2020-12-31-accounts

< Annual Report and Financial Statements of the Parochial Church Council of The Parish of Bilston

For the year ended 31[st] December 2020 Registered Charity Number 1138955

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The Parochial Church Council of The Parish of Bilston

Trustees’ Annual Report for the year ended 31[st] December 2020

Charity registration number 1138955

Objectives and Activities

The Parochial Church Council of Bilston (the PCC) has the responsibility of co-operating with the incumbent, the Reverend David Wills, in promoting in the ecclesiastical parish, the whole mission of the Church, pastoral, evangelical, social and ecumenical. The PCC is also spiritually responsible for the maintenance of the church

The PCC is committed to enabling as many people as possible to worship at our church and to become part of our parish community at all of our three Churches – St Leonards, St Chads and St Mary’s. The PCC maintains an overview of worship throughout the parish and makes suggestions on how our services can involve the many groups that live within our parish. Our services and worship put faith into practice through prayer, scripture, music and sacrament. Also, through non-sacramental activities of hospitality and fellowship we aim to reach non churched members of the community.

Public Benefit

The trustees of the Charity are aware of the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit in The Advancement of Religion for the Public Benefit and have had regard to it in their administration of the Charity. The trustees believe that, by promoting the work of the Church of England in the Ecclesiastical Parish of Bilston, it helps to promote the whole mission of the Church (pastoral, evangelistic, social and ecumenical) more effectively, within the Ecclesiastical Parish, and that in doing so it provides a benefit to the public by:

• Providing facilities for public worship, pastoral care and spiritual, moral and intellectual development, both for its members and for anyone who wishes to benefit from what the Church offers; and

• Promoting Christian values and service by members of the Church in and to their communities, to the benefit of individuals and society as a whole.

Mission or Vision Statement

“We, the congregations of Bilston Parish, seek to grow as the family of God and the people of God”. MAP

As you are no doubt aware many of all our plans this year have been completely blown off course by the ravages and the effects of the Coronavirus epidemic!

Sadly, due to the above, we have not been able to meet as often as we would normally like and contact over the Internet has not proved very satisfactory.

We are continuing to look at our short- and long-term goals – but these have been affected by the vagaries of the virus and the news that the Team Rector will be leaving this Parish early next year for pastures new.

But we are hoping in the near future amongst other things to:

• 1) Develop confidence in Prayer across all our congregation

• 2) Develop and refresh memorial service and funeral follow up

• 3) Hold a Stewardship campaign

We also have some long-term plans (3-5 years) for example:

• 1) Parish teaching weekends to develop a culture of learning

• 2) Establish a team to lead Seeker courses

• 3) Develop a youth service led by enabled young people

We hope to continue to break away from the traditional rather static “Team Vicar” idea – and increase co-operation and commitment over the congregations to each other but this is of course subject to any new appointment to the Parish.

Achievements and Performance

All of our Churches have been badly affected by the present situation, but we, when allowed, have made provision for times of Private Prayer at our worship centres while broadcasting a number of daily and weekly services through Facebook.

Our Normal Pattern of worship

St Leonards: 8am BCP Holy Communion, 10.30 Common Worship Parish Eucharist & once a month 10,30am NonEucharistic Family Service Sunday School 6.30 Evensong, , Monthly Memorial service, monthly Evangelistic/praise service called “Inspire”

St Marys: 9.30am Common Worship Parish Eucharist

St Chads: 11am Common Worship Parish Eucharist – Once a month Family Service Wednesday Morning Communion at St Leonards Lent Bible Studies at St Leonards, St Chads & St Marys Weekly Bibles studies at St Leonards and St Chads Quarterly Healing Services Parish Prayer meeting on the first Saturday on the month at 9.30am

We visit Bushfield Court Nursing Home for a Communion service twice a month and “the Elms” and “Glenthorne” nursing homes monthly and for special events such as Easter, Christmas and Remembrance Day

Sadly, our Methodist colleagues have decided to close the Stowlawn chapel and plan to sell the building in due course. We are investigating whether the way ahead may be holding a service at a room in a local school on the estate so that a Christian presence will be continues.

Baptism, weddings and funerals policies

Baptisms would normally take place on the 1[st] Saturday and 3[rd] Sunday of the month at St Leonards and with prior arrangement at the other churches. It is a service which is offered freely with parents being encouraged to attend church and to become a part of our community should they wish to.

All who live within the parish are welcome to get married at the church of their choice. Those who do not live within the ecclesiastical parish must meet the criteria for a qualifying connection.

All who live or die in the parish are entitled to a funeral service and burial/interment of ashes.

Of course, due to the Coronavirus emergency all these service that have taken place have proceeded under Government or Local restrictions or rules.

Mission activities through community events

Sadly, this year we were unable to host annual memorial services on behalf of the local Undertakers, but we plan to put on a number of special services to help the community through these terrible events when the emergency is over. Due to “the Virus” we were also unable to join with the local schools continue in holding their Christmas, Easter and Harvest services at our Churches. Similarly, it was with great regret that we were to put on our annual “Hope in the Park” event, even though it is held outdoors at Hickman Park and combines with Churches of other denominations as part of the ecumenical “Churches together in Bilston and Bradley” group. We trust that we will be back next year! We also had to suspend a number of other functions run at our Churches such as:

The Saturday “St Leonards Café”,

St Marys Saturday Coffee Mornings

St Chads Mum’s and Toddlers group

But one of the hardest decisions we had to make was the closing of our “Melting Pot” community café, which was held at St Leonards Church and the making of our manager redundant. However, we do hope to reopen in some form when circumstances allow.

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Team Rector’s Report

This is my last report as Team Rector here at Bilston Parish. I am leaving at the end of January 2021 to take up a position of Team Vicar in another Parish.

It has been a pleasure and a privilege serving the ‘People of Bilston’ over the last decade and a bit – and Liz and I would like to thank our dear brothers and sisters around the three churches for all the love and prayers that they have so freely given our family over the time we have been here. We have laughed and cried together through the good times and the bad and we have many memories that we will forever cherish and hold in our hearts! I wrote in my last report that “2019 was quite a difficult year” – if only I knew what the next year would bring!

With a new Team Vicar and a number of fresh faces in our congregation it did seem that there might be a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel – unfortunately with world and local events being what the are – it turned out to be a train hurtling towards us! But in these difficult days of isolation and worry people have continued to do their best in a bad situation. When possible, Churches have been open - heavily disinfected, true – and everyone sitting away from each other – but we have come together with distance and tried to make the most of it.

When the Church buildings have been closed, we have endeavoured to put on daily services, continue Bible studies, and contact people through Facebook, the internet and the telephone.

I also said last year that:

“I have seen a “true grittiness” in Black Country people who approach these challenges steadfastly and with a wry sense of humour which is apparent in all our Churches.”

And continued:

“But we do grit our teeth and get on with it!”

I stand by those words – the Church in Bilston – God’s people – in the most difficult of circumstances have “got on with it” – and it has been an honour to have been part of their community.

Building and Personnel

Obviously due to the epidemic much has been put on hold this year. We have strived to make sure that our buildings are safe, and that proper provision has been made to deal with the current crisis. Much effort has gone onto making sure that our Churches have all been marked out for easy and safe entry and exit, seating arranged for proper social distancing and disinfectant and masks provided, and surfaces kept clean.

St Chads have actioned some of their quinquennial report from last year and are considering options for a new Church floor – as the present surface is suffering from wear and tear.

St Leonards had major work take place to deal with its’ Fungi problem. Large parts of the church had to be scaffolded and have plaster and woodwork removed and ultimately replaced. This has all been made good and we are very pleased with the outcome. We are now planning the next stage of renovation which will include work on the kitchen area and major redecoration.

St Mary’s is still waiting for up-to-date quotes and a revised schedule from our Architect which will help us prioritise what needs to be done.

Sadly, over the last year the Curates House by St Chads has suffered from vandalism and an arson attack which brought a meeting of the PCC to a very urgent close! After some discussion with the Diocese, it was decided to sell the building before anything else could happen and we were very fortunate in that a buyer was soon found and the property is being disposed of!

For the last time as team Rector, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to all the dedicated and faithful men and women of all ages without whose hard work and persistence in the face of adversity and COVID-19, last year would have been so much worse than it was!

I would, once again, like to sincerely thank everyone for all their hard work and dedication – our Team Vicar-Simon, Parish Wardens, Church Wardens, Deputy Wardens, treasurers, meeting secretaries, PCC & DCC members, people who have endlessly cleaned and disinfected, those who have helped out as wedding and funerals vergers, and anyone who helped decorate the Church when we were allowed in and also those who have kept in contact and in fellowship with people over the telephone. (And I once again apologise if I have left anyone out)!

I am also very grateful for the faithfulness and dedication of our Readers Mike, Phil, Diane and Ade and Authorised Lay Minister Mandy who have given me thoughtful and generous support over my time here – it has been very appreciated. And indeed, they continue faithfully to, amongst other things, give their precious time and energy to leading, preaching, and giving extended communion to all the parishioners of Bilston. Thanks for all you do! We appreciate it!

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Projects

This year has been particularly tough for our Parish projects. We have been regretfully forced to make redundancies at both centres and our doors have had to remain stubbornly closed to many of our patrons.

We have however, hosted a Food Bank through the New Testament Church of God at St Chads while the Tuesday “Friendship Lunches” we started last year has gone “Meals on Wheels” which has been greatly appreciated and enthusiastically consumed by its users. Obviously when we have the “all clear” we will be looking at ways to use our facilities to the full and welcome people back in.

Once more I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the past and present staff and volunteers from our projects, for all their hard work over the years it has been greatly appreciated!

Worship and Growth

As has been mentioned several times already we have had to make radical and painful decisions this year to try to keep people safe whilst trying to be “Church” in an unprecedented situation!

Unfortunately, we have had to cancel much of our work which involves face to face contact with the public such as our Christmas Corporate memorial services, visits by the school to the Church and members of our congregation going to minister to several of the care homes in the parish. We were, however, fortunate enough to be able to once more hold a (distanced) memorial service for those who had suffered an infant bereavement. It was again very poignant, quite moving and I feel deeply appreciated by those who came.

Similarly, our monthly “Inspire” services have had to go on hold and as I mentioned earlier, we were very unhappy not to be able to join with other members of the wider local Christian community to put on our annual “Hope in the Park – but we look forward to restarting these activities ASAP!

We have persisted through the wonders of the Internet and Facebook to have regular informal daily services culminating in a weekly “Sunday Service” which seem to have attracted a number of viewers. We have also put on a “Zoomed” Bible Study and teaching Group which continues to attract a regular and enthusiastic following.

Bilston C of E has continued to enjoy Simon regular visiting the school in to teach a number of year groups and we have held weekly School Assemblies through the Schools internet service. Sadly, at present we are unable to visit Villiers and Loxdale Schools but trust that as circumstances change, we will be able to visit and share with the Children and staff once more!

Revd Dave Wills

Team Vicar, Parish Mission Priest Report

What a year! 2020 will be a year we will never forget. It was a year that introduced us to the virus COVID-19, a year when schools and business had to close, including all of our church buildings, a year when we have had to move everything online, a year we discovered live-streaming and Zoom, a year that has put a hold on things we were hoping to launch and a year we received the news that Rev Dave & Liz will be leaving us as Team Rector to pastures new. 2020 has been a very very challenging year with a lot of change but with new exciting opportunities to share the gospel and to outreach to the people of Bilston and beyond. I would usually report how we had been working with the MAP this year but the restrictions have prevented a lot of things we had planned. As Parish Mission Priest, I was still aiming to encourage discipleship and personal spiritual growth while creating new initiatives of evangelism & outreach even during the restrictions. I’ve attended a lot of CPAS Leadership Training online to help adjust to the new challenges. In the last year I have also been registered as a Volunteer Hospital Chaplain at New Cross Hospital and a new Diocesan Vocations Advisor.

St Chads

St Chad’s continues to show signs of physical and spiritual growth. We were excited to launch our new family service called WAT? (Worship All Together) Service in January as we looked at the theme of ‘The fruit of the Spirit.’ The WAT services have really taken off and has brought new families from the estate to join us once a month on a Sunday to learn new songs, creative worship and see Luke! (puppet). This service has been received very well and I hope it will continue to be a part of the worship structure in St Chads. We even did a “WAT Happened to this year?” service as we prayed through all the troubles of 2020 and the hopes of 2021.

