2025-12-31-accounts - The Parochial Church Council Of The Ecclesiastical Parish Of West Sheppey

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PCC REPORT FOR 2025

Aims and Purposes

The West Sheppey Benefice Parochial Church Council (PCC) had the responsibility of coordinating and running the parish in the absence of any clergy since October 2024 but still aims to promote the ecclesiastical parish and the whole mission of the church: evangelistic, social and ecumenical. Finding clergy cover for services continued to be an ongoing struggle. Rev. Chris Shipley and churchwarden Ashley Shiel tried to create suitable rotas to allow a regular pattern of worship to be maintained. Rev. Chris Baker, Rev. Richard Braddy, Rev. Nick Carpenter, Rev. Tim Foreman and Rev. Shipley have frequently agreed to run communion services, including those in midweek and we are truly grateful to them and the occasional visits from Bishop Rose. The PCC hopes and prays that a new incumbent may finally be appointed during 2026 to take the parochial reins.

Structure, Governance and Management

The PCC is a registered charity, the charity name being THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF WEST SHEPPEY, registration number 1150995. All PCC members are registered trustees and sign appropriate paperwork to formalise this. The PCC is a corporate body under the PCC Powers Measure 1956 and Church Representation Rules 2020. The method of appointment of PCC members is set out in the Church Representation Rules. The membership of the PCC consists of clergy, churchwardens and members elected by those members of the congregation who are on the Electoral Roll of the three churches. All those who attend services or are members of the congregations are encouraged to register on the Electoral Roll and stand for election to the PCC.

The PCC has devolved day to day administration and small scale financial responsibilities for each individual church to a District Church Council (DCC) for each church. The members of each DCC are elected by members of the corresponding church. These rules were tightened at the Annual Parochial Church Meeting of 2024, and each now has to hold its own Annual Meeting.

PCC members are responsible for making decisions on all matters of general concern and importance to the parish, including on how PCC funds are to be spent. The full PCC met five times during 2025. Matters covered in meetings included the frequently recurring topics of intinction and the common cup, Inclusive Church, the parish vacancy and profile, social media, websites and broadband issues as well as St. Peter’s and the growth of Teddy Bears Day Care. Other topics were uniform or lanyards for parish events, sound systems and the Oasis Community Hub. DCCs, the Sheerness Emergency foodbank and St. George’s Primary School are now regular fixtures on PCC agendas.

Objectives and Activities

The PCC is committed to enabling as many people as possible to worship at the churches in the parish and to become a part of the parish community on the Isle of Sheppey. The PCC maintains an overview of worship throughout the parish and makes suggestions on how services can involve the many groups that live within the parish. However it should be noted that there is still unfortunate resistance to attending combined parish services. Service and worship put faith into practice through prayer, scripture, music and sacrament, although providing such services has become more difficult with the lack of clergy and placed a greater burden on the Authorised Lay Ministers (ALMs).

People from the parish help by providing the Foodbank at Holy Trinity with St. Paul, Sheerness. The PCC tries to enable all people to live out their faith as part of the parish community through worship and prayer, learning about the Gospel and developing knowledge and trust in Jesus, provision of pastoral care for people living in the parish and mission and outreach work where possible. To facilitate this work it is important that the fabric of the three churches and associated halls is maintained.

Achievements and Performance

The PCC is keen to offer a range of services during the week and over the course of the year, especially at major festivals, that the local community find both helpful and spiritually uplifting. The general timing of regular Sunday services in 2025 has continued to be:

	1st Sunday	2nd Sunday	3rd Sunday	4th Sunday
Minster Abbey	11am Praise and Worship	11am Shared Communion	11am Praise and Worship	11am Shared Communion
Holy Trinity, Queenborough	11am Shared Communion	11am Praise and Worship	11am Shared Communion	11am Praise and Worship
Holy Trinity with St. Paul, Sheerness	9.30am Shared Communion	9.30am Praise and Worship	9.30am Shared Communion	9.30am Praise and Worship

Further services are held on fifth Sundays in the relevant months and on other Holy Days, such as Ash Wednesday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Ascension Day. There is also a wide range of services available in the lead up to Christmas including carol services, Christingle and midnight communions.

Midweek services are held on Wednesdays: 10am at Holy Trinity with St. Paul, Sheerness on the first, third and fifth Wednesdays with Morning Prayer at the same time on the second and fourth Wednesdays. Minster Abbey holds communion services at 10.30am on the second and fourth Wednesdays.

