STOKE GABRIEL
PARISH CHURCH
r* a*.
The Parish Church of St Mary and St Gabriel
in the Totnes Mission Communiry, Diocese of Exeter
www.stokegabrielchurch.co.uk
Annual Report and Financial Statement
of the Parochial Church Council
for the year ended 31st December 2025
Incumbent & Team Rector. Rev'd Jim Barlow
Ass(Kiate Priest: Rev'd Chris Martin
Bankers: Lloyds Bank. Palace Avenue. Pai8nton
1nde[￿ndellt Fuarniner. Travid BI(￿￿ FCCA
4, Yonder Meadow, Stoke Gabriel, Totnes TQ9 6QE
The Parochial Church Council of the Ecclesiastical Parish of St Mary and St Gabriel is a Fx)dy Cor￿rate
(PCC Powers Measure 1956 and the Church Representation Rules 2(KX>) and a Registered Ch￿lry
(No:1138315). Its addre&8 for Co￿eSpondence is The Vicarage.
Scho)l Hill. s￿ke Gabiiel. Tottw TQ9 6QX

AIM and PURPOSE
The Parochial Church CA)unca of St Mary and St Gabriel (PCC) c(x)perates with the
Incumbent and the kn(￿late Priest in promoting the mi&8ion and ministry of the church in
the parish of Stoke Gabriel.
The PCC is committed to keeping the church at the centre of parish life. providing a range
of services. iK>th Book of Common Prayer (BCP) & Common Worship {CW). said and sung.
and opprtuniti&g for w0￿h1P that put faith into practice through prayer, scripture,
reflection, music and sacrament. It is also committed to bringing people together in
fellowship. providing care for the community, and marking significant events in the ]ife of
individuals. the community and the natio
The PCC manages the care. finances and admi￿tratIon 8&8ociated with its Grade l ]isted
church building and churchyard, and a]so for its other properties, the Old School Room
(Church Hall), the Verger's Cottage and the Church House In￿ Together with the Exeter
Diocesan Board of Finance. the PCC (via the Incumbent and two churchwarde￿8) has
absolute title to the Church House Inn. The PCC has possessory title to the Old Sch(x)I
Room and the Verger's Cottage, which can be converted into an absolute title in I l years.
Following the departure of the previous tenant kn January 2025. the Church House Inn
reopened under the management of an excellent new tenant in August 2025. for a lease
terni of 15 years. The Verger s Cottage continues to be {￿upied by the Verger Emeritus
with the full consent of the PCC
The PCC encourages members of the congregation to live out their faith as part of the family
of Christ, 8UPPrting the mi&sional and pa8toral objectives of the church and conttibuting
to its day-to-day care and adMIn￿ratiOn. The church enjoys a warn) sense of community
which is reflected in the p￿]Sh as a whole. Central to church life is the support. Durture,
srU￿, GOVERNANCE & MANAGEMEwr
The method of aP￿Intment of the trustees. that is the PCC members, is set out in the
Church Representation Rules. The PCC compri5e5 ex otEcio member5 and member5 who
are elected at the Annual Parochia] Church Meeting. The PCC met six times during the
year. Membezs who served during 2025 were as follows:
Incumbent & Team Rector
Ass(Kiate Priest (Stoke Gabriel)
Churchwardens
Rev'd Fr lim Barlow
Rev d Chris Martin
Mr Mike Stott (until A
Mr Gerald Watson
Dr I Ewart (from A
2025)
2025)

