2025 ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE CHARITY COMMISSION
Aims and purposes
St Nicholas Allington Parochial Church Council (the PCC) has the responsibility of co-operating with our joint priest-in-charge in promoting the whole mission of the church – pastoral, evangelistic, social and ecumenical. The PCC is also responsible for maintaining the church building, halls and church grounds (but not the Rectory which is the responsibility of the Diocese).
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. Nicholas. The PCC maintains an overview of worship throughout the parish and makes suggestions on how our services can involve the many groups that live within our parish. Our services and worship put faith into practice through prayer and scripture, music and sacrament. When planning our activities for the year, we have considered the Commission’s guidance on public benefit, and particularly the supplementary guidance on charities for the advancement of religion. We try to enable ordinary people to live out their faith as part of our parish community through:
-
Worship and prayer; learning about the Gospel; and developing their knowledge and trust in Jesus through a range of formal and informal worship, with and without communion. The church is committed to providing the Church of England 'occasional offices' of baptism, marriage and funerals.
-
Provision of pastoral care for people living in the parish.
-
Missionary and outreach work.
To facilitate this work, it is important that we maintain the fabric of the Church of St. Nicholas and the Church Halls.
The PCC has complied with Section 5 of the Safeguarding and Clergy Discipline Measure 2016 (duty to have due regard to the House of Bishops guidance on Safeguarding Children and Vulnerable Adults).
Achievements and Performance
St Nicholas Church was in interregnum during 2024. Rev Claudette Gayle was appointed to the post of priestin-charge in March 2025. During 2024, the churchwardens assisted by a core ‘Hub Team’, reporting to the PCC, carried out the day-to-day tasks normally managed by the priest-in-charge, with the support of the Archdeacon and Area Dean.
A new Church Electoral Roll was prepared in April 2025, as required by the Church Representation Rules. There are now 104 parishioners on the electoral roll.
Worship and Prayer
The PCC is keen to offer a range of services during the week and over the course of the year that our community find both beneficial and spiritually fulfilling. For example, a range of worship services from Morning Worship, Holy Communion and informal worship at Oasis Communion and Oasis with contemporary worship songs. Our reflective worship presence on Facebook remains popular.
Attendance at worship and social activities has returned to pre-pandemic levels, especially at the Christmas services. Hire of the halls and income has returned to acceptable levels. We continue to see generosity from the community for the stock of items that we manage to help supply the local Foodbank and other causes.
All are welcome to attend our regular services. The average weekly attendance, counted during October 2025, was 117, which was a significant increase on previous years, reflecting a growing number of families attending services due to the positive impact of our outreach through children’s and families work. Guide and Scout organisations continue to hold Parade Services in the church two or three times a year. We endeavour to
make our services easy for visitors to follow using Power Point projection, enlarged texts, or printed out in short booklets. The church sound system helps all visitors, as well as the hearing-impaired.
As well as our regular services, we enable our community to celebrate and thank God at the milestones of the journey through life. Through baptism we thank God for the gift of life, and through funeral services friends and family express their grief and give thanks for the life which is now complete in this world and to commend the person into God's keeping. We have celebrated nine baptisms in church. Six funerals were conducted during the year. No weddings were conducted, which is not unusual given the church is a modern building.
Fiona Higgs, Children, the Families & Schools Minister has continued a Chaplaincy role within our local primary schools and leads assemblies, supports classrooms and the staff. She has formed strong relationships with the schools and continued to provide the “Explorers” after school clubs at Allington and Palace Wood Primary Schools throughout the year.
St Nicholas has an active Mothers’ Union group with monthly Holy Communion services. We also run St Nicholas’ Fellowship, a social group for the elderly. Residential Homes are visited, and services conducted there.
Deanery Synod
Two members of the PCC sit on the deanery synod. This provides the PCC with an important link between the parish and the wider structures of the church. The focus of the deanery is to bring about growth through a number of initiatives known as the Maidstone Mission Mosaic but also to provide an opportunity for churches to network and be more outward looking and missional.
The Church and Church Halls
St Nicholas is open every day to our community for private prayer and is used on a regular basis.
Our present church, consecrated in 1975, is a square building mainly, recently re-ordered by the replacement of pews with chairs. The church space is used for worship every Sunday and one Wednesday per month and at other times as required. It is also used for PCC Meetings, a weekly prayer group, a monthly meeting of mums and babes and other groups, and for appropriate community activities. To one side are the clergy vestry, the Parish Office, which is used three mornings a week, and three toilets, one with disabled access. The church has kitchen facilities in the main body of the church.
There are two church halls in a building adjacent to the church that provide facilities to many local groups and businesses. These halls have a kitchen and toilet facilities, including a baby change and disabled toilets. Both church and halls have disabled access.
A wide range of social and fund-raising events are held throughout the year that are open to the larger community. The Christmas Market draws many people into our buildings and is supported by a number of small local businesses.
Each Tuesday a Community Café takes place in St Nicholas Church. This is run by a team of volunteers and is registered with Maidstone Borough Council. It is attended by up to 78 people each week and is clearly valued by many who come as a place to meet and make friends. Some who come are recently bereaved, others are new to the area, and for many it is a place of warmth and welcome.