Regular coffee mornings or afternoons continue throughout the year in all three churches: every Tuesday morning at Minster Abbey, Wednesday afternoon in Sheerness, second Saturday mornings in Queenborough. Baptisms, weddings and funerals have taken place when required and clergy can be obtained.

Deanery Synod

Two representatives from the parish have continued to sit on Sittingbourne Deanery Synod throughout this past year, with one of them also attending Diocesan Synod. These representatives provide the PCC with an important link between the parish and the wider structure of the church and regularly report back to PCC meetings.

Church Access

Holy Trinity church, Queenborough, was open daily throughout the year for visitors and private prayer. Holy Trinity with St. Paul, Sheerness was open on Wednesdays from 11am to 3.30pm, while Minster Abbey was open on several occasions during the week.

Churches on the Island

There are currently five Anglican churches on the Isle of Sheppey: All Saints, Eastchurch; St. Thomas, Harty; Minster Abbey; Holy Trinity, Queenborough and Holy Trinity with St. Paul, Sheerness. Eastchurch and Harty currently form the parish of East Sheppey with the other three comprising West Sheppey parish. All the churches are part of Churches Together in Sheppey and are involved in services like that at the Abbey on Good Friday.

Volunteers

The PCC would like to thank all those who contributed to the life of the churches during the past year. Thanks go once again to Treasurer Anthony Platt for successfully looking after the parish finances and to all the churchwardens: Julie Palmer, Brenda Smith, Ashley Shiel, Mary Shoebridge and Angie Cummings for the enormous amount of work they do, both seen and unseen. Thanks are also due to the Authorised Lay Ministers(ALMs) who have increasingly stepped up to lead services: Dan Beardsmore, Angie Cummings, Julie Palmer, Ashley Shiel and Mark Young. Rowena Squire continues as an ALM for healing, wholeness and well-being ministry.

Administrative Information

All three churches in the parish are located on the north and west sides of the Isle of Sheppey, on the North Kent coast. Minster Abbey is situated in the village of Minster-on-Sea; Holy Trinity, Queenborough, is situated in the heart of the small town of Queenborough while Holy Trinity with St. Paul, Sheerness, is situated in the centre of the main town of Sheerness. All churches are part of the Sittingbourne Deanery, part of the Archdeaconry of Maidstone and the Diocese of Canterbury within the Church of England.

The correspondence address is: West Sheppey Benefice Parish Office Vicarage Road Minster-on-Sea Sheerness Kent ME12 2HE

Telephone: 01795 871500 email: minsterabbey@gmail.com Facebook: Island Ministries Parish Website: www.westsheppeyparish.org.uk

The parish office is located in Minster Abbey church hall and is open between 8.30am and 12.30pm on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. An answerphone operates outside these times. The office is run by parish Administrator Julie Palmer, to whom grateful thanks are due.

PCC Membership 2025

The following have served on the Parochial Church Council in 2025: Minster Abbey: Pat Crittenden, Jeanette Hale(until APCM 2025), Julie Palmer, Anthony Platt, Alan Scofield (co-opted since APCM 2025), Brenda Smith, Bryan Smith(until July 2025), Patrick van Lind(until APCM 2025)

Holy Trinity, Queenborough: David Cummings, Mark Germaney(until APCM 2025), Nicola Prior, Ashley Shiel, Mary Shoebridge, Rowena Squire

Holy Trinity with St. Paul, Sheerness: Julie Austin-Williamson, Angie Cummings, David Gilbert, Scott Mandry (from APCM 2025), Jane Pollard, Tom Reveley(until APCM 2025) Clergy: No representation throughout 2025

Seven PCC members attended all five meetings, but overall attendance was significantly better than in 2024.

ELECTORAL ROLL REPORT

The total number of members on the Electoral Roll for West Sheppey parish by the cut off revision date of April 19[th] 2026 was 97, a 10% increase and a rise of 10 names from last year.

Minster Abbey totalled 30, showing an overall increase of 3, with 6 new applicants, 1 who had left the parish and unfortunately 2 lost due to death.

Holy Trinity, Queenborough totalled 47, an increase of 3 from last year, with 6 additions and 3 sadly lost due to death.

Holy Trinity with St. Paul, Sheerness totalled 20, an increase of 4, all of whom were new names to the roll.

