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2024-12-31-accounts

The PCC of St Mary the Virgin,

Newent, Gloucestershire

Annual Report and Financial Statements for the year ending 31 December 2024

| A fia ST MARY’S

Church Street, Newent, Gloucestershire GL18 1AB. www.stmarysnewent.org

Registered Charity Number 1158153

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The Parochial Church Council of St Mary’s Newent

Annual Report for the year ended 31[st] December 2024

Aim and Purpose:

St Mary’s Parochial Church Council (the PCC) has the responsibility of cooperating with the Incumbent, the Reverend Canon Simon Mason, in promoting in the ecclesiastical parish, the whole mission of the Church, pastoral, evangelistic, social and ecumenical. As well as the Church itself, which is a Grade I Listed Building, the PCC is also responsible for maintaining the adjoining Church room.

Local Ecumenical Partnership:

St Mary’s is part of an Ecumenical Partnership involving Anglicans, Baptists and Methodists. Services are led by ministers of all three denominations. The membership of each denomination is also expressed through the Anglican Diocese of Gloucester, The West of England Baptist Association and the Gloucestershire Methodist Circuit.

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 family. When planning our activities, the PCC has considered the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit, and in particular the specific guidance on charities for the advancement of religion. Our services and worship put faith into practice through prayer and scripture, music and sacrament. We try to enable ordinary people to live out their faith as part of our parish family, through:

To facilitate this work, it is vital that we maintain the fabric of both the Church and adjoining rooms.

Achievements and performance:

Rector’s Report

I want to begin with thanks, expressed to each one with whom we share in ministry across the church family at St Mary’s, both lay and ordained. We continue in our quest to foster a culture of life-long learning - discipleship by another name - where, this side of heaven, each one of is aware of our need to learn and grow, and to help each other in this process along our journey of faith.

One person to whom we are immensely grateful is Roger Beard who is standing down as Churchwarden after 17 years of dedicated and wise service, with 3 further years as Deputy Warden prior to that. We shall miss him in this role, but are grateful that he will remain available to us for advice.

He will be playing a major part in the process of a new venture as we move the Lord’s Larder into its own charitable status due to its growth, as well as a fresh start in the work of the Friends of St. Mary’s following on from Covid.

There will be an opportunity to mark Roger’s stepping down after Easter.

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A significant focus for our Church Council this year has been a reorganisation of how we carry out our work. We have reduced the number of times we meet to 6. We had met more regularly in response to major project oversight as well as to the Covid pandemic. This reduction enables meetings to be more focused, with our Standing Committee meeting 3 times a year to set agendas and monitor progress.

Additionally, we are forming a number of small working groups focussed on areas of ministry, which enable that progress to be made. We are grateful to be drawing on the gifts and talents of many across our church family who are not on PCC to be part of these groups.

In common with most churches, finance remains a major challenge, but we have been encouraged by the approach of the central team of the Diocese in Gloucester as a new process for Parish Share is developed. There seems to be an expressed understanding of the challenges faced at parish level and a desire to work with us as the challenge is met. The wider challenge of funding our ministry through our ongoing giving remains a focus for us.

As we are grateful for God’s goodness and faithfulness to us over this last year, we are also excited at what the future holds as we move into the next year, having confidence in the Lord we love follow and serve. We have seen and continue to see many answers to prayer.

Once again, my sincere thanks to each of you. With every blessing. Simon

Safeguarding

The PCC has complied with the duty under section 5 of the Safeguarding and Clergy Discipline Measure 2016 (duty to have regard to House of Bishops’ guidance on safeguarding children and vulnerable adults).

Annie Caulfield was appointed as the new Parish Safeguarding Officer on 22 April 2024

There has been a major focus on the church’s response both as a diocese and locally, to the national Makin Report. We are grateful for the clear leadership within Gloucester Diocese on all matters within Safeguarding and for the commitment this central part of our life as the church. I want to express personal thanks to Annie Caulfield our Parish Safeguarding Officer as well as to the team at College Green. Their help and support are invaluable. The aim is to develop a culture where enabling a safe space is seen as the work of each member of the church, and as part of the process, we are planning a number of services across our Benefice churches to focus on this.

