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← The Parochial Church Council Of The Ecclesiastical Parish Of All Saints' Harbury

2024-12-31-accounts

THE PARISH CHURCH OF ALL SAINTS’, HARBURY

ANNUAL REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT OF THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL

Prepared for the Annual Parochial Meeting On Sunday, 18[th] May 2025

Priest-in-Charge: Rev Andy Batchelor

Churchwardens: Liz McBride & Andy Dean

Bank: HSBC

Independent Examination: Peter Wilson

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Worshipping God – Growing in Faith – Working in Community

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Registered Charity Number: 1150990

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PCC MEMBERSHIP:

The PCC is a registered charity. Members of the PCC are either ex officio or elected by the annual Parochial Church Meeting (APCM) in accordance with the Church Representation Rules.

Since the last APCM held on 21[st] April 2024 the following served as members of the PCC:

Priest in Charge : Rev Andy Batchelor Assistant Ministers: Rev Ann Mulley: Rev Bob Clucas Churchwardens : Liz McBride & Andy Dean (Vice Chair) Treasurer: Liz McBride Safeguarding : Amy Pedvin-Lewis PCC Secretary : Kelly Jones – stood down during the year Readers: Julie Batchelor Deanery Synod Rep : John Eld Elected Members : Elaine Barnden: Emma Browne: Lin Hayes: Brian Jones: William Jones: Philip Mayer: Amy Pedvin-Lewis: Sally Stringer: Michael Vincent

COMMITTEES:

Standing Committee: the only one required by law. It has the power to transact the business of the PCC between its meetings, subject to any directions given by the Council.

Ministry Leadership Team : considers all issues concerning the worship of All Saints and the nurture and discipleship of its people. Members: All staff that hold the Bishop’s Licence (Clergy, Readers)

Fabric Committee: oversees all issues concerning the maintenance of the church building. Members: Clergy & Churchwardens and Philip Mayer. We co-opt the service of others when needed.

Tom Hauley Room : Supplies: Michael & Ann Vincent; Bookings: Moira Rollason, ongoing repairs and other: Liz & Mike McBride

Parish Safeguarding Officer: Amy Pedvin-Lewis

VICAR’S REPORT: HARBURY, LADBROKE & UFTON: Rev Andy Batchelor

Well, here we are at another APCM as we reflect on all that the past year has brought and what God may have in store for us in future. Although we seem to have had a considerable number of funerals, particularly this year, we have also celebrated baptisms and weddings throughout the year, which are always a great joy. Rev Barrys time with us ended rather sooner than we first thought, but we all appreciated Barrys ministry and wish him well in his new role. I am still hopeful that we may have a curate join us in 2026 and I have just completed the parish and Deanery profile which will help inform potential curates of what is on offer here. Our children’s work remains a strength and a joy, and the fledgling teenager’s group is beginning to bed in. My grateful thanks to all those who contribute to the various groups in a variety of ways. As you know The Collective is taking a break while the Deanery Alpha course is running and Gill Guilford takes a much needed break from organising the meetings, thanks again to Gill for leading this initiative. Our connection with Harbury school is increasingly strong, and Lucy is doing a marvellous job in ensuring the Christian distinctiveness of the school and growing the connection with the church. I continue as a member of the Governing body, and do all that I can to support the school, its staff and the pupils, as well as participating in ‘Open the Book’, who offer such a positive and appreciated insight into Biblical stories – thanks to all the team for their dedication and commitment. I also support Southam St James to a lesser extent and have also been involved in the school’s work at Napton.

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The PCC continue to monitor how we are progressing in relation to the recently renewed vision, and part of that has been the formation of a new informal evening service, which I know many have appreciated. My hope is that this will become entirely lay-led with some occasional input from the clergy.

Ufton is continuing to move through the rather laborious process of closure and if all goes well the churchyard and accounts will be taken on by Radford Semele. The process of building our new relationship with Chesterton continues, and Laura, our administrator is now helping the small team there – I know some Harbury people are supporting Chesterton services which is great.

Although much has been accomplished in regard to the Heat, light and stone project, with the installation of new heating and lighting, a considerable amount of additional work is required to rectify crumbling stonework and a refreshed Audio/Visual system. This will require substantial additional fundraising which we will be looking to find via grants and the generosity of church and community members. Many thanks to Philip and the team for their continuing dedication and hard work.

Safeguarding in the church has been a major theme in the news this last year, and has not reflected well on our historic processes, or lack of them, our treatment of victims, as well as the failings of our Bishops. I am particularly grateful to Amy Pedvin-Lewis who does such a sterling job as our Safeguarding officer, amongst all her other commitments.

Across the Deanery parishes remain stretched as the recruitment process for new clergy has failed so far to attract any applicants. Although I am grateful for the support of a retired clergyman from Leamington, who takes most of the regular services, I have been quite busy with funerals, weddings, and baptisms across the parishes in vacancy. This is set to be further complicated as the vicar of Long Itchington retires this summer, so discussions are underway in regard to restructuring parishes and benefices, but I do not envisage this will have a direct impact on Harbury.

As you know I have a wider role both in the Deanery and on the diocesan discernment team, so I appreciate your support and forbearance as I split my time among various responsibilities. As a family we said goodbye to Julie’s mum, and to little Tisha as she moved to a new loving family. Although she is thriving, we all miss her but are keeping in touch. We also greeted the arrival of our first grandchild, Wesley, who I have recently returned from visiting and he is a real joy too. So, we have much to remember and celebrate over the past year, and as we look to the future, we also look to the guidance of the Holy Spirit as we move forward in service and ministry to those around us. However, like many churches we have experienced a drop-off in people prepared to take on roles within the church since COVID, and this has meant that we sometimes struggle to resource what needs to be done. This is a particular issue for Fliss and the small team of sacristans – please do consider how God might be calling you to use your gifts in his service. It is easy to take a ‘consumerist’ approach to church attendance, but God calls us all to work together as his body in this place, and we all have something to offer.

