ST MARY'S CHURCH – WYKE
ANNUAL REPORT and
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS of the PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL
for the year ended 31 December 2022
Vicar:
Rev. Lucy Wormsley
6 Vicarage Close Wyke Bradford BD12 8QW
Bank: Barclays Bank PLC
Independent Examiner: Mrs J Wilkinson FCCA 7 Fielding Way Morley LS27 9AB
Independent Examiner's Report to the trustees of St Mary's Church, Wyke, Parochial Church Council.
I report on the accounts of the church for the year ended 31 December 2022 which are set out on pages 8 to 10.
Respective responsibilities of the Trustees and Examiner
The church’s trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The church's trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144(2) of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act) and that an independent examination is needed.
It is my responsibility to
-
examine the accounts (under section 145 of the 2011 Act);
-
To follow the procedures laid down in the General Directions given by the Charity Commissioners (under section 145 (5)(b) of the 2011 Act; and
-
To state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
Basis of Independent Examiner's Statement
My examination was carried out in accordance with the General Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a ‘true and fair view’ and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below
Independent Examiner's Statement
In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention:
-
which give me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements
-
to keep accounting records in accordance with s.130 of the 2011 Act; and
-
to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the 2011 Act have not been met; or;
-
to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Jacqueline Wilkinson, FCCA Signed: J Wilkinson 7 Fielding Way Morley LS27 9AB Date: 31/03/23
1
2022 Report and Accounts for the Parochial Church Council of St. Mary’s, Wyke, Bradford.
Aim and purposes
St. Mary’s Parochial Church Council (PCC) has the responsibility of co-operating with the incumbent, in promoting in the ecclesiastical parish, the whole mission of the church, pastoral, evangelistic, social and ecumenical. The Revd. Lucy Wormsley is the incumbent and Vicar of Wyke, although she was on Maternity Leave until April 2022.
The PCC is also specifically responsible for the maintenance of the church and hall of St. Mary’s, Wyke.
The Revd. Margaret Lyons is a retired priest with permission to officiate, with Sylvia Percival and Susan Naughton as Licensed Lay Ministers to the parish.
Objectives and activities.
The PCC is committed to enabling as many people as possible to worship at our church and to become part of our parish community at St. Marys. The PCC maintains an overview of worship, giving priority to all ages worshipping together every Sunday morning. Our worship services and midweek group seek to put faith into practice through prayer and scripture, music and sacrament.
As a registered charity, when planning our activities, we take note of the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit and the advancement of religion. We try to enable people to live out their faith as part of our parish community through:
-
Worship, prayer, learning about the gospel and developing knowledge and trust in Jesus.
-
Provision of pastoral care for everyone in our congregation and for people living in the parish.
Missionary and outreach work.
To facilitate all this work, it is important that we maintain the fabric of St Mary’s church and hall.
Achievements and performance
Worship and prayer
We hold worship at 10.30am each Sunday. Our monthly service pattern comprises of Church Family Worship services on the 1[st ] and 3[rd ] Sundays (also on the 5[th ] Sunday when there are five Sundays in the month) and Church Family Communion services on the 2[nd ] and 4[th] Sundays. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, we have offered live streamed services from the church. This has continued even after the lockdowns eased, because it enabled some housebound congregation members to join with us more regularly. Laying on of Hands and Anointing is usually offered from time to time throughout the Church year, although this was discontinued at the onset of the pandemic and hasn’t yet been reintroduced. We have now reintroduced Prayer for Healing, following our Communion services. When possible, we offer Kids Church in the church hall, to deliver age-appropriate teaching. This has reduced in
2
frequency due to low numbers of families and helpers in the latter months of 2022. From that time, there has, however, been a higher number of parade services, for special occasions such as harvest and remembrance, where lots of families attended and services were designed to be more all age appropriate.
Seasonal services are provided for Lent, Holy Week and Easter and for Advent and Christmas. We also offer our Church Family Worship Services which are aimed at encouraging intergenerational worship for all ages. We held a Nativity themed service and a Christingle service just before Christmas.
We haven’t run our monthly Messy Church Services since the pandemic, but hope to reinstate this going forward, to reach out to younger families.