During the week the hall is used by many local groups and organisations including a mother and toddlers’ group on Tuesdays. We run a monthly Mum & Babes group in the church which has led to a Faith Explorers group led by our Children, Families & Schools Minister. Throughout the year the youth group, JAHFA, have met regularly.
Our church halls offer valuable meeting places for a wide variety of community and commercial activities, including the numerous branches of the Guide and Scout organisations. The halls are booked frequently for private bookings by local residents.
Income from hall hire is strong and the church building is also being used more as a space for use by the community.
Pastoral Care
Some members of our parish are unable to attend church due to sickness or age. Prayer and pastoral work has continued through a very supportive network within the congregation. The Prayer and Pastoral Care coordinator maintains ongoing contact with many members of the congregation, particularly the elderly. Care Home ministry is provided through the Anna Chaplaincy network that draws from all denominations across the town and visits most care homes once a month.
Mission and Evangelism
Helping those in need is a demonstration of our faith. St Nicholas gives monthly to a range of charities both local and abroad including Alongside Africa.
St Nicholas provides reflections three times month via Facebook which reaches many people do not regularly connect with St Nicholas in other ways.
Communication of the life and events at St Nicholas is maintained through the weekly newsletter, via the St Nicholas website, our Facebook group and page, and on the church noticeboard. These are a vital means of not just keeping people within the church informed but also a way of reaching out to the wider community. The newsletter is sent to 248 people who have requested a copy. Paper copies are also available in church and just under 20 copies are taken each week.
We maintain a significant presence in the Primary Schools, which are non-church, through the work of our Children’s, Families & Schools Minister.
Ecumenical Relationships
The church is a member of Maidstone Church Leaders which involves all Christian denominations from across the town.
Financial Review
Finances are healthy with good reserves, although there are indications of potential challenges ahead. Total income for the year amounted to £131,965 (2023 - £128,551) of which £1318 related to restricted income. There was a net deficit for the year of £14,151 (2023 - £9,886 surplus), of which £13,268 deficit related to general funds, mainly due to items of expenditure on periodic improvements and maintenance. At the yearend, funds totalled £92,716 (2023 - £106,867) of which £46,865 is held in designated and restricted funds.
The condition of the fabric of the church and halls are thankfully sound, and no substantial items have been highlighted as needing urgent repair. Our halls remain popular with hirers and provide a valuable source of income.
Reserves Policy
The policy of the PCC is to maintain reserves at a level of three months of annual expenditure.
The building reserve of £25,000 is designated for major repairs, such as possible roof repairs, that may be needed in the future.
Volunteers
We would like to thank all the volunteers who work so hard to make our church the lively and vibrant community it is. There are many people actively involved in worship and prayer, pastoral work, leading or contributing on a working group or simply helping out on a rota. A huge thank you to everyone contributing to the life within the parish at St Nicholas in this way.
Structure, governance and management
The method of appointment of PCC members is set out in the Church Representation Rules. At St. Nicholas the membership of the PCC consists of the incumbent (our priest-in-charge), churchwardens and members elected by those members of the congregation who are on the electoral roll of the church. All those who attend our services, the members of our 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. New members receive initial training into the workings of the PCC.
The full PCC met six times during the year with an average level of attendance of 74%. Given its wide responsibilities the PCC has several committees each dealing with a particular aspect of parish life. These committees, which include worship, social, halls, fabric and finance, are all responsible to the PCC and report back to it regularly with minutes of their decisions being received by the full PCC and discussed as necessary.
Administrative information
St. Nicholas Church is situated on Poplar Grove, Allington, Maidstone. It is part of the Diocese of Canterbury within the Church of England. The parish is legally known as the Parish of St Nicholas, Allington with St Peter, Maidstone. Roughly it stretches at its western edge from the railway, either side of the London Road, toward the town centre down to the river and Lockmeadow. The river end of the parish is the area which formerly came under the previous St Peter’s Church, no longer in use. The running of the parish comes under two Churchwardens and the Parochial Church Council or PCC. Ministry and worship comes under a Priest-inCharge.
The correspondence address is The Parish Office, Poplar Grove, Maidstone, Kent ME16 0DE. The PCC is a body corporate (PCC Powers Measure 1956, Church Representation Rules 2006) and a charity registered with the Charity Commission.
PCC members who have served at any time from 1st January 2024 until the date this report was approved are:
Incumbent: Parish in vacancy between February 2022 and March 2025.