I cannot end without a special tribute to Liz, who finally retires from the position of Church Warden at this APCM. Liz has been so integral to church life for so long, and has brought her gifts of planning, organisation and encouragement to the role of warden, with generosity and the able support of Mike in the background. Liz has been a real bridge with the community here and has a wealth of knowledge and experience which has been invaluable. Liz and I have not always been of one mind on certain issues, but she has brought an important perspective and challenge when necessary, something that is also an important part of the role of a warden.

I am also very grateful to Rev Bob, Rev Ann and Margaret for supporting the ministry here, for Andy as he grows into the role of warden, for our PCC, and all who contribute to church life in ways large and small. There are exciting things happening and lots of opportunity to engage with our community so may we all be open to the leading of the Spirit and play our part in the process of building the Kingdom of God in this place.

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CHURCHWARDEN’S REPORT: Liz McBride & Andy Dean

It’s been another busy year in the life of the church.

Our regular services have continued, and we remain grateful to Revs Andy, Ann and Bob, Julie and all those who have led services during the year, particularly during the busy festival periods. We also said goodbye to Rev Barry last September as he returned to Alveston and we’re grateful to him for the time he spent with us.

Once again during the cold winter days we have been grateful for the working heating system. As most of you will be aware, our attention has now turned to two other major projects, stonework repair and upgrading the Audio Visual system – for which will cost an estimated total of £275,000, of which we will need to raise c. 50% with the hope that we can find matched funding for the other 50%. We launched a campaign to the church late last year and have more recently delivered a leaflet to each house in Harbury. However, it is likely that a large gap will remain and therefore if anyone is interested in being part of a group to help raise the balance do, please let us know. And as ever we remain grateful to Philip Mayer for his project management of this and all those others who are involved in the writing of faculties, leaflets etc.

On the issue of funding, and one that Liz will talk about with her Treasurer hat on, we are also facing a pressure in relation to day to day funding, in that giving has been steadily declining. We will be carrying out a stewardship campaign in the coming months to refocus ourselves on the costs of running the church and the call to give back to the church some of what God has given us.

Now a comment just from Andy! I know everyone will join me in thanking Liz for her years of service to the church as churchwarden as she steps down. I have certainly been very grateful for her support in making sure the i’s are dotted and the t’s crossed and we follow the various Church of England rules as well as everything she has done practically. She deserves some of her time back and I will be eternally grateful to have worked alongside her.

On that note, as ever there is a need for more members of the congregation to help support the work of the church. Fliss is stepping back from the number of Sundays that she acts as sacristan, and again Fliss is someone that we should all be really grateful to for all that she does to support the work of the church. So, we desperately need more people to help in the provision of Communion. And thanks obviously to those that already act as sacristans to support the provision of communion.

Likewise, as a PCC we have continued to develop the work of the Vision of the church. That has included the introduction of the new evening service in recent months and the very recent Alpha Course which is ongoing. In considering the next aspects of the Vision, which includes more home groups and the consideration of our community work we again cannot do some of this without volunteers to help and support this work. Please do let Rev Andy or Andy know if you’d like to be involved and we can point in the right direction.

And finally, there are so many others that we need to thank who support the life of the church. There are too many to mention, but an awful lot of work goes on including decorating the church, maintaining the churchyard, bell ringing, youth and children’s work, outreach, sides people, provision of coffees, leading home groups, Bumps and Bundles, and so much more.

FABRIC REPORT: Philip Mayer

Many of you will have seen the Stone, Sound and Vision Appeal Leaflet

External work to be done

Towards the end of 2024 we received the Quinquennial Report which details the urgent need to carry out repairs to the external walls of the church, in particular:

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The existing path round the church to the Memorial Garden is difficult and dangerous particularly when wet. A new door from the Tom Hauley room foyer to the Memorial Garden will solve this problem

Scaffolding and Craftsmanship will cost approximately £200,000

Following these repairs the church will be fit for the next generation

Audio-Visual improvements

There is a general desire to improve the audio-visual system in both the church and the Tom Hauley room to enable streamed presentations of all kinds.

It is not sensible to apply for further major grants until we have the Faculty and can show matched funding in our current account. Therefore, there is an urgent need to raise over £140,000 within the Village Community.

Please call me if you have any questions.

SAFEGUARDING REPORT: Amy Pedvin-Lewis

This year has been a year of safeguarding training and making sure that our parish dashboard stays compliant. We have ongoing training needs and I would appreciate all those people undertaking their training in a timely manner.

Moving forward we need to stay compliant with our safeguarding training and risk assessments and we will continue to work closely with groups.

As a level 3 safeguarding parish, we maintain all our training and documentation to a high standard and we will continue to do so.

ELECTORAL ROLL OFFICER’S REPORT: Liz McBride

Under CofE rules a new electoral roll was done this year. This resulted in 86 people on the roll. People can be added during the year so if you find you missed the deadline please contact me.

VERGER’S REPORT: Fliss Harris

Administration of wine at Holy Communion

Thanks to Tony and Shirley Brunton, Sally Heigl and Bon Sherman, we now have a rota and implement a very efficient system. As I wrote last year, once the issue of returning to the chalice

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and/or retaining the individual cups was resolved, it might be necessary to review the Sacristans’ ministry. That time has now come.