Financial review

Total receipts on the unrestricted General Fund were £70,810, and payments from this fund totalled £73,697, giving a deficit for the year of £2,887.

The parish met its parish share request in full, which, together with our contributions to our ecumenical Baptist and Methodist partners amounted to £46,200.

The church has not been immune to the costs of heating and maintaining our church and supporting the growing areas of ministry that we all engage with. We are facing a significant deficit budget for the year ahead which must be addressed if we are to meet our aim where our income matches our normal day-to-day expenditure. Our desire is that as a church we can do so much more!

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Children, Youth and Families

In April we reintroduced Messy Church which from April until December has grown significantly and continues to do so into 2025.

The St Mary’s Baby and Toddler Group restarted in September. It is run by Louisa with a team of seven, who help with refreshments and the craft table, and who pray together before the session begins. Advertising is mainly done on the group’s own Facebook page (which has over 29 followers) and also on Newent Noticeboard. The group had 15 adults and 21 children on its books with an average weekly attendance of 7 adults and 9 children. These numbers have increased over time. It was encouraging to welcome three families from the Baby and Toddler Group at the Carol and Christingle Services. Also, one family has been coming to church with a view to having a baptism shortly and a couple of families from the Baby and Toddler group have attended Messy Church.

Our Sunday Morning Worship is growing to be more family friendly. Our Family Services are becoming more family orientated and are proving to be popular with the congregation. On other services too we have had children’s activities taking place within the service or when the team are aware that children will be attending, in the church room.

Our baptism numbers continue to grow year on year. Over the past year we had 11 baptisms.

Sportily

We have been building a fantastic relationship with Sportily over the past year and have started to do some physical work in conjunction with them now. We ran a successful pilot in the summer which saw sports taking place at Newent Lake and at Gorsley Baptist Church.

Work with other churches

Connections and relationships with children and youth ministers/pastors at Gorsley Baptist Church, Glebe Chapel and Our Lady of Lourdes have continued to develop and grow. Last summer we ran a successful summer club with Glebe which saw a number of children attend for an afternoon with fun rounded off on the last day with ice-creams and games at St. Mary’s.

We also ran a successful Light Party at St. Mary’s in conjunction with Glebe Chapel. It was a fantastic event with a number of people coming to take part in the event.

Young adults’ group

Our young adults group continues to grow and flourish with numbers increasing. We are now in the stages of preparing for a number of young people to move from “youth” to young adults. There are now 35 official members of the group and so the leaders of this ministry area are working to see how this ministry area can be developed in a number of areas including its teaching, mission and pastoral organisation. The group still meets weekly to pray, study the bible (they are currently studying Hebrews) and to share food in fellowship time. The group have also led a number of events this year including the Sunrise Service on Easter Sunday and missional activities such as prayer walks around Newent.

Work with the schools and community

In December and April, we welcomed Picklenash and Glebe for their respective Christmas and Easter services. The Rector, Simon and Josh also attended the Christmas Concert at Newent Community School. Open the Book continues too which provides a bible story weekly to a significant number of children. Simon has also led a number of assemblies this year. The school have kindly also allowed us to share leaflets containing upcoming events on them.

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Governance, finance and training

The Diocese have also provided a licence to use and train with the Youthscapes Essentials course for those who would like to be part of children, youth and family’s ministry or anyone in fact!

Looking Forward

Towards the end of 2024, the PCC set up several sub-groups to develop various areas of ministry more effectively. There is a sub-group for Children, Youth and Families Ministry whose role is to have strategic oversight of all things Children, Youth and Families within St. Mary’s. The current membership includes Joshua Robertson (Chair), Rev. David Sherwin, Rev. Ros Greenhalgh, Louisa Mason, Jane Sherwin and Kate Blethyn.

