The Parish of St Matthew and St Luke. Chadderton Annual Report of the Parochial Church Council for the Year Ended 31st December 2023 Presented to the Parishioners meeting and Annual Church Parochial Meeting on Wednesday 17th April 2024 at 7pm Agenda for the Parishioners, and Church Parochial Meetings h Parishioners l. Election of Churchwardens Annual Church Parochial Meetin l. Apologies for Absence 2. Minutes of the previous APCM 3. Matters Arising 4. Reports for 2023: Work of the PCC Accounts for the PCC Independent Examiners Gift Aid Reader ALM Grounds Maintenance Churchwardens Safeguarding Deanery Synod 200 Club Mothers, Union Electoral Roll 5. Elections: Parochial Church Councillors Independent Examiners 6. Other Business to be notified to the secretary 48 hours before meeting
nual Re St Matthew's Church is situated in the Deanery of Oldham and Ashton which is part of the Diocese of Manchester within the Church of England The correspondence add$$ is The Vicarage, Mill Brow, Chadderton, Oldham OLI 2RT The Annual Report of the Parish of Chadderton: St Matthew and St Luke for the year 2023 Administrative Information The Parochial Church Council (PCC) is a registered charity wlth the Charlty Commlsslon. Registration number 1143492. The parish has been in interregnum since 27th February 2023 PCC members who have served from ISI January 2023 until the date this report was approved are.. Incumbent Reader ALM The Revd Captain David Penny CA - until 27th February 2023 Ann Tattersall Margaret Hughes Ann Emmott Lorraine Moore Paula Leech Wardens.. Helen Crabtree Mike Moran Margaret Hughes Until APCM 2023- 18 April 2023 From APCM 2023- 18 April 2023 Representatives on the Deanery Synod.. Gillian Barker Margaret Hughes Roy Tattersall Paula Leech PCC Secretary PCC Treasurer Elected Members.- Jon Baptiste Max Butterworth Clare Clark Alma Costello Andrew Cox Ken Edwards Lynn Edwards Ann Emmott Carole Heeks Claire Middlebrook Lorraine Moore Jane Wernick Rodney Wild Pat Wild From APCM 2023- 18 April 2023 From APCM 2023- 18 April 2023 From APCM 2023- 18 April 2023 From APCM 2023- 18 April 2023
Structurei governance and management The method of appointment of PCC members is set out in the Church Representatives Rules. All Church attendees are encouraged to register on the Electoral Roll and stand for election to the PCC. BanK Investmen¢ Insurance & Other Detalls The Parish banking is with Uoyds, TSB and Co-operative banks CCLA (Churches, Charities and Local Authorities) The Insurers for the Parish are Trinitas (Finance details are shown in the financial statements) The PCC holds licen$ from Church Copyright Licensing & the Data Protection Registrar Details of Trust Funds attached. Objectives and activities St Matthew and St Luke's PCC has the responsibility of cooperating with the incumbent, the Revd Davld Penny, (until going into interregnum) in promoting in the ecclesiastical parish the whole mission of the Church, pastoral, evangelistic, social and ecumenical. It also has Maintenan responsiblllties for the Church of St Matthew, Chadderton Hall Road, Chadderton. Church attendance At the 2023 Annual Parochial Church Meeting the number of people on the Electoral Roll was 194. The average weekly attendance, counted during October was 194. Over 16 years old - 82, under 16 years old - 112. Activities and performance follow in the forni of various reports as detailed on the front page This report was approved by the PCC on Wednesday 6th March 2024 and slgned on their behalf by Andrew Cox {PCC Vice Chaimian) Signed:
Th ofthePCCin2 23 The full PCC met 7 times during the year with an average level of attendance of 780/0, Standing committee met 3 times and budget committee met once, minutes of their deliberations were received by the full PCC and discussed where necessary. The "day to day" work of the PCC is carried out by its members - we are a working PCC, and all members a expected to contribute whether on committees or working on specific tasks. Recommendations are discussed and if appropriate, ratified at full PCC meetings. This process makes for more focussed and strategic discussions and decision-making. We have had quite a turbulent year as we began preparing for our interregnum. David left St Matthews after 17 years as our vicar to move on to pastUS new. He accepted the position of priest in charge in the Gloucestershire parish of Winchcombe. During his time with us David has helped and supported every member of the parish who needed him. Whilst I could list numerous qualities and accomplishments, the most important thing is to say thank you and we wish hlm all the very best of success in his new parish. David's final service with us was on 29lh January which was a very moving service not only celebrating David's time with us here at St Matthew and St Luke but also wishing him and Deborah every success in the next stage of their journey in faith. As David had been with us for 17 years it was expected that we would be in interregnum for a good period. The biggest task facing the PCC was ensuring that we had clergy cover for our Eucharistic services. We had to make the difficult decision of restricting our services to 8.30am and 10.30am on a Sunday and 6pm on a Thursdayi we had to cancel the Wednesday 10am service as we were unable to ensure that it was staffed. We are extremely thankful to Reverends Richard Hawkins, Ray MoThi5, Ian Butterworth, and Li2 Devall for stepping in to ensure that we could deliver Eucharistic services. We are very fortunate that we have Ann as Reader Emeritus and Margaret as ALM, between them they have covered most of the Thursday worship services. Our pastoral team with ALMS Ann and Lorraine has continued to provide support to those in the parish who need somebody to talk to, The benefice of St Matthew and St Luke officially became vacant on the 27th of February at which point the interregnum began. The process to begin filling the vacancy began on the 27th of May. Archdeacon David Sharples and Area Dean Daniel Rambles met with the PCC to explain the process we WOLFld go through and to answer any questions