In 2022 our electoral roll comprised 59 members, 40 of whom are residents and 17 nonresidents. The average number attending on Sundays is 36 adults (2021: 35) and 3 under 16yrs. Those joining us via the Facebook livestream have decreased as the congregation in church increased, post pandemic, but we continue to enable a few housebound members to join in our worship by continuing to livestream. The numbers also increased at the seasonal times of Easter, Harvest and Christmas. We have celebrated 7 Baptisms, 0 Confirmations, 2 Weddings and 5 church Funerals, during 2022.
Deanery Synod
Two PCC members are able to be elected members of the Outer Bradford Deanery Synod, however we only have one person currently elected since the 2021 APCM. Bernard Lewis continues as our elected deanery representative and is also serving as the lay chair of the synod. Synod met twice this year, once in March via zoom and once in September in person. Topics covered were ‘Feeding your neighbour’, hearing from the team at Bradford North Foodbank, and ‘Sharing Good News - Sharing Good Practice’, where we heard from various churches about their stories of good news and good practice with Community engagement and outreach.
Alongside our attachment to the Outer Bradford Deanery, we are connected to the Bradford Episcopal Area Forum. To this, members of all four Deaneries in the Bradford Episcopal Area, along with members of every parish congregation, are invited to share together collaboratively and supportively of one another. During 2022 there were two meetings, where over 100 people attended either in person or online, from across the episcopal area. This forum has looked at sharing our stories of faith and building confidence by talking about faith. Also, the forum celebrated Bradford becoming the City of Culture for 2025 and looked ahead to how the church across Bradford can engage with and participate in the celebrations and programme for this year.
The Church and Church Hall
The church is open to the community on specific occasions for private prayer and other activities. We welcome our local schools into church and visit at school throughout the year. We both provide and host services for other organisations such as the Wyke Children’s Centre.
The church hall is widely used throughout the week and at weekends by groups paying rent. These groups include a lunch club on Tuesdays for the elderly, Blooming Babies for Under 3s
3
and their parents/carers, Scouts, Cubs and Beavers and other sport/activity groups. We have built up quite a full programme of users during the week and also have many children’s party bookings, which we welcome. Also, we have managed to reopen the Teddy Tots and Toddlers group, which was previously run by Nicola, but which is now St. Mary’s Church Baby and Toddler group, run by Lucy with the help of church volunteers on Thursday mornings. Here we are able to engage with parents/carers and children, offering support and signposting where there is need (e.g. foodbank referrals and offering prayer)
Pastoral care
Our pastoral care teams have undergone review over the past year and we hope and aim to improve the ways in which we offer pastoral care, home/hospital visits and support for all our congregation members.
We have a group who meet weekly to pray for the Parish and church members, there is a prayer chain to support those where specific needs are raised.
Sylvia has continued to provide a ‘prayer needs’ page in the Weekly News sheet to help and encourage our discipline of praying for one another and for the needs of the church, community and worldwide connections (such as Open Doors, CMS and Latin Link Mission Partners and other matters in need of prayer).
Mission and evangelism
We have continued our support and connection with our mission partners in Guatemala. Azaria Spencer is working with CMS amongst young people at Street Kids Direct in Guatemala City. Geoff and Cesia Baines are a married couple working with theological studies/ biblical languages and vulnerable women, also in Guatemala City but on behalf of Latin Link. We celebrated with Geoff and Cesia on the arrival of their beautiful baby daughter Sophia earlier in the year.
We tithe 10% of our voluntary receipts (planned giving, etc.), usually divided equally between three Christian Charities. This year we have continued our support to Open Doors, CMS and Latin Link partnerships and are continuing our distribution of the tithe into the start of the New Year, 2023. Please see the Financial Review and Statements for further details.
We separately (i.e. not reported in the Financial Statements) continue to give to the work of The Children’s Society, through our collection boxes (£584.60) and offerings from the Christingle Service (£330.00) towards their work with vulnerable children in England and Wales.
Ecumenical relationships
We play an active role in the Wyke Christian Council of Churches, where Rev. Lucy has chaired the meetings and stood as chair of trustees during this year. This charity comprises of six local churches and operates a Trussell Trust Food Bank for Wyke and surrounding areas. The churches in Wyke provide well attended joint services twice a year, monthly prayer meetings and ministers’ prayer breakfasts. Also, they usually arrange a joint Lent Course, Carols for the Community and other events throughout the year, albeit some of these have not been as
4
regular as usual since the pandemic. We are gradually getting back on track with these connections.
