Trustees Annual Report 1-May-2023 to 30-April 2024
St Andrews Community Church, Market Street, Craven Arms, SY7 9NW
Registered Charity: 1147123
ST ANDREWS COMMUNITY CHURCH & FOODBANK
Market St Craven Arms, Shropshire
Aims
St Andrews Community Church (SACC) seeks to enable ordinary people to demonstrate Christian love and care in and around Craven Arms, Shropshire, through community, pastoral care, outreach and social activities.
We promote co-operation with other charities that share the Christian values both locally in this rural area and further afield.
Objectives.
We seek to serve the Community in areas of need, aim to enrich lives, and provide love, care and compassion.
By welcoming people to meet together and worship our Lord and creator in different ways, we aim to grow personal relationships with Jesus, to share our passion with others and to seek the guidance,
strength and compassion that comes from His Holy Spirit. This includes prayer, worship, outreach, mission and pastoral care.
SACC enjoys ties to Rural Ministries, works with local denominations in Craven Arms and surrounding towns and villages and supports other charities with similar aims.
Overview.
Since the Covid restrictions, the Church has not recovered its usual attendance levels.
This has had an impact on our financial situation.
Church Activities - all open to the public.
Our main gathering on a Sunday morning continues and is usually supported by 30 people on average.
Achievements and performance
The midweek opening of St Andrew’s building. Prayer and House groups
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A prayer group meets fortnightly.
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A number of the fellowship meet (either on line or in person) regularly through the week to pray.
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There has been a pop up Bible Study in January and February 2024
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There is a house group and a Bible study weekly in Aston on Clun – different venues.
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Some ladies have been prayer walking the town.
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The Leadership meet fortnightly to pray and discuss matters, generally on Zoom.
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A Textile craft group meet fortnightly on a Wednesday afternoon.
Links with other charities, events, special services and links with other churches.
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We had a joint Harvest Festival service with the Methodists in St Andrews, followed by a meal. Donations were sent to Farm Africa.
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Conexus, the local housing provider, arranged for the food bank to be painted free of charge.
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We donated 25 Samaritan Purse Christmas boxes to children in need.
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St Andrews attended the joint Covenant Service at the Methodist Church.
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24 Easter eggs were given to the SDAS locally to take to the women and children’s shelter for those suffering from domestic abuse.
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The Methodists and Anglicans attended our Palm Sunday 2023 with refreshments afterwards.
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The three local Churches had a joint Good Friday service outside at the local square.
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Both a Mens’ and a Ladies’ breakfast were held in St Andrews.
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2 ladies Days were held in the church by the Roots group. Women were invited from surrounding churches and both days were well attended.
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An evening prayer vigil was held in St Andrews.
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We held a choir event in St Andrews during December and 60 local people were entertained with Christian music. Donations given were divided between the Food Bank and a local charity
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As part of our young peoples’ work, St Andrews held a Christmas Service for Stokesay Primary School’s Keystage 1 and Key 2 pupils, in collaboration with the C of E and Methodist ministers.
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The younger children at Stokesay Primary School, were invited to spend part of a morning with us at St Andrews. They took part in a pop-up Nativity where they could all dress up as characters from the Christmas Bible story, which was narrated by ‘Open the Book’ people.
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Once a week, term time, a member of the fellowship volunteers to read with a couple of classes at the school, which is a greatly appreciated by the teachers and is looked forward to by the pupils.
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We also have volunteers who had been involved with “Open the Book” – an interactive and dynamic exploration of the Bible – also in Stokesay School and Clunbury School.
Foodbank
Over this past 12 months the Craven Arms Community Food Bank, which is hosted and run by St Andrews, has continued to provide those in the community who need food..
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The majority of the clients are single men, but we also have several families who are collecting fairly regularly. The food bank has also delivered to others in Craven Arms and beyond who couldn’t collect and opens regularly to give someone an emergency parcel.
