## **Diocese of Oxford & Deanery of Aylesbury** ## **PARISH OF MONKS RISBOROUGH: ST. DUNSTAN’S CHURCH AND ST. PETER’S CHAPEL** ## **ANNUAL MEETINGS WEDNESDAY 18[th] MAY 2022** ## **7.00pm Annual Vestry Meeting** (open to all those on the Church Electoral Roll and those who reside in the Parish of Monks Risborough) - Opening Prayers `o` Minutes of last meeting - Election of two Churchwardens ## **7.10pm (approx.)** **Annual Parochial Church Meeting:** (Only those on the Church Electoral Roll may vote) **Agenda** 1. Apologies 2. Minutes of 2021 APCM (copy attached) 3. Matters Arising 4. Notification of Any Other Business 5. PCC Annual Report (copy attached) 6. Fabric Report (copy attached) 7. Church Electoral Roll Report (copy attached) 8. Other reports (as copies attached) 9. Election of seven members to the Parochial Church Council 10. Appointment of Independent Examiner of Accounts 11. Other matters of Church and Parochial interest as notified at 4 above 12. Closing Prayers **A very short inaugural meeting of the new PCC for 2022/2023 will take place after the APCM** To propose and second officers and co-opt additional members as necessary: - Vice-Chairman; Treasurer; Secretary; appointment of the Standing Committee ## **Next PCC meeting** ## **MINUTES OF THE ANNUAL VESTRY AND PAROCHIAL CHURCH MEETINGS OF ST DUNSTAN’S CHURCH , MONKS RISBOROUGH HELD VIRTUALLY VIA ZOOM AT 7.30 PM ON WEDNESDAY 14[th] APRIL 2021** ## **Introduction: vestry Meeting** The Annual Vestry Meeting opened at 7.30pm with prayers. The Reverend David Williams was in the chair. The minutes of the meeting in 2020 were approved and duly signed. Rev. David Williams told the meeting that Margaret Hunnibell was stepping down as Churchwarden and she was thanked for all she had done during her time in office; she faithfully served our Churches and remained calm during what has been an extremely difficult time. Thanks were also extended to Johanna Powell who served as churchwarden until October 2020, when she stepped down for a well deserved rest. Paul Woodward-Court was prepared to serve again as Churchwarden and Mick White(proposed by Angeline Vere and seconded by Cathy Farquhar) had agreed to serve in place of Mrs Hunnibell. There being no other nominations, they were duly elected to serve for the coming year. The meeting ended at 7.41pm ## **Annual Parochial Church Meeting** The APCM began at 7.42pm. All reports, previous minutes etc. had been collected into a documentation pack which had been available via email prior to the meeting. ## **1. Present and Apologies for absence** The Reverend David Williams took the chair with Sue Ingram as secretary for the meeting. There were 31 parishioners present and apologies were received from five.(See Appendix 1) ## **2.Minutes of 2019 APCM** Minutes of the 2020 APCM had been circulated with the Agenda papers. These were agreed to be a true record and were duly signed by the chairman. ## **3. Matters Arising** None ## **4. Notification of Other Business** It was agreed that AOB would be discussed under item 12. There was one item from Debbie Norie who could not be present and an update from David Williams about the new incumbent. ## **5. PCC Annual Report** The Annual report had not previously been approved by the PCC so it was approved by all PCC members present. Proposed by Paul woodward-Court and seconded by Margaret Pitman. ## **6. Fabric Report** The fabric report had previously been circulated and there were no questions. Paul Woodward-Court gave an update on the planned new shed in the new churchyard which is taking longer than expected to due to a delay in obtaining the Faculty. ## **7. Electoral Roll** There were no questions on this report from the electoral roll officer Susanne Dodds. ## **8. Other reports** There were no questions on the other reports previously circulated. Ted Kent apologised for the late delivery of the Open House Report which is addended in Appendix 2. ## **9. Election of two members to the PCC** Four members had completed their terms of office, namely Jill Iredale, Jos Baxter, Janet Griffin and Sue Ingram. The latter has agreed to serve again as secretary(proposed by June Timms and seconded by Morna Hinch) and was duly elected. Mick Quigley and Simon Merchant had both agreed to serve (proposed by Johanna Powell and Sue Ingram, and seconded by Angeline Vere and Vicky Brown respectively). All three elections were passed unanimously. ## **10. Election of Sidespersons** Those listed on the agenda were duly re-elected; Pat Argue, Anne Baker, Christine Ballard, Margaret Butler, Susanne Carr, Avril Clark, Susanne Dodds, Janet Griffin, Jackie Highe, Morna Hinch, Sue Ingram, David Kemp, David Manthorpe, Jackie Manthorpe, Philip Masterton-Smith, Avril Neighbour, Margaret Pitman, David Powell, Mary Quigley, Mick Quigley, Pam Rye, June Timms, Jo Wade and Rosemary Woodward-Court. Although new sidespeople are always welcome, it was thought that due to the uncertainty of the current covid situation there was no need to actively look for additional help yet. Margaret Pitman pointed out that there are only three lay intercessors and we may need to recruit more. ## **11. Appointment of Independent Examiner of Accounts** David Powell was thanked for his many years of service as the Independent Examiner of Accounts. Paul Woodward-Court explained that Ann Tomkins has agreed to take over from Christopher Gee as the Charity Commission Officer and also as the Independent Examiner of Accounts(proposed by Paul Woodward-Court and seconded by Susanne Carr). ## **12. Other business** David Williams told the meeting that after a highly successful advertising campaign and interview process, the Revd Peter Godden has been appointed and he will be Licensed on 13[th] July at 7.30pm. David thanked all the clergy and LLMs, namely Steve and Rose Williams, Rob Brown, Mary and Ted Kent, Nick Moloney, Michael Hunt, Avril Clark and Jan Henderson who have all helped with ministry over the past year. Thanks were also extended to Sheila Lane who has stepped down from her role as Server/Sacristan after many years, and to Susanne Carr who has been laundering the linen for the past 18 years. Both roles will need to be filled at some point soon. David also thanked the following people who have contributed to the successful running of St Dunstan’s and St Peter’s: the secretary Sue Ingram, the treasurer Anne White, John McKay who manages the website, Jane Rogers for her commitment to St Peter’s, Jane Curry for her commitment to Monks Risborough School, the volunteer organists, the flower team, Morna Hinch for her commitment to the Newsletter and Debbie Norie for encouraging the children back to church. Johanna Powell thanked David Williams for stepping in to look after St Dunstan’s and St Peter’s. David Williams commented that after covid, many churches will find that they will need to ‘start again’ in many ways, as during lockdown congregations may have become disconnected. On behalf of Debbie Norie, Sue Ingram asked if St Dunstan’s could be considered as a venue for one of the Lighthouse age groups during Lighthouse week 26-30[th] July. It was agreed that this will be discussed at the next PCC meeting. Sue Ingram apologised for the error regarding the published time of tonight’s meeting as some members had joined the meeting at 8pm not 7.30pm. **The meeting closed at 8.21pm with the saying of the Grace.