David Cummings Electoral Roll Officer

SAFEGUARDING REPORT

Safeguarding is not just the responsibility of the appointed safeguarding officer it should be the responsibility of every person involved within our churches. Everyone no matter who they are, or why they are entering our churches, has the right to feel totally safe from harm, harassment, bullying, abuse and neglect and that they are welcome and included and that the church as a body and as individuals is committed to protecting their health, wellbeing and human rights. As a PCC we annually review and adopt the safeguarding policies in line with Church of England guidance. Throughout the year we engage with the Diocesan Safeguarding team and as the Parish Safeguarding Officer (PSO) it is my responsibility to inform the PCC of any changes or updates to legislation.

The Church of England’s safeguarding policy statement, “Promoting a Safer Church”, says “All church bodies should ensure that they have a Promoting a Safer Church” action plan in place”

As a means of monitoring our plan we engage with the digital Parish Hub and Dashboard which produces three levels of Action plans. In the last annual report, it was stated that we were currently working on the level 2 plan. I am pleased to report that as a PCC in the past year we have made progress and are now working on level 3 with a 63% progress score towards the Church of England requirements. Our aims for this year are to complete this level by all PCC members completing all the required training sessions and discussing those issues of the policy which at present are not directly relevant to our parish but may be so in the future.

Mary Shoebridge

Parish Safeguarding and Disclosure Officer

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YE	AR TO.31st DE	CEMBER 2025	CEMBER 2025	CEMBER 2025
	Unrestricted Funds E	DesignatedRe8tricted Funds Funds €f			Endowment Funds f		Total L
RECEIPTSANDPAYMENTSACCOUNT
Receipts
Voluntary Receipts
ReceiptsfromDonqrs Planned Giving Collections lncome Tax Recovered Other voluntary receipts (note 3a) Activities forgeneralingfunds(note3b) Receipts from ChurclrActiviiies(note 3c) lnvestment lncome (note 3d)	10,848 15,740 7,U6 3.735 27,321 2,280 1,418 58,948		150 49 0 4,194 4,590	0 10,587 00 6,031 2,096		0 0 0 0	15,740 7,846 3,735 27,321 12,505 8,104 59,098 21,684 128,712	22,e88 B,?58 7,766 3e,s'12 12,oa4 8,1se 44,257 14,664 ire,516
Payments
Church Activities
Parish Share	2,500						2,500	4,300
Other payments (note 3e)							163,598	92,194
							166,098
Excess of Receipts over Payments	(2,62e)		(4,266)	(30,491)			(37,386)	23,O??
Bank current and depositAccounts1Jan	s8,322		33.137	231.104				u0,&1
Bank current and deposit Accounts31Dec.	95,693		1	200,613				363,563
STATEMENTOFASSETSANDLIABILITIES
Cash Funds Bankaccounts CBF deposit funds	95,693 0		28,871 0	18,210 18?,403		1,000 0	143,774 182,403	190,993 172,570
							326,177	363,563
lnv*tmefltAssetsatmarketvalue
(note 6)
5,487.49 CBF Church of England lnvestment Fund lncome Shares						121,811	121,811	126,22s
991 CBF Church of England Short Duration Bond Fund						1,513	1,513	1,478
lncome Shares
						123,324	123,324	1z71oa
Liabilities (note5)	490.236						490,236	424,e23

3	Receipts andPayment$Analysis	Unrestric$edOeeignated Funds Funds	Unrestric$edOeeignated Funds Funds	ReskictedEndowmsnt FundsFunds	ReskictedEndowmsnt FundsFunds	Total
		LL		s		€
a.	Other voluntary receipts
	Donations	2,280	4,194	6,031		12,505	111ta4
	Grants Legapy	0 0 2.2&0	4,194 6,031		0	12,505 0 0s	1,?oo
b.	Activities for generaling funds
	Fayres & other fundrasirrgevenis	213	4,590	2,096		6,899
	Draws	518				518	1,105
	Gifl Stall & other sales	687 1,41I	4,590 2,096		0	s87 8,104	843 Q 'OO
c.	ReceiptsfrsmChurch Activities
	Fees Halt &Churchlettings	8,500 50	150			8,650 *50,448 59,098	B,os6 s6,zgj 44,2s7
	lnvestment and other lncome
	Bank & CBF interest&Dividends	2,310	249	10,587		13,146	14,664
	lnsurance Claims	8,538				8,538	0
		10,848	249	10,587		21,684	14,664
e.	Charitable&Mission giving Buildings running expeflses Buildings maintenance Clergy expenses Cost of Services Costsofgenerating funds Office, printing & stationery Proiect planning Equipment,&Licences 0ther	0 38,492 42,7s1 60 3,518 15S 11,S26 U 4,338 0 100,944	4,536 315 1,068 1,668 5,807 55 13,449	8,668 32,098 7,977 0 24 438 49,205		8,668 5As1 38,492 3e,7m 79,385 1s,44o 60 3,51s 3,857 s,o7t 1,665 1,r,62 '11,626 11,Ess 9,M5 s,Grs 10,145 z,7ao 550 *-r6g5m--ala