Sacristans

I am very grateful to Sally Heigl, Ann and Michael Vincent and Liz McBride, but we are in urgent need of more support. We’re looking for cover for the second and fourth Sundays of the month. This ministry, for various reasons, is far less onerous that it has ever been. Volunteers would need to commit to a mere hour’s work once a month, on Saturday evening or Sunday morning. Please see me if you are interested.

Church cleaning

Thank you to everyone who helped with the de-cluttering we proposed at last year’s meeting. Thank you too, to the small band of cleaners who look after various parts of the church and its brass so faithfully. Obviously, we would welcome more help. So, if you’re tempted, please don’t hold back.

DEANERY SYNOD: John Eld

What happens at Synod meetings?

The deanery system may have been set up to enable the diocese to communicate with the churches and vice-versa, but with a little vision and imagination the churches can use it for so much more

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and make it a powerful tool, but it does need a wider vision and enthusiasm from clergy and congregations to achieve this.

FURTHER REPORTS

BUMPS & BUNDLES: Carol Jackson and the Bumps Team

Bumps and Bundles is a volunteer run outreach from All Saints’ Church. We meet in the Tom Hauley Room each Tuesday morning. The sessions are an opportunity for the parents to sit and chat with a cup of tea/coffee whilst the children play with the toys. When the children start with us, they play with the toys by themselves, after a few weeks they begin to play alongside each other and after a few months they then begin to play together. Those of us on the rota to help only see the children about once a month and it is great to see how much they change, wobbly crawling to wobbly walking.

The church does not charge us for use of the Tom Hauley Room but we do have a box if people wish to make a donation. This money enables us to buy flowers for Mothering Sunday and a little gift for the children at Christmas. We also make a donation to the church each year. There is also a Welcome Bag given to new people with some exciting gifts.

There is no need to “join” – just come along to the Tom Hauley Room on Tuesday mornings during school term time. We also welcome grandparents, nannies or childminders with the children.

CHILDREN’S CHURCH: Ann Clucas

Children’s Church has continued to meet on second and fifth Sundays. We never know how many will be attending. Occasionally no children turn up, but often there are two or three children and sometimes more.

The children listen to a Bible story, pray, and sometimes sing. We also do games and crafts.

AT the moment the group has one leader (Ann Clucas) and this is not really viable. It is not clear what this part of the children’s work at Harbury church will look like in the future.

CHURCHYARD: Bob Sherman

There has been a 50% change to the mowing team in the last year. Ron Rogers has stepped away from the mower to make space for a sprightly young Will Jones to step behind the handlebars. Bob Sherman continues as the other 50%. Gillian Hare keeps the Memorial Garden in excellent order, adding occasional new plants and keeping the weeds under control. The Memorial Garden is a beautiful space, offering opportunity for quiet contemplation as well as more lively activity by Messy and Muddy Church sessions.

Our mowing regime and some additional sowing and planting by Gill Barber and Bob Sherman ensures that wildflowers are proliferating, making the churchyard a valuable conservation area and refuge for insects and birds. Our bird boxes were mostly well used for nesting with one left as a roost in winter. These need to be cleaned every year to reduce the possibility of disease transfer. The primrose population continues to expand making the decision about where to mow in spring an ever increasing issue. We now have a small but growing population of cowslips too. Yellow rattle, that important semi-parasite of grass, is now well established, this giving a chance for other wildflowers to make a home in God’s Acre of Harbury. Primroses are not the only rampant colonisers of the churchyard. A small patch of a type of Mediterranean edible onion, Allium triquetrum, has become, unbidden, a rapidly expanding swathe that threatens to take over the west end of the churchyard. It is not entirely welcome.

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When late summer arrives, we cut the long grass. Normally we rely on Bob Clucas’s sturdy, sharptoothed motor scythe but last summer it failed us and we had to resort to a not entirely well maintained hired heavy duty strimmer. It did the job but at the expense of Bob Sherman’s wellbeing. The call for rakers and stackers that followed was well supported and the resulting heap has been removed to an allotment nearby.

FLOWERS IN CHURCH: Gillian Hare & the Flower Fairies

Our team have worked together as reliably and enthusiastically as ever, to great effect at the Festivals. We had the pleasure of 3 weddings; 2 were local couples known to several of us which is such a joy. And 2 of them coincided with our Harvest so everyone benefited by a little bit extra. Sadly, there are no weddings booked here this summer; maybe a sign of austerity in action. Thanks as always to the kind people who gave us a donation, as well as everyone who supported our coffee mornings.

We are sad to be losing 3 of our regulars; Diana Buck must be one of our longest serving members and we will be ever grateful to her for her skill, commitment and generous advice and wish her a happy retirement. Izzy Grimes joined us fairly recently but is finding life a bit restricted now. June Morris has been another very long serving member of the team and we wish her and Mike every blessing for their planned move to be near to their son on Suffolk. We will miss her very much.

LITTLE SAINTS: Fliss Harris

Little Saints was relaunched in November 2023 when we hoped to build it up to its pre-Covid numbers. Unfortunately, this has not happened and, bearing in mind how much else is provided for children in Church, it seems sad but sensible to suspend it, at least for a while. I am very grateful to Laura for the posters and to the team of cooks and storytellers for their time, generosity and enthusiasm and to the families who have supported us so faithfully.

MEETING POINT: Fliss Harris

We meet for lunch on the first Friday of each month at the Crown Inn.

Though our numbers have decreased and attendance varies, members still very much appreciate the opportunity to come together over a meal.