from the council. One of the first jobs was to complete a parish profile descrlbing the conditions, needs and traditions of our parish as well as appointing two parish representatives, the PCC appointed Helen Crabtree and Gillian Barker. They will be involved in the interview process and will ensure that we do not appoint anyone who is not sympathetic to our views and visions for our parish. It was made clear by the Archdeacon that we would not be able to have a vicar solely in charge of our church, the number of clergy in the diocese is reducing and clergy are now being expected to take responsibility for more than one parish. Both the Archdeacon and Area Dean addressed the congregations at a Sunday morning 8.30am and 10.30am service. Following further discussions, the Archdeacon asked the PCC to consider the Reverend Liz Devall as our preferred candidate. Liz is currently priest in charge of St Anne Royton and St Mark Heyside. Before a final decision can be made St Anne and St Mark will have to do discuss the proposal of decoupling themselves enabling St Anne and St Matthew to come together under Reverend Liz Devall. We agreed to put forward Liz as our preferred candidate whilst being very conscious of the difFicult times that the congregations of St Mark would be going through, and our prayers and thoughts were with them at this time of transition. As we come to the end of the year discussions are still taking place and it is hoped that progress can be made after the Christmas break. Whilst in interregnum we are unable to start anything new however we did hold a faith lunch on the 8th of May to commemorate the coronation of King Charles III and a 505 and 605 night in July, as well as a pirates and princesses, event in December.
In November the headteacher and chair of governors of St Matthews primary school addressed the PCC to discuss the proposed academisation of the school. The PCC formally supported the governor's intentions of applying to the diocese to proceed with the academisation. Until a new vicar is appointed our primary schools requi an ex-official governor, Margaret Hughes was appointed for St Matthew and Gillian Barker for St Luke. The PCC agreed to adopt being an Inclusive church. This is a church which celebrates and affirms every person and does not discriminate. It welcomes all types of people regardless of their ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or mental well-being. We are thankful to the members of the PCC and other members of the congregations, who have worked tIleSS1Y to ensure that our church has adapted to rapidly changing and challenging situations. We pray for strength and direction as we prepare to come out of interregnum, in the knowledge that God has a purpose for us all to ensure this parish is fit for mission and "Living out our call to share the Gospel in Faith, Hope and Love". Gillian Bèrker
Finan Income for general use. 2023 saw a downturn in giving by standing order which decreased to £29,211 (£34,283 in 2022). Giving by weekly envelopes increased to £10,334 (£9,190 in 2022). Cash collections decreased significantly to £3993 (£6,170 in 2022) and donations, which include one-off envelope also decreased to £2976 (4,774 in 2022). The latter two decreases can, in part, be attributed to the number of baptisms reducing following a 2022 backlog clearance. We were also unable to offer dates in 2023 to all families enquiring about a baptism due the difficulty of finding ministers whilst in interregnum. other activities e.g. refreshment5 and lunch dub, parent and toddler group made SLbrpluses after expenses totalling £2,815 Our letting income drastically reduced from £1,555 in 2022 to £336. Fees from funerals and weddings brought in £7,798 (£10,208 in 2022). £4,982 of which is related to the graveyard (see further information regarding maintenance costs in the expenditure section). Recovered gift aid amounted to £11.652 (£13.139 in 2022)- The amount we can claim is dependent on giving levels and it is automatically sent towards our parish share by the diocese. Fundraising for unrestricted funds made a surplus after expenses of £3,891 (£4,300 in 2022). A pleasing amount as we thought that this would be one area to suffer badly due to energies being diverted to the InCaSed workload due to the interregnum. We are grateful for the people who gave their time and talents to fundraise. We received £2,194 from Church of England funds towards fuel costs. General expenditure. The parish share set by the diocese was £61,710 and we were able to pay £49,359 which equates to 80010. Expenditure for upkeep of services e.g. wine, wafers, candles. admin, printing, and payments to our organist plus licenses. water rate. insurance etc was at 2022 levels plus an amount for inflation. The hike in the cost of heating due to increased gas costs. which had been anticipated in the budget set for 2023. did not materialise due to the impact of the new and more efficient boiler. Electrlcity costs were as budgeted. One plus of being in an interregnum is that expenditure on council tax for the vicarage ceased, the cost of keeping the water and energy on in the vicarage, until it was let by the diocese, was refunded by the diocese and we were not paying vicarfs expenses. We are able to claim any travelling expenses incurred by visiting ministers from the diocese. £4,847 was expended on routine building maintenance and cleaning. This was less than usual but we have a policy of setting aside IOOh of income to be used for future fabric repairs so this fund was boosted by adding the unspent part of the 10%. The deficit recorded in 2022 for the upkeep of the churchyard, due to the installatlon of a contalner to house the grounds equipment, was clawed back in 2023 and the year ended with a surplus of £1,359. Income for the graveyard derives mainly from burial fees, plus an annual payment of £92 from the War Graves Commission. Thank you to the volunteers, whose hard work maintaining the graveyard means that we are not having to employ a firm to do the work, which we estimate would cost at least £10,000 per annum.
