## **Parochial Church Council of the**
**Parish Church of St Thomas Lydiate and Downholland Church Lane Lydiate L31 4HL**
## **Annual Report and Financial Statements**
**For the year ended 31[st] December 2025**
1
## **Mission Statement To be a welcoming Christian Community to all people: So that everyone may know the love of Jesus Christ**
## **Registered Charity Number: 1149840 St Thomas’ Lydiate PCC**
Administratve Informaton Rev Dr Susan Salt BEM St Thomas’ Vicarage Church Lane, Lydiate, L31 4HL Contact Telephone number 0151 526 2292.
**Independent Examiner Architect** Mr Martin Jones Rebecca J. Grimshaw Cottage Lane Antony Grimshaw Ass Ormskirk 6,Bridgement Terrence Lancashire Wigan Lancashire WN1 1SX
**Accounts Banks** General Account Royal Bank of Scotland Restoration and Development Fund 41 Liverpool Road North Savings Account Maghull Graveyard Fund Merseyside Dawber Memorial Fund L31 2HE Men’s Fellowship Lloyds TSB 2/3 Central Square Maghull Merseyside
Investment Bond Nationwide Building Society Investment Bond National Savings Ann Huyton Charity Account Capital –COIF Charities Investment Fund Interest – Royal Bank of Scotland plc Glayzer Memorial Fund The Central Board of Finance Haskayne School House of The Church of England Lydiate C.E. Old School Custodian Trustees:L/poolDiocesan Board Finance
**Amendments to Trustees Report 31st December 2025**
2
## **MEMBERSHIP**
Members of the PCC are either ex-officio or elected at the Annual Parochial Church Meeting in accordance with the Church Representation Rules. During the year, the following members were appointed
**Rector** Rev Dr Susan Salt **Churchwardens:** Mrs. Joan Cook Mrs Jean Cropper Mrs. Debra Walker **Deanery Synod Representatives** Mrs. Jean Cropper *Miss Carol Sibbring
## **The elected members were:**
Miss Eleri Jones PCC Vice Chair, Mrs. Jean Cropper PCC Secretary Mrs Joan Rainford Parish Safeguarding Officer Mr. David Walker Treasurer *Mrs. Val Blakemore Mrs. Helen Gray, Mrs. Joanne Rowe Mrs. Carly Maria Cleator Mr. Lance Grundy Mr K. Fleming Mrs. Wendy Kelly
*Elected at 2025 AGM
## **MINISTRY TEAM**
**Associate Priest** Rev Dr Alex Baker **Permission to Officiate** Rev Glenys Gardner **Reader** Mr. David Walker
3
## Rectors Report
Much has been achieved but there is much to be done if St Thomas is to flourish and help grow a bigger church that makes a bigger difference. Thank you to everyone who continues to work to enable us to worship and reach out into our community from the mid-week communion, luncheon club and parent and toddler group to the reopening of the refurbished Millennium Centre after the flood.
## **Worship**
Numbers at Sunday services have increased a little over the year with an average of 70adults attending over the two Sunday services. The mid-week communion under the lead of Rev Glen Gardner is going well with an average attendance of 14 adults.
There were fewer baptisms over the year with 12 babies and toddlers being baptised compared to 23 in the previous year. We had one wedding during the year. However we have had a rise in funerals with 21 funerals in church and 3 in the crematorium as well as 23 burial of ashes.
Rev Glen Gardner continues to lead on the Wednesday lunches and mid-week communions as well as being actively involved with occasional offices. She continues to hold Permission to Officiate (PTO) and I am grateful for all her ongoing support.
Rev Alex baker, associate priest has ben able to be more active across the benefice which has provide a different voice in leading the liturgy. Thank you.
David Walker continues to faithfully serve as Reader leading services and preaching at least once a month. This year he has taken on the additional role of treasurer to help oversee the re-set of our accounts and enable them to go online. The amount of work this has involved is considerable and I am enormously grateful to him and Sandra Sugar for their dogged determination in getting us to where we are now.
The choir continues to make a significant contribution to worship and have enjoyed supporting a number of joint services over the year including joining forces with St Michael’s and Bickerstaff choirs at Advent. During the year we have not had a permanent organist or choir lead so it is a testament to the choir that they have been able to do as much as they have.