** ## **2019 Report and Accounts for the Parochial Church Council of St. Dunstan’s, Monks Risborough and St. Peter’s, Owlswick** ## **Aim and purposes** The PCC has the responsibility to promote, both in the parish and throughout the Risborough Team, the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to the doctrines and practices of the Church of England, and to co-operate with the minister in promoting in the parish the whole mission of the Church, pastoral, evangelistic, social and ecumenical. It has responsibility for the maintenance of St Dunstan's Church, the church hall and churchyard, and the Chapel of Ease of St Peter at Owlswick. It must also ensure that appropriate safeguarding and health and safety procedures are in place. The Team Vicar is commissioned to minister both within the parish, and throughout the Risborough Team. ## **Objectives and Activities** Throughout 2021, we sought to continue to offer worship and, where possible, community groups and events, in the context of the ongoing challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic. The Eucharist is our central act of worship, with full use made of the seasonal range of liturgical material for Holy Communion from Common Worship (CW) produced by The Church of England. Services of Holy Communion and Evensong according to the Book of Common Prayer (BCP) also form a core part of the life of the worshipping community. The pattern of services typically follows this pattern (all services are at St Dunstan’s unless specified): First Sunday of the month: 8am BCP Holy Communion 10am CW All-Age Holy Communion 3pm (Winter) / 6pm (Summer) BCP Evensong Second Sunday of the month: 10am CW Holy Communion 11.30am BCP Holy Communion (St Peter’s Owlswick) 3pm (Winter) / 6pm (Summer) BCP Evensong Third & Fifth Sunday of the month: 10am CW Holy Communion 3pm (Winter) / 6pm (Summer) BCP Evensong Fourth Sunday of the month: 10am CW Holy Communion 3pm (Winter) / 6pm (Summer) BCP Evensong (St Peter’s Owlswick) Additional services are held for the major feasts of the Church year. Activities such as the Fellowship Group, Friendship Group, and the Lunch Club, enable the church to provide a pastoral presence for the local community. The PCC aims to donate ten percent of its income to charitable causes. The Standing Committee discusses the financial viability of this in the context of its finances towards the end of the year, and makes a recommendation to the PCC, which then votes on a proposal. In conjunction with the Bishop and the Patron, the PCC sought to appoint a new incumbent, as the position was vacant. ## **Achievements and Performance** Attendance at ‘normal’ Sunday services fluctuated significantly due to restrictions surrounding the pandemic. However, in the second half of the year, as Sunday services settled into a regular rhythm, attendance was frequently between 40 and 60. Numbers were similarly affected at Easter and Christmas: the number of attendees for Easter Day was 60, and the number of communicants 45; the number of attendees on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day was 176, and the number of communicants 69. During the year there were 6 Baptisms, 2 marriages and 1 service of thanksgiving for marriage, 8 funerals, and 2 further interments-only. Groups such as the 10 O’clock Club (Sunday School) and the Lunch Club recommenced their activities, bringing in both young and old. St Dunstan’s church was successfully used as a venue for Bucks Art Week, as it has done for many years. A stewardship campaign, which included a letter sent to every home in the parish, resulted in a generous response from the local community, meaning that the church is now once again in a healthy financial position. The church successfully appointed a new incumbent, the Rev’d Peter Godden, following interviews in February. Peter was licensed and installed as the new Team Vicar on 13[th] July. The Christmas Tree Festival, held on the last weekend of November, was a tremendous success, seeing many community groups take part, healthy numbers of local people visit, and funds raised for the church. It was particularly good to see a new event do so well. ## **Financial Review** Following on from the challenge posed by restrictions during 2020, at the start of the year we could see that, unless there was a dramatic reduction in expenses, we would have zero balance before the year end. Thankfully at the end of 2021 our reserves were restored to £62,000. This was achieved through a reduction in Parish Share contributions, generous donations received following a stewardship campaign and prudent housekeeping to reduce costs. Expenditure for 2021 reduced by more than a third but we were still able to give £9000 to selected charities. We are very thankful to our regular committed donors who have maintained or even increased their giving throughout the year. Twelve people now use the Parish Giving Scheme for regular donations ensuring that the gift aid from their contributions is received into our account each month, helping to maintain a positive balance to cash flow. Looking forward, we hope that a slow return to ‘normal’ will enable St Dunstan’s income to increase through fund raising events. We expect to be able to pay Parish Share in full for 2022 and that outstanding essential maintenance will be carried out throughout the year. ## **Reserves Policy** At the end of 2020 the church reserves were £40,000. With covid restrictions limiting regular church services and with no possibility of fundraising events, there were grave concerns for 2021. The Diocese of Oxford agreed to a reduction in Parish Share contributions from £68,000 to £31,000 for that year. This reduction, along with generous giving by the parish through the stewardship campaign meant that our reserves were able to be restored. At the end of 2021 reserves stood at £62,000. A substantial amount of this, £20,000, has been set aside for essential maintenance