In March, St Chad’s hosted the Wolverhampton Deanery Confirmation service led by Bishop Clive and we saw 2 of our candidates confirm their faith. Due to COVID, we have had no baptisms or weddings take place even though we had 1 of each planned. St Chad’s has seen the death of several faithful members of our church family this year including, Kath Shinton, Mary Smith, Jean Bate and most unexpectedly Andy Davies. We were able to hold Andy’s funeral at St Chads. As we were unable to have a memorial/All souls service due to the November lockdown, we remembered them as part of our Midnight Communion on Christmas Eve.

The Shrove Tuesday Social Barn dance took place in the Parish Centre again this year and was well attended again with the inclusion of pancakes using the centre’s new cooker. It is likely that due to COVID, it may not happen in the coming

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year. Chad’s Place on Friday mornings and the Games Afternoons of Wednesdays were active at the start of the year until the 1[st] lockdown (see separate report on Chad’s Place). Since the initial lock down, Games afternoons have not started again but we hope to do so as the pool table is getting a bit dusty!

St Chad’s was delighted to welcome back Rev Graham Morris for our patronal service this year and we very much appreciated the journey both he and Angela made from Cirencester to be with us. We have since remained in contact with Graham for prayer and news!

It was on 22[nd] March, Mothering Sunday when Lockdown hit St Chad’s and the Parish of Bilston resulting in no public services for 4 months. As a response to having no physical services, St Chads created a ‘Lock down Home Pack’ that contained a service of Morning and Night Prayer, quizzes, biblical reflections and even a bookmark. We produced Home Packs for March to July, November – January and now January 2021 to March 2021. This helped launch a regular livestreamed Morning Prayer every day on the Facebook page during the first lockdown and it had evolved for the 2[nd] lockdown in November, but continued through until Christmas Day after which we took a short break. The Moring prayers were reaching a lot of people with daily numbers up to 100 from my study until we were allowed back into the church building. The Morning Prayers have been very popular and with the help of Diane Woodberry, we have been able to maintain them over the year. St Chad’s moved its Bible Study from a physical gathering to a Zoom meeting each week (See separate report).

Along with Morning Prayer each day, I launched a Service of the Word from the Vicarage every Sunday morning at 10:00am over the 4 months which received views of over 150. This has encouraged people to join St Chad’s Facebook page which now has over 200 followers! Live-streaming the Sunday service on to Facebook have continued to the end of the year and has been received well, even with a few microphone/sound problems. This is continuing into 2021. St Chad’s returned to public worship with a Service of the Word on 2[nd] August and Communion was re-introduced in the weeks that followed. We were able to have a Harvest service and donated the offering to the Food Services running out of the Parish Centre. The church was closed again in for the whole of November, with a live-streamed Remembrance Day Service from St Chads, but the church was re-opened in December for Advent and Christmas services. St Chad’s launched a “After Service Fellowship” on Zoom which didn’t work to well but we hope in the 2021 lockdown, it will be used again.

For Holy Week and Easter, I did a reflection each day from the Vicarage garden live- streamed as we looked at the Passion Narrative according to Mark’s gospel, with our own Easter garden. These reflections were watched by members of other churches in Bilston too and even one reached over 800! An early-morning Easter Sunday service was introduced live-streamed and this maybe something to do again in the new year.

For those who were unable to access Facebook, I encouraged the use of the Home Packs which contained the lectionary readings for each day including Sundays. We provided CD versions of the services for those who needed them. By the November lock-down, Home packs were also delivered to all across the Parish and we hope they were a benefit to you.

On 11[th] August, St Chad’s welcomed Bishop Michael, Bishop of Lichfield as part of his walking pilgrimage to all the churches in the Diocese that are named after St Chad to mark the 1350[th] Anniversary of the saints death. We held a small service of prayer and the Bishop commented about what a gem the church is in the centre of the community and he gave the church a blessing & gift before he departed. Thanks to all who helped support this visit, and thanks to councillor Linda Leach and councillor Olivia Birch, who helped Kim, Jeremiah, Anna and myself to get the outside of the church tidy.

In October, St Chad’s was able to launch its new fresh expression that it hoped to have launched from Easter Sunday but prevented to do so because of COVID. This has followed the successful Messy Christmas and Easters in St Chads and we launched ‘Fusion@4’. This is our new monthly Saturday afternoon service at 4pm which is based on a Messy Church model but has the freedom to include a variety of Worship. It’s tag line is “Worship, Crafts, Fun (Food – when we can).” They have been very popular with the families on the estate and complements the WAT? Services that happen on the 1[st] Sunday of each month. Fusion@4 is an event to invite people to who are not use to the formal structure of Sunday worship and I hope it will be supported and encouraged by the whole parish in the coming year.

St Chad’s, with the rest of the Parish, were hoping for the 1[st] time this year to go to the Keswick Convention in July this year with our sister churches at Holy Trinity West Bromwich and St James and St Paul’s, West Bromwich. Due to COVID, the convention was cancelled physically but they launched a virtual convention. This encouraged the 3 parishes to launch ‘Keswick in the Black Country’ where we met each night over the 5 days of the virtual convention to discuss the teaching of Christopher Ash on Psalms 2,3,4,5,6 and pray through what impact it may have on us as churches in the Black Country. We hope to go to the convention as a cohort this coming year!

St Chad’s welcomed back Mavis Littleford from ‘Leprosy Mission’ on 25[th] October as part of our service and to update us on the work they have been doing. The church raised up to £70 on that Sunday for the work of Leprosy Mission and we pray the partnership continues. St Chad’s continued to Support “Operation Christmas Child’ and were delighted to send 12 boxes out which was more than we sent last year. St Chad’s is also partnering with the NTCOG Food Services running out of the Parish Centre to help deliver food parcels to those struggling on our estate during the lockdowns.

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The Parish

My involvement with the whole parish this year has been dramatically restricted because of COVID. I continued to help and support the ‘Inspire Praises’ in St Leonards before the 1[st] Lockdown and we hope they will be relaunched in 2021. Parish-Camp was cancelled and has been re-booked at Upton-Magna for 2021, Hope in the Park has been cancelled this year and no meetings have be convened about 2021 but again, we hope this may happen in the new year along with the Churches Together Prayer breakfasts that have been cancelled.

During the lockdown, I’ve been supporting Diane Woodberry in creating CD services for both Glenthorne and The Elms which have been warmly received. We hope to be able to go in the homes in the coming year.

The Lent Course for this year was ‘Talking Jesus,’ an outreach course designed to encourage us to talk more confidently about our faith as we seek to encourage and pray for others we know to come to faith. Due to COVID, the course was never finished but I’m hoping to re-launch it in 2021 as a refresher while hoping to do another parish seekers course in the coming year too. I introduced a new Advent book this year called ‘Fixated’ by Tim Chester and several in the Parish have been reading and reflect on Hebrews 1 over the Advent period. During the Lockdown, I delivered a total of 100 Home packs to members of all the churches in the Parish to encourage them in prayer and reading the scriptures. At Christmas, I was able to help Jane Dooley, to create ‘The Christmas Journey’ in St Leonards as a substitute for the Crib Service, Reclaiming Christmas and Carol Services. We opened the church up during the week running up to Christmas and was received well by those who came. This might be something we can continue to do in the coming years.

A project that has been taking a good amount of my time this year has been the Curates House. I would like to thank Kim Benton for her dedicated hard-work over the last 6-12 months to help push the progress with the Curate’s house. At time of writing this, we are pleased that the House has not only been put up for sale, but we have sold it for more than the asking price! This will give the Parish a much-needed financial cushion for the coming years while removing a ‘burden’ that has involved both the Police and Fire Brigade because of the Anti-social behaviour on the house and towards the Church and Parish Centre. This has meant new borders have been created between St Chad’s and the Curates House with new fencing being put in place now blocking off the Russell Road entrance to the church.

Schools

Even during the restrictions of this year, I have been able to maintain the schools work. I’m still serving as a Foundation Governor at Green Park School and helping the school to go through the COVID changes. I have been recording and sending in videos to the school for Lent, Easter, Harvest and participated in their virtual Christingle assembly. I’ve been sending in Bible Stories that helped with their learning themes and I believe they have been received well. For those at St Chads will know, the involvement at Green Park has encouraged us to bring Makaton into our Sunday services which we hope will bridge the gap between the church and the school.

This year I still maintained the role of ‘Worship Pastor’ in Bilston C of E Primary, heading up the Worship Group in the school up to the Lockdown. For Easter, there was a plan for the Worship group to take Easter Eggs to those in Care Homes but when the Lockdown began, all plans for the rest of the Spring and Summer term came to an end. I was able to do a few virtual assemblies for the school on a Tuesday morning. When the schools re-opened in September, I was doing assemblies on Tuesday mornings in a class that was streamed across the other classes to main the worship on a Tuesday. I still went in on Wednesday to help be a part of RE Lessons and telling Bible Stories.

With a year group, I helped the school send 5 Shoeboxes for Operation Christmas which they enjoyed doing. For Christmas, I helped write, direct and film the Christmas Carol Service for the school which was put up on the schools website. I’m hoping to maintain the links with the schools and continue to build the bridges between them and the Parish.

I would like to thank everyone again this year who has helped in supporting mission and outreach in our Parish this year and my prayer is that all the seeds of the Lord’s Word that have been scattered over the internet, through the letter box, on CD will bear much fruit knowing that the coming year will be hard too, not just with COVID, but for our churches and with the upcoming vacancy too. These are my words for 2020 and as we go through 2021 from 2 Thessalonians 2:15-16

15 So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter. [16 ] May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, [17 ] encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.

Rev Simon Skidmore

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Deanery Synod Report

Synod met twice during 2020. The February meeting was held at St Luke's Blakenhall. The main business was led by Amanda Robbie from Holy Trinity West Bromwich on the subject of Clergy Wellbeing. Amanda who is the wife of Neil Robbie, Vicar of Holy Trinity gave a comprehensive presentation on the subject, suggesting ways we can aim for a happy and healthy church family and how the congregation can ensure that our clergy are well. She produced a list of helpful tips which can be made available to parishioners who wish to follow up on this important subject. The October meeting was a Zoom meeting, the main business being a preliminary look at the forthcoming Shaping for Mission project.

Philip Dooley

Parish Church Warden Report

Towards the end of 2019 who would have thought that the virus reports coming from China that we were hearing about on our news programs would be having such a devastating effect on us and indeed the rest of the world. Early in 2020 they started to materialise and by March we were in total lockdown. Hundreds were dying, hospitals barely coping, schools, industry and community all shut, nothing happening. Nearly everyone is wearing face masks with people scrambling to buy hand gel whilst at the same time trying to maintain social distancing.

Lockdown meant places of worship could not open and as a result all our usual services and events and activities planned for 2020 could not go ahead.

It may seem that against this backdrop there is nothing to report and yet the resilience of the church’s tells us that this was not so. From a safe distance some of us met to discuss exactly what we could do. What we decided was to keep in touch with our church members by email and by telephone. Those with online services would get regular emails and others a regular telephone call. Obviously, this needed to be managed. In the case of emails, it was easy to create an email bank wherein one email could be sent to many. Telephone calls were something different. For St Mary’s Church Rev Dave Wills would assume the responsibility of weekly calls. Rev Simon Skidmore would do the same for St Chad’s. Due to the numbers involved Phil Dooley and I shared the list for St Leonard’s. In alphabetical order I took 1 to 50 and Phil had 51 to 86, (I think). Therefore, on a regular basis we have been in touch with the majority of church members across the Parish. Sadly, there have been members that we have not been able to contact due to no contact details being available for them and little or no means of getting in touch.

During these electrical conversations news and prayers have been maintained and shared.

Throughout the lockdown period weekly services have been recorded and put onto Facebook. These are proving to be popular.

Needless to say, closure has had a tremendous effect on our income. The vast majority of members have by one means or another managed to maintain their weekly or monthly giving. I would like to express my sincere appreciation to all of you who have. Your regular contributions payed our parish share. Where income has been lost is by loose plate giving. Fewer people at funerals and charity box giving has greatly reduced loose plate giving as well as reduced income from services

Throughout this terrible year the resilience of the parish has been put to the test and through faith, prayers and your generosity we have remained steadfast.

It is indeed sad to report that the Methodist Circuit is pressing ahead with the closure of Stowlawn without any serious communication with us. Effectively this means that we have lost our Christian witness on Stowlawn.

During 2020 all three-remaining church’s – St Mary’s – St Chads and St. Leonard’s have continued to witness as best they could, and I would add have done a brilliant job.

At the start of 2021 glimmers of hope can be seen. Let us hope and pray that this continues to grow so that we can get back to a new understanding of normality.