Church parades continue to be well supported and well received, although the frequency has been reduced at the request of the Scouts to accommodate other weekend activities.
Christian Chatter is still small but appreciated by those who come and is now part of a ‘thoughtful Tuesday’ initiative with prayer on the second Tuesday of the month, a relevant talk on the third Tuesday of the month and Christian Chatter on the fourth Tuesday.
4
The church building is left open most days , and we have some lovely comments from people about how much that is appreciated. The opening and closing of the church are still reliant on the Rector and churchwardens.
## **Graveyard**
Thank you for the amazing amount of work that has been done to tidy the graveyard. It has drawn in people from the community.
The easing of the restriction around the use of York stone was lifted at the end of December 2024 and has been broadly welcomed. The graveyard continues to be well used.
## **Links with St Thomas’ School and Haskayne Downholland**
St Thomas’ school has received an outstanding rating in all areas from Ofsted and continues to be oversubscribed. It is good that this leads to parents attending church to get a faith reference but has not translated to long term church involvement for the majority. The new head Mrs Emily Alty and I work well together but the link between Church and school remains fragile at times. I continue to be concerned how little the school connects to the church and how few pupils come to church and how few members of the congregation visit either school or volunteer in them
Haskayne Downholland has retained its good rating for now but needs to strengthen a number of areas of governance and its curriculum. The newly appointed head Mr David Swindells is working hard to increase numbers on the roll and the offer the school makes.
There are regular assemblies on a Wednesday morning at 9am at St Thomas and Tuesday afternoon at 2.45pm at Haskayne and a school communion in each school once each half term.
5
## **Children and Young people**
Confirmation took place at St Thomas with Bishop Ruth, interim Bishop of Liverpool, and 12 candidates from St Thomas’ school were confirmed.
The children’s area at the back of church is well used and enjoyed but can be a challenge when there are too many children.
## **Safeguarding**
There have been a number of safeguarding concerns raised over the year which have been managed appropriately following appropriate procedures and have not needed to be escalated. I am incredibly grateful to Joan Rainford and her recently appointed assistant Carly Cleator for all their work with the safeguarding dashboard, enabling safeguarding to progress in the parish.
We still have a lot to do around paperwork and ensuring we have evidence that everyone is being kept safe.
6
## **Fit for mission**
Was not voted through by the deanery and so was abandoned even though St Thomas voted unanimously to continue the process. This has been disappointing. It is hoped that the deanery will find ways to capitalise on the good work that arose from increased collaboration in due course.
## **Millennium Centre**
The Millennium Centre was out of action until September 2025, due to the significant flood. Since its return to the parish there have been a number of teething problems and snags to address. I am grateful to Joan Cook who has worked with the contractors and insurers to try and address these. There remains an outstanding issue with the heating system which has yet to be resolved.
## **Parish Administrator**
Mr David Coffey was appointed as new parish administrator on reduced hours with a focus on communication and social media. He is settling in well and getting to grips with the role and the office, which he was only able to access in September.
## **Finances**
I am incredibly grateful to David Walker and Sandra Sugar who have worked with the support of Peter Dorling from the deanery, for all the work they have done in the last year to put our accounts onto the Diocesan supported My Fund accounting package and rationalise the number of accounts the church had. This has been a mammoth effort but has enabled the PCC to have a clearer view of our position. You will note that the accounts in this year’s annual report look different as a result. The work has meant that we have had to reset a number of financial parameters. Whilst this is not ideal it means, moving forward, we can be more confident about the value of our assets and movements of money.
This work shows that our finances remain fragile – we need to seriously engage in generosity week, and fundraising.
We are still making ends meet but by dipping into reserves and using fundraising to pay routine bills
7
If we were able to meet our running costs from the congregation fundraising would mean we could reach out into the community more. For example we could provide a coach to bus school children to church for visits etc.
- More people need to give realistically via the PGS scheme ideally around £10 a week or £40 a month
- Legacy campaign around leaving money in a will (but only if we can show it will be used for mission or fabric repairs and not paying the bills)
It has been a busy year for St Thomas’ and a lot has been achieved with the hard work of so many. I am incredibly grateful to Jean Cropper and Joan Cook for their support as churchwardens over the year. Sincere thanks must go to all who work to help lead worship, from our readers and intercessors to those who make tea and coffee after every service. Without you the church would not be the welcoming place it is.