FINANCIAL STATEMENTSF-ORTHE NOTES 4	yEARTO31€LDECEMBER20?5	yEARTO31€LDECEMBER20?5	yEARTO31€LDECEMBER20?5
Designated Funds AbbeyRestorationFund Abbey GardeningFund	At1stJanReceipts 30,1525,933 140 565 Payments (11,219) (60)			Bal C'Fwd 24,866 645
AbbeyFlowerFund	316		(73)	243
StGeorgesBibles SheernessLegacy&Repairs Allwood OrganFund	22C, g9v620 0	536 1,900	(1,140) (660)	335 16 1,240
SoundEquipnnentfund Baptism Bible fund Parish MissionFund	175 372 1,A27 33,137	221 2g 9,183	(242) (5S1 ({3,449}	175 35'1 1,000 28,871
RestrictedFunds
OrganRestorationFund SundaySchoolFund Middleton MemorialFund	4,438 1,462 134	282 91 28		4,724 1,553 162
Durkan Legacy FabricFund	66,743 12,981	3,300 1,981	(30,743)	39,300 14,962
Bert&Fay Savage Memorial QueenboroughVestryFund AdmiralGreetTombFund WeekesMemorial	657 126,655 2,216 4,767	7,044 204 526	(7,977) (e00) (450)	657 125,722 1,516 4,843
Weekes MaintenanceFund	0			0
GuideBook fund QueenboroughHall Fence/Garden FoodBank Charity Funds-	(114) (108) 76 590 5,451 1,061 190 239 459 9,3043,713(7,566) 1,318 1,090(1,347\ 231,10418,714(49,2051200,6{3

Liabilities			Total	2424
Utilily andother	creditors		3,004	2,324
Parish Share(non legal debt)			487,232	422,599
TheEndowrnent fundswhichhavetoberetainedas capital comprise:
Bankdeposits	TheBert&Fay$avageFund		t1,000	t'',000
CBFChurchof	England lnvestment Fund-lncome Shares	Shares	Valuef	Value f,.2024
	Frank HuntMemorial	3,083,00	68.437	71,287
	Sale of SculptureFund	884.18	19,627	19,877
	AdmiralGreetTomb	311.86	6922	7,211
	OldSchosl*r2	302.00	6704	6,8S3
	WeekesMemoriai	818.15	18,161	18.917
	TheDoraHughes MemorialFund	44.15	980	1,A?0
	TheMarjorieMiddletonMemorialFund	44.15	s80	1,020
	Total	5,4&7.49	L121,811	f.126,225
CBF Churchof	EnglandFixedlnierestSecuritiesFund-lncome Shares
	OldSchool#1	515.00	786	7S8
	TheHopsonTrust Total	476.00 991.00	727 Ll,513	,710 €1,478

Independent examiner's report on the accounts

Section A Independent Examiner’s Report

Report to the trustees/ members of

Charity Name

WEST SHEPPEY PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL

31 DECEMBER 2025 Charity no 1150995 On accounts for the year (if any) ended Set out on pages 1 - 6 (remember to include the page numbers of additional sheets)

I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended 31 / 12 / 2025 .
Responsibilities and As the charity trustees of the Trust, you are responsible for the preparation basis of report of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”).

I report in respect of my examination of the Trust’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.

Independent I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have examiner's statement come to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:

accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act or
the accounts do not accord with the accounting records

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

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

Date: 29[th] March 2026 Signed: Name: MRS O M ODENIRAN FCMI FCCA Relevant professional ASSOCIATION OF CHARTERED CERTIFIED ACCOUNTANTS qualification(s) or body (if any): Address: 6 ROOKEY VIEW IWADE KENT ME9 8TN

October 2018

IER

Section B Disclosure

Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners).

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

October 2018

IER