Income and expendlture not for general use We received £3,756 from a legacy and donations in memory. This has been noted in the accounts as'designated for futu mission and ministry and major works. We made a final payment of £5,537 towards the upgrade to the AV system. We paid £24,400 for the monument plus an initial payment for the landscaping which will be completed in 2024 we were able to claim back the VAT on the cost of the monument which amounted to £2,400. The choir vestry/ kitchen roof was repaired at a cost of £27,429 we a able to claiM the VAT on this type of work plus other fabric related expenditure and received £7.490 in 2023 Funds for the above major items of expenditure came from legaCS received over the past few years. Risk, revlew. funds and reseTves policy. It is good practice to maintain a readily accessible balance on unrestricted funds to cover both ordinary running costs and those which arise unexpectedly. The PCC aims to hold between 3 and months running costs in free reserves - at 31st December 2023 the balance of free reserves stood at £22,121. This balan does not include any monies that have been designated e.g. legacies or for fabric paIrS or those held in the Marianne Hamilton bequest account (see paragraph below). Funds and related transactions which are considered to be under the control of the PCC are included within these financial statements. In addition there exists an independent registered charity, number 244678, the Marianne Hamilton bequest which was created following the sale of land belonging to the Parish of St Luke. Its purpose is for the improvement of the amenities of the church and for other purposes in the Parish of St Matthew and St Luke. Statement of Trustees Responsibilities Charity Law requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year, which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of its financial activities for that period. In preparing those financial statements the trustees have:_ selected suitable accounting standards and applied them consistently; made judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent; ststed whether applicable accounting standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements. prepared the financial statements on the going concern basis. The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and to enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Acts. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hen for taking aSonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. Morgoret Hughes
Parochlal Church Councll of ST MATTHEW AND ST LUKE RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNT For thè yèar endln9 31 Dfrcembgr 2023 2023 2023 Unrestrlcted Deslgnated Fund8 Fund8 2023 Restrlcted Funds TOTAL 2023 Note RECEIPTS Voluntary Income Activities for Generatlng Funds Income from Investments Church Acllvltles Olher Incoming Resourc8S TOTAL RECEIPTS 21al 21bl 21c) 21d) 21e) 58,159 5,917 4,778 10,367 1,738 59,897 6,917 4,926 10,367 19,783 100,891 148 13,647 13,647 6,136 8,022 79,222 2023 Unrestrlcted I 2023 deslgnated De8lgnated Funds Funds 2023 Restrlcted Fund8 TOTAL 2023 PAYMENT Cost of Generating Voluntary Income Fund Raislng Costs Church Activities Governance Costs 31a) 31b) 3{cJ 3(d) 177 731 76,047 177 731 136,832 59,025 1,760 TOTAL PAYMENTS 76.956 59,026 1.760 137,740 EXCESS OF RECEIPTS OVER PAYMENTS 2,266 45,377 6,262 -36,849 NET MOVEMENT IN FUNDS: The notes on the following pages form part of these accourrts 2,266 45,377 6,262 -36,849
Parochlal Church Council of ST MATTHEW AND ST LUKE Statement of A888ts & LlabllltSe5 at 31st December 2023 2023 Unrestricted Funds 2023 Deslgnated Funds 2023 Restrictèd Funds TOTAL 2023 1. ASSETS Current accounts TS8 business Instant Account CBF PCC No 1 a¢counl' C8F PCC No 3 account. Sl Luke's CBF Account. MM Rownlrees Charity- held in COIF fund ' Marianne Hamilton Account ' Inveslmènl assets - held in CBF funds Flowers cash 200 Club current account TOTAL ASSETS 11,882 18,784 31,513 11,882 18,784 31,613 3,897 128,150 3,241 7,676 5,957 -19 294 211,274 3,897 128,150 3,241 7,576 3,520 2,437 -19 294 128,4M 73,274 9,666 Hèld with CCLA with interest and dividends paid to parish accounts. Some funds are mangéd by Manchesler Diocese Approved by the Parochial Church Council on 81h March 2024 and signed on Its behalf by.