The Foodbank’s manager, Dawn Stobart, has reported that demand for the Foodbank has increased hugely, in recent times, effected partly by the pandemic and partly by the cost-ofliving crisis we are seeing and experiencing at the moment. When open, they regularly have over 20 clients and so, more than ever, this is a much-needed support for the local community, under the umbrella of the Wyke Christian Council of Churches. They are in need of new premises, due to building disrepair at the current premises and future expansion needs for the Foodbank. The Trussell Trust have been instrumental with supporting the Wyke Christian Council of Churches to lease a shop front on Towngate in Wyke, where we are working to open a coffee shop hub, through which, advisors can meet with clients and give a wider support for people’s needs. Together, we aim to help people overcome their problems long term, rather than just sticking a plaster over the immediate crisis.
Safeguarding
We follow the Diocesan Policy and statement for safeguarding at St. Mary’s Church. Evelyn Haigh continues as our Parish Safeguarding Officer. We continue to hold safeguarding updates each month on our PCC agendas and have updated all our noticeboards (in church and in the foyer area) with relevant information and contact numbers. We place high priority and focus on keeping children, young people and vulnerable adults safeguarded at all times, encouraging that safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility.
Financial Review
General Funds (unrestricted):
Total receipts were £64,184, of which £32,838 was voluntary donations including Gift Aid. A grant of £2,500 was unexpectedly received from the diocese as a contribution to the vast increase in energy costs; the increases will start to hit us hard in 2023 and the grant will be taken into account when the PCC decides how much we can budget to spend on energy. Fund Raising brought in £3,278, mainly in the last quarter of the year after the lifting of Covid restrictions. Other activities brought in £28,068 as detailed in the financial statements.
£74,026 was spent from General Funds in providing Christian ministry, including £33,500 contribution to the diocesan parish share, this being 80% of the sum requested (share largely provides the stipends, training and housing for clergy). Our policy is to ‘tithe’ 10% of eligible receipts (£61,420) to charities engaged in Christian missionary and support work; so far we have given £3,200 and so a further £2,942 will be allocated early in 2023 to make up the £6,142 pledged. £18,831 was laid out for extra-ordinary, unplanned works, mainly to bring the church electrical wiring up to the required standard.
The net result for the year was an overspend of £9,842 reducing general funds (reserves) to £10,756.
5
Designated and Restricted Funds:
These funds have increased to £185,270 due to the PCC negotiating a fee of £175611 with Cellnex for a Licence to use the Church tower for their Mobile Phone Mast for a period of fifty years. Further details of this arrangement are set out on the final page of the financial statements. The PCC has engaged an Independent Financial Advisor (IFA) to assist in the careful investment of a major part of these funds to try and maintain their value, at least in line with inflation, over the coming years/decades.
Designated Funds may be used by the PCC to either supplement general funds or to contribute wholly or partly towards expenditure on major works. Restricted Funds may only be used for the purpose stated when the funds were set up.
Reserves Policy:
Our present policy is to hold general fund reserves representing around two months of General Fund budgeted annual expenditure. Reserves are considered necessary to cover for unplanned, urgent expenditure and to provide a cashflow buffer to ensure we do not need an overdraft facility. However, now that we hold considerable funds in the Mobile Mast Licence Fund neither of these situations are of concern. However, it is the PCC’s intention to continue budgeting responsibly and not allow the General Fund to go into deficit.
Volunteers
We would like to thank every person who works hard to make our church what it is. Lucy wishes to add her gratitude for all the care and support and extra time that has been and continues to be given by so many during her 2 maternity leaves. It has meant so much to her and Jonathon that they were able to continue to worship at St. Mary’s and feel part of the congregation during the period of leave 2022 and looking ahead to the leave during 2023.
Structure, governance and management
The Parochial Church Council is a corporate body established by the Church of England. The PCC operates under the Parochial Church Council Powers Measure and is a Registered Charity.