and repair work to the fabric of St Dunstan’s, namely the bell tower, replacement of the alarm system, tree surgery and the quinquennial inspection. But we are pleased to report that this would leave £42,000, considered as substantial reserves to cover 3 months of everyday running costs. ## **Plans for the Future** It is hoped that the church can continue to recover from the very challenging period it has experienced from late-2019 to mid-2021. A glimpse of plans for 2022 include: - Worship and celebrations to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee - Recommencing the hosting of concerts - A Family Day in the May half-term, providing activities for local young people - Establishing a serving team, to enhance worship in the sanctuary - Another Christmas Tree Festival ## **Structure, Governance and Management** The Parochial Church Council (PCC) is a corporate body established by the Church of England and operating under the Parochial Church Council Powers Measure. The PCC is a charity registered under the full title of THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF ST DUNSTAN, MONKS RISBOROUGH (No 1153869). Members of the PCC are the trustees of the charity. The PCC met 8 times during the year. The method and appointment of PCC members is set out in the Church Representation Rules. The Team Vicar and Churchwardens are ex officio members of the PCC. Meetings are frequently preceded by a Standing Committee meeting, with the Standing Committee having the power to transact the business of the PCC between PCC meetings, subject to any directions given by the PCC, and to undergo preparatory work on behalf of the PCC ahead of full Council meetings. The Standing Committee comprises the Team Vicar, Churchwardens, Treasurer, and PCC Secretary. ## **Composition** |**Composition**|| |---|---| |During the year, the|following served as members of the PCC:| |Team Vicar:|Peter Godden (Chairman) from July 2021| |Churchwardens:|Margaret Hunnibell (until April 2021)| ||Mick White (from April 2021)| ||Paul Woodward-Court (Vice-chairman)| |Elected Members:|Jane Curry (representative on the Deanery Synod)| ||Tim Goode (representative on Deanery synod)| ||Sue Ingram (Secretary)| ||Libby Keane (until October 2021)| ||Simon Merchant (from April 2021)| ||Debbie Norie| ||Margaret Pitman (representative on Deanery Synod)| ||Johanna Powell (until October 2021)| ||Judi Precious (until October 2021)| ||Mick Quigley – from April 2021| ||Jane Rogers (representative on Deanery Synod)| ||Angeline Vere| ||Anne White (Treasurer)| ||Susanne Dodds (until December 2021)| The number of parishioners on the church electoral roll for 2021 was 155 (161 - 2020). The Incumbent and Churchwardens are also trustees of Hody’s Charity: a small charity established by a previous incumbent of the parish, and which offers young people from the parish support with education. ## **Administrative Information** The parish of Monks Risborough with Owlswick centres around two places of worship: St. Dunstan’s Church, in the village of Monks Risborough; and St. Peter’s Chapel in the hamlet of Owlswick. The parish forms part of the Risborough Team Ministry, in the Buckingham area of the Diocese of Oxford, within the Church of England. St. Dunstan’s Church is situated on Mill Lane, Monks Risborough, HP27 9JF. St. Peter’s Chapel is situated at Owlswick, Princes Risborough, HP27 9RH. The correspondence address for both is: The Rectory, Mill Lane, Monks Risborough, HP27 9JE. The parish website is www.stdunstanschurch.com. The PCC is registered charity number 1153869. ## **Parish Bankers** Barclays Bank, Aylesbury ## **Independent Examiner** Ann Tomkins ## **Charity Commission Officer** Simon Merchant ## **Vicar’s Annual Report** It was a huge joy to arrive in the parish in June 2021, and to begin ministering amongst you a few weeks later. As I have said before, the welcome that we received was wonderful, and Caroline, William, and I, are all delighted to be a part of this community. The vacancy in this parish has of course been a very hard one – both due to how it came about, and the ensuing challenges of the coronavirus pandemic. I want to pay tribute to everyone who worked so hard during that period in service of the church: not least Johanna Powell, Margaret Hunnibell, Paul Woodward-Court, and Mick White, who served as churchwardens during that period; Anne White our treasurer; Rob Brown, Janet Henderson, Mary Kent, Ted Kent, Rose Williams, and Steve Williams, who led many acts of worship; all the members of the PCC; and many, many others among you who gave time and energy to serving this congregation and community. Thank you to all of you, on behalf of us all. In my first Sunday sermon following my arrival amongst you, we considered our calling to emulate Christ in how we engage with one another: with gentleness, respect, compassion, and understanding. This was a particularly important challenge, as that very week the government had lifted many of the restrictions on our way of life across the nation, and we had to begin the task of discerning how best to live and worship as community with vastly differing perspectives on how we should move forward. I am immensely grateful for the gentleness and patience shown by so many as we navigated this difficult path together: it is a testament to the working of the Holy Spirit among us that this has been the case. In the months that followed my arrival, we enjoyed some very special occasions together, not least a joyful Harvest festival both at St Dunstan’s and St Peter’s, and the commemorations of Armistice Day and Remembrance Sunday in November, which many people attended both in church and at the War Memorial on Mill Lane. Towards the end of the year, we faced renewed challenges from the coronavirus in the shape of the omicron variant. Our Christmas preparations had been carefully thought out, and included recorded versions of our principal services, which were made available online, and a booking system that enabled us to maintain a safe capacity at our services. Whilst a lot of people ended up staying away from the services as concerns around the variant intensified, our Christmas services were very precious times, as we celebrated the birth of our Saviour. I look forward to a first full calendar year with you all, and particularly our first Holy Week and Easter together. There will still, no doubt, be challenging times ahead both locally, nationally, and internationally; through it all, may we keep our eyes fixed on Christ, and our hearts open to the movement and guidance of the Holy Spirit. This report was Approved by the PCC via email between 23/4/22 and 27/4/22 and signed on their behalf by the Reverend Peter Godden. 