We are very grateful to the PCC for continuing to subsidise this outreach to people who live alone or have suffered some kind of loss. We are, obviously, equally grateful to John Mortimer and his team who have given so generously of their time and hospitality. We shall miss them, but hope to establish a rewarding relationship with their successors.

MESSY CHURCH: Julie Batchelor

Messy Church continues to be popular. We have several local families who come regularly, and they are a supportive bunch. For the past six months we have been following the book of Luke along with the rest of the church groups. Most recently we hosted Experience Easter, an interactive telling of the Easter Story.

Numbers fluctuate, depending on lots of factors (the weather, birthday parties, sports fixtures etc). Liz does a sterling job of managing to cater for however many arrive (including special diets). The team are amazing and come up with some inventive and creative activities month by month all with a Bible theme. Thank you so much to Liz, Ruth, Abigail, Ann and Fliss (and those who help on an ad hoc basis).

As always if anyone would like to see what we do, please come along. Second Sunday 3-5pm.

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MOTHER’S UNION: Chris Rutherford

Since May last year, we have continued to meet with prayer, praise and interest, giving Bibles at weddings in Harbury and Ladbroke, and our summer outings. We made some superb table centres for the Christmas fair and sold all but one. Sadly, we have lost members: Iris Timbs, a regular MU member for years, died at the age of 100. We also lost Carol Marsh; Lorna Bedford, Jennie Ingram, Deanne Oliver and Chris Jones have gone into residential care. The rest of us are doing well! We have an interesting programme as usual – copies in the library or just ask.

As a trustee for MU Coventry Diocese I have been commissioned, attended meetings and services and generally had an uplifting time, with some of our lovely members supporting all that MU do. I have also given talks to MU in Kenilworth.

We continue to raise money for Mothers’ Union Coventry, as well as the main organisation at Mary Sumner House, with our coffee mornings and a Bread and Broth lunch. We provided boxes for sanitary items in the THR toilets and Harbury Library and have refills when needed; and we give out the daffodils on Mothering Sunday. We give Christmas cards for prisoners and gifts for their children each year.

We are delighted that Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh is our new patron. Mothers’ Union is a vital part of charitable work worldwide as well as in the UK and I am proud to be able to support it. However, I could do nothing without the endless help of my committee, Jo Spur, Gill Hare and Sally Heigl, to whom we are very, very grateful.

MUDDY CHURCH: Andy & Jenny Dean

Being completely honest this past year we have experienced highs and lows in relation to Muddy church. We are very much heartened at the number of children that have been given the opportunity to learn about God in the natural surroundings.

It has been great to see a number of new families regularly coming along and we have seen lots of children that love coming back to Muddy Church, actively ask their parents/guardians to bring them back. A highlight has been telling stories from Luke at the same time as the rest of the church is looking at that gospel.

Numbers have remained highly variable which is tricky to plan for. We have had 17 children some weeks and 5 on others. It is particularly difficult to plan when the 4[th] Sunday is around school holidays. We’ve had to cancel two muddy church’s because of high winds. These factors together have made it hard to build momentum which has felt frustrating.

In December we had great fun joining forces to run a ‘Muddy Messy Christmas’ and in March we trailed an afternoon session which saw lots of families who come along to Messy Church joining us. This was brilliant to see.

We are praying for guidance for the best way forward and to stir up any others that maybe interested in helping us.

We are very much heartened at the number of children that at some point during the year that have been given the opportunity to learn about God in the natural surroundings.

Finally – thanks to Julie, Ann, Amy, Amy, Henry, Jamie and all others that have helped us put on Muddy church during the year.

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OPEN THE BOOK: Lesley Jones

The Open the Book team goes into Harbury School roughly once a fortnight to take assembly. We use materials provided specifically for OtB teams by the Bible Society.

Last year we continued reading and acting out the stories about Jesus, finishing at the end of the Summer Term with his resurrection appearance by Lake Galilee.

From September to Christmas 2024 we covered the coming of the Spirit at Pentecost and then a selection of stories from Acts which featured the disciples {Philip, Peter, John, Paul) continuing Jesus’ work.

In the new year we began the cycle again, in the Old Testament. We started with Creation and have recently finished the story of Joseph, done over three sessions. The children always listen well and seemed absorbed by Joseph’s story with all its ups and downs. They have particularly enjoyed the song My Lighthouse, which we all sang after each of these Joseph stories. They sang it with such gusto and with all the actions – it would be lovely to sing it in church more!

From now until Christmas we plan to continue with OT stories, so that we can begin the next new year 2026 with the life of Jesus once more.

During the last year we have said goodbye to Alan and Betty Barr, who have stepped down after so many years’ brilliant service. Their acting experience and thorough approach to whatever they did has been much valued over the years and we do thank them.

The team now has 9 members who all work well together and compliment one another in different ways. We welcome anyone who is interested in joining us as we continue to share these amazing stories with a new generation.

The church continues to fund our membership of OtB and we recently had a fundraising coffee morning in the THR to help cover this.

QUIET SPACE: Jill Winter

Quiet Space meets on the 2nd Wednesday in the Tom Hauley room, 10am refreshments available, then at 10.30am following a brief reading by Jill Winter or Gill Guilford, silence begins. The twenty minute silence is centred on being still, listening to the inner stillness and being in the present moment, a time where we can let go of distractions to just be and quiet our minds. Coming together with others helps us to discover how we can bring stillness and silence and the busyness of our life together in our everyday lives.

We have an average of 4 - 9 people who come along, a general feeling that it is very special to share in the silence with others.