Together we are the body of Christ and when we work together we are greater than the sum of the parts. Thank you.
8
## **Church Buildings**
## **Church Buildings and Property**
Once again, the PCC reports that there is still the need for remedial work particularly in the tower, where the plaster is crumbling on the walls, and the south wall where water leaks through the windows during heavy rain. Building Inspectors have been to look at the problem and hopefully restoration will begin in the new year .The North wall is not as bad. All these problems will need to be addressed as soon as funds are available.
The refurbished organ is playing well and has not required any additional work since tits refurbishment in 2023. The screens are working well and enhancing all age worship and Church parades.
There have been some ongoing issues with the sound system which may require some further intervention in 2026.
## **Millennium Centre**
The Millennium Centre has undergone a complete refurbishment following the flooding and the Parish Office re-opened. A new boiler and control system was installed along with new appliances in the kitchen area. The PCC are looking to enhance the frequency of its use both for church related and community use in the coming year.
## **Churchyard and Graveyard**
Following the flooding of the Graveyard structural engineers have been involved in searching for the cause and cleaned all the drains and pumped water away. A further report is expected soon and work will have to be carried out to the drains when funds allow. This will be a complex project that will require a wide range of specialists from both the Diocese and local authority.
Volunteers continue to keep the areas clean and tidy; they remove dead and old floral tributes and weed where necessary, also keeping hedges tidy, removing, and disposing of the rubbish all in their own time, making the churchyard and graveyard a pastoral place of comfort and reflection for those whose loved ones are laid to rest. The PCC wish to record their very grateful thanks to all those who work so hard to maintain such a high standard.
## **Car Park**
The car park continues to flood following heavy rain and attention will have to be paid to the potholes in due course. However it has proved an invaluable asset especially when hosting large funerals.
9
## **Lydiate and Downholland, St Thomas (Charity Reg. 1149840)**
## **Analysis of income and expenditure Selected period: 01 January 2025 to 31 December 2025**
||**Total**
**General**
**Designated**
**Restricted**
**Endowment**
**This year**
**Last year**|
|---|---|
|**Receipts**
**Donations and legacies**
0101 - Gift Aid - Parish Giving Scheme
0102 - Gift Aid - Bank (Standing Orders)
0110 - Gift Aid - Envelopes
0201 - Other planned giving - Parish Giving Scheme
0202 - Other planned giving - Bank (Standing Orders)
0210 - Other planned giving - Envelopes (GASDS eligible)
0215 - Other planned giving - Envelopes (not GASDS eligible)
0301 - Loose plate collections (GASDS eligible)
0305 - Loose plate collections (not GASDS eligible)
0310 - Retiring collections
0320 - One-off Gift Aid donations (declaration on envelope)
0401 - Gift days
0405 - Ad-hoc donations: non Gift Aid (GASDS eligible)
0410 - Giving through church boxes
0415 - Ad-hoc donations: non Gift Aid (not GASDS eligible)
0420 - One-off Gift Aid donations
0450 - Special or specific appeals etc.
0601 - Tax recoverable on Gift Aid
0610 - GASDS Tax relief
0701 - Legacies
0801 - Recurring grants
08A1 - Non-recurring one-off grants
0901 - Fundraising (general)
**Donations and legacies Totals**
**Income from charitable activities**
1101 - Parish fee for wedding or funeral
1110 - Churchyard maintenance fee
1210 - Bookstall sales to promote objectives
1230 - Church or Hall lettings - objectives
1280 - Church event income
1290 - Branch organisations - receipts
**Income from charitable activities Totals**
**Other trading activities**
0910 - Fundraising (Attic, Car Boot, Table top, Jumble sales)
1220 - Bookstall sales - fund raising
1240 - Church or Hall lettings - fund raising
1250 - Magazine income - advertising
1260 - Magazine income - sales
1270 - Other funds generated
**Other trading activities Totals**|24,897
-
-
-
24,897
16,205
-
-
-
-
-
6,030
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
1,155
-
-
-
1,155
310
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
13,810
-
-
-