The method of appointment of PCC members is set out in the Church Representation Rules. At St Mary's the membership of the PCC consists of the incumbent (our vicar), churchwardens, retired priest with Permission to Officiate, Licensed Lay Ministers and members elected by those members of the congregation who are on the electoral roll of the church. All regular members of the congregation are encouraged to register on the Electoral Roll and stand for election to the PCC.
The PCC members are responsible for making decisions on all matters of general concern and importance to the parish, including deciding on how the funds of the PCC are to be spent.
During the year, the PCC met 9 times, with an average level of attendance of 67%. In addition, we have a Standing Committee which met twice and a Projects Committee which are
6
responsible to the PCC, with minutes of their decisions being received by the PCC and discussed as necessary.
The main areas of focus for the PCC this year have been:
-
Renewal of the telecoms mast licence for the Tower
-
Church Worship and provisions throughout the year
-
Financial reports monthly (via email where meetings were not held)
-
Building concerns and issues – including the fallen bell and outside lighting updates
It would be very welcomed, to have new faces standing for election to the PCC at this year’s APCM, to enhance and grow the leadership of St Mary’s.
Fabric
This year we had our quinquennial inspection undertaken by the appointed architect, which highlighted a number of areas of fabric works required. There are a number of urgent jobs which have now begun and we aim to undertake as much as we can over the coming five years, before the next inspection is due. This inspection was postponed from 2020 due to the COVID lockdowns.
We have undergone updates and upgrades to the electrical system within the church and have had some roof works carried out, in accordance with the ‘urgent’ works required by the Quinquennial Inspection. We have plans for the flooring in the main hall to be refurbished in early 2023.
The work required on the church bells is currently in abeyance. Funds amounting to £3,886 have been raised for this project and the PCC is to give consideration to either repairing the fallen bell or proceeding with work to overhaul the complete carillon structure.
7
Administrative Information
St Mary's church is situated in Green Lane, Wyke. It is part of the Diocese of Leeds within the Church of England. The correspondence address is 6 Vicarage Close, Wyke, Bradford, BD12 8QW. Registered Charity number 1153194.
PCC members who have served at any time from 1 January 2022 until the date this report was approved are:
Ex Officio members:
Incumbent: The Revd. Lucy Wormsley (Chair) Wardens: Mr Bernard Lewis (Vice chair) Deanery Synod rep: Mr Bernard Lewis Licensed clergy: The Revd. Margaret Lyons (retired with Permission to Officiate) Licensed Lay Ministers: Mrs Susan Naughton Mrs Sylvia Percival
Elected members:
Mrs Evelyn Haigh (PCC Secretary)
Mrs Gillian McQueen Mrs Christine Haley Mrs Dawn Moody Mr Maurice Hodges Mr John Roberts (Treasurer) Mrs Gillian Watson
Co-opted member: Ms Hannah Dowler
Approved by the PCC on Tuesday 10[th ] January 2023 and signed on their behalf by Rev. Lucy Wormsley (Incumbent/PCC Chair)
Signed: L Wormsley
Date: 12/01/2023
8
PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST MARY'S CHURCH, WYKE, BRADFORD
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS for the Year Ended 31 December 2022
Receipts and Payments Accounts
| Receipts and Payments Accounts | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unrestricted | Designated & | TOTALS | TOTALS | ||
| General | Restricted | 2022 | 2021 | ||
| Funds | Funds | ||||
| Note | £ | £ | £ | £ | |
| RECEIPTS | |||||
| Voluntary receipts | |||||
| Planned giving | 21486 | 21486 | 22151 | ||
| Collection at services | 2110 | 2110 | 1449 | ||
| Collections - weddings, baptisms & funerals | 767 | 767 | 263 | ||
| All other giving/voluntary receipts | 3(a) | 2500 | 6020 | 8520 | 9093 |
| Gift Aid recovered | 5976 | 5976 | 6886 | ||
| 32838 | 6020 | 38858 | 39843 | ||
| Fund Raising | 3(b) | 3278 | 3278 | 3313 | |
| Church Activities | 3(c) | 28068 | 175611 | 203679 | 19881 |
| Total Receipts | 64184 | 181631 | 245815 | 63037 | |
| PAYMENTS | |||||
| Diocesan parish contribution (Share) | 33500 | 33500 | 29700 | ||
| Fund Raising expenses | 4(b) | 716 | 716 | 418 | |
| Church activity expenses | 4(c) | 17780 | 6033 | 23812 | 16130 |
| Missionary giving and donations | 4(a) | 3200 | 3200 | 5980 | |
| Extra-ordinary items of expenditure | 4(d) | 18831 | 18831 | ||
| Total Payments | 74026 | 6033 | 80059 | 52227 | |
| Excess of receipts over payments | -9842 | 175598 | 165757 | 10810 | |
| Cash at bank at 1 January | 20598 | 9671 | 30270 | 19459 | |
| Cash at bank at 31 December | 10756 | 185270 | 196026 | 30269 | |
| Statement of Assets and Liabilities | |||||
| Cash Funds | |||||
| Barclays Current Account | 10756 | 5270 | 16026 | 30269 | |
| Barclays Premium Deposit Account | 0 | 180000 | 180000 | 0 | |
| 10756 | 185270 | 196026 | 30269 |
Notes
- 1 The financial statements of the PCC have been prepared in accordance with the Church Accounting Regulations 2006 using the Receipts and Payments basis.