Anyone of any faith or none is very welcome to join us if you feel it may be helpful.

SATURDAY COFFEE MORNINGS: Sarah Brooke-Taylor

The Tom Hauley Room Saturday coffee mornings continue to be well received by the local community though it's getting slightly harder to find groups to host these mornings. The rota is now only scheduled 6 months in advance rather than yearly due to this and members of the PCC have needed to fill-in the August dates for two years now. Having said that, the host groups that we are working with appreciate the opportunity as a relatively easy fundraiser and we receive occasional 'thank you' emails. The church benefits from a small donation from each hosting.

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THE COLLECTIVE: Gill Guilford

The Collective is an initiative brought to the Diocese by Gareth Fitzpatrick, Evangelism Enabler, and is intended to give an opportunity for people to discuss issues that affect us all, and to find out more about what the Christian faith has to say. We are the first parish to trial this in our Diocese and have been running the Collective for 18 months at the Shakespeare pub in Harbury.

There is a great team in place from Harbury and Ladbroke and our thanks to Gareth and Rev Andy for their support and encouragement. The evenings consist of a quiz, a short talk and conversations around a number of discussion starters, all very informal over a drink. Using the Diocese video resources, we have also been developing our own subjects and talks by some of our team, as well as having a local external speaker from the Foodbank.

We have a small number of regular guests who come, some of whom have no contact with the church and we are developing these relationships and having some profound conversations.

At a recent Collective review team meeting we prayed for the next steps for the Collective and a decision was made to suspend the Collective for the time being.

As an alternative, the parish are joining in a Deanery wide Alpha course and at our Collective March evening we encouraged all those who came along to maybe give Alpha a try. Once the Alpha course has ended, we will be reconsidering the future of the Collective and will keep everyone informed. In the meantime, my thanks to all involved with the Collective, to those who come along and to the Shakespeare. Please do hold the Collective and Alpha in prayer.

THURSDAY AFTERNOON BIBLE STUDY: Gillian Hare

We continue to meet twice a month, taking turns to host and lead. We have had a sideways look at the ten commandments, done a whistle top tour of the whole Bible(!) and thought about Lent. We are now following a course on Mark's Gospel by Max Lucado.

THURSDAY EVENING HOME GROUP: Brian Jones

We are a vibrant group of 14 who meet every Thursday evening between 7.30pm and 9pm. Numbers can vary but probably average between 6 to 8. We have had some new members recently and others would be warmly welcomed. We usually meet at the same address in Harbury, but for practical reasons this occasionally changes. Our meetings are informal and very friendly, and usually begin with refreshments and a general catch up with one another for about 15 minutes. Fun and humour are always present. We cover a wide range of bible study activities from topics individuals bring, video presentations, study guides, and we are currently following a series on Acts. Some brief input leads to interesting discussion. We also pray about concerns people bring and the church. Worship, which can include music and singing, is also a feature. We do not have a leader and are self managing which works well, and members are happy to pitch in when occasionally roles need to be filled, although there is no pressure. Over the years we have all benefitted greatly from rich learning and spiritual development. Also from the welcome, unstinting personal support given to and received by each of us when needed. Members often refer to the home group as “a family,” and being part of the group is generally regarded as a joyful blessing. So much so that we also arrange the occasional bring and share social event, and periodically go on a retreat together.

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YOUTH GROUP – FIRST SUNDAYS: Ann Clucas

Last Spring we held a deanery confirmation course for seven teenagers. Some of the young people wanted to continue meeting after they were confirmed last summer and so we began meeting on the first Sunday of every month.

Currently four teenagers meet monthly in the Tom Hauley Room to explore the Bible together, pray, eat snacks and play games or do craft. Each term we run a social event. One of the teenagers is from All Saints and the others are from Long Itchington and Offchurch.

The group is led by Bob and Ann Clucas from Harbury Church and Richard and Jacqui Suffern from Long Itchington.

It has been really helpful for the young people who are in churches with only one or two teenagers to meet others like them. We hope the group will grow and provide an opportunity for young people to explore what being a Christian means.

FINANCE REPORT for the year ended 31[st] December 2024: Liz McBride

The financial statements are in the usual format of 4 pages.

  1. A summary of the income and expenditure, balance sheet and fund balances

  2. A breakdown of the income

  3. A breakdown of the expenses

  4. The bank account balances, the debtors and creditors, the movements on all the funds and finally the details of our outward giving.

Income: (see second page for details)

Overall, our income just covered our costs this year but during the year the regular giving has decreased from £52,405 last year to £51,186 this year. We had 69 people/families giving at the start of the year but 4 dropped out during the year and a number had to reduce their giving. Very few people increased their giving by standing order.

One of the tasks for 2025 is to launch the Parish Giving scheme. This is a scheme, funded by the Church of England, which manages the administration of monthly donations and the claiming of gift aid. Each giver would set up a direct debit with PGS for the 1[st] of the month. Our church would receive the money on the 10[th] of the month followed by the gift aid on the donation as soon as claimed from HMRC (usually by the end of that month). This may be a way of increasing donations as a number of parishes report it has done.

The use of SumUp for contactless payments has increased this year: -

By payment on the machine in church: 57 donations totalling £517.00. (Including 5 for the British Legion poppy appeal)

By website: 6 donations totalling £470.00 - £210 for HLS and £260 for general giving. By my phone: Used at the Christmas Fair and Open Garden teas – 28 payments totalling £248.23.

