|**3. Other trading activities**|||
|---|---|---|
|Buildings hire / rentals
Fundraising events
Other|**2021**
**£**
**16,552**
**1,987**
**—**|2020
£
11,237
1,220
163|
||**18,539**|12,620|
31
## **4. Investment income**
|Income from cash and cash deposit funds
**5. Analysis of expenditure on charitable activities**
Parish ministry, including Parish Share
Staff costs
Other support costs|**2021**
**£**
**2,273**|2020
£
2,444|
|---|---|---|
||**2,273**|2,444|
||**2021**
**£**
**96,422**
**18,069**
**35,944**|2020
£
62,627
18,022
35,985|
||**150,435**|116,634|
Parish ministry costs include £67,523 (2020: £46,523) 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 100% (2020: 70%) 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|**2021**
**£**
**18,069**|2020
£
18,022|
||**18,069**|18,022|
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**
|Energy / utilities
Insurance
Maintenance
Administration|**2021**
**£**
**12,442**
**7,504**
**5,699**
**10,299**|2020
£
13,197
7,538
6,324
8,925|
|---|---|---|
||**35,944**|35,984|
32
## **8. Fixed assets**
|**Cost**
At 1 January 2021
Additions
At 31 December 2021
**Depreciation**
At 1 January 2021
Charge for the year
At 31 December 2021
Net book value at 31 December 2021
Net book value at 31 December 2020
**9. Debtors**
Trade debtors
**10. Creditors**
Trade creditors|Fixtures and
fittings
£
4,274
5,493|Total
£
4,274
5,493|
|---|---|---|
||**9,767**|**9,767**|
||427
977|427
977|
||**1,404**|**1,404**|
||**8,363**|**8,363**|
||3,847|3,847|
||**2021**
**£**
**5,320**|2020
£
1,120|
||**5,320**|1,120|
||**2021**
**£**
**23,007**|2020
£
27,893|
||**23,007**|27,893|
## **11. Analysis of charitable funds**
|Roughton Memorial Maintenance Fund
Fabric Fund
Diocesan fees
Music
Special Collections
Soup Kitchen
St Michael’s Improvement Fund
St Michael’s Garden Fund|At 1 January
2021
£
1,324
13,381
—
1,000
30
12,138
205
280|Income
£
—
—
—
—
—
9,141
—
—|Expenditure
and transfers
£
—
—
—
—
—
(14,596)
—
—|**At 31**
**December**
**2021**
**£**
**1,324**
**13,381**
**—**
**1,000**
**30**
**6,683**
**205**
**280**|
|---|---|---|---|---|
||28,358|9,141|(14,596)|**22,903**|
## **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.
33
## **13. Analysis of net assets between funds**
|**13. Analysis of net assets between funds**|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|Fixed assets
Debtors
Cash
Creditors – amounts falling due within one year|Unrestricted
funds
£
8,363
5,320
51,151
(23,007)|Restricted
funds
£
—
—
22,903
—|**Total funds**
**2021**
**£**
**8,363**
**5,320**
**74,054**
**(23,007)**|Total
funds
2020
£
3,847
1,120
96,795
(27,893)|
||41,827|22,903|**64,730**|73,869|
## **14. Post balance sheet events**
There are no post balance sheet events to report.
## **15. Comparative statement of financial activities**
|Income from:
Voluntary income
Charitable activities
Other trading activities
Investment income
Other income
Expenditure on:
Charitable activities
Net income (expenditure)
Transfers between funds
Net movement in funds
Reconciliation in funds
Total funds brought forward
Total funds carried forward|Unrestricted
funds
£
107,186
1,036
12,620
2,444
300|Restricted
funds
£
21,513
—
—
—
—|Total funds
2020
£
128,699
1,036
12,620
2,444
300|
|---|---|---|---|
||123,586
111,701|21,513
4,933|145,099
116,634|
||11,885
4,274|16,580
(4,274)|28,465
—|
||16,159
29,352|12,306
16,052|28,465
45,404|
||45,511|28,358|73,869|
There were no other recognised gains and losses in the years other than those shown above.
34