Deanery Representstive. Safeguarding
Officer & PCC Secre
Deane
Elected Members
Licerwd La Minister
PCC Treasurer
Mrs Liz Ball
resentative
Mrs Sue Roach
Mr Alan Hill
Mr Potham
Mr Noman Betts
Mrs Evel Watson
Mrs Val Proctor
Mr Michael Brown
Mr Patrick Wharton {from Ma
2025)
Mr Mark Yallop (Until September
2025)
Mrs Sue aement
Mrs Jan Nott
Mr Mike Stott (from
20251
Mr Nornwi Betts. the Verger Emeritus, was on sick leave throughout the year althou8h he
continues to carry out a handf￿ of duties.
ResidAng An the vie#Age Rev'd Chri5 Martin the Awiate Priest for the parisb for the
whole of 2025. He led all the services apart from a few (xc&sions when they were led by
another member of the Totnes Team Ministry. Under the excellent joint leadership of the
Team Rector. Fr Jirn Barlow. and Rev'd Chtis MartiN the parish church is now optimally
placed to fl￿rish. In addition. a series of 'Vision afternoons, during the year identified
'work with children and young F*ople' and'reach into the community, as particular areas
of f¢xus for the forthcoming years (see below).
The rdnge of services, which was exrended in X)24 to include the wlditiott of several new
fornis of seNice, continued in 2025. In addition. a new Harvest 5erNryce. established in
collaboration with the Stoke Gabriel Hon]￿ltural Sociery. also proved extremely ppul8r
and wdl received in (ktober 2025, as was the child-friendly seTvice designed to
incorwJr*e the TrtteW￿ of promises for the village's kouting groups forthe Sunday nearest
St George's Day. A service to 'Rernember loved Ones, w3s held in November and was
deeply appreciated by those who came. And the new Pet Blessingservice ITh September saw
11 dogs blessed!
PerfornwAce Metrics (with the cOrreS￿n￿8 2024 figures in brackets):
Membership of the church electoral roll was89 (105) while the number of participants was
101 {&3}.
The usual attella￿ 4t out PEinLipal Sunday 5eTYices incre¥d to 61 (55) although a
notable difference In ottendance (about 16 on 4ver8ge) exists ￿tweett Choral Eucl)arist and

Choral Matins with the forn]er ￿￿n8 favoure& Having identified working with children
al￿ young w>ple &$ a priority fr￿uS area for the coming years, the new fortnightly Sunday
morning gmup for children aged 2 to I l {called ACORNS) commenced in Wtember 2025
to gre8t acc]aim already has 9 children on its bcoks.
The usual avergge attendan￿ at the Sunday 8.15 Service of Holy ￿mMuni0n was 10 (13).
Monthly seTYices of Choral Evensongjcompline were attended by an avera8e of 22 (25)
people. The Wednesday 10.(X) services of Holy Communion were attended by an average
of 10 (10) people.
The seryices at Fafftr and christi￿ d￿W numbers of 114 (149) and 154 (145) respectively.
The C￿￿ys1de E&ster service was attended by 21 (31) people. The Crib service on Cbzis
Eve continues to attrart the largest number of attetmlees of gny service with some 189 (175)
adujts and children, for whom many families see this event as an inte8Eal part of their
Christmas celebrations.
A VE.Day Commemoration serri￿ was held on 8th M8y attended by *)me 58 rwle.
t￿rIng the year, there were 5 {3) baptisms. 2 (0) Confirmations. l {1) wedding. 12 (8)
funerals. There are approximately six burial plots remaining before the churchyard is fijll
although there is sufficient for the intern￿1t of &%hes for another decade. An
application to dose the churchyard was pcwed given the slow uptake of burial pl￿.
A I*nt cour* held in the village with over20 (15) in attendance. A weekly meditative
OPFX)rrunity of "quiet waiting" offered in chwch duzing AdveDt with an average
attendance of around 12 adults. And, in the Feriod between Ascension and Pentec(￿t,
several 8athered each day to pTry blessings over the villa8e as part of the 'Thy Kin8dom
Come, prayer initiative.
PARISH oufREACH
Underthe leadership of the Associate Priesc the church continued to brin8 the Gcd News
to the younger membets of the parish. Contact was maintained with the village primary
school and ￿ollt group. Tgilored for Child￿n, Crafy Events were hdd on six occasions.
Three were held during Lent. FAster and AdvenL one to celebrate Harvest, one to celebrate
Pentec(Bt and one hdd in SuM￿r 2025 on the theme of 'kiDgdom party.. On 8verage 15
(17) children attended these events with an average of ￿ {33} adults and children attending
the as￿￿￿tea services in churcTrL
one-ttrone visits, telephone calls and sttial events, and thrcwh home communions offered
by the kn￿late Priest. In particular, lunches for the senior folk of the p4rAsh Continue to
grow in popularity. There were I I lunches at Emma's with more than 50 {50J people ateach
one, necessitaung two sittings. There was akn one New Year's lunch in the Village Hall
with in excess of 65 (￿) people.