Churchwardens: Dr Nigel Smetham, Mrs Jenny Stone Children, Families & Schools Minister: Mrs Fiona Higgs
Elected members: Ms Helen Rogers - Treasurer Ms Emily Stone - Secretary Mr Michael Froude (retired November 2024) Mrs Gill Waite Ms June Bagshaw Mrs Gill Poole Mrs Martina Tidball
Mrs Nicola Tulip Mr David Salvage Ms Jacqueline Wilkinson Ms Ruth Brind Mrs Angela Redford Mr Seb Lincoln
Approved by the PCC and signed on their behalf by Nigel Smetham (PCC Vice-Chair – Parish in vacancy during 2024). Sd 18th May 2025
Eee
ALLINGTON PCC FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024 RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNT
||Notes|[20me_
General |Designated| Restricted|[20me_
General |Designated| Restricted|[20me_
General |Designated| Restricted|[20me_
General |Designated| Restricted|[20me_
General |Designated| Restricted|2028|2028|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|RECEIPTS|||£||£|£|£|£|
|Voluntary Receipts|||||||||
|RegularGiving|||||||||
|Pledged giving|||42090||||42090|42837|
|Incometax recovered|||11221||||11221|12530|
|Collections in church|||5272|||975|6247|4907|
||||58583|||975|59558|60274|
|Othervoluntary receipts
Activities forgeneratingfunds
Receiptsfrom Church activities|3a
3b
3c||3137
4053
63356|||343
0}|3480
4053
63356]|4217
4684
58305|
|Intereston Deposits
PAYMENTS
Churchactivities
Diocesan Parish Share
OtherPayments|3d|1517
1517
P3067]
SCS 1318] 1319685]
eee
£
£
£
£
-
59752
59752
84162
2000
201
86363||||||1071
£
54547
64118|
|Surplus/(deficit) before transfers|||||||||
|Surplus/(deficit) foryearaftertransfers||||18268]|=|3000]=|1117] ~~ -14154]|||
|Cash Balancesat31/12/24||||45851]|45143]||1722]|~~ g27te]||
|StatementofAssetsand Liabilities||ee||||eeee|||
||||fund|funds
funds|||||
|Cash Funds|||||||||
|Bank CurrentAccount|||21153||||21153|35351|
|CBF Deposit Fund|||12759||||12759|12116|
|Bequest Account|||27060||||27060|59211|
|Goodbox|||115||||115|129|
|Liquidity Manager|||30024||||30024|0|
|Cash|||1605||||1605|60|
|OtherMonetaryAssets||||ga7ie|=|=|CTC21||||
|Diocese|||5568||||5568|0|
|Halls lettings due|||1450||||1450|1915|
|||a|||||||
|Liabilities|||||||||
|Amounts collected for CharityAppeals||1327
1327
|
a
7)||||||9|
anes
SERRE
----- Start of picture text -----
Approved by the PC
yu and signed on their behalf by :
Ae Mts Signed i
NedAyj3a
am ((PCC Chairman)cra and iMrs RONlen Rdgers (PCC Treasurer during8 2024)
NOTES
1. Fixed Assets retai
Theiinsured two value shun of approximatelyhile eeSly CRGashown areGb,in written-offrestricted fixed in the assets year of have an purchase.
2. The movem :
ent in designated and restricted funds during the year were:
‘ a.
Designated: Balance b/f Receipts | Payments Transfers Balance
Bequest fundBuilding (unrestricted) fund 2000022143 2000 5000 2500020143
42143 72000] 5000] 45143}
Sunday Lunch Club 172 172 0
Fellowship 424 29 395
Special charity appeals 9 1318 1327
TOS 138)ee) a)
L Raber [se __] Se
General | Designated | Designated | | Restricted
fund funds funds funds funds
a. Other voluntary receipts
Donations 3137 343 3480 4217
----- End of picture text -----
----- Start of picture text -----
[se __] Se
General | Designated | Designated | | Restricted
fund funds funds funds funds
3137 343 3480 4217
337, of ~S 843] 8480} 4217
4053 4053 4684
4053]OSC] 405344684
63356 63356 57819
0 486
63356]CO] 3356] 58305
----- End of picture text -----
-
b. Activities for generating funds Fund Raising
-
c. Receipts from Church activites Halls Income Sunday Lunch Club
3. Receipts and Payments analysis ctd
| Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| d. Church activities .Payments Charitable payments Overseas |
fi me |
funds | un | ||
| ChristianReliefand Development Home Mission |
595 1400 |
595 1400 |
1000 2400 |
||
| 295 | 295 | 400 | |||
| 2290 | 0 | : | 2290 | 3800 | |
| Fees | |||||
| Churchrunningexpenses Hallsrunningexpenses Salaries, wagesandhonoraria Training Administration expenses YouthWork Fundraising Sunday Lunch Club Fellowship Sundries Halls Deposit |
715 17637 16979 42120 177 3803 198 = |
2000 | 172 29 |
715 17637 16979 44120 177 3803 198 242 172 29 0 |
416 9641 19402 26373 0 3000 138 391 es ; 500 |
| a | ae |
: 4. i ich relates to their Thefunction expena s esPCC paidmembers. to clergy mayNo other include payments a small were immaterial made t o reo
EE
Gemma Sturley
CIMA Chartered Accountant
Independent examiner’s report to Allington PCC
| have completed my examination of the accounts of Allington PCC for the year ended 31 December 2024.
| confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:
-
accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 130 of the Act; or
-
the accounts do not accord with those records.
| have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
dere
Gemma Sturley Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA)
33 Larking Drive, Allington ME16 OUT
29th April 2025