29[th] April 2022 ………………………………………………………… (PCC chairman) ## Fabric Report 2021 Alarm security: We have had some issues to deal with and quotes were obtained for St Dunstan’s to find the best way forward for next year. Bins: moved further away from the church hall, as recommended for safety in our last Quinquennial Report. Boilers: these were serviced and St Dunstan’s has a monitor in the church to change the heating when necessary. The Hall boiler has been unreliable though and quotes have been obtained for a replacement as early as possible in 2022. Church doors: Key holders updated. Churchyard: The mowing team continued to put in many hours, using a higher grass cut and leaving some areas as ‘wild’ to encourage a greater range of flowers & thereby wildlife. With Covid restrictions this has been an aspect of our church that was still open throughout 2021. Electrics: A full electrical testing of St Dunstan’s church and church hall, and St Peter’s has been carried out. Some remedial work is needed for 2022. PAT testing has been completed. Fire Extinguishers: All serviced. Gutter clearance: Completed. Lightning conductor: Serviced. Organ tuning: Completed. Shed: after necessary legal permissions were granted, a shed was erected in part of the meadow area. Soundboards: quotes have been obtained for the work noted as important, following the last Quinquennial inspection. We plan to replace them in 2022. Trees: a full inspection was carried out and follow up work is planned for 2022. Mick White ## Bell Ringing Report 2021 At the end of my last report, we had just rung for the Christmas Carol Service and lowered the bells for the last time in that year and, as it turned out, for some time into the next. When restrictions began to relax, we calculated that, with a little bending of the rules, we could ring three out of six bells and thereby at least ring Sunday morning bells. This meant that with a strict rota we spread the ringing out between our six ringers and kept everyone’s hand in. Ringing on three bells is a little disheartening but, believe it or not, there are a few three bell methods. Wearing a mask and ringing bells is quite difficult and unpleasant but we obeyed the rules until the rule of six came and we leapt on that as _carte blanche_ to drop the masks and ring as a band once again. Of course, there were few weddings but we were delighted to ring for the licensing of our new priest. We rang the bells half muffled for Remembrance Day and, much to my relief, were not asked to toll eleven times at 11.00am for the first time in many years. As in previous years, the congregation does not supply us with new ringers and so we rely heavily on support from Great Kimble and, especially, Ellesborough for help. Our bank accounts hold £397.25, a little more than last year due to there having been a few weddings. Recently, of course, wedding income has dried up completely. Brian Highe ## Bethany Group This Bible Study group consists of 11 interdinominational members but, like many groups, has been unable to meet regularly through lockdown. We met up in August to make plans and agreed to meet monthly from September to December, studying a book called "God's Comfort", which seemed particularly appropriate. After a break we met in February and began a Walk With Jesus, (Mark 10) which follows Jesus on His last journey to Jerusalem and His Crucifixion. We observe His meeting with different people and relate it to our own lives. During Lent we meet fortnightly, sharing Communion together in Holy Week. Rose Williams ## **Events Team Report 2021** The Covid 19 pandemic had a massive impact on events at St Dunstan’s; we were unable to plan and host the wide variety of functions that we both enjoy and have a reputation for. Keeping people safe became our overriding focus, with entertainment, socialising and much needed fund raising taking a back seat. As things began to open up, we were thrilled to busy ourselves over the weekends of Bucks Art Week. With a huge marquee erected outside the church hall we offered our infamous cream teas and home-made cakes. It was lovely to chat to new visitors and old and brought home just how much we had all missed social interactions during the long months of lockdown. In October we made the decision not to offer a sit down Harvest Lunch; instead members of the Events Team prepared plates of canapes and nibbles which were handed around after our morning worship. This proved very popular and enabled our uniformed youngsters to mingle and chat with the large congregation attending that Sunday. The highlight of the year was our Christmas Tree Festival held in late November. The objective was to provide an event that was seasonal, free, fun, and festive and to get people back into church. There were 41 trees, with only one being real and another being a balloon! The church groups were all represented with local shops and businesses adding their contributions. Sally from Sally’s Sewing Box provided the show stopper using the font as a base with “favours“ for the children. The Princes Trust made a Scandi tree out of donated floor boards and decorated it with delightful advent themed plaques they had made; there was a huge demand for these trees and the centre went on to sell them in the town market. There was a strong element of recycling overall and the Guides bottle Christmas tree attracted a lot of attention. In addition to the trees, we had six stalls including a raffle and ever popular plants. Refreshments were served and visitors were able to listen to a range of talented organists. Attendance over the 2 days was around 600 and a profit in excess of £2,200 made. Gwen Miles is already at the planning stage for a repeat in 2022, so watch this space! (Events Team: Cathy Farquhar, Penny Hollings, Sue Ingram, Gwen Miles, Ann Myers, Rachel Ungi, Jo Wade) ## **Friendship Group** The Friendship Group started back in September and we have had a very good time since, our numbers have increased and it has done everyone such a lot of good. We had a wonderful talk by Edwin and Pam about winter plants, a lovely Carol Service a Beetle Drive and great fun doing Armchair Aerobics. All these gatherings enjoyed a nice cup of tea and plenty of laughter and chat! At Christmas time some of our member dressed a pretty tree for the festival Our aim at the Friendship Group is to help people get to know one another not only at church but also in the community. Avril Clark ## **Monks Monkeys** Sadly there have been no meetings of Monks Monkeys during 2021 due to Covid restrictions but we are hopeful of a restart some time in 2022. Anne White ## **Zoom Eucharists** For Christmas Day 2020, when it appeared there might not be enough room for those who wished to attend St Dunstan’s under Covid restrictions, Ted and I offered Zoom services alongside those happening in the church building. Following on from this, with the support of the churchwardens, we provided Eucharists by Zoom on Sunday mornings during the first three months of the 2021 lockdown, with opportunity for conversation in random breakout groups afterwards. This was well-attended and ended when we were able to return to our building on Palm Sunday. Ted worked hard to find hymn music which would sound good when conveyed by the technology and, as we gained in confidence, we included Rob and St Dunstan’s usual clergy supporters as preachers. We also held coffee mornings by Zoom which gave further opportunities for conversation and attracted a small group of people. Ted and Mary Kent ## **Fellowship Report** From September 2021 we cautiously began meeting again in the church hall as before but in the mornings instead of the evenings. Omicron caused a hiccup in January, but we gradually resumed . There is no membership of this group. If you are interested in the topic from one of our speakers or in one of our non- speaker sessions , you simply turn up on the second Thursday of the month at 10.00. With £2. The group is for men and women of all ages. Details of what is happening will be in the Newsletter, on the website, the e-news and in What’s On magazine. The pandemic has led to some changes for us. Along with the morning /evening swap we no longer have a printed programme; we are putting our annual outing on hold to see how our numbers settle down, and the time of our summer party will be at 3.15pm this year. I am pleased we have continued our annual donations to St Dunstan’s and to a charity. This year it was to Lighthouse. In addition to some coffee mornings we enjoyed a Christmas craft session, listening to our lovely handbell ringers at the AGM, learning about two paintings with our ‘art historian in residence’ and discovering facts about the history of Haddenham from its museum chairperson. Coming up we are looking forward to a ‘Getting to know each other’ morning with Rev Peter and a talk from the Hearing Dogs’ Charity. There will also be in house meetings including a quiz and a Book Club morning. I extend my thanks to Sue Mckay for watching over our finances, and to Pam Scott who printed the programmes and organised the refreshment and brass-cleaning rotas. She is stepping down after twelve years, so many thanks to her. There has been a good response to offering to be on the rotas. If you would like to join in any of these activities just turn up or get in touch for more details. You will be assured of a warm welcome. Pop by sometime! Rosemary 01844 344417 ## **Flower Report** 2021 continued to keep us on our toes as we gradually returned to “normal” after Easter and the church opened up for services. The team of 22 St Dunstan Flower Arrangers provided flowers for the porch, Wilberforce Chapel niche and two ledges of the chancel arch on a fortnightly basis using vases for arrangements. In early summer 2021 the Flower Teams rota took on a more “normal” routine with Bucks Art Week, weddings, christenings, Harvest, Remembrance Sunday and a new innovation the Christmas Tree Festival the first weekend of advent. The Christmas Tree Festival has been on our “to do” list for a number of years and in August, when we broached the idea with the Rev’d Peter Godden, he was very enthusiastic. We booked a date for the first weekend of Advent, with the Events Committee giving their support. It was a success with 40+ decorated Christmas trees, 6 craft stalls, organ music and a very large turnout of the local population. Over the one and a half days we were able to contribute over £2,000 to the church funds from generous donations. We have booked the event again for 2022 and already have local shops and clubs asking for a space. This spring we organised a Spring Flowers Workshop in the church and had 25 people attend with a request for one at Christmas on a Saturday. We always hope that the workshops will encourage more volunteers for the Flower team and of course for a morning of enjoyment and fun. Easter is our next and most important festival and we shall be out in force from 8.00 am on Saturday 16[th] April. Gwen Miles & Jenny Masterton Smith ## **Monks Risborough C of E Primary School** ## Covid-19 Considerable challenges continued throughout 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, with the school needing constantly to make revised risk assessments and adjustments. For the first two months of 2021, approximately one quarter of the school’s pupils were being taught physically in school, being classed either as vulnerable (free school meals, pupil premium, educational health & care plans, etc.) or were the children of a key worker. There was a much higher uptake among the children of key workers than during the first lockdown in the first half of 2020. It was also an even more challenging time for the staff as during this second lockdown period they were providing full curriculum lessons both to those attending in person and to those attending online classes. From 8th March, all primary school children were once again required to attend school, unless having to self-isolate. Once again, further risk assessments had to be made and further carried out to school arrangements to ensure maximum Covid-19 safety. Inevitably, for the remainder of the year, there were frequent disruptions due to staff and pupils needing to self-isolate. New School Vision. During the course of 2021, governors held a number of discussions, culminating in the school’s adoption of a new vision: Our Vision - Monks Risborough Church of England Primary School - a school family where everyone thrives in every way. Jesus said, ‘I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.’ John 10:10 At the heart of our school is family where all are welcome. We celebrate being part of God’s family where everybody respects others, the world around them and also themselves. Guided by our Christian values, it is our ambition to motivate and inspire everyone to be lifelong, resilient and enthusiastic learners. We aspire to equip everyone to meet the challenges of an ever-changing world, and to reach out to the wider community. We live our vision through: - Putting the child and their family at the centre of all the decisions we make; - Creating a warm, positive and loving environment in which to learn and work; • Having our Christian values permeate a rich and varied curriculum that celebrates diversity, resulting in excellent outcomes for all; - Providing an inclusive education, developing resilience and independence; - Making the safety and physical and mental well-being of all pupils, families and staff as important as our achievement in learning; - Playing an active role in our local and wider community. Following this, the governing body continued to work on developing medium and long term objectives based on this vision. ## Governing Body In 2021 the School Governing Body recently reduced its constitutional numbers from 16 to 14, removing one parent governor role and one co-opted governor role. All governor appointments are for 4 years. The quota for foundation governors remains at 3, who currently are Rev. Peter Godden (appointed in September 2021), Ted Kent (appointed in July 2020) and Jane Curry (re-appointed in April 2021). Other new governors include Jackie Highe, which means we have an additional active church member on the board and one well versed in literature and music. Other governors appointed or elected in 2021 were Paul Summerscales, a pilot; Vicki Woodley, a dance and PE teacher from the Upper School; Iain Watters, a finance executive. The current mix of skills and experience in the school governing body promises well for future governance. ## Assistant Headteachers In May 2021, current teachers Mr Mullen and Miss Gehnich were appointed as Assistant Head Teachers, with Mr Mullen becoming Assistant Head for Inclusion and Miss Gehnich becoming Assistant Head for Teaching and Learning. ## Goodbyes and Bible Presentations to Year 6 On 21st July, on a beautiful, sunny afternoon in the school field, the Year 6 children said their goodbyes to the school, watched by their parents and carers. All the children read out their favourite memories of their times at Monks Risborough. The children were almost entirely extremely positive about their experiences, mixed with touching regrets about leaving and some delightful humour. Annotated and colourful Good News Bibles were presented by our new vicar, Rev. Peter Godden, as his first official act for the school, along with Rev. Vanessa Rye of the Princes Risborough Baptist Church, who had been among the clergy leading school assemblies since Rev. James Tompkins’ departure. ## New Footpath Round the Playing Field The school was successful in obtaining all the requisite permissions and some funding towards the relocation of the public footpath running between the school playing field to the north east and the school buildings and playground to the south west. During periods of lockdown and school holidays, the fences, path and hedge between the two school sites were removed. Then new, much more secure fencing was constructed around the playing field and a replacement gate and public footpath were placed round the outside of the school fencing. Completion of this project has allowed easier, safer access to the playing field from the school and consequent fuller use of the field. ## Peter’s engagement with the school Peter has been going into the school since September to lead worship on Tuesday lunchtimes. He has enjoyed doing this very much, and the assemblies seem to have been well received by the pupils. He led the Harvest Celebration in October which was a very joyful occasion. He has also done some sessions in classrooms. At the top end of the school, he helped to lead an R.E. class in October for Year 6, on the subject of saints, looking at St Dunstan in particular. And at the other end of the school, he has done a couple of story-times followed by prayers for Reception, using his knitted Bible figures, which have proved to be very popular! The year concluded with a long-awaited and welcome return of pupils and staff being physically present for services in St. Dunstan’s after a gap of two years. Continuing pandemic precautions meant that it wasn’t quite the same as ‘usual’; Peter led one service for the whole school, but without parents, and then a second one just with Year 3 (who did the nativity) and their parents. ## Ofsted Inspection As more than 3 years had passed since the school’s last Ofsted inspection, another inspection was due. During the lockdown, a backlog of schools due for inspection built up, but Monks Risborough was a high priority for inspection because of the pre-pandemic issues arising from the previous head teacher’s long term illness. The Ofsted inspection duly took place in mid-December, with the usual very short notice, but the head teacher, staff and governors had all worked very hard in the knowledge that an inspection was imminent and were consequently well prepared. Although it was a nerve-wracking time, all went smoothly. [The welcome official confirmation of the school’s Good result was received in January 2022.] Jane Curry, Foundation Governor and Vice-Chair of Governors ## **Newsletter** This year saw the first change in the editorial team for a long time, when Mick White stepped up into the role Churchwarden and retired from his role as our proof reader. We are very grateful to Mick for his work over the last nine years and now welcome Jane Curry as the new proof reader. The rest of the team remains unchanged, with John McKay continuing to handle the production of the magazine with skill and creativity, while June Timms manages the advertising and Penny Hollings the distribution, both with great reliability and efficiency. Through last summer, as we continued to deal with the Covid situation, many events did not take place and society meetings were limited, so our issues remained at 28 pages. At the end of June, however, we welcomed Peter, Caroline and William into the parish and the August/September issue of the Newsletter was greatly enlivened with pictures of his Service of Licensing and Installation. By the autumn, church and community life had started to open up again and there was enough copy for us to regularly fill 32 pages. We peaked in this last issue with 40 pages, with Easter Services to be included, the Electoral Roll revision, the Annual meetings in May and exciting summer events to be advertised. The first gift aid collection for the magazine since April 2019 will accompany the forthcoming June/July issue. We always try to include general interest articles in addition to the calendar of church and community events and this is only possible because we have interesting contributors on hand, who are prepared to give their time and expertise to writing for us. In particular, we thank Susanne Carr and Jackie Highe who have continued to entertain us with their contributions, and David Keysell, who has given us such a lively and informative account of his Pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela over four issues. We have a link now with the Chiltern Society, who give us regular updates on the work they are doing in our parish while we support them by highlighting their events in the area; and we always keep at least one page, to hear about what is going on at Monks Risborough school. Finally, we thank our printers South Bucks Business Products, who give us such prompt and reliable service, and our advertisers and distributors. The magazine is definitely the joint effort of many people! Morna Hinch ## **Gift Aid Secretary Report** This report covers the claim year April 2020 -2021. The total amount of tax claimed from HMRC amounted to £12,445.90 Blue Envelope Scheme total Donations Received £9111.00 52 Regular Standing Orders, total Donations £37809.00 From the Gift Aid Small Donations Scheme (GASDS), this covers the donations which are usually cash donations during the services at St Dunstans’ and St Peter & St Paul at Owlswick. This year we were only able to claim a tax refund of £715.90, which is included in the above total amount claimed of £12445.90. We still receive a number of donations in Blue Envelopes, which do not qualify for a reclaim as they are incorrectly completed or totally ineligible. These are usually from people attending weddings or funerals who would not be known to us. Our Tax Re-claim is probably reduced by about £30 to £40 each year because of this. Where I know or recognise the donor of an incorrectly completed blue envelope, I do complete these myself and include them in the claim. The Covid pandemic continues to affect most charities but I was quite surprised by the final amount I have been able to claim although substantially down from 2019/20. I am afraid I was late submitting the claim last year due to personal circumstances, however the delay in the refund has been further delayed by HMRC who asked me to re-submit all documentation prior to me departing for the USA. This has been done and as far as I am aware there are no further queries outstanding, so I hope we should receive the refund within the next few weeks. I am well under way with preparing the submission for 2021-2022 so I hope that the monies will come through in reasonable time this year. Although, I have been waiting for over twenty months for HMRC to sort out my business VAT following the death of my business partner, so I am not too sure what issues HMRC are facing at the present time. Nick Tyler ## Churches Together in Risborough ‘Working together in unity to serve the community in God’s love and for God’s glory’ This group meets approximately every 3 months and comprises the Anglican, Baptist, Catholic, Elim and Methodist Churches in Princes Risborough plus Little Kimble, Lacey Green and Speen churches. Whilst each church pursues its own work within the community there are several areas where we can and do work together or provide background support for each other. 2021 started, still in the middle of the pandemic with lockdown, with meetings via ‘Zoom’. The first joint event, the Service for the Week of prayer for Christian Unity in January was also conducted via “Zoom’. Other events via Zoom were the Lent Study Groups, which worked well. There was an ‘Easter Trail’ with all the churches providing an Easter Garden or display, in place of the Good Friday Walk and Sunrise Service on Easter day. It proved popular. Although Lighthouse didn’t happen for the second year, another way of reaching out to young people was made. Wycombe Youth for Christ in conjunction with CTR has established a presence in the town forging relationships with the youngsters after school. It’s your move ‘ booklets were distributed to primary school leavers. As things moved forward, a face to face or Zoom advent study course was run across the churches. The year culminated with an Advent Service held at St Mary’s with a good turnout in the congregation despite there being a fall of snow, followed a week later with a nativity display in the High Street, at the ‘Christmas Light Switch On’ Despite all the continuing challenges last year, CTR still privided a presence within the town and surrounds, and hopes to continue to do so in the still challenging times to come. CTR’s website www.risboroughchurches.org.uk acts as shop window for our activities and provides a link to all the member churches as well as further afield. Any areas where you think CTR should have a presence please advise myself. Thank you. It would be very helpful to have another from St Dunstan’s on the Committee. Margaret Pitman. ## **APCM Report for Safeguarding** ## **Safeguarding Policy** The Safeguarding Policy for the parish was reviewed and accepted at the PCC meeting in February 2022. It can be seen on the website and on church notice boards. A list of local and national crisis and help lines is included. ## **Safer Recruitment** Safer Recruitment and People Management Guidance came into force on 1 January 2022. 13 DBS applications have been processed and approved in the last year. The DBS clearances were previously valid for five years - this has now been reduced to three years. ## **Safeguarding Training** 4 people have completed the Basic Safeguarding course 4 people have completed the Foundation course Safeguarding Officer has completed Introduction to the Role of the Parish Safeguarding Officer ## **Parish Safeguarding Dashboards** We joined the Safeguarding Dashboard project in summer 2021. The dashboard brings together and streamlines safeguarding policy and practice. It is intended to support parishes in understanding the Church of England safeguarding requirements, and to track progress in meeting these requirements. The dashboard consists of questions about safeguarding practice in the parish and rates the answer to each as green (completed), amber (work to do) or red (urgent action required). As information is added to the dashboard, it generates an action plan detailing which areas of safeguarding are still to be progressed. The parish dashboard has one area to complete. Angeline Vere Parish Safeguarding Officer ## |||A|B|C||D||E|F|G|H||I|K| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| |1.
2||||+|||||l
.l_|i|||it|| |3||||||||||||||| |4|||||||||r|||||| ||||||||l|||i||||| |5
6|||||Re|and||T|account
-*-l=t|||||| |7||||||||||||||| ||||||||||Unrestricted||Designated|||| |6||2020||||||Notes|funds|||funds||Total| |9||t||RECEIPTS|||||t|||t||t| |10||||Receiptsfrom|eratedfunds:|||||||||| |11
12
13
1.4|t
t
t
t|82,042
7,635
80
89,757||Voluntaryincome
Activitiesfor generatingfunds
lnvestmentincome||||2
3
4|73,002
12,733
2
85,737|||7
7||73,002
12,733
I