Moving forward, in January 2025 the PCC agreed the following three resolutions:

  1. To adopt the findings of the Church of England Youth and Children Growth research.

  2. A commitment from PCC to growth of Children, Youth, Families and Young adults within our church.

  3. To practical commitment to enable the Children, Youth and Families Ministry team to deliver on the findings alongside other ministry teams and the wider church.

We look forward to all that God has planned for the future and how He will develop and grow this ministry area. Please continue to pray for us a church as we seek, develop and grow in the number of our children, youth and families.

Joshua Robertson (Children, Youth and Families Minister).

Warden’s Report

The year has continued to be challenging in our attempts to develop to what we consider “progressive and acceptable” whilst recognising that many outreach projects are sensibly being re-introduced. Our congregation at the Sunday church services averages some 60 plus members weekly, this shows a continued slight increase.

We thank God for his goodness to us as a church family but we must continue to seek his guidance on our future direction more so as we move forward in introducing more activities.

Some of the events of past times that we have lost as outreach activities, we will seek to re-introduce in some appropriate format in the future where and when possible: -

We welcome back the St Marys Mother’s Union and WI who regularly meet in the church room here at St Marys. The Lords Larder continues to be of increasing Christian importance and offers much needed help to families locally and further afield.

With all that we face in the coming months and years, we must continually seek God’s will in prayer for his blessing on all that we attempt to do.

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The Lord’s Larder Food Bank

Currently the Lords Larder provides its clients with one week’s food authorised by a voucher system. During the year 2024 we provided some 1350 clients with a week’s food which is a big achievement. We do see and indeed now experience greater demand. The Lord’s Larder works closely with many other local agencies and organisations, including the CAB, CAP, 2Rivers, our local schools and churches, and the Samaritans.

To allow us to develop the activities of the food bank to cater for increased demand, St Mary’s, Newent PCC has agreed that legal advice be taken and to follow their recommendation to establish the Lord’s Larder, Newent as a stand-alone Christian organisation with its own registered charitable status and bank account.

Currently the food bank operates using: -

The Lords Larder Newent has grown significantly since starting in 2010 in a tin shed with no heating! It is our wish to allow further development, particularly as we see and experience an increased community need.

Electoral Roll Officer’s Report

A brand-new Electoral Roll has been prepared this year, as we are required to do every six years. The number on the new Roll as at 13[th] April 2025 is 95.

The number on the previous list was 178.

Severn Vale Deanery Report:

The Severn Vale Deanery consists of 12 Benefices, mainly to the North of Gloucester. It is currently led by our Area Dean, the Reverend Canon Jacqui Hyde. Deanery Synods are usually held three times per calendar year, to share matters of common interest across our Benefices and to act as a conduit with the Diocese.

During 2024, the Synod met three times and covered a wide range of topics including the challenges of rural ministry, the future strategic plans for the deanery (being more mission focused and resource aware) and dealing with the difficult questions that arise around giving and receiving pastoral care, dependence, dementia and death.

A key area of discussion concerned a proposed new model for allocating parish share with effect from January 2026. Currently, Parish Share contributions cover just 80% of the actual cost of ministry leaving an annual £2 million gap which the Diocese has to cover from reserves. As a possible solution to help parishes meet their funding needs, Synod members were given talk by Lisa-Jayne Lewis (the Diocese Stewardship and Giving Advisor) on ways churches might improve their income streams. Lisa-Jayne spoke about grant funding; “Friends of” organisations; will-writing and legacies; digital giving; general fundraising opportunities; and “preaching generosity” initiatives.

Volunteers:

The members of the PCC would like to thank all the volunteers who work so tirelessly to make our Church a welcoming and vibrant community. Our special thanks go to our Churchwardens, Roger Beard and Carol Gooch whose commitment and often unseen service might sometimes be taken for granted.

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Structure, Governance and Management

The method of appointment of PCC members is set out in the Church Representation Rules. The Council comprises the Incumbent, curate and the two Ecumenical partner ministers, the Churchwardens, a representative of the Readers, those elected to the Deanery Synod, and other members who are elected at the Annual Parochial Church Meeting, by those on the Electoral Roll. Members of the congregation are always encouraged to join the Electoral Roll, and to consider standing for election to the PCC.