The THR donations are up, reflecting its increased use. And the income does cover the costs – i.e. income £5,397 and costs of £4,268 – which is good considering some of the costs are church related rather than solely hall. (Although electricity costs can’t be separated and are under the church heading)

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HLS - £14,718 income this year. This includes £3,000 from the Ratcliff Foundation, £8861 from the appeal to church members last autumn, Harbury Carnival donation £150, donations in memory £905, concert £522, Memory tree £100, coffee mornings £490, Open Gardens £281, Ladbroke Church £210 – the rest, £199, in various smaller donations.

Expenditure: (see third page for details)

The parish share was all paid up on time. Other costs under ministry and church management are very similar to 2023.

Gas costs in total are more than last year but this is because we had no gas until Apr/May in 2023. The total amount consumed in church only was 56,552 KwH – this compares to 106,229 KwH in 2018 and 101,827 KwH in 2019.

The cost of a KwH of gas was 5.0624 Jan- Sep dropping to 4.3692 from October.

Electricity costs are slightly lower year on year. We’ve used 6171 KwH this year compared with 6962 KwH last year. The cost of day units was 25.9027 Jan to Sep dropping to 20.8601 from October.

Routine maintenance of £1,597 included the new hearing loop thing for £718 as well as the annual boiler service, fire extinguisher service plus replacement fire extinguishers.

Fund details (see fourth page for details)

Under note 3 – the creditor under restricted fund is the amount due to Mellor & Mottram for the retention fee. This was finally paid in March 2025.

The HLS income of £18,273 is made of the £14,718 donations (see above), the Christmas Fair £1,467 and the gift aid £2,088 ref the recent donations.

The general fund reserves at the end of 2024 were £30,609. However, looking at the prospects for 2025 we may well use about £18,000 of that as I cannot see that our income will cover our usual, and necessary costs.

The HLS fund at the end of 2024 was £36,902.

Thank you to Peter Wilson for once again carrying out the Independent Examination of the accounts and to Tony Brunton for promptly retrieving the gift aid on all donations, both for appeals and regular giving.

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PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ALL SAINTS', HARBURY

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES

For the year to 31st December 2024

Prepared by: Liz McBride Independent Examiner: Peter Wilson Charity registration :1150990

INCOME & EXPENDITURE

PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ALL SAINTS', HARBURY PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ALL SAINTS', HARBURY PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ALL SAINTS', HARBURY PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ALL SAINTS', HARBURY PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ALL SAINTS', HARBURY PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ALL SAINTS', HARBURY PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ALL SAINTS', HARBURY PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ALL SAINTS', HARBURY PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ALL SAINTS', HARBURY
STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES
For theyear to 31st December 2024
Prepared by: Liz McBride Independent Examiner: Peter Wilson
Charityregistration :1150990
INCOME & EXPENDITURE
Unrestricted Restricted TOTAL Unrestricted Restricted TOTAL
Funds Funds 2024 Funds Funds 2023
Note £ £ £ £ £ £
INCOME
Voluntary income 1(a) 69,763.72 2,087.75 71,851.47 88,530.75 1,382.00 89,912.75
Church activities 1(b) 7,974.81 - 7,974.81 7,139.60 - 7,139.60
Fund generating activities 1(c) - 16,185.03 16,185.03 154.60 12,850.36 13,004.96
Investment income 1(d) 1,942.02 - 1,942.02 3,067.14 - 3,067.14
Other income 1(e) 1,428.44 1,644.00 3,072.44 2,118.41 81,602.73 83,721.14
Total income 81,108.99 19,916.78 101,025.77 101,010.50 95,835.09 196,845.59
EXPENDITURE
Church activities 2(a) (79,071.52) (979.63) (80,051.15) (97,415.49) (180,039.84) (277,455.33)
Mission giving, grants & donations 2(b), 5 (1,664.04) - (1,664.04) (2,434.85) (677.00) (3,111.85)
Cost of fund generating activities 2(c) - (213.25) (213.25) (4.78) (240.50) (245.28)
Other expenditure 2(d) - (50.00) (50.00) - (50.00) (50.00)
Total expenditure (80,735.56) (1,242.88) (81,978.44) (99,855.12) (181,007.34) (280,862.46)
Net income/(expenditure) 373.43 18,673.90 19,047.33 1,155.38 (85,172.25) (84,016.87)
ASSETS & LIABILITIES
31-Dec-24 31-Dec-23
Note £ £
CURRENT ASSETS
Debtors 14,951.19 14,559.97
Cash at bank and in hand 71,563.67 71,171.95
86,514.86 85,731.92
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Accruals (6,377.28) (24,641.67)
NET ASSETS 3 80,137.58 61,090.25
COMPRISING:
Unrestricted funds 4 30,608.90 44,684.99
Designated funds 4 15,489.12 1,039.60
Restricted funds 4 34,039.56 15,365.66
80,137.58 61,090.25
MOVEMENT IN FUNDS
Unrestricted Restricted Total Unrestricted Restricted Total
& Designated Funds 2024 & Designated Funds 2023
Funds Funds
£ £ £
Brought forward at 1 Jan 2024 45,724.59 15,365.66 61,090.25 44,569.21 100,537.91 145,107.12
- - - - -
Net income for the year 373.43 18,673.90 19,047.33 1,155.38 (85,172.25) (84,016.87)
Carried forward at 31st December 2024 46,098.02 34,039.56 80,137.58 45,724.59 15,365.66 61,090.25