Parochial Church Council of ST MATTHEW AND ST LUKE NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS For the year endlng 31 December 2023 (Cont> 2. INCOMING RESOURCES 2023 Unrestrlcted Funds 2023 Restrlcted Funds 2023 Deslgnated Funds TOTAL 2023 2{a) Voluntary Income Planned giving by gift aid Income tax received (Gift Aid Llt8) Planned giving not by gift aid Calleclions - Cash on plate Donations & appeals On behalf of othér Charltles (note 51 34,362.74 11,652.90 5,182.30 3.993.43 2,987.56 34,362.74 11,659.15 5,182.30 3,993.43 4,036.37 663.42 59,897.41 59,233.99 6.25 1,068.81 663.42 1,738.48 58,168.93 0.00 2(bl Actlvltl88 for Gèneratlng Fund8 Fundraising Lunches and other refreshments 4,022.07 1,895.24 4,022.07 1,895.24 6,917.31 0.00 0.00 6,917.31 2{c} Income from Invèstments Dividends and interest 4,778.05 4,778.05 147.66 147.66 4,926.71 4,926.71 0.00 2{dl Income from Church Actlvltlos Trading e.g. lettings Fees, slalutory and optional Parent and Toddler Group Ignite Youth Group 336.50 7,798.58 2,232.16 336.50 7.798.58 2,232.16 0.00 0.00
10,367.24 0.00 0.00 10,367.24 2{e} Other Incomlng Re8ource8 Grants Insurance and VAT claims Legacies and donatlons In memory Credils relaled to interregnum 4,194.76 4,194.76 9,890.75 3,756.66 1,940.98 19,783.15 9,890.75 3,756.66 ** 1,940.98 ,135.74 0.00 13,647.41 roTAL INCOMING RESOURCES: 79,221.S3 13,647.41 8,021.88 100,890.82 79,221.53 13,647.41 8,021.88 100.890.82 Legacies and donations designated for future Mission & Outreach Initiativesl identified Major Works **
Parochial Church Councll of ST MAThHEW AND ST LUKE NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS For the year endlng 31 December 2023 (Cont) 3. RESOURCES EXPENDED 2023 Unrestrlctedl deslgnated Funds 2023 Ro$trl¢ted Funds 2023 De8lgnated Funds TOTAL 2023 3(01 Colt of Generatlng Voluntary Incom8 i.e. giving env&lop8S 177.06 0.00 177.06 3(bl Fund Ralslng Costs Events expenses 731.30 731.30 908.36 0.00 0.00 908.36 3{c) Church Actlvltle8 Missionary and Charitable Glvlng (notè 5) Diocesan Parish Share Minlsters expenses & vicarage costs Musicians fees for Church Services Heal, light, water, telephone Insurance Youth and Children's work Parent and Toddler Group Maintenance of building incl cleaning Upkeep of services Church grounds maintenance Admin costs, photocopier, ststionary,postage 663.42 683.42 49,359,15 1,252.16 2,400.00 6,511.20 2,460.72 98.35 264.55 4.847.49 3,051.79 2,215.33 2,575.28 49.359.15 1,252.16 2,400.00 6,511.20 2,460.72 63.35 264.55 4,847.49 3,051.79 2,215.33 2,575.28 35.00
Lunches and other refreshments Upgrade AV system Major building work Memorial garden Music Flowers 1,046.04 1.046.04 5,S37.88 29,086.81 24,400.00 0.00 1,061.74 5,537.88 29,086.81 24,400.00 ** 0.00 1,061.74 76,047.06 69,024.69 1,760.16 136,831.91 3(d) Govemance Costs TOTAL RESOURCES EXPENDED: 76,956.42 69,024.69 1,780.16 137,740.27 *• Funds for Major building work, memorlal garden ,and AV Lspgrade taken from designated legacies and donations in memory. 4.co RELATIN FUNERALS & WEDDINGS 11 Is the custom of the PCC to charge for thè services of organists, vergers and sextons at funerals & weddings, and lo pass these fees on lo the individuals providing the seNice. Fees for the Vicar at such events were paid lo him as part of his stipend. Thesé costs are correclly netted off against fees received, because the PCC is acting merely as agent Statutory fèés income lotalled £5070 in respect of organists, vergers & grave preparatlon and £4832 in respect of DBF fees .
Parochlal Church Council of ST MArrHEW AND ST LUKE NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS Forthe year endlno 31 December 2023 Icontl General Funds General Funds rewesent the arrKJunts available to Ihe PCC to meet rts OIng obligation5. based on the assumption that restn.cted fvnds are not availthe for general use. Music fund Donations arid fees received that are s)fical for all asW of music otfw than the organist's salary are held in a restricted fu1. Flower funds Donations received in resp8d of church flow5 are held in a restsicled fvThJ to be spent future flower displays. The balance M hand is Sbjfficient to pay for fkwers for ts immediate future. Mlssion Various collections are ld on behalf of ¢)thw organisabons and these are paid over as sry)n as practical. Marianne Hamilton Be uest. The PCC ad(noYledge5 Marianne Hamiltcrt) Bequest as an indeperKlent Registered Charity. number 244678, which was created followng the sale of land beloroing to the Parish of St Luke. IY5 purpose is for improwng the amenthes of the church and for other purposes in the Parish of St Matthew and St Luke, Chadderton.