The PCC members are responsible for making decisions on all matters of general concern and importance in the parish, and for all financial matters. The full PCC met seven times during the year. Given its wide responsibilities, the PCC has introduced a number of sub committees, each dealing with a particular aspect of parish life. These include Worship, Mission and Outreach, Pastoral Care, Fabric & Maintenance, Safeguarding, Youth/Children/Families, the Lord’s Larder, and Finance. Each sub-group reports to the full PCC, with the minutes of their meetings.

Administrative Information:

The church is situated on the Church Street in Newent and is part of the Severn Vale Deanery in the Diocese of Gloucester. The correspondence address is Church Street, Newent, GL18 1AB.

The PCC is a body corporate (PCC Powers Measure 1956 and the Church Representation Rules 2022) and is registered with the Charity Commission – number 1158153.

PCC members who have served from 1[st] January 2024 until the date of this report:

Ex Officio:

The Incumbent Rev’d Canon Simon Mason (Chair) Assistant Curate Rev’d Mark Dunning Methodist Minister Rev’d David King Baptist Minister Vacant Reader Emeritus: Elaine Frampton Churchwardens: Roger Beard & Carol Gooch Assistant Wardens: Colin Tatchell & Cynthia Gwinnett Baptist Secretary: Janet Roach Methodist Steward: Sue Cook Deanery Synod Reps: Tim Greenhalgh Andy Goodwin Treasurer: Shirley Howard Secretary: Carole Brookes Elected Members: Annee Barwell (From 2022) Elizabeth Beard (From 2024) Kate Blethyn (From 22/4/24) Jo Goodwin (From 2024) Shirley Johns (From 2023) Brenda Passant (from 2023) Pam Roberts (to Feb 2025) Josh Robertson (From 2022) Susannah Wardale (From 22/4/24)

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Receipts & Payments Account for year ending 31[st] December 2024

See
note
Receipts & Payments Account Receipts & Payments Account General
Funds(£)
Restricted
Funds(£)
2024 2023
INCOMING RESOURCES
Voluntary Income
3 Planned Giving 47,649 1,120 48,769 43,181
3 Collections & othergiving 7,880 4,190 12,071 9,410
4 Gift Aid Recovered 10,546 1,251 11,797 14,822
Grants 165 5,400 5,565 8,000
Legacies 8,940
Activities forgenerating funds
Hall lettings 590 - 590 340
Events & Fundraising 2,206 2,206
Investment Income
Dividends & Interest 297 12 309 205
Income from charitable activities
5 Parochial Fees 1,477 1,477 5,498
Other incoming resources - -
Other Income(Lord’s Larder) 0 5,448 5,448 12,372
Total income received 70,810 17,422 88,232 102,768
RESOURCES EXPENDED
Charitable Activities
6 Donations to charities 1,035 4,988 6,023 66
Events & Fundraisingcosts 1,718 20 1,738
7 Parish Share 41,752 41,752 39,801
7 Methodist Circuit & Baptist Union 4,448 4,448 6,981
ClergyExpenses 444 444 236
Other PCC Expenses 1,307 1,307
Children & Youthwork 5,861 5,861 5,472
Church running& Service costs 2,054 403 2,457 2,853
Heating,Lightingand Water 7,488 7.488 4,000
Churchyard Maintenance - 495 495 -
Minor repairs & Routine Maintenance 2,133 123 2,256 552
Running costs
Administration 2,591 659 3,250 2,612
Salaries & wages 3,777 3,777
Cleaning 1,888 1,888 1,256
Insurance 6,754 - 6,754 6,382
Other 85 5.020 5,105 20,229
Major expenditure
8 Repairs to church buildings 991
Loan repaid 4,000
Total expenditure 73,697 21,345 95,043 95,432
Net incoming / outgoing resources (2,887) (3,924) (6,811) 7,336
Transfers between Funds 34 (34) -
Net incoming / outgoing resources (2,853) (3,958) (6,811) 7,336
Gains(losses)on investment assets 209 209 533
NET RECEIPTS/ (PAYMENTS) (2,643) (3,958) (6,601) 7,869

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Balance Sheet as at 31[st] December 2024

Fixed assets used by St Mary’s, Newent PCC: The PCC owns for church use the church plate, furnishings and equipment for which the Churchwardens maintain a terrier (inventory).