2 Gift aid recoverable for the final quarter of the year amounts to £1558 and will be included in the 2023 Financial Statements.
3 Receipts
- a) All other giving/voluntary receipts
| Legacy - Mrs Rosemary Moore | 0 | 6000 | 6000 | 0 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Donations - church members and others | 0 | 20 | 20 | 6313 |
| Grant - contribution to increase in Energy costs | 2500 | 2500 | 0 | |
| 2500 | 6020 | 8520 | 6313 |
9
| Unrestricted | Designated & | TOTALS | TOTALS | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General | Restricted | 2022 | 2021 | ||
| Funds | Funds | ||||
| £ | £ | £ | £ | ||
| 3 | Receipts (contd.) | ||||
| b) | Fund Raising | ||||
| Line Dancing Social Events | 222 | 222 | 0 | ||
| Refreshments | 399 | 399 | 160 | ||
| Afternoon Tea | 0 | 0 | 780 | ||
| Brass Band Concert | 1230 | 1230 | 915 | ||
| Christmas Fayre | 1370 | 1370 | 530 | ||
| Mary & Martha | 58 | 58 | 544 | ||
| Murder Mystery | 0 | 0 | 342 | ||
| Christmas Wreaths | 0 | 0 | 42 | ||
| 3278 | 0 | 3278 | 3313 | ||
| c) | Church Activities | ||||
| Fees for Weddings and Funerals | 1382 | 1382 | 1099 | ||
| Church Hall lettings - local community use | 16147 | 16147 | 7544 | ||
| Mobile Phone Mast fees | 10538 | 175611 | 186149 | 10538 | |
| 28068 | 175611 | 203679 | 19181 | ||
| 4 | Payments | ||||
| a) | Missionary giving and donations | ||||
| Wyke Food Bank | 0 | 0 | 2500 | ||
| The Immanuel Project | 0 | 0 | 580 | ||
| Church Homeless Trust | 0 | 0 | 1000 | ||
| Mission partners in Guatemala | 1200 | 1200 | 900 | ||
| Open Doors | 2000 | 2000 | 1000 | ||
| 3200 | 0 | 3200 | 5980 | ||
| b) | Fund Raising | ||||
| Refreshments | 124 | 124 | 73 | ||
| Brass Band Concert | 472 | 472 | 315 | ||
| Christmas Fayre | 120 | 120 | 30 | ||
| 716 | 0 | 716 | 418 | ||
| c) | Church Activity Expenses | ||||
| Clergy and staffing costs | 176 | 176 | 71 | ||
| Cost of services, licences and subscriptions | 1097 | 1097 | 2125 | ||
| Organ and piano maintenance | 226 | 226 | 0 | ||
| Training and presentations | 0 | 0 | 76 | ||
| Electricity - all buildings | 1979 | 1979 | 1152 | ||
| Gas - all buildings | 3795 | 3795 | 3109 | ||
| Water - all buildings | 297 | 297 | 240 | ||
| Cleaning - all buildings | 2432 | 2432 | 2174 | ||
| Church maintenance & security | 688 | 697 | 1385 | 689 | |
| Insurance - buildings, contents and liability | 3330 | 3330 | 2923 | ||
| Church hall maintenance & security | 756 | 756 | 944 | ||
| Clock - maintenance and repairs | 0 | 0 | 180 | ||
| Church grounds equipment and maintenance | 320 | 544 | 864 | 580 | |
| Quinquennial Survey Fee | 1200 | 1200 | 0 | ||
| Printing, photocopying and stationery | 897 | 897 | 874 | ||
| Telephone and internet expenses | 488 | 488 | 195 | ||
| Independent Examiner Fee | 100 | 100 | 100 | ||
| Mobile Mast costs and allocations | 0 | 4791 | 4791 | 0 | |
| Wedding Fees refunded | 0 | 0 | 700 | ||
| 17780 | 6033 | 23812 | 16130 | ||
| d) | Extra-ordinary items of expenditure | ||||
| Rewiring of church electrics (incl. VAT refund) | 15575 | 15575 | 0 | ||
| Upgrade church hall heating (incl. VAT refund) | 2561 | 2561 | 0 | ||
| Repairs to lightning conductor (incl. VAT refund) | 695 | 695 | 0 | ||