Parochial Church Council of ST MATfHEW AND ST LUKE NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS For the year ending 31 December 2023 1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES The principal accounts'ng wlicies adopted in the weparation of the ffinanoal ststemetrts are sel out below Basi re aration The financial statements have been wepared in 0rd ith the Church Accounting Regulations 20 using the Receipts and Payments basis. The financial stalements include all trar158cbons for which the PCC is responsible. They (Jo not include the accounts of church groups that owe their main affiliation to another body. nor those that are informal gatherings of church members. Fund accountin Endowment Funds are funds. the cathl of which must te mainiained; only income arising from investment may be used eilher as restr¢cted or unrestricted fund5 ¢nding upon the PUTpose for which the endowment was estsblished. Marianne Hamitton is this type offvnd. Restricted Funds represent donations or graTtts rtt&ved for a speufic wrpose or invited by the PCC for a specific puSe. The fijnds may only be expended on the speafic purpose for vthich they were given. Any balance remaining unspent at the end of the year is carried foThRrd as a balance on that fund. The PCC does not normally invest separately for fund LMJt when apFwrie interest is apportioned to individual funds. Designated Funds are fvnds which are rnt restricted by the dorm¥ but which the PCC has agreed to designate to be used in the future for a specific purpose. They remain under the control of the PCC part of unrestricted funds and could be rtrdesnated at any time in the future atthe discretion of the PCC. Unrestricted Funds are general funds which can be for PCC ordinary purposes. They include designated funds and free reserves. Free reserves are those funds available to L used at the discretion of the PCC which have not been designated for any particular purw5e
Independent examlnerfs report to the PCC of St Matthew and St Luke. Chadderton I report on the financial statements of the PCC forthe yearended 31 December 2023, which are set out on pages 01 to 09. This report is in respect of an examination carried out in accordance with the Church Accounting Regulations 2(M)61'the Regulation<l and section 43 of the Charities Act 1993 I'the 1993 Act'l. Respectlve responsibilitie5 of the PCC and the examiner As members of the PCC you are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements,. you consider that an audit is not required for this year under the Regulations and under section 43121 of the 1993 Act and that an independent examination is needed. It is my responsibility to issue this report on those financial statements in accordance with the temis of the Regulations. Basis of thls report My examination was carried out in accordance with the General Directions gwen by the Charity Commission under sertion 4317llbl of the 1993 Act and to be found in the Church guidance, 2006 edition. That examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the PCC and a comparison of the accounts with those records. It also includes considering any unusual items or disclosures in the financial statements and seeking explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required of an audit and consequently I do not express an audit opinion on the view given by the accounts. Independent examinerf ststement In connection with my examinatton, no matter ha5 corne to my attention: 111 which 8ives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements to keep accounting records in accordance wtth section 41 of the 1993 Act,. and to prepare financial statements which accord with the accounting records and comply with the requirements of the 1993 Act and Regulation5 have not been met: or 121 to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. SIGNED: NAME: qualification, if relevant Address Date 16
Gift Ai Thank you, the Parishioners, for the donations you have made in 2023 whether as a regular committed giving donation or as a single donation and regardless of your tax-paying status. Donatn Value Regoonor Oneoffs Jan-5Apr £11.271.61 £441.53 6Apr-Jun É7.668.48 £543.10 Jul-sep £9,272.25 £291.77 ort-Dec £8,644.90 £377.96 £1,946.97 £10,969.83 2023 GASDS Total .357.49 £13.070.63 £1,439.22 £9.6XI.80 £1.3.18 £10.958.20 YearTotsl 25Yp refund £11,162.42 The Gift Aid year runs in tar)dem with the Tax Year, though for the purposes of this calendar year report, I detail those donations that we were able to prove an audit trail on, vis: valid name, address and Gift Aid Declaration (separately held, or contained on the One-off yellow envelopes). In total we were able to claim back just over £llk from the government to contribute to church expenses. This is of course a tremendous sum, albeit our best year of 2019 saw 40 % more than this figure as we try to adjust to the reduced makeup of congregations and funding pattems seen post 'the Covid years, and the inevitable upheaval compounded by lost footfall of the interregnum {18 % more rebate seen in 2022). EILg1). Ell.2 £1.5M 2018 ELOH61 £LI)WI7 £l(dX37 IJLWJT t1327A5 YewTolth iw.ij £14.472.47 Lki.D £U.27L7D 249A4 EL751. £J424B IE 2019 )ll QDI&DZ £Jthr*669 MTn GASDS is a longstanding 'temporary' scheme whereby regardless of tax-payer status we can currently claim up to £2000 in a tax year from cash in the weekly collection. If you DO pay tax, may I please ask you instead, to complete a Gift Aid Donation Form available from me and in church. Likewise, if you can commit to regular giving, you strongly consider payment by weeklylmonthly standing order, or if not possible, Regular Giving Envelopes avallable from me and in church. Z5% refvhd £15,605.58 tJZ543 EP.7Di. ÉlJ.s.i 2020 Jz £JfjLIO YewTotsl To111 éF.)PiLV 15% rofvnd £12,578.21 aL06F 2021 L375. El.M 12 tZ350.9 £JL16P.Y You will note how the declaration does state it is your responsibility to ensu that you personally (not your joint/shared household) pay sufficient tax to cover all your GiftAided donations the Revenue do randomly audit! With standard tax free income unchanged at £12570 per annum, a change in circumstance/tax status can quickly change matters. I can then ensure no over-claims are made. £IZ,656.87 Eg.I17.40 75.44 2022 17 £1%891(¥ 13.7J JL¥JAp¥ 25%roftw £13,151.57 Conversely, with increased interest rates of late and various state payment increases due, you may have now started paying tax again on your total combined income, enabling you to complete a Gift Aid Declaration for me. Do please let me know on a strittly confidential basis should your declaration with me need to change at any point. Eg £80 per month donation £960 in a year on which £240 tax is reclaimed by church. A minimum £13,770 annual income would need eaming to incur this'refunded, £240 tax charge. In the meantimei please do keep me updated of any changes in your email address, physical address, name or tax-paying status! Neville Barker (GiftAidStMatthews@gmail.com) 17
Read r Mini I have continued throughout the last 12 months to assist with the SeNices on a Sunday and lead All Age Worship on Thursdays, usually once every 6 weeks. I have also visited parishioners who are now not able to come to Church, and thus take Communion to those who ask for it, at a suitable day and time to sult them. On Tuesdays, l also prepare and take Desserts to our Luncheon Club and assist with welcoming and serving those who come. I am grateful for those who come to our Luncheon Club, that they can enjoy a meal and share with others what they've been doing, having time to chat and enjoy each other's company, sharing God's fellowship with one another as lesus taught us to do. I am also very grateful for Margaret Rochford, Alma Costello and Susan Tracey who come every week, as we work together preparing and bringing food to cook for our guests and l¢)oking after all who join us. Ann Tattersall Au Minist 2023 and the interregnum brought quite a change for me. I continued to lead Thursday evening family services but more regularly than the On a month that I had been used to as I did 25 in total with Ann leading other Services of the Word and we also had visiting priests to do a communion service on a number of weeks. Each Service of the Word has a format of prayer, hymns, confession, adIng5, a talk, creed and Intercessions but is also quite bespoke as we try to make the seNices as interactive as possible. It is a pleasure to report that these continue to be well attended with consistent numbers of 70 to 80 (roughly 50150 children and adults) each week, rising to 100 on quite a few occasions. During Holy week I led an evening service of Stations of the Cross and the family worship on Good Friday morning. l also took a ministerial role in the Good Friday liturgy and led the Easter Sunday Service of Light. As we were unable to secure the services of an ordained minister for the All Souls commemoration I led that service and also led the Carol Service, although once started that more or less runs itself. As we had a nLbmber of visiting clergy who were not our regular cover I took it upon myself to eak some of our SeiCe booklets to help them, especially if they were unused to services being projerted. I also continued to add music to the 8.30 slides and hymns to the 10.30 slides. I also took on the task of liaison with St Matthew's school for the occasions when they come into church for services. I have given talks at st Luke's worship assemblies and co-wrote the Year 6 joint leavers service with school staff. Margaret Hughes in As we had fewer people to work on the rna1ntenan team in 2023, for various reasons, we made some changes to the way we operated. We moved away from having a rota which had been built around working at weekend with specific areas to target, often meaning that in inclement weather or if people were ursable to fulfil their rota slots, some parts of the graveyard were left uncut for too long. We now have a more relaxed approach which enables people to turn up when they have an hour or so to spare and the weather is right. However, an hour often stretches into a few hours as the ride-on mower is rather fun to usel Whatsapp is used to post where we have cut and to discuss which area needs to be done next. I would like to give a huge vote of thanks to Geoff, lon, Rob and Tony plus Max when back home and also to Rodney who has been with us in spirit. Not forgetting Gavin and Paul for the annual mammoth task of cutting the hedges. Thanks also go to Paula and Sue for all their hard work plantlng and weeding our flowers beds and tubs which look beautiful all year round with spring bulbs and summer flowers making them especially colourful. Margaret Hughes 18
Wardens. Report 2023 We have completed almost a year in interregnum and we have been extremely lucky to have had almost all of our services covered by retired clergy and clergy from other parishes. For this we owe a massive thank you to Gillian who has worked extremely hard to arrange this cover and of course to the clergy themselves. We also owe big thanks to our ministry team who have stepped in to cover the services that could not be covered by clergy. As well as the usual Thursday All Age services Ann has assisted Margaret in leading the All Souls, Service, the Carol Service and the Service of Light wonderfully. Margaret has also worked very hard with our schools acting as liaison and arranging services and activities held in church. As well as Margaret we are thankful for our other three ALMS, Ann and Lorraine who provide pastoral care to our sick and bereaved and Paula, our ALM for Youth. We couldn't possibly operate without the assistance of all our other volunteers: Our teams of dedicated Deputy Wardens, Sidespersons and Welcomers who provide valuable assistance during our services. Our teams of volunteers who run our weekly events and groups. Our flower arrangingi gardening and graveyard maintenance teams. We are extremely grateful for all their hard work and we offer our sincere thanks. All the usual yearly maintenance services have been carried out: Kitchenlchoir Vestry Boiler serviced by Swift Heat (£94.50). Main Church Boiler serviced by J W Moore (386.40). Fire extinguisher5 serviced and remedial work carried out at a second visit (£251.52). Intruder alami serviced by Prolect Security (£248.00). AV/hearing loop serviced by Noiseboys as per service agreement. Mole traps were Set and moles were caught. Gutters were cleared and serviced (£300.00). Rodent infestation checks carried out quarterly by Pro-Kill under service contract. Some infestation found and dealt with. Gardening Equipment serviced by Ashley Mowers (£987.03). Additionally, five year maintenance seiceS were carried out as follows: Lightning conduttor by PTSG at a cost of £115.20. Electrical check and PAT testing carried out by Barlows UK Ltd at cost of £480.00. (remedial work will be required to obtain the pass certificate) Evergreen Landscapes have started the work to create the Garden of Remembrance and Tranquillity Garden which is expected to be completed early in the new year, weather pemiitting. Seven monitors have been installed throughout church to assist with the projection of church services, together with additional electricity sockets at a total cost of £12,410.76. Work to repair the choir vestry roof was completed by Heritage Conservation at a cost of £24,934.80. The choir vestry and narthex were repainted by Lee Aplin at a cost of £700.00 and £800.00 respectively. Subsequently, there has been some water ingress into the narthex caused by the deterioration of the mastic at the joint between the roof and the outside wall of main church building. This is expected to be repaired by Heritage Conservation early in the new year. (VAT where appllcable Is Included in all prices. Professional fees are recorded separately in the church accounts) List B application to plant a cherry tree that will replace a damaged sycamore which is coming to the end of its life. 19
List B application to replace a failed handkerchief tree with a yew tree. Two Legacies have been received this year, one of £2,756.66'and of £1,000.00. We have held two fundraising events during the year in the form of a Jukebox night for the adults and a Pirates & Princesses event for the children. These were very successful both in terms of enjoyment and raising funds for the church. (Money raised is shown separately in church accounts) Our Seniors, Afternoon Tea which we held in August was also a great success. We held a raffle in December to raise money both for church funds and to help CRB, a charity that helps visually impaired children. (Money raised is shown separately in church accounts) The inventory and Terrier We updated accordingly. We look forward to the coming year when we hope to welcome our new vicar. We will keep you infornied as progress is made with the appointment. Helen Crabtree & Margaret Hughes in During the period 1st January to 31st December 2023 there We no notifiable disclosures. We now have 25 members of the congregation holding DBS certificates relevant to their role within St Matthew and St Luke's. Therefore, everyone required to hold a DBS certificate has one. There will be eight renewals due this year, to maintain the Diocese protocol of 3 yearly renewals. Thirty-one eight, who manage the DBS system are notifying the PSO a few months before a DBS is due to expire. Certificate numbers and their issue dates are held on record. All our groups working within St Matthew's, are reminded that any new leaderslpost holders having contact with children and/or vulnerable adults must have a relevant, current DBS to safeguard all people. We hold job descriptions for the various roles within the parish, with assistance from and discussions with current post holders. We are currently awaiting an update on the Toddler Group roles. Manchester Diocese Safeguarding Team have recently confirnied that the PSO must keep a record of the online safeguarding training certificates. This year we are all required to complete the Foundation Certificate. Clarification on the training, was emailed to everyone in February 2024 and so members are now beginning to complete this extra requirement. We have 11 members who are still required to complete this so far. The DBS consent forni and safeguarding training rtIfiCateS are both filed together for each member and kept in a locked cabinet, within the locked church offi. Any other confidential infomiation is also stored along with thls. The Current Parish Safeguarding Handbook is available online, accessible through the diocesan website. We also hold a copy of the documents= "Safer Environment and Activities 2019"; "Promoting a safer church". "Key Roles and Responsibilities of Church Office Holders and Bodies Practice Guidance., "Safer Recruitment and People Management" 2021. A file containing these documents will be kept in the narthex for reference. We have all the required safeguarding infomiatlon dlsplayed on the narthex notice board and on our church websites. This includes the Safeguarding Handbook, The House of Bishops Safeguarding Policy, contact numbers and helplines. St Matthews Church Safeguarding Policy Statement 2023. There has been one reported cause for concern case during the period to December 2023. The Diocesan Officers have temporarily closed the case, as outside agencies are involved with the person. The Diocese Safeguarding policy discourages church officersl PCC members from organising or providing any lifts to congregation members, except in an emergency. So, unless someone is known personallyi as a friend, please follow this guideline. Paula Clarke