Balance
31 Dec. 23

changes
Balance
31 Dec 24
Barclays Bank 44,635.40 (11,481.54) 33,153.86
Lloyds PCC Classic Account 23,671.71 4,194.39 27,846.10
Lloyds Bell Fund Account 1,029.28 12.26 1,041.54
Lloyds Instant Savings 0.77 - 0.77
Lloyds Refurbishment Funs a/c 0.58 - 0.58
CBF Deposit Account
4,567.97
242.46 4,810.43
CBF Investment Fund[145 shares] 3,233.75 164.42 3,398.17
CBF Investment Fund[87 shares] 1,966.78 45.01 2,011.67
PettyCash(Lord’s Larder) 0.00 207.42 207.42
Cash in Hand(Parish) 25.00 - 25.00
Lloyds Bank(Traid-craft)) 0.00 33.83 33.83
Lloyds Bank(Agape) 0.00 0.29 0.29
79,131.12 (6,601.46) 72,529.66
31 Dec 23 Receipts Payments Transfers 31 Dec 24
General Church Funds 38,637.63 81,978.63 (84,656.48) 34.23 35,994.01
Sound System 93.26 - (65.97) (27.29) -
Marriage PrepCourse 2014 96.00 - - (96.00) -
Glasswasher 142.02 - (123.40) (18.62) -
Restricted Funds:
Agape Fund 65.00 0.29 - - 65.29
Bell Fund 350.00 - (20.00) - 330.00
Brunel Manor 2020 110.00 - - (110.00) -
Children’s Society 466.05 232.54 (307.80) 12.04 402.83
Church Clock Fund 554.00 - - - 554.00
Children/Youth Fund 3947.49 2,520.00 (5,860.68) - 606.81
Rector’s DiscretionaryFund 3601.37 750.00 (800.00) - 3,551.37
Ecumenical Fund (4.00) 300.00 (432.00) - (136.00)
Flower Fund (8.14) 268.00 (316.98) 57.12 -
Friends of St Marys (40.00) - (20.00) - (60.00)
The Lord’s Larder 24,069.93 8,883.67 (8,523.37) 24,430.23
Churchyard(FoDCC) (75.00) 3,656.02 (4,151.02) 75.00 (495.00)
Refurbishment Fund 3,094.75 800.00 - 110.00 4,004.75
Romania(Redditch) 206.50 3,385.00 (3,600.00) 468.00 459.50
Romania(St Marys) 2555.50 536.00 (1,080.00) (505.00) 1,506.50
Bell Fund Account - Lloyds 1028.76 12.26 - 0.52 1,041.54
Ukraine 240.00 240.00
Traid-Craft(Account) 0.00 33.83 - - 33.83
79,131.12 103,356.24 (109,957.70) - 72,529.66

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Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ending 31 December 2024

1. Basis of Accounting : - The Financial Statements have been prepared on the receipts and payments basis and in accordance with the Church Accounting Regulations 2006 and S.133 of the Charities Act 2011.

2. Accounting Policies : - The Financial Statements include monetary transactions, assets and liabilities for which the PCC can be held responsible.

Receipts are included as received and expenditure where irrevocably paid.

Unrestricted funds represent money that can be used for the general charitable purposes of the PCC. Restricted funds may only be used for the specific purpose indicated by the donor.

3. Voluntary giving and offerings including regular standing orders.

Total unrestricted donations and Sunday offerings for the general running of the church rose by £10,817 or 24% in 2024 compared with the previous year although this is increase is largely attributable to a specific Gift-Day (£9,140) and donation from the Kings Arms (£1,153).