| 18831 | 0 | 18831 | 0 |
10
5 RESTRICTED AND DESIGNATED FUNDS
The movement in these funds during the year were:
| RESTRICTED AND DESIGNATED FUNDS The movement in these funds during the year were: |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-Jan | Receipts | Payments | 31-Dec | |
| £ | £ | £ | £ | |
| Restricted Funds: | ||||
| Church Fabric Fund | 697 | -697 | 0 | |
| Church Grounds & Graveyard Fund | 585 | 6000 | -544 | 6041 |
| Youth Club Fund | 2144 | 2144 | ||
| Parish Weekend Fund | 431 | 431 | ||
| Children & Young Peoples Fund | 1948 | 1948 | ||
| 5805 | 6000 | -1241 | 10564 | |
| Designated Funds: | ||||
| Church Bells Fund | 3866 | 20 | 3886 | |
| Mobile Mast Licence Fund | 0 | 175611 | -4791 | 170820 |
| 9671 | 181631 | -6033 | 185269 |
Restricted Funds:
The Church Fabric Fund represented donations from Gift Day appeals and individuals that have all been utilised
The Church Grounds & Graveyard Fund now mainly comprises a Legacy of £6000 received in 2022 specifying that it should be used for 'the upkeep and improvements to the churchyard'.
The Youth Club Fund represents grants and fund raising for the running of a community Youth Club.
The Parish Weekend Fund represents funds raised in support of previous parish weekends and can only be used for a similar purpose.
The Childrens and Young Peoples Fund was created as a restricted fund in 2014 as a result of incorporating Sunday School funds into the Church Accounts. All receipts and payments relating to children and young people's activities ar channeled through this fund.
Designated Funds (i.e. not 'restricted'):
The Church Bells Fund was created by the PCC in 2020 to hold donations and grants, etc. for the purpose of repairing the church bells.
The Mobile Mast Licence Fund comprises the Fee received for a 50-year Licence to replace the existing agreement from which we derived an annual rent. The rent agreement was due for renegotiation and we were advised that the new rental would be much reduced due to a change in the law allowing Mobile Phone providers to dictate the amount they were prepared to pay and preventing Landlords from serving them notice to quit!
Fees of £4791 were incurred in setting up the Licence, leaving a balance of £170820. The PCC resolved how this will be used and the following is an extract from the Minutes of the meeing held on 11 October 2022:
This fund has been set up by the 2022/23 Parochial Church Council to recognise that the licence fee is for the next fifty years and so it is incumbent on this and subsequent PCCs to ensure the funds are used to ensure the continuity of the ministry and mission of St Mary's for future years.
In particular, the funds should be used for the purpose of supplementing the General Fund in enabling fundamental costs, such as the Diocesan Share, to be increased over time for the upkeep of the church and church hall fabric; for the maintenance of the churchyard and graveyard; and for the hiring of staff to assist the vicar and the PCC in pursuit of the aforementioned aims. It will be the expectation that the funds should be invested to maintain the existance of the Fund for as long as possible.
11