A coach 10&4 of parishioners also enjoyed an afternoon visit to Exeter cathedTa] in Jwie.
where we were treated to a Cathedrdl tour, tea and cake, and Even￿n&
In seeking to broaden its reach to the commutiiry, a a)n)munity coffee morning was
planned for early 2026 in the Old Schwl Room and ir is hoped that this will become
Tegular monthly fixture in the clwrch diary. providing a SPAce for tslk to meet and chat
over tea, coffee and cake.
In addition, the A￿(￿llats Priest's vision to see a prayer labyrinth mown into the vicarage
garden came to fruition in 2025. The PCC offici8lly opened and ble￿a it in May 2025 and
it w&$ available fr)T Parishione￿ to use between set houTh for 3 day5 a week from lune until
September. The feedback from those who recorded their experience of usin8 It has been
very positive.
The church continued its of cbarities I￿llY and ￿rtheT afield. Locally, it induded
Stepping Stones in Tomes. FuTther afield, it included the Mission w Seafarer& Children's
s￿Iety. Royal British l£gioD. (ILTiStian Aid and Water Aid We a]so continue to SPODSOT
young Ugandan Birl, Winny Angel, through World Vision. Regular monthly collections
were uiade in suppon of Stepping Stones and the CR2 EE (ChTisuan Response to Fastern
Europe).
MED￿ & TECHNOLCCY
An irn￿rtant n)edium of commurrication with the parish And beyond, the P￿iSh magazine
has a PTint run in exce&8 of 420 copies, of which sTr￿t 350 are hand delivered to households
and the remainder are sold through local outlets. F(￿An8 on church setvices ond events.
and the names of those who have &8ked for prayer. a weekly list is ett￿lled to over I
recipienrs. Online communication to a wider audience is provided by the church web site,
stoke
abrielchurclLCO.
A(24Y (A Clllwch Near You) and the social media plarform,
Faceb(KTrk. the church group of whieh h&5 a membership of 487 (4(M)). Posters are displayed
around the parish on telephone poles and notice b¢￿d$ to inform the wider cottllnunity of
church events and to keep the mission of the church alive in the public eye.
SAFEGUARDING. GDPR & sAF￿y
The church continue8 to comnjit itse]f to the supwjn. rnlltU￿, protection safeguarding
of every individual, especially the young and vulnerable. The PCC has complied with the
dury under Section 5 of the Safeguarding and aergy Discipline Measure 2016 {dury to
comply with the House of Bishops. on safeguarding children and vulnerable adults). It '
also GDPR and safety compliant.
The church buildin8 continues to be open from about 9.(K) to 17.C(l every day for visitors
and locals requiring an opportuniry for peace and reflectio￿ t￿rIng the year, the following
works were uThdertaken:

Partnership vrith Stoke Gabriel HorticultUTal &xiety's'Pocket Meadow Project, to create a
willow.frarned obelisk with everlasting sweetpeas in the churchyard
Various dilapidation building works QD the Church House Inn, the casts of svhich the PCC
is seeking to recover from the previous tenant
General tidy up of Church Walk and (lurchyud in July working party
Installatson of framed photograph of King Charles lll onto the north wall
Continued removal of ivy from monuments
Deep cleaning and clearout of the Old Sch￿1 Room following the departure of the pre-
school
Dedication of Bcok of Remembrance of Stoke Gakniel Serricemen and Setvicewomen at the
Remembrance Sunday service into a custom-made cabinet in the ]ady chapel
There is also a projert undemy girned at rehanging the bells and makin8 cbanges to the
infTastTUCture around the bells to enable safer rcM)f tower access.
VOLUFifEERS
The church is ble&sed with an arniy of loyal and couuDitted vOluThtee￿ from amons and
beyond the church membership who give generously in supw)n of the church and its
mission to the community of Stoke Gabriel. In particular, the Friends of Stoke Gabriel
Church raises much.needed funds for the repair of its church building. The PCC thanks
them all wholeheartedly.
Receipts of £149.135 and payments of £147,808 produced a small sutplus of £1.327. There
woukl have been a deficit, but Parish Magazine aubscriptions for 2026 were paid earlier
than before. resulting in an increwd iDcome of Q.537.
A chan8e of tsnancy and lease renev481 for the Church House Inn has domina¢ed and had
adve￿ effect on our finance5. We are faced witb an ofjgoing dispute with
the previous tenant over the c￿ts of dilapidation5.
The pub closed for7 months and not fully 0￿rational for 9. rewlting in a rentsl I(￿ of
£9,(KKJ compared ]8st year. and running costs of £4.670. T(rtal expenditure for the year
was £65.301, including essential work8 of Q3,IKKI to get ihe pub up and n￿￿ing.
We are in the of obtaining Listed ￿￿IdIngS Consent to enable the completion of all
A very Succe&$fi￿ apF81 to belp fimd retiwlial work5 and Professional fees, torallin8
£148,(KK) raised £105.625 from Gift Aided donations of £47,125 and loans of £58,51K). The
loary5 aTe for a period of 3 years and interest free, and we are looking to repay them from a
c]aim against the outgoing tenant.

The financial demands of the Church House Inn meant that we were unable. for the fiTSt
time in livin8 memory, apart from once during the Covid epidemic, to meet OUT DiC￿an
Common Fund ( Parish Share ) conttibutsng £48,032 against the request of £57.045,
shorttall of £19,013.
OrA the Ph￿ side. we t*[￿tea from a year's doDatiODS the PATish Giving
Scheme, with Plallt￿d Giving up 22% to £41,550.
RFSERVFS POIJCY
To build a reserve of £fQ.(KM). so that the Church and it's assets are kept in a good state of
repair. to repay Church House Inn loans when they fall due, and to meetourcommon Fund
pawtents.
This Annual Report and Finanaal Statement was approved by PCC on 18ib March 21f26 and
signed on irs behalf by:
Rev'd Chris Martin
8sociate ￿ltst {Stoke Gabriel)
Mr Ian Potham
FCC Treasurer

Report of the Indopendont Examlner to th• TrnstOVs of tho Gharlty on th• forth• y•ar
2025*ffith bgen Nerwgd tr* Ch&¢th8 20111th8 Iwth th? F*)&￿481
fied by FRS 102 SORP jstaleme￿tof Reci¥￿￿ Practice hy an¢ Rewrbw by
En￿ & ICCEWI. Jnd•F Iho and fh*8(*xyJnbr¢ rKIKièS sel gsl py.
As p8w. ycw, the £*8rWs TfU*Og8. are foswnS￿t p￿paratson oflhe fir￿n¢￿1 slaleft￿ts m
ThÈ TmstÈÈS c(xtsiderthat ihe audlt requirament ol Sertbn 144111 oflhe Chadbes Aa 2011 (the AUI d005 not
awy. and tywttheE• no r•quirwr*nl ￿ thp fry •>Jit A•
it* Act.
I r0Pryt in eespee. of rrty fjxamintr.on of Ihe chartys financial Btal8ments cartsd fArt undw s145 of￿8 Ad. In
iTh3Bwdeni eYarn￿l￿. kn ￿dependentexaM￿3iY￿ ￿dude￿a re¥*wol the aEcL¥Jntsn5 records *Éty. by tht
weseqleo r*WO& 113L50 Mcj￿es ￿n￿deration ol any 11onNs ￿ dLsdosur* In finan(aèl
examinat￿n 15 to e5tstlth 35 fèr as POS*ll8 that ￿￿Te have b￿.￿ no breètheg of tharfty18gioJAtitsn and th#1.
80RP.
The pnKedur25 urkdertaken do pn¥￿e all ihe eirydefice Ihatwould be NLHred in en audit. and inf¢mation
We5 Lwywvj liffli1￿$ *SU[8n￿ ihai indepwiOeni*AaTtMli81i(x) ¢ah piov
Con5etyth. I do not ewessan audit O￿nIOn ￿ Ihe v*tw wveD by Ilie $18lEments, and in P8￿C￿lar. I
l ￿ne￿ and F•lorrn•J my exam1r￿n yo a¥ to s*sfy ry5elfthat obieclfve5 ofthe I￿9p￿entex3rn

stalulw rtytslafKNlS. lle ChaT11￿5 IAr.coiiryls Hp.¢ Report5l ResLlat.ons 2NA. t? preDHre the firEanfJai staternerts In
itb wrrenl be51 pradKp, the Tntsiegs have deleTThthèd Iv Kw¥rp Ihp $tst8m8nts ￿ acto￿anCe *ilh I
FRS 102 SQRP Isiol¢nwl of Rwxwnmg[x￿j P¥acLV fror Acc￿￿9 aTrJ by Charthesl 2015, ias
amwded 81*8tin Febw8ry ￿161. SORPI, . I INS 8rvo¥h. al￿
my report 1¢ the reg￿la￿an% should k Tead 5¥bJ"eci lo cOm￿L
confiFm thaL.
gi¥en by the Chanty CQmrrMw￿ under section 14515Xbl dthe Aci MKY be apF*cth".
Ihat In any ￿￿ter￿lI ras[￿￿.".
cwnts sel out WT the Charl1￿ IA(xx)UDts arpj ReFvMts! Rryvlatiops ott)er ihaTr reqLmrWW￿ th8111
bav• TrXbo•n Pwfod In wjrd•￿￿Nh Th mathodE wd wnuF406 10t￿4 in the FR$ 102 SQRP
BLdb&l'n F6W 20161.1Th6 SORPI.
shoJd be dr•4Th7 &i Ihis report kn rKderto enable 8 propel understsnding ofthe fin3ntJal 5tstsmerts to be dached.
D¥vKI BbDd FCCA. Ind2pend¥rt E¥rrM
TQ9 6QE
Ths r8rort wa8 sp)￿j on 18 M•th 2028

Th• Parlsh ol St Mary and Sl Go1)TW- Stat￿￿nt of Flnan¢181 Pthltles for th•
•nd•d 31 D•c•mbw 2025
Statement of Flnancial Activliies for the year ended 31 December 2025
Don8trons & Legau88
Al
67,455
47.125
114,580
tyher t￿J￿g 3ctyvthBS
2.845
13A14
19.917
23.763
2.472
26,235
Total In
9&018
51.117
149.13S
Roising funds
81
5.37e
47,840
145178
Totsl 8xpendilur•
$2,470
147.8Ql
121.511
1A27
125.fKA)I
P5.3201
161
45.103
6.194
51297-
51,
19,783
31841
2.624
51297

Th• Parlsh of St Mary and St Gabrid - Balan¢e Shogt as at 31 Detombw 2025
SORP
P4oteft•f
Flx•d
hdd a$ fixed assets
9.162
31,042
Ttst•l fimd •55ets
31.042
Cuff•nt •¥••ts
Cash ai Iw)k and in ha￿1
101,
20.255
101,962
20255
101,962
20.255
111.f24
51,297
r•W45s•ts 1•55 ¢uTh•n4 W•bilill•s
than ono year
C2
I58.5C￿l
52.624
32,841
19.783
51297
6.194
45.103
Reslriued ReVe￿tse Fund5
D2
Ttstal charfty
52.624
57.297
fespgLt to &couTIDrig Igcords and prewalltsii of a¢¢ounts.
The tharity 15 subiectto In(*nd￿l Examti7alJon unts ItgtslaiiLm. and tht wc*t ofihe Indeperthrrt
Ewin•r 1$ ￿ pag•.1.
rha Trustees are salishèj that. ath(xW* Ihe chartly 15 F￿1 rw518r8¢ und8r Cornpan+e5 Acts, rf Itwèr• sts
i0￿d. it t¢ dpjible lo a¢u)un18 in a¢¢N￿￿e T*llh the prry*l$￿8 kn Part 15 rfthe
GoTtwnie5 ALI 2006. appli0￿e to wmpanies subied lo 5rn311 re9itnE.
Reverend CW
Trust
Approvod by th• board ol truste0$ on ie Marth 2026
Mr Pobl

The Parf$h of St Mary and St Gabrfel
D•tsHed anatysE• of bKomt and expend￿￿re lor the year •nded 31 IleGombw 2025 r•qvlr•d by th•
SORP
Thts •n8ty$1s Is by ¢onv•rt1￿I￿0mIft+l￿8s¢IlPtions &ndnotby acd¥lty.
•nd L•g*F•¥
9,77S
10.026
37.$00
47.525
10.810
11.757
22.S61
El.COO
37.5
J7.75•
*gacie5 than e1r
Pl*uk•d glvkng antt glft altt
9,375
$1.844
9.375
2,607 .
51W4
OthervoluTrtary TpcelFts
10.518
11
Incorne frorn other. non charllable, tradlng a¢tfvttles
2025
2Q25
2024

Th• Parl$h of St Mary and Sl Gabihl
t>•tsll•d •n*•l• ot In¢ome •nd •xp•Trth￿r• lor tlh• y•x •nrlod 31 2025 wryqulr•d by th•
SORP 2015
t1,
2.814
13.814
Olhor Incorne and galns
Totd Ptsnd* T*Xd
Funds
6.126
1X
4,4NJ
9205
6.568
5,19J
5.1•0
8.870
oUtr￿ch. Choff aThl
3242
1472
5.714
2,149
rJ.71J
ExpetJthur¥ on Gkiaritable a¢t4¥4ti•s. Dlr•¢l wndlng
2An
21235
1•,•17
Fund4
Futhd•
25
6.818
7.187
MissK)n
4.827
6.120
Team dergy expEnsgs
1.853
113
4,038
1.8
5.1
3941
7.510
6.113
4.038
Insurance
Organ Repair5
1.71•
48MI
731
Lighl he8t and w)wer
d schod room v8rg8rfs cottage
4.519
.417
2,141
14.494
30,404
1.fk4
19.421
Chufch hou$e inft exwses
45.880
Toial suyw)rt Cos
29.017
75.147

Th¢ Parfsh of St Mary and St Gabrf
Detsiled an*￿15 of incom• and exp•ndltwe for y•arended 31 December 2025 as requlred by th¢
SORP 2015
Total Chartl•bt• •xpendltyr•
Tnl81 direr.I S￿11
£6.321
.73
Total grantrnaking costs
Totsl supwmt cos
017
4&1Xs
74147
9&J39
47,WJ
Expondiiur• ¢>n rni•ing fund• and coffits ol In￿l￿*nI m•nagwnwnl
143,178
11B.1JS
¢￿￿￿t￿lf Currertyetr Ctsprextyp
prftyrY•ar
2025
2025
4.630
4,6
5.376
4,630
4.130
S.376
Investments va*J8d as 3t 31 Oecember 2025
Investmeni
870 M and G CharlfuThS Incorne unts
È9.162.
M•rk•t Vak
£11.574.
al C*vf¢h Hwse Inn 8uikJing5 trtsuFEd £1.3 wrilh Property Ckneys 11.¢A.25
bl Church L*Xlage. Bulkllrys Inswed ty EcelesTa￿l¢al at £381.240 from 29th Seplernter 2025.
cl C*1 Sr*th BulkStyJs. Bulthg knsmd by al £5XI.718 o)nfirrn8d emwl 25.10.25
Restricled F￿d sumrnary 31 D8￿rnber 2025
Church HwBe Inn Fund
26.246.00
1.209.25
I.OS3.38
2,000.00
1.1e6.59
1,166.37
32.841.59
Clwrfvnd
Kddare Jam88 Lag
Toknes Deanery