85,744| |L5||||||||||||||| |16|t.|4,262||Other cashrece||||5|3,392|||||3,392| |17||||||||||||||| |18|e|94,019||Total receipts|||||89,129|||7||89,136| |19||||||||||||||| |20||||PAYMENTS||||||||||| |21.
22
23|t
I|909||Paymentsfor generating funds
Cost of generatingvoluntaryincome
Fundraising costs||||6
7|198
3,436|||||198
3,436| |24||||lnvestment||costs||8||||||| |25|e|909|||||||3,634|||||3,634| |26||||||||||||||| |27|t|92,891||Church activities||||o|52,308|||||52,308| |28||||||||||||||| |29|t|10,856||Charitable donations||||10|10,188|||||10,188| |30||||||||||||||| |31|t|79||Churchmanagement||&||11|113|||||113| |32||||||||||||||| |33|t|720||Other cash|nts|||12||||||| |34||||||||||||||| |35|e|105,455||Totalpayments|||||66,243|||||66,243| |36||||||||||||||| |37|-f|'11,436||NET RECEIPTS/|PAYMENTS)||||22,886|||||22,893| |38||||||||||||||| |39|e||Transfersbetweenfunds||||||12,500||12,500|||| |40
41.|-t|11,436||NETRECETPTS/|(PAYM ENTS)after||||360
10,746||360
12,147|||22,893| |42||||||||||||||| |43|c|50,518|Cash balances at||start|of|||28,157||10,925|||39,082| |44||||||||||||||| |45|c|39|Cashbalances at||endofyear||||38,903||23,072|||61,975| |46||||||||||||||| |47||||||||||||||| |48||||||||||||||| |49||||||||||||||| |50||||||||||||||| |51||||||||||||||| ## ||A|B|C||D||E|F|G|H|I|K|| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| |52|||||||||||||| |53|||||||||||||| |54|||||StatementofAssets & Liabilities||||||||| |55|||||||||||||| |56|||||||||||||| |||||||||Unrestricted||Designated|||| |57|2020|||||||funds||funds||Total|| |58||||||||t||t||L|| |59|t||Mon||assets||||||||| |60|||||||||||||| |61|||Cash||||||||||| |62|8,477||Bank||current account|||10,932||||10,932|| |63|19,680||Bank||Subscription account|||27,971||||27,971|| |64|3,490||CBF|Depositaccount||||||3,492||3,492|| |65|2,407||CBF|Organ Fund||||||2,048||2,048|| |66|5,028||CBF|Fabric Fund||||||17,532||17,532|| |67|39,082|||||||38,903||23,072||61,975|| |68|||||||||||||| |69|||Other monetaryassets||||||||||| |70|||||||||||||| |7t|||||||||||||| |72|||||||||||||| |73|||lnvestments assets||||||||||| |74|||||||||||||| |75|||||||||||||| |76|||||||||||||| |77|||||||||||||| |78|||Assetsusedfor thecharity's ownuse||||||||||| |79|||||||||||||| |80|||||||||||||| |81|||||||||||||| |82|||||||||||||| |83|||Liabilities||||||||||| |84|||||||||||||| |85|||||||||||||| |86|||||||||||||| |87|||Therewerenocontingentliabilities.||||||||||| |88|||||||||||||| |89|||Thenotes||onthefollowingpa|form|of|theseaccounts.|||||| |90|||||||||||||| |91|||Thesefinancialstatementswere||||bytheParochial||Church Council on|||vrE*L|RDAL| |92|||||||||||||| |93
94|||4|--r^^ll|||||=l
<-||||| |95|||Chairman||||||Trustee||||| |96|||||||||||||| |97|||||||||||||| |98|||||||||||||| |99||||||Page2|||||||| |||||||_t|||||I|| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| |Prioryear|,l|Accounti||||||||||| |2020||Thefinancial statementshavebeen||||in|accordancewithSection|||3|of the CharitiesAct|| |||1993 usingthereceiptsand||basis||and|inaccordance||with the Church|||| |||Accounting
ulations1997|to2001|||||||||| ||||||||Unrestricted||Designated||Total|| ||||||||Funds||Funds|||| |45,699
15,893
4,346
75|2|Voluntary lncome
Recurring income
Taxrecovered
Tax-efficientplanned
excl. tax)
Collectionsofloose cash at services
orderand
Otherplanned||||||47,386
1,425
5,842
480|||t-E|47,386
1,425
480
5,842| |66,013|||||||55,133|||||55,133| |||Non-recurring income:||||||||||| |5,000||L
ES||||||1,000||||1,000| |3,318|n
Stewardship Cam
;9rcclal:PPeSE19v!lyp!qu||ildi|swith G/A
ngrund)||||11,149||||11,149| |7,511||OtherStewardshipCa
ign|Donations|||||5,720||||5,720| |||OtherGrants||||||||||| |||lnsuranceClaim||||||||||| |||DonationstoFabricFund
Fabric Grants|||||||||TT|| |200||Donations to General & Organ|Fund||||||||1+|| ||||||||73,002|||||73,002| ||3|||||||||||| |||SummerFete/AdventFayre||||||||||| |911||Concerts/Film||||||||||| |5,023||Fees-weddi
,funerals etc||||||4,758||||4,758| |1,334
45||Church
e/Bookstall
BucksArts Week
Church Coffee/CoffeeMorn|||Teas|+||746
2,394
654|||l,|746
2,394
654| |||CarolSi||||||||||| ||||||||||||I|| |||Parish Bar-B-Q/Harvest Lunch||||||96||||96| |126||ICollections||||||1,102|||t -|1,102| |70||Action Aid||||||339||||339| |125||ChurchNotelets/Church Booklets||||||7B||||78| |7 634|r|Flowers Festival|||||1|566
733||||2,566
12,733| ## ## |2020|4|lnvestment income||||||||| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| |80||CBFdepositaccounts
Bank interest|||2|||7|I|I| |80|||||2|||7||9| ||5|Other cash receipts||||||||| |1,700||Council Grants|||1,574||||t|1,574| |||Dea
GrantforMission||||||||| |770||Sundry lncome|||1,194|||||1,194| |654||ChurchHallfundsreceived|||342|||||342| |115||DonationsforFlowers|||282|||||282| |1,023||RefundedVAT|||||||I|| |||ChurchOutings|||||||T|| |4,262|||||3,392||||I|3,392| ||6|Costof
nerati|volunta|income||||||| |||GiftAidenvelopes|||198|||||198| ||7|Fundra
costs||||l||||| |||SummerFete/Advent Fayre/Tree Festival|||755|||||755| |797||Churchmagazine|||2,680||||I|2,680| |||Church Coffee/CreamTeas||||||||| |112||Concerts/FilmNights||||||--]_----||| |||ParishBar-b-q/HarvestLun||||||||| |||Flowers||||||||| |909|||||3,435|||||3| |+|8|lnvestmentmanagementcosts
lnvestmentadvice||||||||| ||9|Churchactivities||||||||| |68,100||Parish Share|||30,995|||||30,995| |||Church running costs:||||||||| |4,834||Heatin g/LightingANater/Cleani|||4,863|||||4,863| |1,768||Church Hallexpenses|||1,353|||||1,353| |2,132||Repairs|||2,095|||||2,095| |6,329||lnsurance|||6,330|||||6,330| |922||Flowers||||||||| |360||OrganMaintenance|||360|||||360| |1,259||Existing Churchyard & Grounds|||1,321|||||1,321| |256||ChurchEquipment|||329||||l|329| |616
3,597
8
1,800||Clergy Expenses
CostofServices
10O'clockClub
Feespaid
ChurchOutings||I|618
1,078
2,066|||-|--t
;
t=
I|6'18
1,078
2,066| |910|UseofDeanery Grant
Sundry Parish
,l!gytlqglygrd||||754||1_|-#||754| |92,891|||||52,162|||||52,162| ||||||Page4||||i|| |||||Accounts forthe year e|nd|ed31Decem|ber2021|||| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| |Prioryear||||||ialstateme n'||||| |L,920||||||||||| |10|Charitable donations|||||||||| |10,856||||||10,252||||10,252| |10,856|l|||||10,252||||10,252| |11|Church||llqryqe.rnq$gdadministration||-]|||II||| ||Com|||costs||145||||145| |79|Printi||&|station||113||||113| |79||||||258||l||258| |12|Other|payments||||||||| |||||||||:t||| |720||||||||||| ||Extraordin|||||||||| |720||||||||||| |13|Fund|movements||||||||| |I;||||||Receipts
t|_lryrn9$q
E|||A.t31t12t21
t| |11,705|General||Funds|||89,129|66,305|||22,824| |269|natedFund|||||7|__l|+-f+||7| |(11,436)|Totalfund|||movements||89,136|66,305
_=L
I||1|22,831| |||||||||l||| |+r||||||||||| |-iL-|||||||||T|| ||||||||||'I|| |i||||||||||| |,+|||||||-ii__||E-|| ## ## ## ## ##