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PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ALL SAINTS' CHURCH, HARBURY PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ALL SAINTS' CHURCH, HARBURY PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ALL SAINTS' CHURCH, HARBURY PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ALL SAINTS' CHURCH, HARBURY
Registered charity: 1150990
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
For the year to 31st December 2024
1 Analysis of income Unrestricted Restricted TOTAL Unrestricted Restricted TOTAL
Funds Funds 2024 Funds Funds 2023
£ £ £ £ £ £
1(a) Voluntary Income
Planned Giving:

Giving via standing order and weekly envelopes		 51,186.00 - 51,186.00 52,405.00 60.00 52,465.00
Income Tax (Gift Aid) 12,588.96 2,087.75 14,676.71 13,827.38 815.00 14,642.38
Other Giving:

Collections at all Services		 2,827.26 - 2,827.26 3,410.53 - 3,410.53
Sundry giving 30.00 - 30.00 1,698.34 477.00 2,175.34
Giving through Blue Envelopes 335.00 - 335.00 330.00 - 330.00
Legacies 1,654.93 - 1,654.93 16,000.00 - 16,000.00
Donations & appeals 1,141.57 - 1,141.57 859.50 30.00 889.50
69,763.72 2,087.75 71,851.47 88,530.75 1,382.00 89,912.75
1(b) Church activities
Tom Hauley Room ("THR") donations 5,396.81 - 5,396.81 4,149.60 - 4,149.60
Wedding fees 2,268.00 - 2,268.00 1,612.00 - 1,612.00
Funeral fees 4,083.00 - 4,083.00 5,987.00 - 5,987.00
less : assigned fees (3,773.00) - (3,773.00) (4,609.00) - (4,609.00)
7,974.81 - 7,974.81 7,139.60 - 7,139.60
1(c) Fund generating activities
Christmas Fayre - 1,466.78 1,466.78 - 1,621.68 1,621.68
Coffee Mornings - - 154.60 - 154.60
Heat, Light & Stone appeal - 14,718.25 14,718.25 - 11,228.68 11,228.68
Other miscellaneous fundraising - - - - -
- 16,185.03 16,185.03 154.60 12,850.36 13,004.96
1(d) Investment income
Dividends / Wayleave - - - - - -
Bank interest 1,942.02 - 1,942.02 3,067.14 - 3,067.14
1,942.02 - 1,942.02 3,067.14 - 3,067.14
1(e) Other income
Grants - 1,068.00 1,068.00 600.00 80,826.73 81,426.73
Contribution to expenses (Ladbroke ) 1,428.44 - 1,428.44 1,518.41 - 1,518.41
Wight School fund - 576.00 576.00 - 776.00 776.00
1,428.44 1,644.00 3,072.44 2,118.41 81,602.73 83,721.14
TOTAL INCOME 81,108.99 19,916.78 101,025.77 101,010.50 95,835.09 196,845.59

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PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ALL SAINTS' CHURCH, HARBURY PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ALL SAINTS' CHURCH, HARBURY PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ALL SAINTS' CHURCH, HARBURY PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ALL SAINTS' CHURCH, HARBURY
Registered charity: 1150990
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
For theyear to31st December 2024
2 Analysis of expenditure Unrestricted Restricted TOTAL Unrestricted Restricted TOTAL
Funds Funds 2024 Funds Funds 2023
£ £ £ £ £ £
2(a) Church activities
Ministry:
Parish Share 50,903.00 50,903.00 48,850.00 - 48,850.00
Rector's expenses 554.50 - 554.50 561.97 - 561.97
Curate's expenses - - - - - -
Outreach expenses 1,016.44 1,016.44 1,153.31 - 1,153.31
Youthwork 496.67 - 496.67 66.67 627.09 693.76
Other clergy expenses 50.00 - 50.00 - - -
Other expenses - - - 155.71 - 155.71
53,020.61 - 53,020.61 50,787.66 627.09 51,414.75
Church Management & Administration:

Rector's PA		 4,309.98 - 4,309.98 3,982.29 - 3,982.29
Printing & stationery 1,262.46 - 1,262.46 1,432.59 1,432.59
Legal fees & bank charges 740.80 740.80 721.75 - 721.75
Training & development & website maintenance 486.60 - 486.60 508.39 - 508.39
Miscellaneous expenses - - - 189.90 - 189.90
6,799.84 - 6,799.84 6,834.92 - 6,834.92
Upkeep of Church:
Running expenses-insurance 3,047.08 - 3,047.08 2,976.54 - 2,976.54
Running expenses-gas 3,206.07 - 3,206.07 2,103.50 - 2,103.50
Running expenses-electricity 2,060.75 - 2,060.75 2,789.47 - 2,789.47
Maintenance of organ & piano 238.00 - 238.00 401.00 - 401.00
Major repairs, installations and fees-HLS (0.00) 672.00 672.00 24,707.36 177,278.61 201,985.97
Furniture & furnishings 597.21 - 597.21 409.25 - 409.25
Routine maintenance 1,596.87 - 1,596.87 554.13 1,791.60 2,345.73
Quinquennium report 1,140.00 - 1,140.00 - -
Minor repairs (roofing) 2,262.67 - 2,262.67 - 228.00 228.00
Upkeep of Churchyard (incl. Memorial Garden): - 307.63 307.63 - 114.54 114.54
Upkeep of services:
Music 343.00 - 343.00 1,080.00 - 1,080.00
Altar requisites 473.50 - 473.50 625.05 - 625.05
Leaflets & service sheets 17.96 - 17.96 41.49 - 41.49
Service books - - - 30.00 - 30.00
Other - - - 73.96 - 73.96
14,983.11 979.63 15,962.74 35,791.75 179,412.75 215,204.50
Upkeep of the Tom Hauley Room:

Caretaking		 1,632.50 - 1,632.50 1,430.00 - 1,430.00
Supplies, Maintenance & repairs 916.70 - 916.70 442.69 442.69
Gas 1,333.98 - 1,333.98 1,644.55 - 1,644.55
Water 227.78 - 227.78 309.92 - 309.92
Window cleaning 157.00 - 157.00 174.00 - 174.00
4,267.96 - 4,267.96 4,001.16 - 4,001.16
TOTAL COST OF CHURCH ACTIVITIES 79,071.52 979.63 80,051.15 97,415.49 180,039.84 277,455.33
2(b) Mission Giving, Charitable Grants & Donations
Home Mission & Charitable Giving 450.00 - 450.00 425.00 477.00 902.00
Overseas Mission & Charitable Giving 413.56 - 413.56 639.20 - 639.20
Pastoral Discretionary Fund (designated) 800.48 - 800.48 1,370.65 200.00 1,570.65
1,664.04 - 1,664.04 2,434.85 677.00 3,111.85
2(c) Cost of fundgenerating activities
Christmas Fayre costs - 213.25 213.25 - 240.50 240.50
Other fundraising costs - - - 4.78 - 4.78
- 213.25 213.25 4.78 240.50 245.28
2(d) Other expenditure
Wight School insurance - 50.00 50.00 - 50.00 50.00
- 50.00 50.00 - 50.00 50.00
TOTAL EXPENDITURE 80,735.56 1,242.88 81,978.44 99,855.12 181,007.34 280,862.46

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PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ALL SAINTS' CHURCH, HARBURY PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ALL SAINTS' CHURCH, HARBURY PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ALL SAINTS' CHURCH, HARBURY PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ALL SAINTS' CHURCH, HARBURY
Registered charity: 1150990
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
For the year to 31st December 2024
3 ANALYSIS OF NET ASSETS Unrestricted Restricted TOTAL
Funds Funds
£ £ £
Current Assets
Bank Accounts:
HSBC current account 31,898.42 31,898.42
CCLA accounts 3,112.99 36,552.26 39,665.25
Total cash at bank 35,011.41 36,552.26 71,563.67
Debtors 12,863.44 2,087.75 14,951.19
Total Current Assets 47,874.85 38,640.01 86,514.86
Current Liabilities
Creditors & accruals (1,776.83) (4,600.45) (6,377.28)
Fund balance 46,098.02 34,039.56 80,137.58
4 FUND DETAILS Opening income expenditure surplus Closing
balance (loss) balance
as at 1.1.24 as at 31 Dec
Restricted funds: £ £ £ £ £
Belfry fund 2,096.93 1,068.00 3,164.93
Sprawson Trust Fund 1,539.67 (307.63) 1,232.04
Holiday at Home 121.11 121.11
"Thinking Allowed"/Mission 480.35 480.35
Julian Group 79.90 79.90
Memorial Garden 667.09 667.09
Wight School 5,866.14 576.00 (50.00) 6,392.14

AV projector fund		 4,014.47 4,014.47
500.00
THR decoration 500.00
Collections ref funeral - -
Heat , Light & Stone - 18,272.78 (885.25) 17,387.53
Restricted funds movement 15,365.66 19,916.78 (1,242.88) - 34,039.56
Unrestricted & Designated funds:- transfer

General fund		 44,684.99 - (15,000.00) 923.91 30,608.90
Designated-Heat, Light & Stone - 15,000.00 15,000.00
Designated-wallpanels 178.85 178.85
Designated parish discretionary fund 860.75 250.00 (800.48) 310.27
45,724.59 250.00 (800.48) 923.91 46,098.02
HLS
36,902.00
5 DETAILS OF OUTWARDGIVING
£
DEC Syria & Gaza appeal 413.56
Children's Society 450.00
Discretionary grants for school lunches & trips 800.48
1,664.04
-
6 DETAILS OF PRIVATE BENEFIT
As the PCC is a charity it is required to comply with the provisions of the Charities Act and to publish details of any private benefit received by
any trustee. All members of the PCC are charity trustees. No benefits have been received this year.

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re oe a eee _

=_ a re Independent examiner's report on the accounts

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w= Kes,) CHARITY COMMISSION
Agia? FOR ENGLAND AND WALES
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. Section A Independent Examiner’s Report

Report to the trustees/ Charity Name members of All Saints Church Harbury

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On accounts for the year | 31 December 2024
ended
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Charity no
(if any)
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Respective responsibilities of trustees and 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. [The charity’s gross income exceeded £250,000 and | am qualified to undertake the examination by being a qualified member of [named body]]. Delete [ ] if not applicable.

It is my responsibility to:

Independent !n connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention examiner's statement (other than that disclosed below *)

  1. which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in, any material respect, the requirements:

  2. e to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act: and

  3. e to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the Charities Act

  4. have not been met; or

  5. to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

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

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Name: | Peter Wilson
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:

IER

1

Relevant professional | Chartered Accountant qualification(s) or body

(if any):

Address: | Studio Cottage, 39 Farm Street

Harbury, Warks. CV33 SLS

Section B Disclosure

Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight material problems.(E.g. accounting records have not been kept in accordance with s132 of[the][Charities’][Act][ 2011][and][those][ accounts][ do][not][ comply] with the requirements of the 2008 Regulations setting out the form and content of charity accounts; any material expenditure or action which appears not to be in accordance with the trusts of the charity; any failure to be provided with information and explanations by any past or present trustee, officer or employee; and any material consistency between the accounts and the trustees’ annual report.)

IER

2

Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose.

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|N/A
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IER

3