4. Gift Aid and the Gift Aid (Small Donations Scheme): Gift Aid is claimed twice during the year and GASDS just once at the year end. At the year end, there’s an GASDC claim of amount £1,253.00 outstanding

5. Parochial Fees: The parish receive statutory fees for wedding and funeral services, which are known as Parochial Fees. Disbursements from the amounts received are made as per fixed tariffs to the Diocese and other third parties involved.

Fees received in 2024 9,335
Less payments outstanding from 2023 (4,133)
Less statutory payments to GDBF ( 0)
Less 3rd party payments (3,725)
Net Parochial Fees income 1,477

6. Donations to Charities: The PCC donated the £1,034.85 to various charities throughout the year.

7. Parish Share and our Ecumenical commitments to the Methodist and Baptist church

During 2024 the PCC fully paid their parish share of £41,752. This is the Parish’s contribution to the Diocese towards the cost of the ministry we enjoy from the clergy. Because the Parish is in an Ecumenical partnership with the Methodist and Baptist church, Newent church also contributed £4,448 to the Methodist Circuit and the Baptist Union.

8. Major repairs to the Church Building

There were no major repairs undertaken to the church or church room during 2024.

Key Dates: 24 March 2025: Independently Inspected Accounts to be adopted by the PCC

28 April 2025: Accounts presented at the APCM & posted on noticeboard for the next 28 days. (Copies of Parish accounts to be sent to the GDBF and Methodist Circuit.) 28 June 2025: Latest date for submitting the C of E Parish Finance Return. 31 Oct. 2025: Latest date for submitting the Charity Commission’s Annual Return.

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The Lord’s Larder

Receipts and Payments Account for the year ending 31 December 2024

The ‘Lord’s Larder’ is an initiative of St Mary’s, Newent PCC which was established in 2010. The Food Bank is discreetly situated in the centre of Newent and is run by a dedicated and enthusiastic group of volunteers. A part-time centre co-ordinator is employed to oversee the food deliveries, monitor the 24/7 Helpline and to roster the volunteers matching their availability with the centre’s needs.

During 2024 the Lord’s Larder dispensed some 1,333 weekly packages of food to those in need plus responding to emergency situations where immediate home deliveries have been made. The demand for the provisions the Lord’s Larder offers is growing year-on-year with a reported 10% increase in 2024 compared with the previous year. This trend is expected to continue and the centre is seeking additional voluntary help to meet the growing demand more effectively.

The Lord’s Larder motto is “none shall go hungry” and working collaboratively with local professional agencies, the aim is to focus our support to as many individuals as possible. In pursuit of our aims, we are deeply grateful to our many individual and corporate donors for their generous donations of food and financial support.

Receipts & Payments Account Receipts & Payments Account 2024 2023
INCOMING RESOURCES
Voluntary Income
1 Personal Donations inc. Gift Aid 4,427.76 3,757
2 Donationsother local organisations 1,443.64 2,017
3 Grants received 2,900.00 5,000
Cash added 64.27 0
Total Incoming Resources 8,835.67 10,774
RESOURCES EXPENDED
Charitable Activities
4 Foodpurchases 1,090.16 1,936
Running Costs
5 Premises runningcosts 2,274.37 2,276
6 Staff costs, phone and distribution 5,110.84 4,498
Total Resources Expended 8,475.37 8,710
Surplus(Deficit) income over expenditure 360.30 2,064
The Lord’s Larder Fund Balance Sheet
Openingcash at bank at 1 Jan 2024 24,069.93
OpeningPettyCash held at 1 Jan 2024 0.00 24,069.93
Net incomingresources inyear 360.30
Cash at Bank at 31 Dec 2024 24,222.81
PettyCash as at 31 Dec 2024 207.42 24,430.23

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Independent Examiner's Report

To the St Mary’s Church, Newent PCC

I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of St Mary’s, Newent PCC for the year ended 31 December 2024 set out on pages 7 to 10 above.

Responsibilities and basis of this report

As the charity's trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”).

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

Independent examiner's statement

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

I 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.

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