Mike Shelley-Smith

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St Leonard’s District Warden Report

No need to repeat what is already contained in the, Parish Warden’s, report but it is worth recording what has been achieved at St. Leonard’s during 2020. Just to recap 2019 you will recall the substantial work carried out on the church as a result of the dry rot problem that we had. Some of the work was completed very early on in 2020. Consequently, we had dust everywhere. With plastering dust, you end up just chasing it around the church until you finally get rid of it. In March Sue and I stared a mammoth in-depth clean in both the church – Stairwells – Lounge and Balcony areas. This process took up to July when we both agreed we had done as much as we could. This was good timing because if only for a brief period we were allowed to open in September.

It was good to be able to join together in worship with many regular church members. Sadly, due to the virus situation many vulnerable members were not able to do so and are still sheltering at home.

During October we I organised the clearing of all shrub and other growth around the church building. Indeed, we are in debt to John and Jane Searle with the help of their daughter carried out the wok for us. They did a fantastic job undertaking much more than they had been scheduled to do. We had hoped to have had all the cuttings taken away by Christmas however due to gas leak problems immediately outside the church entrance we could not. The cuttings were cleared in February 2021.

During September up to December we held service mindful of social distancing I track and trace recording and hand sanitizing as was lawful. The services were different with no singing or real congregation participation. They were enjoyable but not the same, we love to sing hymns of praise and join in. We did decorate the church for Christmas and the Carol Service seemed strange with no sung carols. Thanks to the efforts of Jane Dooley and Rev Simon Skidmore we had a sort of (The way of Nativity) similar to the Stations of the Cross, A number of bays were erected in church each bay illustrating an aspect of the nativity story. It was enjoyed by many.

During the lock down period Rev Dave did online services on Facebook and it would appear that these have gone well. Around November/ December we learned that Rev Dave and Liz Wills were moving on to St Pauls Pendeford and that Dave’s last service would be 31[st] January 2021. A new start for them and for us in more ways than we expected.

Mike Shelley-Smith

St. Mary’s District Wardens Report

What a mixed year 2020 has been. It started well enough and we were able to hold our Ash Wednesday Ashing Service and looking forward to Lent and Easter. Unfortunately, the coronavirus arrived and started running rampage around the world.

To try and stop the increase the Government placed a lockdown from mid-March which included Churches not holding public services. Easter passed without any Church activity. St Mary’s opened the Second Sunday in September after making many safety precautions and celebrated our Patronal Festival. Then once again lockdown closed us for the whole of November due to a large increase in virus numbers, this was again eased and we were able to hold our Midnight Mass and the following Sunday, before lockdown again.

The biggest problem is that after each lockdown the number of the congregation return is less because most of our members are in the vulnerable group and self-isolating and not able to meet with other people. We can only hope and pray that the new vaccines coming are coming into use that the position will improve and get back to normal (whatever that is?)

All of us at St. Mary’s send our thanks to Rev. Dave and Liz for all their help and support here during their stay in the Parish of Bilston and wish them every success and happiness in their new venture.

Brian Fellows

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St. Chad’s District Wardens Report

1. Fabric Report

• a. In the last 12 months we have had the lower roof tiles reset and secured also, the Curate’s house sale has been approved and should be completed very soon. A metal fence has been erected around the Curates house garden, separating it from the Church grounds also the large bushes cut down.

• b. We are also Planning to build a ramp from the church emergency door to help the disabled to exit from that door.

• c. Fire extinguisher inspections have been carried out during 2020. Reports are available.

  • South side of Sanctuary ceiling around the bell pull, water ingress damage still visible but the main problem has been sorted. To be completed with the decoration of the Chancel.

• e. Wasps in the Vestry This problem seems to have been addressed. Few Wasps yet in 2019. They did not return in 2020.

• f. Loose floor blocks in the nave of the church are causing more concern this year. We were looking at a temporary cover for the current floor because of the expense of repair and were advised against it.

• g. The gardens around the church are expected to be maintained with the help of those doing community service after Coved-19 restrictions are relaxed. Also, a purple bin has being ordered for garden waste.

• h. It is hoped that in the future we can develop a disabled toilet, and possibly an enlarged kitchen. We would also like to move the Church entrance to the car park side of the church as this would create a welcoming appearance and easier access to St Chad’s, but this is a long-term plan.

• 1. Equipment

• a. We are still looking to update our sound system at St Chad’s.

3. Events/ church users

• a. We plan to repeat the beetle drives we had in 2019 and to include Bingo and

  • Fish & Chip nights as soon as the restrictions allow.

• b. It was intended to repeat the Barn dance in 2020 but of course this was impossible.

• c. We have increased our regular congregation.

• d. The Wesleyan Church ceased to use the church building between 12:00-2:00pm on two Sundays per Month in December.

• e. The Chad Centre is being used by the Wesleyan Church as a drop and collect centre for a food supply service.

• f. Bible reading and Prayer class continues to be held on Tuesday evenings online in a Zoom meeting organized by Reverend Simon.

• g. Chad’s Place has been meeting online during the lockdowns.

• h. Three local Councillors are still using St Chad’ for their Monthly surgeries and have been extremely helpful in arranging finance for the Centre.

Pat and John Arnold

General Data Protection Regulation Report

There has been another quiet time for maintenance of everybody’s privacy. I just want to remind everyone that officially the church keeps contact details on everyone who gives us permission so to do. We cannot give out addresses and phone numbers without permission. If you are a worshipper at any of our three churches, please ask a warden for a form giving us permission to hold this information. I appreciate for some people this may prove difficult but there may be a route around the problem.

Diane Woodberry and Kerry Bircher

10

Safeguarding of Vulnerable Children and Adults Report

We are happy to report there has been few problems regarding safeguarding issues in the Parish although a couple of issues proved the procedure works when necessary and have given us learning opportunities too. There is back up from the Diocesan Safeguarding Department. We are not on our own when dealing with these issues.

We will be following the Diocesan policies on the recruitment of volunteers to certain posts which will involve two references being obtained and DBS being obtained.

Our protection is guided by policies issued by the Church, both Nationally and from the Diocese. The PCC has recently instigated the latest policy for both children (under18) and adults (everyone else). These will continue to be reviewed every March.

Kerry and I will be leading information giving sessions to the relevant people concerning PCC responsibilities on safeguarding. Some of the training on this topic is to be found on the internet and please do not be offended if we ask you to complete it but the church is subject to the same rules as everyone else in the community.

Please be aware that posters are on each church notice board informing all church users of who to contact if they have a problem or see one occurring. The pathway followed for such complaints is explained too. Should you need help in any safeguarding issue please contact:

Kerry Bircher and Diane Woodberry

St Leonard’s Together @ 10.30 Service Report

In 2020 the family services began with the completion of last year’s theme. It seemed a little strange dealing with crucifixion and resurrection in October and November 2019 and then launching into Revelation and our future hope in January, but a good way to start the year.

February saw the beginning of our new theme of “A Fruitful Year”. This theme focussed on the Fruits of the Spirit and what these mean for us. We started with Love, looking at how God’s love is so much more than our own, praying about those we find it hard to love and situations which need the love of God to change things. The second session was about Joy, a good subject considering what was to come only a week later. Unfortunately, by the weekend of the Together service in March the COVID19 Pandemic had become significant and many people had already stopped coming to church, but we went ahead anyway. This was the last time we would all be together for a very long time. Oh, how we have needed the fruits of the spirit during 2020.

By the time the first lockdown had lifted enough for us to begin to meet together it was for short services with no singing and led by only one person. The family service that we had developed did not really fit into this format and anyway, families were extremely reluctant to return to church. Therefore, there have been no further plans to restart the Together at 10:30 services currently; however, we will be back with worship for everyone as soon as life begins to return to some sort of normality!

Jane Dooley

St Leonard’s Sunday School & Young People’s Report

As with the family services, although we had had a stable regular group of young people up to March, this all came to an abrupt standstill when the first lockdown happened. At first, we were told it would be for 3 weeks, but of course it continued way beyond that.

At the beginning of May I began a series of short weekly story sessions online – recorded on the church Facebook page. These continued until mid-September, a total of 20 weekly sessions of an average 15mins each – 5 hours’ worth of bible stories, beginning with Joseph and working through to Elijah. Although this was done primarily for the children and young people, the only real responses I got were from various adults (not parents of the kids either)!

In December we decided that we needed to do something for Christmas. We invited the children from St Leonard’s and St Chad’s to come in to record a video of the Christmas story from various points of view and to help create scenes or tableaux of the various parts of the story. They did a fantastic job and the finished ‘Christmas Journey’ was a COVID safe ticketed event which ran for six days and was enjoyed by members of the parish congregations as well as members of the public. At least we finished 2020 on a high note.

I look forward to welcoming the young people back one day, and by then the senior group will be boosted by a number of younger ones who have grown up so much since we last saw them!!

Jane Dooley

11

Primary Section

At the beginning of 2020 we had a great start with many plans to do more cooking and other activities unfortunately due to the current circumstances these were all put to a stop.

With a regular number and group of children we continued to follow the church lectionary which I feel is important as it means the whole family have done the same lesson so conversation can enhance the days story. The children have as previous years responded well to this along with the activities and crafts we do.

Becki Wills

The Children of St Chad’s (Sunday School)

We started the year well in our children’s group with 4 children under 6 supported by 2 of our teenagers and myself looking at a series on stories that Jesus told. In January we had cleared and rearranged a space at the back of church for the children to use for this study. On a couple of occasions, we also used one of the office spaces in the Centre for the children, as we had more than the usual 6 and the space at the back of church was too small for all the children to sit and listen comfortably.

Children were encouraged to join in during the WAT services and sat with their families. During these services a colouring activity based on the theme of the service was provided for them to complete with their families if they wanted.

During lockdown 1 I sent a few bible stories and craft activities to the families of the children in our small group. They were also encouraged to join in with the children’s track on the online Keswick convention. I know one of the young girls did join in and found it very enjoyable, they may even consider joining us at Keswick 2021.

Since our return to Church August 2020 we have not met as a Sunday School as the space at the back of church does not allow for adequate social distancing and the office space that we used in the centre has been used on a Sunday morning by NTCOG. I have however been providing colouring and wordsearch activities for children who do attend the services to complete in their seats should they wish to. Most Sunday’s however there are only two children in attendance, the Skidmore Children.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Emily and Charlotte Davis for joining us and supporting the younger children in Sunday School and all Davis children for their continued friendship to all the children of St Chad’s. I know that many parents, not just myself, are very grateful to you for keeping our children occupied at the end of the service so parents can talk and socialise (pre COVID-19).

Looking forward into 2021, I am hoping to continue and finish our series on stories and parables and move on to some other materials that we have in the vicarage. I am also hoping to bring the children more into the WAT services having them learn songs and prayers in advance so they can help with some of the leading during these services.

Kim Skidmore

HOPE in the Park & Reclaiming Christmas

Hope in the Park and Reclaiming Christmas were events which were completely shut down by COVID19. They will return when we are sure it is safe to hold them again.

Jane Dooley

12

Melting Pot Community Café Ministry Report

Having got to the end of 2019 in a much healthier position, the future of the Melting Pot Café looked good as we went into 2020. We had ended 2019 on a high, cooking Christmas dinner for about 50 people and most days bustling with customers.

The cold and wet of January always bring a bit of a slowdown but we ticked over quite nicely at the beginning of 2020. Sadly, this was not to continue …

By early March COVID was beginning to make its presence felt and numbers were dropping rapidly at the Café. Extensive cleaning took place and a regime of sanitising tables and chairs after each customer was adopted however, when a national lockdown was announced it quickly became obvious that the Melting Pot would not be able to remain open. The doors closed on Tuesday 17[th] March, initially for about 3 weeks.

As Lockdown was extended, we were able to take advantage of the government furlough scheme in order to continue to employ Diane Harper, but when we were still unable to reopen by June, we sadly had to take the difficult decision to make Diane redundant. As we had no income and no reserves it was the only option we had left.

HOWEVER … just prior to the closure of the cafe I managed to contact a number of isolated and vulnerable people who had begun to attend the lunch club. Throughout the first lockdown I was able to provide one meal per week which I delivered out to about 9 people who were unable to leave the house and many saw no-one else to speak to ‘face to face’. The main aim of this venture was to remain in contact with people and provide much needed emotional support as well as practical help and this was much appreciated by the recipients.