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The Shropshire Council representative attends to host a drop-in linked to foodbank provision and budgeting and sign posting clients.
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The Food Bank is serving an average of 50 adults and 20 children a month.
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There is a limit of 6 bags per person per year, unless need is urgent.
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At Christmas, 48 adults and 24 children were supported by hampers and in the 7 weeks before Christmas over 300 bags were given out.
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1500 bags have been given out last year.
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A grant has been given to set up internet at no. 11 Market Street to enable the Shropshire council worker to look up information and enable the church to monitor the freezer.
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Continued support comes from local churches (especially Leintwardine) and local people giving generously with money and food donations.
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The food bank has been painted and had new signage in several languages.
Clients need to be referred by local support agencies who include Doctors, CAB, Social Services, Health Visitors, the School Liaison officer and Connexus (housing)
The food Bank building, which is rented by the church, also has other uses when the food bank is open. It is used by the NHS personnel occasionally to ask people if they would like their blood pressure checked or to offer health advice where needed.
Financial Review
Regular giving has accounted for £26.355. We received donations for the building fund. The total receipts (including interest payments, tax reclaimed and a bequest) are £105.973 All SACC funds come from personal donations, with no money raising activities direct to SACC funds.
We have just changed ring fencing food bank money to the Food Bank having its own account, still with the HSBC Bank, and monitored regularly. The money still comes under the umbrella of St Andrews finances.
We have also had a bequest of £64,000 to add to last year’s bequest, towards renovation of the kitchen, a new Foyer to house 2 toilets, and improve storage and decoration in the ‘Nave’ There will also be a platform built for the music group, speaker etc. making total receipts for this period
£105, 973.00. This included 2 years of reclaimed tax. Total expenditure was £ 42,747 over the period. We have just a part time cleaner, and all other ‘staff’ are volunteers.
Full details are at the end of this report. SACC trustees maintain a regular interest in the financial activities, and in particular any reserves, to ensure there is a balance of unrestricted funds to cover at least 3 months unrestricted expenditure. The balance in reserve has been exceeded at all points this year. SACC has no funds in deficit.
During the period, £13,957 has been held with Kingdom Bank who specialise in supporting Church Developments with money deposited, as a result, interest for the church is minimal.
SACC does not make grants.
Mission Giving
SACC aims to regularly support mission giving to charities from the annual budget. 10% of each quarter’s offertory.
International Charities ; British and Foreign Bible Society, World Vision, Langham Partnership and Ship to Shore, Dalit Freedom, Christian Concern, Tear Fund, Bible Society, World Vision, Langham Partnernship, MAF, Water Aid
National Charities; Christian Concern, CAP and YFC
Local Charities ; Empathy, Citizens Advice Bureau, Shrewsbury Street Pastors, Empathy.
Our ‘project’ this year has been to help Margo Billington, a young girl suffering from severe strokes.The church agreed £300, quarterly.
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£300.00 was raised for the food bank.
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£400.00 was given to Farm Africa from the Harvest Festival donations.
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£2000,00 was given to Marc Morris, to help toward an all ‘terrain wheelchair’
Volunteers and support
SACC does not currently support a pastor through a stipend. It was considered this year, but voted against at the 2023 AGM. We may revisit this debate in the coming year. SACC relies extensively on volunteers for the generosity of their time and energy. Noteworthy volunteer support includes the following (non-unique) networks: Preaching -1 Foodbank – 8; Youth, children and schools activities – 5. Volunteers to run a morning service on various Sundays – 15
Our volunteers have worked very hard, and we are extremely grateful for their untiring support in all areas. A large amount of work and commitment has been provided both by members and non members, and it is a testimony that SACC is still adequately supported only by members’ financial contributions or by a legacy left to the church.
‘Employed People’
We have 3 people who work for us on a self employed basis.
Voirrey Baugh – an administrator.
Christina Smiley - who cleans the church on a weekly basis.