13,810
8,280
765
-
-
-
765
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
4,459
-
-
-
4,459
3,011
67
-
-
-
67
-
985
-
1,695
-
2,680
1,376
924
-
-
-
924
450
-
-
-
-
-
-
4,578
-
-
-
4,578
3,672
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
500
4,509
-
2,113
-
6,621
4,263
1,600
-
-
-
1,600
4,750
2,147
-
-
-
2,147
13,436|
||**59,896**
**-**
**3,808**
**-**
**63,703**
**62,283**
13,063
-
-
-
13,063
19,289
-
-
-
-
-
7,970
-
-
-
-
-
-
615
-
-
-
615
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-|
||**13,678**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**13,678**
**27,259**
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
230
450
-
-
-
450
2,749
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-|
||**450**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**450**
**2,979**|
(2 March 2026 10:17 am) Page 1 of 4
||**Total**
**General**
**Designated**
**Restricted**
**Endowment**
**This year**
**Last year**|
|---|---|
|**Investments**
1001 - Dividends from shares
1020 - Bank and building society interest
1025 - CBF Deposit account interest
1030 - Rent from leased lands or buildings
**Investments Totals**
**Other income**
1310 - Insurance claims
1320 - Surplus - sales of fixed assets
1330 - Refunds from previous year expenditure
**Other income Totals**
**Receipts Grand totals**|-
-
-
-
-
1,536
209
-
-
-
209
362
1,844
-
-
-
1,844
-
-
-
-
-
-
-|
||**2,054**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**2,054**
**1,897**
12,133
-
-
-
12,133
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-|
||**12,133**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**12,133**
**-**|
||**88,210**
**-**
**3,808**
**-**
**92,018**
**94,418**|
|**Payments**
**Raising funds**
1701 - Fees paid to fundraisers
1710 - Costs of applying for grants
1720 - Costs of giving envelopes and stewardship
1730 - Costs of fundraising events
1740 - Investment management costs
**Raising funds Totals**
**Expenditure on charitable activities**
1801 - Giving to missionary societies
1830 - Giving to relief and development agencies
1850 - Home mission
1870 - Secular charities
1890 - Alms
1910 - Deanery/Parish Share
2001 - Assistant staff salaries (Lay/Youth Workers)
2010 - Salary of organist/musicians
2050 - Staff Salaries
2055 - PAYE, NI & Pension - Parish Admin & Support
2060 - Cleaner wage (church building)
2101 - Clergy working expenses
2120 - Council tax (clergy housing)
2130 - Housing expenses (clergy)
2140 - Water charges (clergy housing)
2150 - Telephone and broadband (clergy housing)
2160 - Sermon preparation materials and resources
2170 - Clergy training courses and education material
2180 - Reader expenses and subscriptions
2185 - Assistant Staff costs (Ministry)
2190 - Visiting speakers / locums
2201 - Parish mission and evangelism costs
2210 - Discipleship course costs (e.g. Alpha, etc.)|-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
160
-
-
-
160
-
-
-
-
-
-
-|
||**160**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**160**
**-**
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
1,787
-
-
-
1,787
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
49,885
-
-
-
49,885
56,753
-
-
-
-
-
-
1,080
-
-
-
1,080
810
1,671
-
-
-
1,671
3,229
-
-
-
-
-
-
171
-
-
-
171
-
420
-
-
-
420
1,595
3,644
-
-
-
3,644
-
-
-
-
-
-
2,329
287
-
-
-
287
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
50
-
-
-
50
-
50
-
-
-
50
50
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-|
(2 March 2026 10:17 am) Page 2 of 4
||**Total**
**General**
**Designated**
**Restricted**
**Endowment**
**This year**
**Last year**|
|---|---|
|2220 - Sunday School & Junior Church costs
2230 - Youth & Confirmation groups/organisations
2250 - General Mission/Support activities
2301 - Insurance premiums (church building)
2310 - Telephone (church building/parish office)
2320 - Organ / piano tuning and maintenance
2330 - Church building maintenance (routine)
2331 - Cleaning materials & equipment (church building)
2335 - Church equipment costs
2340 - Upkeep of services
2345 - Church consumable items
2350 - Upkeep of churchyard & grounds
2360 - Administration costs for parish
2361 - Governance costs & examination/audit fee
2362 - Banking charges
2401 - Church building - electric
2410 - Church building - gas
2420 - Church building - water
2430 - Church building - oil (heating system)
2501 - Magazine expenses including printing costs