As soon as the lockdown lifted sufficiently, we met at St Leonard’s as a lunch club, each person on their own table spaced 2 meters apart from each other. As all recipients were happy to pay for their meal and all were more than happy to be able to share in a little companionship, a strong bond grew up and we were also able to make some small donations to the Melting Pot funds. We began to accept a few new people into the club but reached the limit of our space quite quickly. This combined with the need for us as workers – Diane Woodberry, Ysabel Miller, Ann Price and myself – to keep a distance between us when working, led to our move down to the Chad Centre, which gave us a much bigger kitchen space and the ability to spread out more in the main hall and so accept a few more members. Sadly, with weekly meals increased to only 17, lockdown two struck and we had to return to a delivery service only.

Throughout this time, we have also looked at the long-proposed extension to the kitchen at St Leonard’s, as its current limitations have been very much highlighted. An estimated cost has been provided by the architect and comes in at around £80,000; a big sum which will require some major grant applications in order to achieve this.

I see The Melting Pot Café as an important part of the work of the church, enabling the building to be open daily for those who wish to look around or to come in to pray, it offers a place of refuge for the lonely, a place of warmth and comfort for those with little else to do and a place of companionship for those who would otherwise have no conversation within the week. It enables groups to meet weekly, provides work experience opportunities to vulnerable people and volunteering opportunities to those who just want something to do with their time.

The Melting Pot Café will return but will need to be rebuilt and re-imagined to enable us to move forward with new purpose and a vision for the future. We will shortly be putting together a new committee, so if you are interested in helping to prayerfully re-imagine what the Melting Pot could become, please let me know.

Jane Dooley

St Len’s Café Report

St Len’s cafe has been a successful venture within the community, keeping St Leonard's open 7 days a week and serving the best bacon sandwiches in Bilston an opinion told to us every week. The year started well with numbers increasing every week. Unfortunately, in March Covid struck and following government rules and guidelines we had to close. If we are to open again, we will have to look at costs and seek funding due to both of us now only working part time.

Adrian and Mandy Mallen

13

Magazine Ministry Report

I have been the editor of the magazine for just over five years. The magazine includes a variety of articles, picture content and current information to support the community.

This year, due to the pandemic, the distribution of the magazine has been affected due to Church closures. I understand the magazine was published online during Church closures. In addition, in December the magazine was posted to parishioners.

Subscribing to Parish Pump allows free access to images and articles on a monthly basis. It is an excellent website which has an extensive range of information and material for inclusion in the magazine. It is reader friendly and has a lively appeal to an audience. The website has a current range of news articles, including fund-raising ideas. The account is set up in the name of Liz Wills and can be accessed by multiple users for differing reasons. The range of articles is wide and certainly is informative. There is a good mix of church related articles as well as articles relating to issues that the community may face and topical news issues.

In February I wrote to all the advertisers in the magazine inviting them to re-advertise with us for another year. The cost of advertising has remained the same as the previous year (£45 for a half page yearly advert and £90 for a full-page advert). All responses are returned to the vicarage with payments made to the parish if accepted by the advertisers. As some companies no longer have cheque books. If they choose not to re-advertise with us then I will seek further reputable companies in the local area. The decision for advertisers to renew their subscriptions is a positive statement about the magazine. We have 4 companies which are advertising in the magazine and I expect them to renew for the forthcoming year. However, due to the pandemic, advertisers may be reluctant to advertise due to current restrictions relating to certain businesses. This may depend upon new Government guidelines.

Positive comments continue to be received about the magazine and its content, especially in relation to the variety. Parishioners have shared their views about the magazine with me and from feedback I understand that most people enjoy reading material that is relevant to living in modern society. It appears that the variety of content is what is appealing to the audience. This year I have received very few articles for publication from members of the Parish. It would benefit the magazine if more articles were regularly contributed. Although, I have included articles which require a response, still very few articles/responses have been submitted. Bilston CE Primary School are now regularly contributing. Reverend Simon Skidmore is also contributing a monthly article related to Church History. I see the magazine reaching out to all members of the Parish so I want to welcome articles from all. It would be beneficial if each church in the parish would submit their news for regular publication. This is something I intend to pursue. Each month there is a pictorial theme which adorns the front cover. Dave and Simon have been taking it in turns to write for the magazine on a monthly basis. In order to reach out to the local community I have included:

• Church and the Community Page – this indicates important dates in the calendar where community members can find out about issues which may affect them; helplines; legal issues or ways to become involved in other interests

• Pages for our Younger Readers– this ensures it is a magazine for all; encourages parents/carers and children to read the magazine together

• In the News- current news articles affecting the Church

• Book Reviews

• More serial articles to promote continuity and interest

• Poems and Prayers

• Inclusion of local school articles – these are produced by children giving a reason for their writing and encouraging their parents to buy the magazine

• Occasional puzzles and Quiz questions

• Smile lines- inclusion of humour to appeal to all

• Film reviews which indicates the magazine is in the modern world

• More pictorial content to appeal to readers

• Announcements- for Baptisms, Marriages and Funeral

• Updates/articles where necessary related to Coronavirus

The magazine continues to evolve, and I think it is important that it stays fresh and current. I aim to encourage more contributions from members of the Parish. I will endeavour to encourage more submission of articles from the local community.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Liz Wills who provides me with the Parish Register and who prints the magazine and for all her help with the magazine over the past 5 years.

I look forward to working alongside Sue Shelley-Smith, in producing the magazine in 2021.

Maxine Gentle

14

Pepperpot Report

"The only "home-grown" activity here has been the recent introduction of a Sunday morning "bellringing club" for a number of youngsters in the care of Hazel and Chenise. These are by far the youngest that I have ever taught, or, indeed, the youngest who have ever been taught here, ranging from ages six to nine and the sessions are conducted on an ad hoc, private tuition basis with parent / carer presence, so it is good to be able to end this year on a bright note". So ended last year's report and the positive nature continued throughout January and February and into March when Sunday sessions were replaced by a regular Saturday morning practice. Although Towlson and Imogen had fallen by the wayside. Isaiah, Malachai and Solomon had persevered to such an extent that nothing other than full practices were sufficient to cater for their proficiency. Both the Penn and Willenhall bands made themselves willingly available to ensure that the boys had the best start to a ringing career and my word, didn't they do well!

Then - Wallop! The end of March and the imposition of lockdown brought an untimely end to all the good things. Ringing internationally was suspended entirely with Australia being able to start again at the end of our summer. Just a handful of towers here are able to sound out within the draconian restrictions of ventilation / distance and family association but with a slight relaxing of the regulations for Christmas, limited ringing was undertaken on Christmas Eve and the day itself.

It is not possible to tell when anything like we have been used to will be available again and in the ringing world we only have the example of the suspension of 1940 to 1943 to call upon, but I do hope that we will be able to make up for lostground sooner than later and re-capture and re-interest those who, like OUR youngsters, were cruelly denied lifeenhancing opportunities.

Remi Hodister

Mothers Union Report

Our 2020 theme was “Hope and confidence” but lockdown due to coronavirus meant cancellation of all of our fundraising projects and stop hiring out our Conference Room in London with loss of hire-out charges. Undoubtedly these actions would help stop spread of the virus but not help to support our Christian charity work at home and overseas. A special appeal “Urgent Appeal – Coronavirus” was opened to take precedence over all else. Events cancelled included Christmas Raffle withdrawn, “A Summer of Hope” function, Garden Parties and similar. Sale of Christmas cards/goods went ahead with a substantial order placed (yet again with thanks to non-members orders). Bilston branch sent a donation for the Urgent appeal.

At this time of sorrow with people getting the virus and/or losing a loved one, our prayers are with them all. Resources for prayer and worship were made available and continue to be on Facebook, MU website, zoom etc. for business and/or friendship contacts when needed. A new Diocesan Chaplain is soon to be appointed following retirement of Father Carl who is thanked for his input and commitment to Mothers’ Union for so long.

Sheran Harper, World President, sent us a lovely message: - So much has happened in such a short time, my thoughts and prayers are with you. I hope like me you will find comfort in the words of our Lord from Isaiah 41:10 “So do not fear for I am with you. Do not be dismayed for I am your God and I will strengthen you and help you. I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Veronica Britton

World Day of Prayer Report

The World day of Prayer 2020 was the last event that I took part in before lockdown last year. It took place on 6[th] March 2020 at the New Testament Church of God. 37 people from across Bilston Churches together attended as we focused our prayer on Zimbabwe. The theme for the evening was ‘Take up your mat and Walk’.

This year 2021 was due to take place on 5[th] March 2021 however with Covid restrictions still in place this will not be happening until later on in the year. It was written in Vanuatu and the theme is ‘Build a strong foundation’. I will have links for a livestream of this service nearer the time.

2022’s event is due to take place at St Len’s and was written in England/wales/ Northern Ireland and a theme of ‘I know the plans I have for you’

Kim Skidmore

15

Flower Ministry Report

The report from the flower arrangers this year is understandably brief. Due to the situations that have been created by the covid19 pandemic there has been no flower arrangements required for weddings. We do intend to explore the flower market when they reopen with a view to amending the prices that we charge for the service we provide, but this job will of course have to wait until it is safe and feasible to undertake.

There has of course been flower arrangements in church and that is thanks to the wonderful ladies who have given their time to create a collection of beautiful artificial arrangements that are displayed and can be changed regularly. Please do notice these wonderful arrangements and remember to give thanks for the gifts and talents of our lovely flower arrangers when you do.

Mandy Mallen

Bible Study and Prayer at St Chad’s Report

The Bible Study and Prayer meetings at St Chads continued to meet at the start of 2020. These meetings take place on a Tuesday evening at 7:00pm and the purpose of the group continues to encourage our knowledge and dependence on God’s Word, to grow more as disciples of Jesus and to pray for the issues of the week while giving thanks for all that God has given us. We continue to use prepared Bible Study material which we adapt for our context at St Chads. In January we started our study looking at the Acts of the Apostles. The period of time looking at this book had gone beyond what we had initially planned. The study was intended to be 16 weeks in length that had two 8 session books, but that has turned into near 40 weeks. The reason for the extended length of the study was due to the Lockdown. We were able to complete 3 full sessions before Lent, but after Easter when we picked up Acts again, we were unable to meet in person. This resulted in us moving the Bible study onto Zoom. At the time we had the free 40-minute license which cut our full studies in half if not a to 1/3. The meetings were held on a Wednesday from 7:30pm and finished at 8:10.

By September, I was in a position to buy a license for Zoom that resulted in us picking up the pace through Acts. We then returned to Tuesdays where we still kept the time at 7:30pm. We had at least a gathering of 5-6 per meeting with a total of 12 doing a study on Acts during the year. Throughout the studies, everyone has built the confidence to read and participate in the studies.

During Lent, we paused from Acts to focus on a new outreach course called “Talking Jesus.” This was done across the Parish with a meeting on a Tuesday morning in St Leonards and Wednesday Evening in St Chads. The 6-session course was to encourage us to be more confident in talking about our faith, to talk openly about Jesus while praying for 5 people we know to talk confidently about our faith. Both the day and evening sessions were well received and attended. Unfortunately, due to the lockdown we were unable to complete the course but I’m hoping to relaunch it again in the new year for people to complete it or be refreshed about its content. We had hoped to do a lot more during 2020 but we hope to pick this up again 2021. We hope to study the book of Ruth, look at an apocalyptic book, a major prophet and a gospel in the coming year along with a Lent Course, finishing Talking Jesus and the possibility of doing a seeker course too. The Bible Study meetings are not just for an inclusive group, it is for everyone who wants to know their Bibles better and we are always open for anyone who would like to join us, regardless of how much or little they might know the Bible. I pray we continue to grow and become more dependant of God’s Word into the coming year. If anyone would like more information about how to join or would like the zoom meeting information please contact me.

Rev Simon Skidmore

InSpire Praise Ministry

Having re-thought inSPIRE Praise in 2019 and established a link with the family services through the theme and planning process, our aim in 2020 was to build on this and continue the improvement in teaching and worship. Sadly, as with everything else it all came to a standstill in March and has been unable to restart to date. In October 2020 three members of the band caught COVID 19; Mark and Joanne Bircher only had a mild dose, but Kerry was taken seriously ill and eventually ended up spending 10 days on a ventilator. The whole parish combined in fervent prayer for Kerry and the whole Bircher family and by God’s grace Kerry was returned to her family on Saturday 19[th] December, just in time for Christmas. It will be a very long journey back to health and wellbeing, but we all long for the day when we will be able to hear Kerry sing to us with the Heart of Worship Band once again.

Jane Dooley

16

Christmas Day Lunch

This report has been incredibly difficult to write, it is with great sadness that I must report that we did not and could not offer a Christmas lunch to those in need on Christmas day 2020.