Area Dean: Daniel Ramble Lay Chair: Liz Dent Deanery Lay Secretary: Barbara Micklethwaite The meetings We mainly conducted by Zoom and one at Oldham Parish Church. The St. Matthews and St Luke representatives were well represented at all meetings. Discussions were restricted by several reasons due to the huge number of parish representatives, lack of skills. plus other issues. Throughout the meetings, the main theme of all the meetings was a to gain a great knowledge, a greater understanding and respect for all cultures, all people as we work together towards pea and love in our communities. hildren's Officer Rick Otto discussed how to inspire all ages. worklng withln churches, church groups, schools, non-faith groups, etc. He emphasized the need for community involvement, i.e. inclusivity being the requirement for Inclusive Church initiatives. Additional information The Man Dio Growin Faith team are hosting a series of Deanery Hubs in locations around the diocese. These sessions will focus on how parishes can forge strong connections with local schools. These meetings also enable those involved in ministry with children, young people, and families to get together to build supportive networks and share their experiences. Another essential topic at Deanery Synod was Safeguarding, and how to implement a Safe place and environment for all. Financial Matters.. as our Deanery is struggling to meet the financial quotas, the rest of the Diocese is also finding severe difficulties in meeting its financial requirements. Only with the sale of assets is it keeping the Diocese financially solvent. For example, the sale of Church House, on Deansgate, Manchester for over £14 million. Eco News'.- Environmental is a constant agenda item on the Deanery Synod agenda to make us aware of the issues that affect us all. Important items have been drawn to our attention about items making our places of worship more energy and carbon efficient. It was noted by the Deanery that St. Matthews and St Luke's registered with Eco Church. Eco Church is a scheme ntn by Rocha UK equipping churches to care for God's creation through their worship, buildings, land, community engagement, and individual lifestyles. The aim is to address our environmental issues that we all face. Further Information can be found at the Diocesan and Deanery websites, also on Facebook and other Social Media sites. Roy Tattersall 200 CI 2023 saw good participation in the 200 Club, following increased awarenesslability to partake whether based locally or not - permitted by our Local Authority registration of the same. At the end of December 2023 we had 72 syndicate member lines (67 December 2022) each contributing £4 per month. Having sold 842 lines during 2023, we were able to award £1515.60 across 36 winners in accordance wlth our constitution. In addition, £1852.40 was paid over to general church funds with regards to ongoing church expenses. Thank you to each of you who subscribe to the 200 Club, and to those who share its existence with your local friends and neighbours who may want to know how they can help their local church at arms length. Neville Barker, Margaret Hughes and Claire Middlebrook Admini5trator5 StMètthews200Club Council Registration number.. Lot0225 21
As is the norm for our branch the year began with our Annual General Meeting. Once again Valerie was. re-appointed as Branch leaderlsecretary, June as Treasurer and Gwyneth as Auditor. There were no changes needed to the remainder of the commlttee. At our February meeting we had a rather hilarious evening playing charades. Because of inclement weather on the day of our March meeting it was decided to cancel the speaker, $0 we just chatted with friends over tea and biscuits. For our April meeting Margaret Rochford gave a demonstration of flower arranging doing three beautiful arrangements. The May Meeting brought Charles Smith who spoke about his time in the Fire Brigade and the changes during his years of service. Frances Brough, from MU Enterprises came to speak about tracing her family history at our June meeting. The July meeting was once again taken up with the filling of'bags of love. for the parentslcarers of the new intake in September of children at both St Matthew's and St Luke's schools. Sharman Birtles, the Vice Lord Lieutenant of Manchester, was our speaker at the September meeting. She gave a very interesting talk about her experience attending the late Queen's funeral. October saw us once again playing Who Wants to be a Millionaire. Robert Knotts came to our November meeting telling us about his passion for wood carving, particularly of figures from the nativity and spoke about how Father Christmas is depicted in various countries in the world. In December we played a couple of games, and these were followed by a sharing super. We held a cake stall in May which raised £160 enabling us to make donations to the Make a Mother's Day and the Summer of Hope appeals ar)d donations were also made to Away from it All, which provides holidays or trips for families who need a break, and the Manchester Benevolent Fund. Donations totalling £100 were made by people attending the memorial service for the late Rev Richard Bailey which his family requested go to Mothers, Union and these were passed on to the Manchester office to be used for projects In the Manchester diocese. understand from MU Enterprises that the sale of cards etc raises quite substantial funds for Mothers, Union and our branch did exceptionally well this year with total sales of Christmas, baptism and Mothering Sunday cards amounting around £300. We continue to organize and distribute bookmark cards for ladies on Mothering Sunday and sending anniversary cards for three years to anyone baptized in our church. We are also supporting the campaign to bring awareness about domestic abuse. Again, our branch was represented at both Spring and Autumn Councils and the Archdeaconry Festlval. Our membership still stands at 22 but average attendan at meetings has now reduced to 9. I would like to give my annual thanks to the committee and all our members for their support and help during the year and Margaret Hughes who volunteered to laminate the prayer cards for the bags of love. Valerie Prestwich