David Ruff to keep the garden tidy and lawn mowed. He is paid in Tuffin’s Vouchers. (local supermarket)
Administration. We now have an administrator, Voirrey Baugh, who has taken over the administration and the finances from September 2023. Carol Morris was the previous book keeper, September 2022-2023, while Julia Gell did the day to day administration and oversaw the previous two people.
As of 30[th ] April 2023 , the elected leaders (who are also the charity trustees) remain as:
Marc Morris - Chair and Administrator but unable to work. Officially retired from Leadership in February 2024
Julia Gell - Acting Chair since September 2022. Chair from February 2024 Keith Arbery John Hughes.
Co-opted Leaders – as of October 2023, Wendy Heighway , Philip Trewardine
As of 30[th ] April 2023, the trustees of the charity holding the property were:
John Stringer James Gell Raymond Heighway Judy Cornhill – (retired from a trustee in August 2023) John Hughes Andrew Wheeler
SACC does not pay any of its trustees for their duties, and is not regulated nor registered outside the Charity Commission.
Governance
St Andrews Community Church (“SACC”) is an association with members, having been accepted onto the Charities register on 3[rd ] May 2012.
Trustees are elected by members of the church following a nomination and selection process by members, as defined in Church Rules. As there were only 3 nominees, an election process was not necessary and all 3 trustees were approved as above at the AGM in July 2023.
We have co-opted 2 leaders onto the leadership team this year.
SACC is responsible for the maintenance of the church property, St Andrews, in Market Street, Craven Arms. We are hoping the planned renovations will begin July 2024
SACC has written policies covering: Safeguarding Children and Vulnerable People
Declaration
The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees report above.
Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees:
Mrs Julia Gell
Chair of Leaders Trustee
Date: February 2024
Julia Gell ………………………
Mr Keith Arbery Leader Trustee Keith Arbery
ST ANDREWS COMMUNITY CHURCH
Market Street, Craven Arms, Shropshire
Financial Statement for period 1 May 2023 to 30 April 2024
| RECEIPTS & PAYMENTS 2023/24 Receipts: Ofertory Ofertory & Donatons 21,562 Bequests 64,500 Food Bank Donatons 4,793 |
2022/23 2021/22 25,147.60 27316.35 500.00 500.00 50,711.25 10947.00 9,289.00 not shown £85,647.85 £38,763.35 57.49 22.31 0.00 6,584.31 £85,705.34 £45,369.97 0.00 57.00 0.00 2,500.64 8,238.04 not shown 5,178.65 6,234.00 6,829.80 10,404.92 2,215.88 not shown 8,912.19 22,462.37 £28,108.75 £63,242.97 £17,261.22 £133,709.10 …………£70,523.62 £13,733.26 £ 13,675.77 |
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SUB-TOTAL Bank Interest (Kingdom Bank) 226 Tax Reclaimed/GifAid 14,892 |
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TOTAL RECEIPTS £105,973 |
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Payments: Stpend & HMRC 0.00 Core Actvites 0.00 Foodbank (capital/setng up - net) 9,053 Foodbank costs 6.051 Mission, Donatons & Outreach 7,790 St Andrews costs 11,167 Building/Architecture/Planning 5,250 Other*** 3,436 |
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Total payments 42,747 |
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Surplus/Defcit £63,086 |
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Current Account @ 30 April 2024 £196,709 |
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Savings Account @ 30 April 2024) £13,959 |
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(Kingdom Bank |
Foodbank - From 1[st] February 2024 St Andrews Community Church has been operating a separate bank account for income and expenses relating to the food bank. As at 30[th] April 2024, the Foodbank bank account stood at £9,392 being £9,053 of money input by the church (see above) and a Foodbank 3-month surplus of receipts over payments of £339.
ST ANDREWS COMMUNITY CHURCH
Market Street, Craven Arms, Shropshire Financial Statement for period 1 May 2023 to 30 April 2024
No areas of concern