This is yet another casualty of the global covid19 pandemic, which made it not only unsafe but illegal to gather people together to celebrate the birth of Jesus. In recent years we have opened our church to people in varying degrees of need and provided them with not only a Christmas lunch but with company and friendship. In the run up to Christmas I received several messages and enquiries asking if we were offering this again, In a year that the need is arguably greater than it ever has been, due to people losing income and sadly for some losing family members, to have to tell them that we couldn’t safely provide for them was very difficult. I did explore lots of options to find a viable way to continue, these options included

• Lunch delivery – This would have been very difficult to cook and serve up so many take away meals in my own kitchen due to space.

• Cost – the costs involved are considerable and would have increased if we had to buy take away boxes to put food in, donations may have been less this year as most come from small businesses who were already struggling to help us before the covid19 issue.

• Company – The Christmas lunch is not just about the food, it’s about bringing people together so that no-one is alone at Christmas, due to the restrictions on people gathering this was impossible.

After much prayer and reflection, we had to take the decision to postpone our lunch and pray for all those we know of that would have joined us instead.

I am cautiously optimistic that Christmas 2021 will see us return to our Christmas day celebrations but in this world of uncertainty we shall see

Mandy Mallen

17

The Parish Centre

The Parish Centre at St Chads has had a very quiet year. The departure of Usha Patel and Glen Lewis at the start of year has meant a change in personnel involved in the general running of the Centre. The Parish Centre Committee have been unable to meet during the COVID lockdown but they are made aware of anything that needs to be informed apart from that which is reported to PCC meetings. The continuing management of the Centre has been taken by myself, Kimberly Skidmore, Pat & John Arnold, Diane Woodberry, Brian Fellows and our latest volunteer, Mr Clive Travis. Clive has been superb in helping to open and close the Centre, taking a lot of pressure off me and Kim. Clive has been an answer to prayer for the centre and we hope he will be able to continue to help us for the future.

The hopes and plans for the centre have been put on hold because of COVID. There has been interest in Nursery groups to use the vacant space left behind by Little Rascals but the lockdowns have prevented any further development. The Centre had both boilers condemned at the start of the year, but we have been in the position to purchase one new boiler which has served the centre over the year. The Centre will need a 2[nd] boiler installed in the new year. The centre is in need for new lighting, décor and users for it.

Behind the scene, I must say a huge thank you to Kim Benton for her hard work in sorting out the finances for the Centre and for receiving a grant from the Council to help the running and survival of the Centre during this COVID year. Like the church, the Centre has been closed for at least 4 months of the year. This has resulted in no parties, private functions or events meaning we have lost out on income and users of the Centre. We have lost 1 user group, a church, Kingdom Way Living Church, who used the centre twice.

Our regular user groups have been – Slimming World on a Wednesday Evening and Saturday morning – Drama Club on a Saturday Morning that have moved from SWBA during COVID (We hope they stay as a permanent user of the Centre) & our over 60’s who meet on a Friday afternoon.

As a temporary agreement, The New Testament Church of God have been using the Parish Centre on a Sunday Morning while they are having building work completed on their church. The length of work has been extended and by the end of the year, they were still using the Centre. NTCOFG have also set up a Food Service from the office space at the front of the Centre on a Tuesday & Friday morning. Volunteers have been from their church and St Chads. This has received good publicity in the Express & Star with involvement from the Local counsellors and Pat McFadden MP. We pray this may continue either in its current form or in a way that the Parish may be able to help manage it when the NTCOFG return to their premise in the new year.

Due to the COVID restrictions and future plans in St Leonards, the Parish Centre has also become a temporary home for the Melting Pot Tuesday Lunch Club. Jane Dooley and the team have done a fantastic job in sorting out the kitchen and bringing in a fridge-freezer which the centre is allowed to use too.

The Parish Centre is ‘ticking along’ but the Parish will need to look at its future and purpose moving forward. Thank you again for all involved and I pray for a productive year to come.

Rev Simon Skidmore

Chad’s Place (Coffee morning and toddlers)

At the start of 2020 we had 15-20 Children in regular attendance Chad’s Place although we probably only had 10 children in the church at any one time. Most of these Children coming from the estate and local community and not from the church. At the start of the year we were aware of a forthcoming decrease in numbers, as many of our regular attendees started either nursery or fulltime school in September 2020.

As of March 22, Chad’s Place closed its doors for 4 months. During this time, I continued to update the Facebook page with little activities that families could do at home and we held a few zoom sessions to keep parents connected to each other.

When we did reopen in September Chad’s place looked very different. The church was now sectioned off one section for each bubble of no more than 3 children and parents and toys were only shared in each bubble. We had to remove a lot of the shared toys and the larger toys, such as the seesaw, rocking horse and slide, remaining in storage. By this point 10 of our regular children had already moved on to their next stage of learning. Although we have ‘lost’ these children at Chad’s place a lot of them now come to Fusion.

Having lost these children and with things being so unpredictable during September and October we only really had 1 or 2 children return to Chad’s Place. October half term 2020 we decided to close Chad’s place.

In the fourth coming year we are hoping to relaunch Chad’s Place and I will, in the coming weeks, be messaging the parents to find out if they will be returning and what days and times will work best for them. As of yet the future of Chad’s Place is unknown.

Kim Skidmore

Page 18

St. Chad’s Coffee Morning

The coffee morning was open in the first three months of 2020, but we were not getting any visitors. Unfortunately, the problems surrounding covid-19 has meant this activity is not occurring. We were going to review this activity during DCC last year, but events overtook us. However, improvements will, hopefully be made then.

Diane Woodberry

St Leonard’s Church, Parish of Bilston on Facebook

This is the name of our Facebook page which has been open for some time now. During this terrible year of lockdowns and selfisolation the Facebook page has come into its own. We started the year with less than 200 people who like and regularly follow the page (a good number in itself) but as the first lockdown took hold our number rose rapidly and now stands (Jan 7[th] ) at 322. As soon as our churches had to close in March both Revs, Dave and Simon, and later Diane Woodberry took 2 days per week in Simon’s place, began to record daily devotionals and weekly services which were put on the Facebook page. Many people took great comfort from this and have followed these regularly, including many who do not normally attend church. These continue to this day. I also did 20 weeks of once per week bible story videos, working through some of the stories from the Old Testament. In addition to the worship and teaching the Facebook page has enabled us to pass on notices and messages and to be a point of contact for those enquiring about Baptism, weddings, prayer requests, general enquiries etc.

I know that many do not have social media accounts or the technology to see such things. It has also been a steep learning curve for many involved in producing this service. However, social media has been one way of enabling us to remain in touch and to reach out to many people that the church would not ordinarily reach.

God has pushed us into the future whether we liked it or not!!

Jane Dooley

Page 19

Bilston CE Primary School

AN UNUSUAL YEAR January - December 2020

Our School Year has been a very different and challenging time for everyone in our community. We did start the year off with a very successful SIAMS inspection in January 2020 with the overall judgement being Good.

Key findings

• The reviewed Christian vision is being embedded by the dedicated staff team so that all are able to flourish.

• School leaders, including governors, provide effective support and have a very good understanding of the needs of the school including interfaith aspects.

• An effective relationship with the local Christian community enhances biblical knowledge and the collective worship experience which encourage all to thrive spiritually. Whilst the role of pupil worship leaders is growing, their involvement in planning and developing collective worship is currently limited.

Pupils are confident in expressing how a relationship with Jesus can impact on the lives of those who choose to follow him. However, their current experiences do not yet deepen their understanding of Anglican traditions.

Areas for development

• Ensure the governors’ strategy for monitoring include evaluation of the new creative curriculum, together with assessment processes, ensuring that links to religious education (RE) and personal social health education (PSHE) are explicit and fully reflect the school’s Christian vision and core values.

• Provide further opportunities for pupils to experience Anglican celebrations to enrich their understanding and knowledge.

• Allow more pupils to develop their spiritual confidence by supporting them to take a more active role in planning, leading and evaluating whole school worship.

Build upon established relationships with parents to develop further their understanding and knowledge of the Christian vision and core values.

( Siams Inspection January 2020)

The Pandemic and school closure between March-May 2020, halted much of our work in addressing the Development Plan points. Work began again in the Summer Term 2020 and continued in Autumn 2020, getting our children settled back into school and into familiar routines: worship has been an integral part of this.

Rev Dave Wills, Rev Simon Skidmore and Mike Shelly Smith have continued to support the school in delivering Worship each week of the past year, albeit with a different approach. Whilst unable to have Collective Worship all together in our hall, we felt very strongly that there needed to be a time during each day when we came together as a school community to worship and reflect. So, Worship was delivered virtually using Microsoft Teams! This has been extremely successful and has given us a platform to also develop a wider understanding of Anglican tradition and celebrations. Our Worship includes a Welcome and dismissal with lighting of candles to represent the Trinity. Pupils are involved, reading prayers etc. Worship has been a strength of our school during the pandemic which has helped many of our children and staff: knowing that God is helping us through this crisis. Rev Simon works each week in school as our Christian Mission priest who supports our Worship Group Leaders; he is now a very familiar and welcome face around school and has been into Reception classes to share stories from the Bible and parables and other year groups in school to support RE lessons. Many of the Autumn Christian festivals would have been held in St Leonards, but not last year. Instead, Year 2 produced a virtual Harvest Festival on the value of Thankfulness. At Christmas, Rev Simon worked closely with Mrs Banyard to produce a Christmas

Mission now a very into parables and of the Leonards, Harvest Simon Christmas each week.

Carol concert that included acting, readings and songs

Pupils also worked with Rev Simon on Operation Christmas Child/Shoebox Appeal throughout November. We were unable to have donations from families for this so Rev Simon worked with a group of KS2 pupils to select and order shoebox items from Amazon!

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We are very grateful for the care and support of Rev Dave, Rev Simon and Mike SS. They have supported staff and children during these stressful and challenging times. The link the School has with Parish clergy is a strength of the link between our school and the Church.

This relationship was highlighted in our SIAMs report in January and given the current situation I feel that we have further built upon this further.

‘Partnerships within the diocese effectively guide Church school improvement. This allows all to flourish. Pupils in the worship group, aided by members from the Christian community, drive improvements in worship. They support the Church school development agenda, including the review of the vision statement.’

‘Worship is well supported by members from the Christian community. A seamless partnership with the church supports spiritual development and impacts well upon this mutually beneficial link. This helps all leaders to share Anglican traditions and Christian teaching. Pupils’ appreciation of Christian diversity and worldwide Anglican traditions of worship are developing well. The church is utilised as a space for worship and a resource for learning linking with whole school themes. This facilitates working together and mutual support.

(Siams Inspection, 2020)

As the end of 2020 neared, we learnt that Rev Dave was moving on to pastures new. Bilston CE will miss his pastoral support and spiritual guidance. He most certainly has supported the School well over the past ten years, being there whenever the school asked…we will miss his cheery face on a Monday morning (but not perhaps his jokes!) We wish him every happiness and success in his new post in Pendeford.

J Lewis – Worship / RE Coordinator

Gary Gentle – Headteacher

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Parish of Bilston Staff List

STAFF LISTS

Date: From January 2020 to January 2021

CLERGY

Revd Dave Wills Team Rector (moving on at end of January 2021) Revd Simon Skidmore Parish Mission Priest & Team Vicar

PARISH READERS

Phil Dooley Ade Mallen Mike Shelley-Smith Diane Woodberry

AUTHORISED LAY MINISTER

Mandy Mallen

PARISH WARDENS

Mike Shelley-Smith

DISTRICT WARDENS

Pat Arnold St Chad’s John Arnold St Chad’s Mike Shelley-Smith St Leonard’s Mark Bircher St Leonard’s Brian Fellows St Mary’s Brian Wood St Mary’s

DEPUTY / ASSISTANT DISTRICT WARDENS

Veronica Britton St Mary’s Joyce Groucutt St Leonard’s Charlie Smith St Leonard’s Adrian Mallen St Leonard’s

PARISH SECRETARY

Phil Dooley

PARISH TREASURER

DISTRICT TREASURERS

Mike Shelley-Smith St Leonard’s Brian Fellows/Brian Wood St Mary’s Eric Barker St Chad’s

DEANERY SYNOD

Philip Dooley Mike Shelly-Smith Adrian Mallen

Diocesan Synod Philip Dooley

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PCC - ALL THE ABOVE except DEPUTY / ASSISTANT DISTRICT WARDENS & DISTRICT TREASURERS PLUS:

		DATE OFFICE COMPLETED
Kerry Eglington
Eric Barker	St Chad	2022
Mark Bircher	St L	2021 Re-election needed
Kerry Bircher	St L	2022
Matthew Bircher	St L	2022
Jane Dooley	St L	2022
Sylvia Hodister	St L	2023
Eva Small	St L	2022
Charlie Smith	St L	2023
Elizabeth Wills	St L	2022 Left end of January
Christine Mills	St Mary’s	2023

ST LEONARD DCC - ALL THE ABOVE ST LEONARD PCC, DEPUTY / ASSISTANT

DISTRICT WARDENS & DISTRICT TREASURERS MEMBERS PLUS: Joyce Groucutt 2022 Remi Hodister 2022 Mandy Mallen 2023 Becki Wills 2022

ST CHAD DCC - ALL THE ABOVE ST LEONARD PCC, DEPUTY / ASSISTANT DISTRICT WARDENS & DISTRICT TREASURERS MEMBERS PLUS:

Audrey Myatt 2023

ST MARY DCC - ALL THE ABOVE ST LEONARD PCC, DEPUTY / ASSISTANT DISTRICT WARDENS & DISTRICT TREASURERS MEMBERS PLUS:

Veronica Britton 2021 Re-election needed Eber Carter 2023 Wendy Hawkins 2023 Marjorie Hill 2023 Ken Johnson 2022 Mavis Johnson 2022 Elizabeth Rice 2021 Re-election needed

Electoral Roll figures: St Leonard’s Church – 87 unchanged St Mary’s Church – 27 unchanged

St Chad’s Church – 17 same number but one on and one off

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Financial Review

End of year report for The Parish of Bilston 2020

Things have once again been quite difficult this year – our situation made even worse by “the virus” which has forced us to keep our buildings closed for long stretches of time which has obviously lost us some revenue. However, people have still been very generous and most have continued to find ways to get their offerings to us in one manner or another.

And so, I am very pleased to report that, despite everything, we have been able to pay our Parish share in full as set by the Diocese. Such a sterling effort has been recognised by the finance department and they have agreed to write off the remainder of our parish debt, which means you will be starting the next year with a clean slate! Well done everybody.

On a more optimistic note, we have had some inquiries about the centres availability and hope we will be able to attract some new business in the new future.

I am pleased to report that we were once more able to produce the Annual Accounts on time and I would like to thank yet again Mrs Kim Benton from the diocese for all the hard work and support she has given the parish over this last year.

Total Assets – £310,607

Deficit- (£10,976) Overall Deficit (£3,858) Unrestricted

Liabilities

Parish Share arrears - NIL The Diocese have written off the remaining £20,000 Parish Share arrears – so Bilston is now clear of that liability.

Salaries Parish Centre - £27,664.57 – The Parish Centre received a grant of £10,000 from Wolverhampton Council during the pandemic. £6,000 was used to repay some of the Salaries liability. Our target was to reduce the liability to £21,000 to take advantage of a £12,000 write of by the Diocese. In 2021 once 2 Russell Road is sold then the intention is to repay a further £6,664.57 along with the Salaries projects liability £11,249. Bilston will then have no historic liabilities. Salaries Projects - £11,249

6699 Agency collections – £14,110 These are outstanding liabilities to various Agencies LDBF assigned fees and Wedding deposits.

Income has remained pretty static but this will be down to receiving the grant for the Parish Centre and furlough income as a grant from the Government. The Parish Share support we received most has been applied to 2021. So Bilston paid their Parish Share in full.

This was the first year of each Church having their own licence and paying everything in and out of their own accounts. It has worked well and has been more transparent for each DCC – as they are able to look at their own management accounts. Unfortunately because of financial reasons we had to make three people redundant.

On a positive note we have sold 2 Russell Road – subject to contract at a very respectable price of £152,000 and await completion. The plan is to repay all of Bilston’s debts and then invest the remainder to provide an income for the Parish.

The Individual Reports show:-

St Chads: - Income £20,332 Expenditure £22,350 resulting in a deficit of (£2,018) [St Chad’s are still owed £1,210 for Church Hall lettings by The Parish centre – this will be transferred in 2021]. The donations include some very generous anonymous donations along with Parish Share support of £3,455 - £724 has been transferred to 2021 Parish Share and a further £2,788 will be applied to 2021 – but because of timing has been left in 2020 accounts.

St Leonards:- Income £82,883 Expenditure £72,033 resulting in an excess of £10,849. Two legacies were received in 2020 totalling £24,791.62 which of course has helped St Leonards cause. St Leonard’s have paid their share of the Parish Share in full £33,453 and their Parish Share support of £6,909 has been applied to 2021 leaving them with £26,544 to pay. The Melting Pot had to close in March and although the Manager was furloughed originally she was made redundant in August as it was felt that it would be some time before the Melting Pot could re-open. The Melting Pot account currently holds £2,512 ready for when it can re-open.

St Mary’s:- Income £8,644.35 Expenditure £22,512.39 resulting in a deficit of (£13,868.04). This is down to the fact that St Mary’s have paid in full their share of the Parish share for 2020 £16,726.56. This included Parish Share support of £3,455. £215 has been applied to 2021 so St Mary’s share for 2021 will be £16,511.56. It is highly unlikely that St Mary’s will be able to pay this amount in full as their net asset position is £5,707 at end of 2020.

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Reserves Policy -

It is PCC policy to try to maintain a balance on free reserves (net current assets) which equates to at least three months unrestricted payments. This is equivalent to £31,388. It is held to smooth out fluctuations in cash flow and to meet emergencies. The balance of the free reserves at the year end was £19,750 which is lower than this target. However Russell Road £152,000 is in the process of being sold and this will clear some long term debts and also put the free reserves ahead of target

Investment Policy

The charity is granted power to invest in suitable investments under the PCC Powers Measure 1956 and the Trustees Act 2000. As a charity, the Trustees have a duty of care to take such advice as is appropriate before investments are undertaken. This advice is sought from the Central Board of Finance (CCLA) in London.

The charity’s investment policies are based on two key principles: -

• Ethical Investment – this includes ensuring that investments are held in companies which have high standards of corporate governance and act in a responsible way towards stakeholders.

• Long-term responsibilities – the trustees are aware of their long-term responsibilities in respect of the Restricted and Unrestricted reserves and as a result follow a prudent approach to investment decisions.

Investment policy for long-term funds is aimed primarily at generating a sustainable income, with due regard to the need for the preservation of capital value, and the possible need to realise investments to meet operational needs. The charity does not have a policy of generating income at excessive or high risk – known as “purchasing income”, where high returns are guaranteed at the expense of capital.

In summary, the charity has an overall policy to maximise income while preserving the real value of its funds. Due to the nature of the charity, an ethical investment policy is taken into consideration when investments are made:

The charity follows the Ethical Investment Advisory policy as recommended by the Lichfield Diocese which includes the following:

• “We aim to invest in companies that:

• will develop their business in the interests of shareholders;

• demonstrate responsible employment practices;

• are conscientious concerning issues of corporate governance, the environment and human rights;

• are sensitive to the community in which they operate.”

Planned giving, collections and donations are the main sources of fund raising along with tax recoverable.

Safeguarding

The PCC believe they have fulfilled their duty under section 5 of the Safeguarding and Clergy Discipline Measure 2016 (duty to have due regard to House of Bishops’ guidance on safeguarding children and vulnerable adults).

Reporting Serious Incidents

A Serious Incident is an adverse event, whether actual or alleged, which results in or risks significant harm to the charity’s beneficiaries, employees, office holders, volunteers or to others who come into contact with the charity through its work, loss of the charity’s money or assets, damage to the charity’s property or harm to the charity’s work or reputation.

The trustees are not aware of any Serious Incidents in the last year.

Fundraising

The PCC takes it fundraising responsibilities seriously and is very grateful to all donors – whether regular or occasional – for their support of the church and church events. PCC supporters are never taken for granted. The PCC take full responsibility for fundraising and do not use commercial organisations or professional fundraisers. All money raised is either by donations, fundraising events, special appeals or legacies for which the PCC are most grateful.

Volunteers

The members of the PCC would like to thank all the volunteers who work so hard to make our Church a lively and vibrant community.

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The Future

2020 has certainly been an unprecedented year! I have lost count of the number of times in this report I have had to write “sadly” and “unfortunately”, and we have had a tough year as the congregations that form Bilston Parish and the different Communities that make up Bilston itself! We have had many good friends among our Church family become ill and seen many others forced into isolation and I feel that everyone has been stressed and worried by the events that have enfolded over the last year. Our pattens of worship have changed, we have had to adapt to new ways of working and indeed living, and us huggers have had to keep their distance and make a friendly wave suffice!

This is not the way I thought my Ministry here would end!

The position of Team Rector in the Parish of Bilston will now be vacant – but the work of God’s people will still carry on! Hopefully as more and more people are vaccinated things will change – I’m not saying they will return to what they were – because circumstances have changed, and I feel we have a long haul ahead of us – but places will open and we will be able to meet again in person and worship and hear God’s word and share the peace(?!) once more

In the words of the prophet D:ream “Things can only get better!!”

In my final article in the Parish Magazine, I quoted from Ecclesiastes Ch3 v9

“What does the worker gain from his toil?”

Well over the years it has been my privilege to meet some really lovely people here in Bilston and more specifically at each of the four centres of worship here in the Parish. You are Saints in the truest sense, “ordinary” men and women who have served their God, their community and their fellow brothers and sisters in Christ whole heartedly and with great humour, courage, and humility – and I will never forget you or them!

Inevitably I have been asked if I have any regrets. I must say yes! I have made many, many mistakes over the decade and a bit I have been here, and I have let people down – and I am sorry. Please accept my apologies. My wife Liz and I would, however, like to take this opportunity to say “Thank You” for all the thoughtfulness and generosity you have shown to the family over the years. Your kindness and your prayers have seen us through some really bad times and are greatly and wholeheartedly appreciated.

Very soon I expect you will be advertising for a new Team Rector to take up the challenge and work alongside you in ministering to the people of Bilston – I pray that you will find the right man or woman for the job – and that they realise how blessed they will be to be chosen.

So, one last time then my dear brothers and sisters

May we go in peace to love and serve our Lord! Amen

God Bless You All - Dave Wills

And It continues to be my custom at the end of my report to ask the reader to reflect on those who have passed away – and commend them and their service to the Lord.

May they rest in peace – and rise in Glory!

Rev. Dave Wills

Risk Management

The Church Wardens carry out regular Health and Safety Reviews and regularly inspect premises for potential hazards. We have safeguarding policies in place for child protection and for work with vulnerable adults, including rigorous DBS checking of staff and volunteers. Our insurances are reviewed annually to ensure adequate cover. An informal review of any new risks which may impact the work of the Church in the Parish is ongoing.

Structure, Governance and Management

The PCC is a Body Corporate established by the Church of England and is a Charity registered with the Charity Commission. The PCC is governed by the Parochial Church Council Powers Measure (1956) as amended that came into effect on 2[nd] January 1957, and the Church Representation Rules (contained in Schedule 3 to the Synodical Government Measure 1969 as amended).

The method of appointment of the PCC members is set out in the Church Representation Rules. The Council comprises the Incumbent, the Churchwardens, a representative of the Readers, those elected to the Deanery Synod, and other members who are elected at the Annual Parochial Church Meeting, by those on the Electoral Roll. The PCC members receive training from courses run by the Diocese. Members of the congregation are always urged to join the Electoral Roll, and to stand for election to the PCC.

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The PCC members are responsible for making decisions on all matters of general concern and importance in the parish, and for all financial matters. The PCC met 5 times this.

Related Parties –

The PCC does not employ any related parties or give contracts for work on the church to any related parties.

Donations from Related Parties

Donations from related parties during the year totalled £10,350. All these donations were received without conditions.

Remuneration paid to Trustees

None of the trustees have been paid any remuneration or received any other benefits from employment with the PCC

Expenses paid to Trustees

No Trustee expenses have been incurred during the year

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Reference and Administrative Details

Charity Name: The Parochial Church Council of The Parish of Bilston

Other names the charity is known by: N/A Registered Charity Number : 1138955

Charity’s principal address: St Leonard’s Church Walsall Street Bilston WV14 0AT

Correspondence address: St Leonard’s Church Walsall Street Bilston WV14 0AT

Website address: https://www.achurchnearyou.com/

PCC Members: Who Served from 1 January 2020 to the date this report was approved

Trustee name	Office (if any)	Dates acted if not for whole period
Ex-Officio
Revd David Wills	Chairperson
Revd Simon Skidmore	Team Vicar
Mrs Patricia Arnold	Churchwarden – St Chad’s [Parish Warden from 29 October 2020]
Mr Mark Bircher	Churchwarden – St Leonard’s
Mr Phillip Dooley	Secretary/Deanery Synod
Mr Brian Fellows	Churchwarden – St Mary’s
Mr Mike Shelley-Smith	Parish Warden/Deanery Synod
Mr Brian Wood	Churchwarden – St Mary’s	Resigned 29 October 2020
Mr Adrian Mallen	Deanery Synod
Mrs Eber Carter	Churchwarden – St Mary’s	From 29 October 2020
Mr John Arnold	Churchwarden – St Chad’s
Elected Members
Mr James Eric Barker
Mrs Jane Dooley
Mrs Sylvia Hodister
Mr Charlie Smith
Mrs Kerry Bircher	Safeguarding Co-ordinator [Children]
Mrs Elizabeth Wills
Mrs Peta Diane Woodberry	Safeguarding Co-ordinator [Adults]
Mrs Christine Mills
Mr John Arnold
Mrs Kerry Eglington		From 29 October 2020
Mr Matthew Bircher

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Independent Examiner’s report to the trustees/members of The PCC of The Parish of Bilston

Registered charity number: 1138955

I report on the accounts for the year ended 31[st] December 2020 which are set out on the following pages.

Respective responsibilities of the Trustees and Independent 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 of the Charities Act 2011 (the Charities Act) and that an independent examination is needed.

It is my responsibility

• to examine the accounts under section 145 of the Charities Act,

• to follow the procedures laid down in the General Directions given by the Charity Commission (under section 145(5)(b) of the Charities Act, and

• to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.

Basis of Independent Examiner's Statement

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 the trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a “true and fair” view and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below.

Independent Examiner's Statement

In connection with my examination, no material matters have come to my attention (other than that disclosed below *) which gives me cause to believe that in any material respect:

• accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act or

• the accounts do not accord with the with the accounting records

I have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

• Please delete the words in the brackets if they do not apply.

Signed: ………………………………………….. Date: ………………………………… Jonathan Hill FCMA CGMA

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The Parish of Bilston

Notes to the Financial Statements

For the year ended 31[st] December 2020

Accounting Policies

The financial statements of the PCC have been prepared in accordance with the Church Accounting Regulations 2006 using Receipts and Payments basis.

There may be minor discrepancies in the totals as the pence are not being shown.

The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention with items recognised at cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant notes to these accounts. The financial statements include all transactions, assets and liabilities for which the PCC is responsible in law. They do not include the accounts of church groups that owe their main affiliation to another body nor those that are informal gatherings of Church members.

Cashflow Statement

The Charity has taken advantage of the exemption in FRS102 from the requirement to produce a cashflow statement on the grounds that the income does not exceed £500,000.

Going Concern

There are no material uncertainties relate to events or conditions that cast significant doubt on the charity’s ability to continue as a going concern.

Post year end event

The ongoing worldwide outbreak of the COVID-19 virus still represents a significant event since the end of the financial year. However, COVID-19 is considered to be a non-adjusting post year end event and therefore has not been taken into account in preparing these Financial Statements as at 31 December 2020.

Accounting Estimates and Prior Year Errors

No changes to accounting estimates have occurred in the reporting period. No material prior year errors have been identified in the reporting period

Description of Funds

Unrestricted funds are income funds of the PCC that are available for spending on the general purposes of the PCC, including amounts designated by the PCC for fixed assets for its own use or for spending on a future project and which are therefore not included in its "free reserves" as disclosed in the trustees' annual report.

An explantation of purpose of each Designated fund are as follows:

• Flower Fund – Flowers for St Leonards Church

• Flowers Fund – Flowers for St Chad’s Church

• Melting Pot – Takings for The Melting Pot to identify excess/deficit – excess to be transferred to General fund when necessary.

• Building Fund – Ringfenced for work on St Leonards Building

Restricted funds comprise of two elements :-

• a) income from trusts or endowments which may be expended only on those restricted objects provided in the terms of the trust or bequest

• b) donations or grants received for a specific object or invited by the PCC for a specific object. The funds may only be expended on the specific object for which they were given. Any balance remaining unspent at the end of each year must be carried forward as a balance on that fund. The PCC does not usually invest separately for each fund. Where there is no separate investment, interest is apportioned to individual funds on an average balance basis.

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An explanation of purpose of each Restricted fund are as follows:

• Décor – This is the re-decoration scheme for the vicarage

• Fair – This is a grant from Emma Bussey Charity to help with Summer and Christmas Fairs.

• Melting Pot – These are specific fund raising donations for the Melting Pot.

• Parish Centre – Specific donations for the Parish Centre

• Walford legacy – Is to be used for the upkeep of one of the graves in the Church yard

• Mission Work at St Chad’s – Donations specifically for Mission Work at St Chad’s

• Parish Centre – Locks – Donation from Wolverhampton Council to replace the locks

Endowment funds are restricted funds that must be retained as trust capital either permanently or subject to a discretionary power to spend capital as income, and where the use of any income or other benefit derived from the capital may be restricted or unrestricted. Full details of all their restrictions are shown in the notes to the accounts.

The Parish of Bilston has no Endowment funds

Incoming Resources

Planned giving, collections and donations are recognised when received or when the PCC becomes entitled to the resource and the monetary value can be measured with sufficient reliability. Tax refunds are recognised when the incoming resource to which they relate is received. Grants and Legacies are accounted for when the PCC is legally entitled to the amounts due and the monetary value can be measured with sufficient reliability. Dividends are accounted for when receivable, interest is accrued. All other income is recognised when it is receivable. All incoming resources are accounted for gross.

Resources Expended

Grants and donations are accounted for when paid over, or when awarded, if that award creates a binding or constructive obligation on the PCC. The diocesan parish share is accounted for when due. Amounts received specifically for mission are dealt with as restricted funds. All other expenditure is generally recognised when it is incurred and is accounted for gross.

Governance and Support Costs

Support costs should be allocated between governance costs and other support. Governance costs comprise all costs involving public accountability of the PCC and its compliance with regulation and good practice.

Support costs include central functions and have been allocated to activity cost categories on a basis consistent with the use of resources eg by allocating staff costs by time spent and other costs by their usage.

Fixed Assets

Consecrated and benefice property is not included in the accounts by s.10(2)(a)&(C) of the Charities Act 2011. Moveable church furnishings held by the Vicar and Churchwardens on special trust for the PCC and which require a faculty for disposal are inalienable property, listed in the Church’s inventory, which can be inspected (at any reasonable time). For anything acquired prior to 2000 there is insufficient cost information available and therefore such assets are not valued in the financial statemen

No depreciation is provided on buildings as the currently estimated residual value of the properties is not less than their carrying value and the remaining useful life of these assets exceeds 50 years, so that any depreciation charges would be immaterial. Other tangible fixed assets are valued at cost. The assets are depreciated where applicable at 50%

Investments

Investments in quoted shares, traded bonds and similar investments are valued initially at cost and subsequently at market value at the year end. Investments held for re-sale are treated as current asset investments.

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Debtors

Debtors are measured on initial recognition at settlement amount. Subsequently they are measured as cash expected to be received

Creditors and Accruals

Creditors are measured at settlement amounts less any trade discounts. Accruals are measured on best estimate of the amount required to settle the obligation at the reporting date.

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Parish of Bilston year ended 2020

Receipts and Payments

	Unrestricted Restricted Endowment Total Prior year funds funds funds funds total funds
Income and endowments from: Donations and legacies Income from charitable activities Other trading activities Investments Other income Total income Expenditure on: Raising funds Expenditure on charitable activities Other expenditure Total expenditure Net income / (expenditure) resources before transfer Transfers Gross transfers between funds - in Gross transfers between funds - out Other recognised gains / losses Gains on revaluation, fixed assets, charity's own use Net movement in funds Total funds brought forward Total funds carried forward Represented by Unrestricted General fund Designated Building Fund Flower Fund Melting Pot St Chads General Fund St Leonard's Choir St Leonards General fund St Mary's General Restricted Decoration Scheme Lighting At St Leonards Melting Pot Mission Work At St Chads Parish Centre Parish Centre - Locks Summer Fair Parish Centre grant from Bussey Walford Legacy	92,821 3,775 — 96,596 93,384 9,146 — — 9,146 8,556 372 5,535 — 5,908 33,550 115 8 — 123 471 19,237 — — 19,237 —
	121,693 9,319 — 131,013 135,965 171 — — 171 2,122 116,585 140 — 116,725 161,660 8,795 16,296 — 25,092 49,594
	125,552 16,436 — 141,989 213,388
	(3,858) (7,117) — (10,976) (77,423) 456 1,500 — 1,956 38,392 (1,956) — — (1,956) (38,392) 131,250 (8,981) — 122,269 11,470
	125,892 (14,599) — 111,293 (65,953)
	67,785 131,528 — 199,314 265,268
	193,677 116,929 — 310,607 199,314 171,750 — — 171,750 14,745 14,370 — — 14,370 — 449 200 — 706 649 2,237 — — 2,237 2,821 — — — — 6,466 21 — — 21 21 — — — — 25,722 — — — — 20,169 — 1,303 — 1,303 1,303 — 1,860 — 1,860 — — 775 — 775 — — 1,250 — 1,250 1,250 — 111,946 — 111,946 124,000 — 1,000 — 1,000 — — 206 — 206 206 — 1,968 — 1,968 1,960

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5tat•m•niolasxtsar4 I￿1115¢5 Genernl DesI￿ated Resirf¢ied Endowmertht Th15 ar La xd $SÈts.Tn4ib￿ 55ets Parlsh Centre- MONTPELLER DLIEL FUEIRANGE COOKER- Equipment- 2 Russell Road- Stow lawn Lar¥l. 1so.coj 150,( 395 150,0 790 152XIXI Is2.(￿7 45,(KXI OJ94 195,793 Cuvrentxsets.C•sh ￿ bank and PCC St Marys Chyrch ￿1$ton Re5erve- St Leonard's Flower Current Attount- Parish CentreAccount- PCC of The Parish of &lston St Mary's DCC- Re5erYe Account- CCLAICBFI St Chads Fund- CLA ICBFI Sl Leonard5- Walfrd lega 4.314 4,314 7,072 306 2.131 2.123 12.718 2.249 1.960 L210 573 3.683 1,784 5.929 1.726 1246 1.726 St thad's ChurthC¥rrentAccount- Meltlll8Pot- Cash in hand- Flowers- Cash In hand- Parish Centrecash. St Leonards Petly Cath- 5t Leonard'5 Chtyr- The melti￿ Pot- St Leonards- St Leoriard's thur¢h CUrrentA￿Trt- IDS Decoration Scheme DOVEA STREET- ID5 Decor3Uon kherne CUMBERiAND- Tota 257 1250 3,995 4,431 12 142 158 77 zi 142 io io 21 2,237 14.370 21 2.512 37,219 1,220 B2 61335 275 2.627 1.220 82 11.691 10.122 25,645 I,220 82 6J.162 30.997 ￿546 Current sstts- Debto Accounts Ileceivable- 1.454 Tot• UabllSths-Ayn¢ya¢¢ouThts 4ertV eoli¢cthins- 14.110 14.110 14,110 14.110 11.81BI UblUtle. tstdltOVs.' #Jrwntsfallts¥d¥* In •ne¥ear Parish ShaieArrears- Salaries- Parish Cenlre- Sala(ies- Pioie£ts- 20,10) 33.664 11.249 64.915 27.664 27,664 11.249 38,913 11,249 11349 Totals 17 r￿•ThI total 171,7SO 120310 310.607 199,314 Apprfftd ty the PCC•fft 1503 2021 anl * ned on its be￿IltsY.. d Slmon Skwmore Mr Philllp Doc4ry Page 35

Analysis of receipts and payments

Receipts Donations and legacies 0101 - Gift Aid Collections Bank/Envelopes 0201 - Non Gift Aid Collections 0201 - Non-Gift Aid Collections 0301 - Loose Plate Collections 0301 - Loose plate collections 0410 - Votive Lights/Church Boxes 0550 - Donations appeals etc 0601 - Tax recoverable on Gift Aid 0701 - Legacies 08A1 - Non-recurring one-off grants 0901 - Other funds generated 0902 - Heating Weddings Total Receipts from charitable activities 1101 - Fees for weddings and funerals 1210 - Melting Pot - Food Sales Total Other trading activities 0903 - Admin Fee 1230 - Parish Centre Hire 1240 - Church Hall Lettings 1250 - Magazine income - advertising 1260 - Parish magazine sales Total Investments 1020 - Bank and building society interest 1030 - Rent from lands or buildings&Melting Pot Total Other income 1310 - Insurance claims Total		Total Unrestricted Designated Restricted Endowment This year Last year 16,365 — — — 16,365 23,907 773 — — — 773 6,139 4,080 — — — 4,080 — — — — — — 12,118 6,640 — — — 6,640 — 42 — — — 42 335 24,197 1,025 2,775 — 27,997 24,990 2,165 — — — 2,165 10,215 9,791 15,000 — — 24,791 — 10,000 1,988 1,000 — 12,988 1,000 716 32 — — 749 11,271 — — — — — 3,407
		74,774 18,046 3,775 — 96,596 93,384 6,023 — — — 6,023 8,556 — 3,123 — — 3,123 10,080
		6,023 3,123 — — 9,146 18,636 — — — — — 381 — — 5,535 — 5,535 21,886 — — — — — 614 225 — — — 225 225 147 — — — 147 364
		372 — 5,535 — 5,908 23,470 9 — 8 — 17 471 — 106 — — 106 120
		9 106 8 — 123 471 19,237 — — — 19,237 —
		19,237 — — — 19,237 —
INCOME TOTAL		100,417 21,276 9,319 — 131,013 135,965

Page 36

Payments

Raising funds 1720 - Costs of stewardship campaign 1730 - Costs of fetes & other events 1740 - Bank Charges Total Payments on charitable activities 1801 - Giving to missionary societies 1910 - Ministry parish share etc 2001 - Salaries 2101 - Working expenses of incumbent 2201 - Mission and Evangelism Costs 2301 - Church running - insurance 2310 - Church office - telephone 2320 - Organ / piano tuning 2330 - Church maintenance 2331 - Cleaning 2340 - Upkeep of services 2350 - Upkeep of churchyard 2360 - Admin/Stationery/Photocopier/Print ing et 2401 - Church running - electric 2410 - Church running - gas 2519 - Melting Pot - Food Supplies 2601 - Governance costs examination/audit fee 2602 - Licences & Subrcriptions 2701 - Church repairs - structure 2710 - Church repairs - installation Total Other payments 2004 - Hall Salaries 2333 – Parish Centre - Cleaning 2420 - Church Running - Water 2518 - Melting Pot Non Food Items 2530 - Parish Centre - Electricity 2540 - Parish Centre - Gas 2550 - Parish Centre - Insurance 2560 - Parish Centre - Maintenance 2562 – Parish Centre – Admin 2570 - Parish Centre - telephone 2580 - Parish Centre - water 2820 - Hall + major repairs - installation 2840 - Other PCC property upkeep Total	— — — — — 253 62 — — — 62 1,709 — 109 — — 109 159
	62 109 — — 171 2,122 25 — — — 25 — 69,693 — — — 69,693 63,720 — 6,007 — — 6,007 6,751 — — — — — (702) — — — — — 524 8,300 — — — 8,300 8,809 546 — — — 546 521 300 — — — 300 342 3,253 — 140 — 3,393 6,648 437 115 — — 552 — 663 — — — 663 1,236 1,046 — — — 1,046 283 3,239 30 — — 3,359 4,268 2,340 — — — 2,340 2,334 6,302 — — — 6,302 8,200 — 698 — — 698 1,031 — — — — — 690 112 — — — 112 — 12,879 630 — — 13,509 77,501 — — — — — 954
	109,104 7,480 140 — 116,725 183,110 — — 5,247 — 5,247 10,971 — — 539 — 539 1,938 — — — — — 46 — — — — — 165 — — 1,190 — 1,190 1,180 — — 1,600 — 1,600 1,468 — — 725 — 725 727 — — 4,144 — 4,144 5,938 — — — — — 339 — — 1,425 — 1,425 1,391 — — 270 — 270 1,138 — — 394 — 394 — 8,669 — — — 8,669 2,843
	8,795 — 16,296 — 25,092 28,144
EXPENDITURE TOTAL	117,962 7,590 16,436 — 141,989 213,388
GRAND TOTAL	(17,544) 13,686 (7,117) — (10,976) (77,423)

Page 37

Fund movement by type 2020

Building - Building Fund Designated Sub-total for Building Choir - St Leonard's Choir Designated Sub-total for Choir Decor - Decoration Scheme Restricted Sub-total for Decor Fair - Summer Fair Parish C Restricted Sub-total for Fair Flower - Flower Fund 449 STL Designated Sub-total for Flower General - General fund Unrestricted Sub-total for General St Chads - General fund Designated Sub-total for St Chads St Leonards – General Fund Designated Sub-total for St Leonards St Marys – General Fund Designated Sub-total for St Marys Lighting - Lighting At St Leona Restricted Sub-total for Lighting Locks - Parish Centre - Lock Restricted Sub-total for Locks Melting Po - Melting Pot Designated Restricted Sub-total for Melting Po Mission - Mission Work At St C Restricted Sub-total for Mission PCentre - Parish Centre Restricted Sub-total for PCentre Walford - Walford Legacy Restricted Sub-total for Walford Grand total	Opening Incoming Outgoing Transfers Gains/losses Closing — 15,000 630 — — 14,370
	— 15,000 630 — — 14,370 21 — — — — 21
	21 — — — — 21 1,303 — — — — 1,303
	1,303 — — — — 1,303 206 — — — — 206
	206 — — — — 206 649 75 18 — — 706
	649 — — — — 706 67,102 14,745 100,417 117,962 49,490 125,060 171,750
	14,745 100,417 117,962 49,490 125,060 171,750 6,466 — — (5,255) — 1,210
	6,466 — — (5,255) — 1,210 25,722 — — (25,722) — —
	25,722 — — (25,722) — — 20,169 — — (20,169) — —
	20,169 — — (20,169) — — — 2,000 140 — — 1,860
	— 2,000 140 — — 1,860 — 1,000 — — — 1,000
	— 1,000 — — — 1,000 2,821 6,201 6,942 156 — 2,237 — 775 — — — 775
	2,821 6,976 6,942 156 — 3,012 1,250 — — — — 1,250
	1,250 — — — — 1,250 124,170 5,535 16,296 1,500 (2,962) 111,946
	124,170 5,535 16,296 1,500 (2,962) 111,946 1,960 8 — — — 1,968
	1,960 8 — — — 1,968
	199,314 131,013 141,989 — 122,098 310,607

Page 38

Fund movement by type 2019

Bloom - Bilston in Bloom Restricted Sub-total for Bloom Decor - Decoration Scheme Restricted Sub-total for Decor Fair - Summer Fair Parish C Restricted Sub-total for Fair Flowers - Flowers Designated Sub-total for Flowers GenChad - St Chads General Fun Designated Sub-total for GenChad GenMary - St Mary's General Fu Designated Sub-total for GenMary Genleon - St Leonards General Designated Sub-total for Genleon Melt-Pot - Melting Pot Fund Designated Restricted Sub-total for Melt-Pot Mission - Mission Work St Chad Restricted Sub-total for Mission PCentre - Parish Centre Designated Restricted Sub-total for PCentre SLChoir - St Leonards Choir Designated Sub-total for SLChoir Walford - Walford Legacy Restricted Sub-total for Walford General - General fund Unrestricted Sub-total for General Grand total	Opening Incoming Outgoing Transfers Gains/losses Closing — 500 800 300 — —
	— 500 800 300 — — 1,303 — — — — 1,303
	1,303 — — — — 1,303 206 — — — — 206
	206 — — — — 206 422 226 — — — 649
	422 226 — — — 649 6,013 8,118 5,062 (2,603) — 6,466
	6,013 8,118 5,062 (2,603) — 6,466 23,467 7,772 9,589 (1,481) — 20,169
	23,467 7,772 9,589 (1,481) — 20,169 85,236 58,586 95,388 (22,711) — 25,722
	85,236 58,586 95,388 (22,711) — 25,722 32 — — (20) — 12 6,128 10,080 8,511 (4,889) — 2,809
	6,161 10,080 8,511 (4,909) — 2,821 — 1,250 — — — 1,250
	— 1,250 — — — 1,250 — — — — — — 131,585 23,730 25,168 (6,148) — 123,999
	131,585 23,730 25,168 (6,148) — 123,999 21 — — — — 21
	21 — — — — 21 1,945 14 — — — 1,960
	1,945 14 — — — 1,960 8,903 25,685 68,869 37,555 — 14,745
	8,903 25,685 68,869 37,555 — 14,745
	265,268 135,965 213,388 — — 199,314

Page 39

Staff Costs

	2020	2019
Wages & Salaries	£11,255	£17,722
Average number of Employees	3	3

During the year the PCC employed an administrator, caretaker at The Parish Centre and Melting pot Manager [all part-time] and no payments were large enough to attract social security costs. The administrator and caretaker were made redundant in January. The Melting Pot Manager was made redundant in August.

There were no employee benefits to key management personnel in the previous or current year.

COVID-19 – The PCC received £1,189 in grants from the Government related to the Furlough Scheme

Trustees’ Remuneration & Expenses – Kim to update

No Trustee expenses or remuneration have been incurred during the year

Related Parties

No other expenses were paid to any other PCC member, persons closely connected to them or related parties.

Donations from related parties [PCC members] totalled £10,580

Analysis of Transfer between Funds

----- Start of picture text -----
Analysis of Transfer between funds
Reference Date Account Code description Debit Credit Description Fund
General to Parish Centre - monies 12/06/2020 30027537 Parish Centre Account — 1,500.00 To Parish Centre General Unr
from COVID Grant - C/Flow
General to Parish Centre - monies 12/06/2020 30027537 Parish Centre Account 1,500.00 — Per General fund PCentre Res
from COVID Grant - C/Flow
General to GenMary to correct 01/01/2020 40461474 PCC of The Parish of Bilston 379.00 — General Unr
General to GenMary to correct 01/01/2020 40461474 PCC of The Parish of Bilston — 379.00 GenMary Des
General to Melt Pot to correct 30/06/2020 6596 St Leonards Petty Cash — 77.35 General Unr
30/06/2020 70201782 The Melting Pot - St Leonards 77.35 — Melting Po Des
General to Melt Pot to correct
Total 1,956.35 1,956.35
----- End of picture text -----

Page 40

Fixed Assets

a) Tangible Fixed Assets

		Freehold Buildings £	Church Equipment £	Total Assets
Cost or Valuation
As at 1 Jan		196,000	792	196,793
Additions in the Year		0.00	0.00	0.00
Disposal in the Year		0.00	0.00	2.00
Revaluation[if any]		107,000	0.00	107,000
Value at 31 Dec		303,000	395	303,793
Accumulated Depreciation		0.00	0.00	0.00
As at 1 Jan		0.00	0.00	0.00
Charge for the Year		0.00	395	395
Disposals		0.00	0.00	0.00
Value at 31 Dec		303,000	395	303,396
Net Book Value at 1 Jan 2020		196,000	792	196,793
Net Book Value at 31 Dec 2020		303,000	395	303,396

Freehold Buildings

Parish Centre: £150,000 2 Russell Road: £152,000 Stow Lawn Land: £1.00

Church Equipment

Montpeller Dueal Fuel Range Cooker: £395 – 50% depreciation in 2020

b) Fixed Asset Investments – The PCC have no Fixed Asset Investments

Page 41

SOFA – Receipts & Payments Comparatives

Previous Year 2019

	Unrestricted Restricted Endowment Total Prior year funds funds funds funds total funds
Income and endowments from: Donations and legacies Income from charitable activities Other trading activities Investments Total income Expenditure on: Expenditure on charitable activities Other expenditure Total expenditure Net income / (expenditure) resources before transfer Transfers Gross transfers between funds - in Gross transfers between funds - out Other recognised gains / losses Gains on revaluation, fixed assets, charity's own use Net movement in funds Total funds brought forward Total funds carried forward	79,625 2,487 — 82,113 72,322 8,556 — — 8,556 22,223 11,750 33,073 — 44,823 47,477 456 14 — 471 496
	100,389 35,575 — 135,965 142,519 75,713 1,856 — 77,569 79,280 103,196 32,622 — 135,819 63,451
	178,909 34,479 — 213,388 142,731
	(78,520) 1,096 — (77,423) (211) 37,946 445 — 38,392 116,120 (27,208) (11,183) — (38,392) (116,120) 11,470 — — 11,470 53,240
	(56,312) (9,641) — (65,953) 53,029
	124,097 141,170 — 265,268 212,239
	67,785 131,528 — 199,314 265,268

Page 42