2510 - Bookstall costs including new stock
2515 - Other trading expenditure
2520 - Hall/Other building - oil (heating system)
2530 - Hall/Other building - electricity
2540 - Hall/Other building - gas
2550 - Hall/Other building - insurance premiums
2560 - Hall/Other building - maintenance (routine)
2565 - Hall/Other building - equipment
2570 - Hall/Other building - telephone and broadband
2580 - Hall/Other building - water charges
2585 - Hall/Other building - consumables
2590 - Hall/Other building - staff costs
2595 - PAYE, NI & Pension - Hall/Community centre
2599 - Branch Organisation - payments
2701 - Church building major repairs - structure
2710 - Church building major repairs - installation
2720 - Church building interior and exterior decoration
2801 - Hall/Other building major repairs - structure
2820 - Hall/Other building major repairs - installation
2830 - Hall/Other building interior and exterior decoration
2840 - Other PCC property upkeep
2910 - New building - house for clergy
2920 - New building Church
2930 - New building Hall/Other
9910 - Asset depreciation
9940 - Contribution to parish
9950 - Inter-parish transfers
**Expenditure on charitable activities Totals**
**Other expenditure**
**Other expenditure Totals**|-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
4,865
-
-
-
4,865
4,604
265
-
-
-
265
-
582
-
-
-
582
1,380
1,297
-
-
-
1,297
5,423
-
-
-
-
-
-
60
-
-
-
60
-
342
-
-
-
342
509
684
-
-
-
684
-
1,906
-
-
-
1,906
5,991
48
-
-
-
48
875
5
-
-
-
5
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
423
-
-
-
423
-
-
-
-
-
-
3,126
234
-
-
-
234
-
2,022
-
-
-
2,022
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
25
939
-
-
-
939
-
2,946
-
-
-
2,946
-
13
-
-
-
13
2,723
1,403
-
-
-
1,403
1,192
3,758
-
-
-
3,758
397
8,754
-
-
-
8,754
-
94
-
-
-
94
-
244
-
-
-
244
-
405
-
-
-
405
-
-
-
-
-
-
571
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
2,430
-
-
-
2,430
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-|
||**92,763**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**92,763**
**91,583**|
||**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**|
(2 March 2026 10:17 am) Page 3 of 4
||**Total**
**General**
**Designated**
**Restricted**
**Endowment**
**This year**
**Last year**|
|---|---|
|**Payments Grand totals**||
||**92,923**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**92,923**
**91,583**|
(2 March 2026 10:17 am) Page 4 of 4
Dioce.se nr
livewl
ReFrf)rt to the Trustees of Si Thomas Lydiate & Dommholland PCC
(registeT¢d Charity Number 1149840) OD accounts for the year ended
31st December 2025.
Respeetive responsibilities of tni8tees and examiner
The charity's ISteeS are reS)nSIble for the pwaration of the
accounts. The charity's trust¢es consider that an audil is not required
for this year under section 144 of th¢ Charities Aci 2011 {the
Charities Act) and that an independent ¢x8minalion is ne¢ded.
It is my reSnSIbIlity to:
' examine the a¢counts under 5ectlOD 145 of the Charities Ac¢
to follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions
given by the Charity Commission {under se¢tioD 143(5)(b) of
the Cluwities ACL and
. to stat¢ wheth¢r parti¢ular mart¢rs have come to my Attention.
Basis of independent examiner's st*¢ement
My examination was carried oul in accordance with gen¢ral
Direction5 given by the Charity Commission. An examination
includes a revi¢w of th¢ accounting records kept by the charity and
comparison of the accounts presented with those ¢OrdS. li also
includes considerdiion of any unusual items or disclosures in the
accounts. and seeking explanations from the trustees ¢onc¢rning any
such matter5. The procedure5 undertaken do not provide all the
evid¢nee that would b¢ r¢quir¢d in uudÈL and Consequently no
opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a 'trne and fair.
view and the rewrt is litnited to thoK tnattcrs set out in the statement
b¢low.
Independent examiner's St¥4tsmeDt
In connection with my examination. material matters have come
lo my attention which gives me cause to believe that irt, any material
r¢spect'.
' accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130
of th¢ Chariti¢s Act
• the accounts do not aw)rd with the accounting rerdS
I have ¢ome across no other matters in ¢onne¢tion with the
examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a
prOr understanding of ihe accounts to IK r¢ached.
Signed......
Date
17M4é 2ts
Mr Martin Jones
Address: