Annual Report and Financial Statements of the Parochial Church Council of The Parish of Bloxwich For the year ended 31" December 2023 Registered Charity Number: 1159897 Page J DIOCESE OF LICHFIELD Ir Come follow Christ in the footsteps of St Chad The Parochial Church Council of The Parish of Bloxwich st Trustees, Annual Report for the year ended 31 December 2023 Charlty reglstratlon number.. 1159897 Ob-ectives and Activities The Parochial Church Councll of The Parish of Bloxwich (the PCCI has the responsibility of co-operating with the incumbent, Rev David Candlin, in promotin8 in the ecclesia5tieal parish. the whole mission of the Church, pastoral, evangelical, social and ecumenical. The PCC 15 also spiritually responsible for the maintenance of the church 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 all three Churches All Saints, Holy Ascenslon and St Thomas's. Our services and worship put faith into practice through prayer, scrlpture, music and sacrameni. Also, through non sacramental activities of hospitality and fellowship we aim to reach non churched members of the communitv. Publlc Beneflt The trustees of thè Charity are aware of the Charity Commission's guidan￿ on public benefit in The Advancement of Religion for the Public Benefit and have had regard to it in their adrninistratlgn of the Chayity. The trustee5 believe that. by prornoting the work of the Church of England in the Ecclesiastical Parish of Bloxwich, it helps to promote the whole mi55ion of the Church (pastoral, evanÈelistlC, 50cial and ecumenicall more effectively, within the Ecclesiastical Parish. and that in doing so it provides a benefit to the public bv.. Providing facilities for publlc worshlp. pastoral care and spiritual, moral and intellectual development, both for its members and for anyone who wishes to benefit from what the Church offers,. and Promoting Christian values and service by members of the Church in and to their cornmunities, to the benefit of individuals and society as a whole. Achlevements and Performance Tèam Rectors Report Worship We hold re8ularweekly worship in each of ourthree churchès-All Saints, HolyAscension and St Thomas,. There is a Sunday morning service in each church- usually eucharistic but with regular Services of the Word as well. In additlon, at St Thomas, there is a weeklv evenlng seNice. Highlights of our worship during the year included our patronal festivals held on Ascension Day and on the Sundays nearest All Saints, Day and St Thomas, Day. On these occasions, the con8re8ation5 from the three churches gather to worship in a single service. As always, the Remembrance Sunday gathering at the war memorial was well-attended by several hundred people wishing to pav their respects to the fallen of the town in two world wars. The event is organised by the local branch of the Royal British Legion and worship wa5 led by Rev David and hi5 OPP051te numbers in the Methodist and Roman Catholic churches in 81oxwich. We had a full programme of setvices at Christma5 time, including well-attended Carol Services at each of oui Churches, a Christmas Eve midnight eucharist at All Saints and at St Thomas.. and a Christmas Day parish eucharist at All Saints. In Advent we held an outdoor Me55y Church 'Travellin8 Nativity,, when we walked through Bloxwich and sang carols in the market square. We also held Christin8les at All Saints and St Thornas, and a Christm35 Eve crib service at All Salnts. Holy As￿nSIOn hosted a '8lue Christmas. service for those who find Christmas a difficult time. Page 2 Worshipping community Our congregations have not recovered to pre-covid leve15. OUT worshipping comrnunity is only 60 per cent of what it was four year5 ago- 114 congregants in 2023 compared with 198 in 2019. In 2023, Christmas attendance was less than 60 per cent of that in 2019 1173 compared with 2981. and our Easter attendan￿ was about half that in 2019194 compared with 1831. The reduction in our number5 limits what we ¢an do In terms of fund-raisin& ministry and mission. We are also finding it harder to fill volunteer roles; in 2023 we were without district warden5 or a treasurer at All Saints, and at PCC level we have vacancies for a parish warden and a treasurer. Occasional Office5 The local community looks to the parish and All Saints. church in particular - to mark important life moments. In 2023, we conducted 90 funerals. 15 weddings and 11 baptism5. We held two Memorlal servlces In 2023 for those who had recently105t loved one5. These services are well-attended and fill a need for space In whlch to grieve and to hold loved ones in mind. We have formalised our infant baptisrn preparation and now require parents and godparents to attend a number of servl¢es $0 we can get to know ihem and help them to understand the commitments they make in the baptism service. We were delighted that three members of our con8re8ations took the next step of faith and were confirmed by Bishop Jonathan at St Matthew's in Walsall. Other Mini5trie5 In addition to our regular Sunday worship, we hold a monthly Messy Church for families and children. This service rotates around the three churches and covers a different topic each month- includlng Lent. Mothering Sunday. new beginnings and the Coronation. We also hold a monthly informal service of band-led worship which we call Truth be Told. Thls attracts a small regular congregation which we are seeking to grow by reaching out to wedding couples and baptism families. The band reheèrses regularly and has a growing set-list. We continue to develop our relationships with loc81 primary schools. Our main relationships are with the two Church of England schools in the parish- All Saints National Academy and Little Bloxwich. We visit these churches on a weekly basis to lead worship. and children visit All Saints and Holy Ascension respectively for Harvest, ChTlStma5, EasteT and Leavers, services. In 2023 we brought together the pupil from the two schools for a workshop to help them develop their role as worship leaders. Children from the local nursery school- Sandbanks- also vislted the church a number of times in 2023. We are active participants in Churches Together in Bloxwich and Blokenoll - the main ecumenical events in 2023 bein8 prayer Èatherings for the Week of Christian Unity and the Good Friday Walk of Witness. We were deliBhted when Rev Helen Babiy was li￿nsed at Christchurch Blakenall, and we have been offering support to her ministry in the parish. We have also been attending Birchill's school in Walsall to lead worship during the vacancy at St Andrews. Our Bible Study group- which brin65 together member5 of the three congregations- met regularly during 2023. We particularly enjoyed completing the Difference Course together- which helped us to explore how to hold good conversations with one another and to disagree with grace. Other events in which our three churche5 joined togèther include a day-trip to visit sites of pilgrimage in Wale5 in the summer and a prayer walk and litter pick in the parish in Octobei. Also in 2023, we launched a programme of monthly gatherin8s and retreats for those wishing to deepen their spirituality. ExplorfnE our Mission We spent time in 2023 exploring our mission, in order to foster growth in numbers and discipleship. During 2023 each of the churches reviewed their missional activities and we carne tOg￿her several tlmes as a parlsh to consider how to deepen our mission. In the summer we created a mission tree with ideas for mission represented by the leaves. Holy Ascenslon decided to make their weekly coffee mornin8 and warm space more missional. St Thomas. holds a craft morning to reach out to different people and bring God into social activities. All Saints 15 5UPPOrting a free church whlch meets In Its hall- the Kingdom Call Church- to host a community breakfast club once a week. A pet service at st Thomas, in the autumn was well attended by the local communlty- Including some who don't usually come to church. They brought with thern a wide variety of pets including dogs. cats, snakes, lizards and 5pidersl Poge 3 Fundralslng Our churches held various fund-rai5in8 initiatives through the year. The Holy Ascension Summer Fair in lune raised over £2,CM)O- frorn which donations of £100 were made to the Walsall Palliative Care Centre at Goscote Hospice and the 81oxwich Food Bank. Holy Ascension held a charity fundraising variety show in July which raised funds for two local boys. Tommy la meningitis amputee) and Hunter who has cerebral palsy. A Macmillan Cancer Support Coffee Morning in September raised over £3(X) and the Christmas Fair in ecember raised almost £800. The Summer Fair at St Thornas in July raised over £600 and the Christmas Fair £800. Buildin85 rol Architects prepared Qulnquennial report5 for each of our three churches in 2023. Priority repair5 at All Saint5 include repointing open joints in coping stones to prevent water ingress and carrying out a major redecoration of all high-level gutters and downpipes around the Church. There are also trenches in the nave caused by the rèmoval of cast iron pipe work which needs to be boxed in. The cost of all repairs to All Salnts are estimated al £17,000 excluding scaffoldinB. St Thomas, is suffering from water ingress from slipped tiles, damaged roof felt and Cracks in walls and windows. Repairs rè estimated at about £1,250. No major issues were identified at Holy As￿nsion. At All Saints. the replacement of the central heatin8 Svstem was completed in 2023 and a repair was made to the tower roof which had been leaking due tQ Storm damage. Also in 2023, the interior of Holy Ascension was redecorated. BASH During 2023 the PCC submitted an application to Walsall Council for a Community Capital grant to fund the construction of BASH- the Bloxwich Activities ondskills Hub. BASH is a vision of a learning hub where local people can gain essential skills that will Improve their lives. give a sense of purpose and self-worth and help them into work. BASH is a project we developed in partnership with the YMCA in the Black Qjuntry. BASH meet5 a clear need.. Levels of education and training in Bloxwich are among the lowest in the country, which limits local people's job prospects and quallty of life. BASH will fill gaps in basic literacy and numeracy, IT skills and interview technique, equipping people to find produ¢tive and meaningful employment. Our initial proposal was for £1.6m to house BASH in a purpose-built space In the church yard,. we sought funds to dernoli5h our church hall and build a new 25Om building on the site. comprising a learnlng sulte, meeting rtsoms and other facilities. The Council were unable to hJnd our bid in full and we are preparing to resubmit our bid- this time to seek funds to put BASH in the mission hall we own in Old Lane. The outline estimate of this proposal 15 £600.000. At the time of writing, we do not know the outcome of thls application. Conclusions Our task is to tell people in Bloxwich about Jesus- we are hi5 body on earth in ihis place- and we must reach outwards through our mlnistry and mlsslon to achieve this. With Messy Church, with our informal afternoon service. and through the occasional offices of weddlngs. funerals and baptisms, we reach many local people who do not know Christ. We wlll continue to reflect on how we might expand our mission and offer new ways to connect with God and one another. But we need to be realisti¢- with falling numbers of regular worshippers, our capacityto launch and run a range of mlssions is limited, so we must discern carefully where to put our effort5. Our hope and prayer is that we might begin to bulld In numbers, bringing new people to Christ and in that way increase our capacity to serve our community. David Candlln Team Rector Page 4 Ftnancial Revi PCC of Bloxwich Net Total Assets.. £140,845 [£147,227 20221 Deficit.. l£11,2771- Unrestricted Excess £11,403 Restricted deficit1£22,6811 IDeficit of I£10,848120221 All Saints Attounts.. Iqet Total Assets.. E103,4241£105,910 20221 Deficit-1£7,0581 Unrestricted Excess E14.686 Restricted Defiat1£21,0141 IDeficit115,995 20221 Doy-to-doy Income andexpenditure All Saints generated a surplu5 of £14,686 on day-to-day activitles- wlth the General Fund showing Income of £65,175 and expenditure of £50,489. Donations plus tax recoverable through gift aid totalled £36,567. Our weddlngs and funeral minlstry continues to be a significant source of funds- with income from fees and ch3rse5 of £16,980 representing a quarter of total income. Our largest slngle outgoinÈ was our Common Fund contribution to the Diocese of Lichfield- which we paid in full in 2023- a total of E32,564. We also made regular payments during 2023 to reduce the outstanding Parish Share liability from previous years reducing our arrears by £6,700 during the year. A consequence of thls is that the dlocese wrote off arrears of £6.745 incurred during the Covid 19 pandemic. If we meet our Common Fund request in full in 20241£33,1321 then a further £6,745 will be written off. We are payinB off the residual arrears at £250 per Month and we should clear this by the end of thr5 year. Other major day-to-day expenditure in 2023 included insurance1£7,8711, 8a5 la new expense consequent to the a church central heatlng system- £7,836). and printlng and publishing costs of £3,589. Restrirted fvnd5 We made a loss in our restricted funds in 2023 - primarily due to s12eable expenditure on our church building. During 2023 we completed the installation of the new central heating system and made payments of £15,425 to our contractors. To partially defray this, we transferred £3,651 of Robert Parker charity receipts, which are restricted to church maintenance. We also rnade repairs to the church tower and guttering, which had been leaking due to 5torrn damage since the end of 2020, at a C05t of £8,288. We were able to reclaim VAT on both these works totalling £3,952. We spent £3.900 on architecvs and quantity surveyor's fees for the development of plans for BASH (the 81oxwich Activsties and Ski115 Hub- described in more detail in the c¢mmentary at the front of this Annual Report). This enabled us to scope plan5 for the demolition of our church hall and the construction of a new building to house a skills and activities hub and new housing on the site. We submitted ihese plans to Walsall Council to secure Community Capital Grant funding of £1.3 million. Regrettably our bid was rejected. The PCC is submitting a revised plan involving the repurp05in8 of the mission hall we own in Old Larie. However, the drawlngs and outline costings for the church hall site are useful blueprints to help us plan for the future use of the land. Overall. spending from restrlcted funds was £31.864. Restricted income was £10,849, which included a donation of £5,ocKJ from a member of the congregation and £3,000 from the Staffordshire Historic Churches Trust for repairs to the tower roof and guttering. The overall reduction in restricted funds in 2023 was thèrefore just over £21,0001£21.0141. Deslgnated furtds Incorne from church hall lettings has recovered somewhat1£5,258 compared with £1,072 in 20221 however the costs of running the hall totalled £6.491- comprlsing energy and water costs. maintenance and the wages of a part-time cleaner. Hence the church hall made a 1055 of £730. The long term future of the church hall is in doubt- the building requires significant spending on the roof, electrical 5VStem, windows and the kitchen, and All Saints, DCC ha5 decided to pause any significant additional spend on the building until its future is decided Ihence the BASH initiative). Ovèrall summary Summing the general, restricted and designated funds, total Income was £81.796 la reduction of 14 per cent on 2022 income of £94,396) and total expenditure £88,844119.5 per cent less than in 20221. The result is a deficit of £7.058 in 2023. an improvernent on the deficit of £15,995 in 2022. We can be reassured that we are reducing our1055e5 compared with135tyear, but the facts remain that Income is down and we are running a deficit. Net Total Assets stand at £103,425, a small reduction of £2,485 on 20221£105.910 20221. Our unrestricted net total assets Stand at £23.809. which represents alrnost Six month5 of day-to-day spendlng. Page 5 Hol Ascension Accounts.. Total Assets= £26.6731£24,396 20221 Excess- £2,277 IE¥cess-£3.065 20221 Another good year for Holy Ascension. The overall income ha5 increased from £28,927 2022 to £29,813. Loose plate collections 0301 have increased however donation5 0550 ha5 reduced significantly. Church hall lettings continue to increase but all other areas are pretty much the same as 2022. Expenditure has also increased from £25,8612022 to £27,535. The most notable differences being giving to missionary socleties 1801. Church malntenance 2330 and Church interior and exterior decorating 2720. Holy Ascension have again paid their Common Fund request in full. Thanks go to Richard for his continued support St Thomas Accounts.. Total Assets.. £5,8311£7,257 20221 Deficit l£1,7481 Unrestricted Deficit l£1,3231 Restricted Deficit1£425112022- Exces5- £76 Overall income has decreased from £25,432 2022 to £23,678. The most notable differences being a reduction in Gift aid collections OIDI and Church Hall lettings 1230. We can see increase5 in Non-Gift ald colleetlons 0201. Loose plate collÈction$ 0301, Donations 0550 afid Non-recurring grants 08AI. The increase in grants is the write off - Common Fund arrear5 £1,883, it 15 Shown a5 a grant from LDBF with the Liability PSBLOX03 reducing by the same amount. Along Wlth this an Energy Cost grant paid in 2022 by LDBF was disbursed between the Churches in 2023 of £650. Expenditure has also increased slightly from £25,278 2022 to £25.427. The most notable difference being Church maintenan 2330. st Thomas have paid their 2023 Common fund in full which wa5 Ihe reason for the write off £1,883. If they pay the full request of £16,566 in 2024 the remaining £1,883 will be written off. Thank5 80 to Margaret for her continued support. Parish.. Total Assets.. £4,9141£9,663 20221 Deficit1£4,7481- IExcess- £2,005 20221 A new account was opened in 2023 $0 that Parish expenses could be paid from this account. All of the funds from the Parish Magazine account were transferred and that account closed. Each Church now transfers funds into the PaTish account and this will be shown against code 2300 Parlsh expenses. SO that there Ss n¢ duplication the Agency accounts are used to receive the funds and pay any invoices. Bloxwith Youth account remains open and the majority of the income comes from Church hall lettin@5 1230. Code 2201 is showing a minus figure because the proceeds from the current account Klng Incumbent and Church Warden trust were transferred to the new parish account across two licences. The debit in All Saints litence was coded 2201 and $0 usin8 the same code in the Parish licence means that once consolidated the two amounts will cancel each other out. Thanks 80 to Sue & Pete Talbot for thelr contlnued support Poge 6 Reserves Pollc It is PCC policy to try to rnaintain a balance on free reserves Inet current assets) which equates to at least three months unrestricted payments. Each church will identify their own figure based on its expenditure. The reserve will be held in a designated fund on the Statement5 of Assets and Liabilities. However, for the purposes of thls report we have quoted the target as a whole. Three months expenditure is equivalent to £26,695 IE41,660 20221. It is held to smooth out fluctuations in cash flow and to meet emergencies. The balance of the free re5erve5 at the year-end was £37,1921£79,126 20221. In addition to this Holy Ascension has £5.988 and St Thomas has £2,409 held 15 a designated Reserve fund, bringing the total to £45.589. This is higher than the target. In the uncertain economic climate, it is felt to have a healthy reserve is a good foundation for the future and will allow the charity to explore different outreach if identified and also be SèCUTe of havin8 sufficient reserve5 if called upon in any unforeseen circumstances. Investment Poli The charity IS granted power to invest in suitable investments under the PCC Powers Measure 1956 and the Trustees Act 2000. As a charity, the Trustees have a duty of care to take such advice as is appropriate before investments arè undertaken. This advice is sought from the Central Board of Finante ICCLAI in London. The charitvs investment policies are based on two key principles'.- Ethical Investment-this includes ensurin8 that investments are held in companies which have high standards of corporate governance and act in a responsible way towards stakeholders. Long-term responsibilities the trustees are aware of their long-temi responsibilities in respect of the Restricted and Unrestricted reserves and as a result follow a prudènt apprts3ch to investment decisions. Investment pollcy for long-term funds is aimed prirnarily at generating a sustainable income. ¥wth due regard to the need for the preservation of capital value. and the possible need to realise investments to meet operational needs. The charity doe5 not have a policy of 8enerating income at excessive or high risk- known as "purchasln@ Income" where high returns are guaranteed at the expense of capital. In summary. the charity has an overall policy to maxlmise Income while preserving the real value of its funds. Due to the nature of the charity. an ethical investment policy 15 taken into consideration when investments are made.. The charity follows the Ethical Investment Advi50ry policy as recommended by the Lichfield Diocese which includes the following.. "We airn to invest in companies that: will develop their b￿sInesS in the interests of shareholders.. demonstrate responsible employment prattiees,. are conscientious concernrng issues of corporate governance, the environment and human rights. are sensitive to the community in which they operate." Planned giving, collections and donatlons are the maln sources of fund raising along with tax recoverable. Safe uardin The PCC believe they have fulfilled their duty under section 5 of the Safeguarding and Clergy Disapline Measure 2016 Iduty to have due regard to House of Bishops, guidance on safeguarding children and vulnerable adults). Re ortln Serious Incidents A Serious Incident is an adverse event, whether actual or alleged, which results in or risks significant harm to the charity's beneficiaries, employee5, office holders. volunteers or to others who come into contact with the charity through its work, loss of the chaTltls money or a55ets. damage to the charity's property or harm to the charivs work or reputatlon. The trusteès are not aware of any Serious Incident5 in the last year Fundrai&n The PCC takes it fundraising responsibilitie5 seriously and rs very grateful to all donors- whether regular or occasional- for their support of the church and church event5. PCC supporters are never taken for granted. The PCC take full responsibility forfundraising nd dts nol use commercial organisations or professional fundraisers. All money raised is either by donations, fundraising events, special appeals or legacies for which the PCC are most grateful. Volunteers The members of the PCC would like to thank all of the 50 volunteers who work so hard to make our Church a Ilvely and vlbrant community. Page 7 Rlsk Mana ement The Church Wardens carry out regular Health and Safety Revlews and regularly inspect premises for potential hazards. We have safeguarding policies in place for child protection and for work with vulnerable adult5, includin8 rigorous DBS checking of staff and volunteer5. Our insurances are reviewed annually to ensure adequate cover. An informal review of any new r￿kS which may impact the work of the Church in the Parish Is ongoing. Structure Governance and Mana ement The PCC is a Body Corporate established by the Church of England and is a Charity re8lStered with the Charity Commission. The PCC Is governed by the Parochial Church Council Powers Measure119561 as amended that came into effect on 2 January 1957. and the Church Representation Rules (contained In Schedule 3 to the Synodlcal Government Measure 1969 as amended). The rnethod of appointment of the PCC rnembers 15 Set out in the Church Representation Rule5. The Council comprises the Incumbent, the Churchwardens, a representative of the Readers, those elected to the Deanery Synod, and other rnembers who are elected at the Annual Parochial Church Meetin& by those on the Electoral Roll. The PCC members receive training from courses run by the Diocese. Members of the congregation are ajways urged to join the Electoral Roll, and to stand for election to the PCC. The PCC members are responsible for makin8 decision5 on all matter5 of general concern and irnportance in the parish, and for all financial matters. The PCC met 6 times in 2023. Related Parties No related parties were elther employed by the PCC or offered a contract to carry out work on the Church Donations from Related Partie5 Donations from related parties during the year totalled £13,5251£17,456 20221. All these donations were received without conditions. One donation represents 8% of the overall total. Remuneration aid to Trustees None ol the tru5tee5 have been paid any remuneration or received any other benefits from employment with the PCC enses ald to Trustees One trustee was reimbursed £2531£477 20221 for travel and subsistence during the year. Page 8 Reference and Admlnistrative t)ètsils Charity Namè: The Parochial Church Council of The Parish of Bloxwich Othèr names the charlty Is known by.. NIA Registered Charity Number.. 1159897 CharitV5 prlncipal address: The Rectory, 3 Elmore Row, Bloxwich Walsall WS3 2HR Correspondence address.. The Rectory, 3 Elrnore Row. Bloxwich Walsall W53 2HR Website address.. htt www.bloxwich arish.or PCC Members: Who Served from l January 2023 to the date this rèport was approved Trustee name Office lif any) Dates acted if not for whole perTrod EM-Officio Revd. David Candlin Rector/Chalr Team Vicar Revd. Christopher Davles Revd. Patricia Nesbitt Assistant Minister Mr john Barnes Churchwarden Reslgned 29 April 2023 Miss Donna Titley Ms Angle Partoon Churehwarden Lay Minister Lay Reader Lay Reader Deanery Synod Deanery synod Parish Warden Holy Ascension Deanery Synod Parish Warden St Thomas Mrs Helen Thorpe-wood Mrs Dorothy Mèrgaret Wootton Mr Mark Burrow5 Resigned 29 April 2023 Ms Sandra Clift Mrs Leslie Harris Ms Helen Hardwick Mr Adrlan Rlchardson Resigned 29 April 2023 Ms Edna Marshall Deanery Synod Deanery Synod Representative Mr Robert Jackson Re518ned 29 Aprll 2023 Elected Members Mr Richard Harris Holy As¢enslon All Saint5 Mrs Ann Barnes Resigned 29 April 2023 Mrs Susan Walters Holy Ascension All Saints IPCC Secretaryl All Saints MTS Sheila Harvey Mrs Amy Jane Cox Mr Stuart Anni5 Holy Ascension Ms Gemma Caldwell Ms Pauline Kenn Ms ArTbanda Mallen Mr Liam Cox Resigned 4 June 2023 Page 9 Bank Lloyds Bank PLCThe Brldgewalsall Investment CCLA Mana8ers Senator House 85 Queen Vittorta Street London EC4V 4ET Independent Examiner Uchfield Dlocesan 6oard of Finance St Marys House, The aose, L￿hr1eld. WS13 7LD Approved bythe PCC on 2710212D24 and 5i$ned on Its behalFby: i.J. Cg&&IAk S. M, Revd David Candlin Sheila Harvey. PCC Secretary Page 10 Independent Examiner's report to the trusteeslmembers of The PCC of The Parish of Bloxwich Registered charity number: 1159897 I report on the accounts for the year ended 31* December 2023 which are set out on the following pages. Res ertive res onsibilities of the Trustees and Inde endent Examiner The charity's trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The charit(s trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under Sectlon 144 of the Charities Act 2011 (the Charities Act) and that an independen t examination is needed. It is my responsibility to examine the accounts under section 145 of the Charities Act. lo follow the procedures lald down in the General Directions given by the Charity Commission lunder section 14515llbl of the Charities Act, and to state whether particular matter5 have come to my attention. Basls of Inde endent Examiner's Statement My examination was carrled out In accordance wlth the General DSrectlons glven by the Charlty Commlssion. An examinatlon includes a review of the accouriting record5 kept by the charity ènd a comparison tsf the atcounts presented with those record5. It also includes consideration of any unusual iterns or di5c105ures in the accounts and seeking explanation5 from the tru5tee5 concerning any such matters. The procedure5 undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a "true and fair" view and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below. Inde endent Examiner's Statement In connection with my examination. no material matters have come to my attention which gives me cause to believe that In any material respett.. accounting records were n(It kept in aceordance with section 130 of the Charities Act o¥ the accounts do not accord with the wlth the accountlng records I have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Signed.. Jonathan Hill FCMA CGMA Lichfield Diocesan Board of Finance st Mary's House. The Close, Lichfield WS13 7LD Date..31 i vf12024 Page Il Thè Parish of Bloxwich Notes to the Financial Statements For the year ended 31" December 2023 Actounting Policie5 The Financial statements of the PCC have been prepared in accordance with the Church Accountlng Regulatlons 2006 using the Receipts and Payments basis. There may be rninor discrepancies in the totals as the pence are not being shown. The financial statements have been prepared under the historical c05t convention with items recognised at cost ortransaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant notes to these accounts. The financial statements include all transaction5, assets and liabilities lor which the PCC is responsible in law. They do not include the accounts of church 8roup5 that owe their main affiliation to another body nor those that are informal gatherings of Church members. Cashflow Statement Thè Charity h85 taken advantage of the exemption in FRS102 from the requlrement to produce a ¢ashflow statement on the grounds that the income does not exceed £500.000. Going Concern There are no material Ljncertainties relate to events or conditions that cast significant doubt on the charl￿$ ability to continue as a going concern. It rnust be noted that St Thomas financial accounts are showlng thatthey have total net assets of £5.832 unrestricted £2,334, which includes the Liability of Common Fund arrears of £1,883. Their comrnon fund request for 2024 is E16.566 so thi5 could prove to be quite challenging. The PCC ar8 3ware of this and will be discussing it during future meetings. If St Thomas do pay their request then the £1,882 liability will be written off. Attounting Estlmates and Prior Year Errors No changes to accounting estimates have occurred in the reporting period. No material prior year errors have been Identified In the reporting period DescrIptI￿ of Funds Unrestricted funds are income funds of the PCC that are available for spending on the general purposes of the PCC. includlng amounts designated by the PCC for fixed assets for its own use or for spending on a future project and which are therefore not included in its'free reserves" as dis¢losed in the trustee5' annual report. An explanation of purpose of each De5iEnated fund are as follows Decoration- Historic funds held for the decoration of Cresswell crescent. The fund currently holds £37. 1 advise this is transferred to General fund a5 monie5 are held with Lichfield in the IDS account. Hall- Parish Hall- Fund set aside for the upkeep of the Parish Hall All Saints Cler8y discretionary 5pend- A fund set aside for payments at the discretitrn of the Cler8y-All Saints Discipleship/Evangelism/vocation- A fund set aside for the misslonary work of the Parish- All Saints Reserve Fund- 3 months expenditure set aside- Holy Ascension Magazine Fund- Fund to show income and expenditure of the Magazine. This fund is now at nil and has been closed. Mission Resource- Funds set aside for Mi55ion- St Thomas Reserve Fund- 3 rnonths expenditure set a5ide- St Thomas- advise that these funds are transferred to General fund in 2024 Santa- Funds set aside for Santa Gifts. This fund holds £7- advise this IS transferred to General Page 12 Restrlcted lunds comprise of two elements :_ al income from trusts or endowments which may be expended only on those restricted objects provided in the terms of the trust or bequest bl donations or grants re￿iVed for a specific object or invited by thè PCC for a specific object. The funds may onlv expended on the specific object for which they were given. Any balance rerllainin@ unspent at the end of each year must be ¢arrled forward as a balance on that fund. The PCC does not usually invest separately for each fun(J. Where there is no separate investment, interest is apportioned to individual funds on an average balance ba51S. An explanation of purpose of each Restricted fund are a5 follows.. Altar Fronts- SpÈtific donations for Alter Fronts- Holy Ascension Bibles- Specific donations for the purchase of Bibles- All Saints Choir- Specific donations for the work of the Choir- All Saints Buildin8 fund- Specific donations and grants for the Building-Holy AS￿nSIon Building Maintenance- Specific donatitsn for the maintenance of the building at St Thomas. This fund is overdrawn 1£4911- advise that funds are tiansferred from General to clear and close. raft Group St Thomas- Fund set up to record Specific incomè and expenditure for the outreach Craft group CUF Together Mental Health Grant- Grant from CUF for the Mental health work at St Thomas. This fund 15 at nil and will be c105e in 2024. Church Maintenance- A donation of £5,000 was receNed in 2024 specifically for Church Malntenance- All Saints Clock Maintenance- Donation5 from Robert Parker Charity- The wording of the Will 'to give it to Bloxwich Chappel towards making them a stocke to repair the Church and to keep the Clock in order when need5 doth require, Disability- Specific donations and grant5 for Disability Facilities for Church Hall All Saints Family Work- Family Worker Growth- Specific Grants for the work of the Family Worker- All Saints Heating Fund-specific donations for the heatin8 fund- All Saints. This fund is at nil and will be closed in 2024 Holiday Club Specific donations for the Holiday Club- All Saints IDS Decoration Scheme- Funds specifically for the redecoration of the Vicarages Jump- Jump for Joy Grants- St Thomas. This fund is at nil and will be closed in 2024 Kin8- King Incumbent and Church wardens trust- Relief of the poor in the Parish boundary- All Saints Places of Warmth- Specific grant to help with the cost of providing a Place of Warrnth-All Saints. This fund És at nil and will be closed in 2024 Sound- Specific donations for the Sound system- All Saints St Thomas Craft Group- Fund set up to record specific income and expenditure for the outreach Craft 8roup Endowment fvnds are restricted funds that must be retained as trust capital either permanently or subject to a diseretionary power to spend capital a5 Income, and where the use of any Income or other benefit derived from the capital may be restricted or unrestTlCted. Full details of all their restrictions are shown in the notes to the accounts. An explanation of purpose of eath Endowment fund are as follows.. The Parish of Bloxwich does not hold any Endowment funds. Incomlng Resources Planned givin& collections and donations are recogni5ed when recebved or when the PCC become5 entitled to the resource and the monetary value can be measured with sufficient reliability. Tax refunds are recognised when the incoming resource to which they relate 15 received. Grants and Legacies are accounted for when the PCC is legally entitled to the amounts due and the monetary value can be measured with sufficient reliability. Divldends are accounted for when receivable, interest is accrued. All other Income is retognised when it is receivable. All incoming resources are accounted for gross. Page 13 Resources Expended Grants and donations are accounted for when paid over. or when awarded. if that award creates a binding or constructive obligation on the PCC. The diocesan parish share is accounted for when due. Amounts received specifically for mission are dealt with as restricted funds. All other expenditure is 8enerally recognised when tt is Incurred and is accounted for gross. Governance and ￿Pport Costs Support costs should be allocated between governance costs and other support. Governance costs comprise all costs involvi public accountability of the PCC and Its compliance with regulation and good pFa¢tite. Support costs include central functions and have been allocated to activitv C05t categories on a basis consistent with the use of resources eg by allocating staff costs by time spent and other costs by their usage. Flxed Assets Consecrated and benefice property is not included in the account5 by s.1012llal&lCI of the Charitiès Act 2011. Moveable church furnishings held by the Vicar and Churchwardens on special trust for the PCC and whith require a faculty for di5P05al are inalienable property, listed in the Church's inventory. which can be inspected lat any reasonable timel. For anything acquired prior to 2000 there is insufficient cost information available and therefore such assets are not valued in the financial statements. No depreciation is provided on buildings as the currently estirnated residual valve of the properties is not lèss than their carryin8 value and the remaining useful life of these assets exceeds 50 years, so that any depreciation charges would be immaterial. Other tanglble fixed assets are valued at Cost. The depreciation rates and methods used are 50% per annum. Investments Investments in quoted shares. traded bonds and similar investments are valued initially at ¢ost and subsequently at market value t the year end. Investments held for re-sale are treated as current asset investment5. Debtors Debtors are measured on initial recognition at settlernentamount. Subsequently they are measured as cash expected to be recelved Creditors and Accruals Creditors are measured at settlement amounts less any trade discounts. Accruals are measured on best estimate of the amount requrred to settle the obligation at the reporting date. Page 14 The Porish of Bloxwich yeurending 2023 Receipt5 and Payments Account 2023 un￿$tri￿ed Resiri¢Eed 2023 2022 Receipts: Donations and legacies Income fTom charitable activitie5 Other trading activities Investments Other receipts Total recelpts 57,442 69,110 86 3,039 503 130,182 11,548 193 68,991 69,304 86 3,408 503 142,293 82,294 62,231 33 2,512 8,721 155,793 369 12,111 Payments: Raising funds Payments on charitable artlvltles Total pawnents 404 118.373 118,778 444 34.348 34,792 848 152.722 153,570 1,391 165.250 166,642 Net receipts / Ipayments) resources before transfer 11.403 122.6811 111.2771 110.8481 Transfers Gross transfers between funds- in Gross transfers between funds- out Other recognlsèd gains I losse5 Gains11ts55es on inve5trnent asset5 Gains on revaluation, fixed assets. charity's own t¢se Net movement in funds 5,493 12.1311 4,659 18,0221 10,153 110.1531 10.135 110,1351 5,322 11.5201 18,568 1,093 6,415 11.5201 16.3821 19,0971 19,8451 129,7911 124,9511 Total funds brought forward 79,129 68.098 147.227 177,018 Total funds carried forward 97,698 43,147 140A45 147,227 Page J5 StatementolA5seis & Ll•bllkle$2021 General De$48n8ted Restricted 20 2022 Currentassets-C¥5h at bankand In hand The PCC of the Ecclesiastical Parish of- Incurpbent&ChurchwardensW(Iliam KingAIC- 8ank currens account- Bank current account- All Saints E)CC- In8ram Tru5t- Parish Magazine Account- Account Closed- Bvildiag FuDd Current Account- BIo¥wtch Youth Church- Cash Tn hand- Petty Ca5h- Coffee Mornin8 PetryCash- H58C Current Account- CCL4 IC8FI deposit account- CCLA ICBFI deposit account- CCLA CRESSWELL INVESTMENT- CCLA 81oxwich- William King- CCLA 81oxwl¢h Foster4461487- Bloxwith- 3 Elmore Row- IDS Decoration Account UCHFIELD- Bloxwich. 95an5ton Rvad- 465 465 2.097 112.7091 5.907 16.653 5,988 10,320 14.264 11.897 407 36.Z97 406 621 5.512 55lZ 4.354 6,912 9.041 39 83 33 7,702 8,693 26.889 3,426 11.619 53.141 299 437 4,354 108 98 iZ8 454 128 3.513 8.972 26.912 3.748 12.712 58,140 1,299 437 3,265 12061 8,972 4.072 22,839 3,748 12.71Z 23,542 34,598 1.299 437 Totats 48,940 43.594 153,040 176A14 Llabllilles- A8en£y ￿tOU￿15 Agency collE(tions- 447 447 447 447 1.610 Totals Uablllties.Credlwrs: Amounts fillinKdue one year CowmoTr &Jnd Liablity- All S￿￿ts- Common Fund Uabllity- St Thomas- Totals 9￿65 1,883 11.748 9.865 1,883 11.741 23,310 4.266 Z7.576 Grattd total 37.19Z 60.505 43,147 140,845 147227 Approved bythe Pccon 2710212024 and 518ned on it5 beholfbv.. Revd David Candlln Sheila Harvey, PCC Secretary Page 16 Statement of assets and Ilabilities 2022 General Designated Restrlcted 3,426.49 Total Last year 3,426 49 3,883 66 11.619.35 11.619.35 13,169.64 21.492.88 31.648.24 53.141.12 60,231.35 Total 24,919.37 31,648.24 11.619.35 68.186.96 77,284.65 01775850= Incumbent&Churchwardens William King 2,097.51 2,097.51 1.751.93 01776172= Bank cvrrent account 111,894.831 14,776.29 33,416.38 36.297.84 61.229.91 02750266.. Bank current account 2.496.74 5.988.00 123.63 8,608.37 4,687.76 06002116.. All Saints DCC- Ingram Trust 403.71 403.71 403.53 35741868.. Parish Magazine Account- Account aosed 0210512023 37401460,. Building Fund Current Account 50036368= Bloxwich Youth Church 6590.. Cash in hand 6590.. Petty Cash 6591.. Coffee Morning Petty Cash 70784990.. HSBC Current Account CB3028428.' CCLA ICBFI deposit account C83028430." CCLA ICBFI deposit account IDBLOXOII." Bloxwich - 3 Elmore Row IDBLOX012.' IDS Decoratlon Account LICHFIELD IDBLOX013.. Bloxwich - 9 Sanston Road C83028431.. CCLA CRESSWELL INVESTMENT CB3028432.. CCLA Bloxwich- William King C83028433.' CCLA Bloxwich Foster 4461487 1425.641 1,046.87 621.23 796.43 7.65 6.905.13 6.912.78 2,977.38 9,041.98 9.041.98 6,861.12 39.80 39.80 34.94 83.52 83.52 21.87 33.63 33.63 95.80 2,765.75 3,272.94 1,663.86 7.702.55 ?.706.36 8,693.64 8,693.64 28,574.92 3,984.81 26,889.75 38,437.93 299.25 299.25 299.55 437.50 437.50 437.50 64,19 724.19 Total 25,053.54 25,084.10 58.089.61 108,227.25 155,041.12 1,610.57 1,610.57 5,960.50 1.610.57 1.610.57 5.960.50 12.785.63 12,785.63 2.940.68 23,310.00 29,295.00 4.266.00 4,325.00 27.576.00 36.560.68 22,904.94 6699." Agency collections Total DLBLOXOII= Lichfield Loan Due after one year Total DLBBLOXOIIOne'. LDBF- Lo3n Due within in one year P5BLOX02 .. Comrnon fund Liability- All Saints PSBLOX03.' Common Fund Liability- St Thomas 23,310.00 4.266.00 Total 27,576.00 Net total assets 22,396.91 56,732.34 68,098.39 147,227.64 177,018.96 Page 17 Analysis of receipts and paymènts 2023 Receipts DonatSons and lega¢le5 Unrestriued DesTgn8ted Re5trKted 2023 2023 0101- Gift Aid Collections 0201- Non Gift Aid collertion5 0201- Non Gift Ald Collections 0301- L005e plate collections 0302- Weddin8s/Funeral/Baptlsm Collections 0303 Contactless 0410- Giving ihrough church boxes 0550- Donations appeals etc 0550- Donation5 over £20 08AI- Non-recurring one-off grants Total 21,634 1.414 7.202 3,758 3,027 21,634 1.414 7.202 3,758 3,027 22.932 1,760 17,129 3,352 2.964 369 108 57 10,090 9.778 57,442 369 141 109 97 17,968 15.839 82,294 57 21,139 10,278 68,991 11.048 500 11,548 Incomè from charitable activities 0302- Beetle Drive/8ook Sale/History Evening/Q 0601- Tax recoverable on Gift Aid 0901 Other funds generated 0902- Heating Weddings & Funerals 0904- Holiday Club Feeslincome 1101- Fees for weddings and funera15 1230- Church hall lettin8S- objectives 1231 Seasonal Fairs 1,404 1,404 1,944 9.308 9.223 4,941 9,308 9,416 4,941 7.754 7,119 2.730 74 12,812 193 13,657 13.657 25,318 5.258 30,576 29.172 625 62,231 Total 63.852 5,258 193 69.304 Other trading artivities 1210- Bookstall sales to promote objectlves 1250- Magazine income- advertisin8 1260- Parish rna8azine sales io io 33 76 76 76 86 Total io 33 Imièstmeftts 1001- Dividends 1020- Bank/8uilding SocietvlCBF Interest 1,951 1,087 87 281 2,039 1,369 1,942 570 Total 3,039 369 3,408 2,512 Other Income 1310- Insurance ¢laSms 503 503 5,837 503 503 142,293 8,721 8,721 155,793 Total INCOME TOTAL 124.344 12,111 Page 18 Payment5 Raising funds Ur*restActed Designated Restrlcted 2023 2023 1720- Costs of stewardship campaign 1730- Costs of fetes & other event5 Total 171 171 158 232 404 676 848 1.233 1.391 444 Expendlture on charltable activities 1740- Bank Charge5 1801 Givin8 to missionary stscietrès 1910- Comrnon Fund 1910- LDBF Common Fund 2051- Other Salarles 2101~ Workin8 expenses of incumbent 2102 Other Expense Claims 2150- Vicar's telephone 2170- Education 2201- Parish training and mission 2300- Parish Expenses 2301- Church running- Insurance 2310- Church officelYouth- telephone 2320- Orean / piano tuning 2330- Church maintenance 2331- Cleaning 2332 - Catering 2340- Upkeep of service5 2350- Upkeep of churchyard 2360- Administration/Stationerv 2361- PhotocopylPrintinBIAdvertisin 2363- Licence & SubscriptlOn5 2401 Church runnin8- electric 2401 Church running- electric 2410- Church running- gas 2410- Church running- eas 2420- Church running- water 2440- Heating & Lighting Church 2530- Hall runnin8- electricity 2540- Hall runnin8- gas 2560- Hall running- maintenance 2580- Hall running- water 2701 Church major repairs- structure 2710- Church major repalrs- 515 1,325 32,400 32.564 515 1,325 32,4(Kl 32.564 1.155 252 578 32.400 22,744 629 1,155 252 80 BO 59 50 1,540 1,746 10,331 1,547 59 50 19771 1,746 10,331 1,547 76 397 454 2.510 9.960 1,267 75 3,554 259 456 1,527 654 2,231 2,209 2,718 465 424 621 818 5.756 2,319 47 1.000 3,766 465 424 794 818 5,876 2,356 37 135 120 37 863 12,3321 5,876 7,836 8,251 903 107 187 1.051 12,3321 5.876 7,836 8,251 903 107 1,812 1,394 958 1,085 6,906 1.295 4,275 4,275 5,889 5,889 749 1,812 1.394 958 1,085 354 4,378 871 6.906 12,5701 15,969 13,398 64,575 2720- Church interior and exterior decorating 2840- Other PCC property upkeep 2920- New buildlng Church I,4[￿1 1,400 2,100 3,900 34.348 34,792 2,IC 3.9LK) 152.722 153,570 660 Total EXPENDITURE TOTAL 111,875 112.279 6,498 6.498 173,491 174,883 Page J9 GRAND TOTAL 12,065 16611 122,6811 111,2771 119,0891 Fund movement by type 2023 Openlng Incomlng Outgoin Transfers GainlLoss C105ing AltarFront- Altar Fronts Re51ricted 123 123 120 120 sub-total for AEtarFront Blbles- Bibles Restricted 272 272 269 269 Su￿total for Bibles Build- 8uildlnB Fund Restricted 15,598 15.598 278 278 1,400 1,400 14,485 14,485 Sub-total for Build Buildmain- Buildin8lMalntenance Restricted 185 185 142 142 820 820 14911 14911 Sub-total for Buildmaln CUFHealth- CUF Together Mental Restricted 1,108 1.108 11,1081 11,1081 Sub-total for CUFHealth Cholr- Cholr Restricted 2.L%5 2,065 230 230 1.838 1.838 Sub-total for Cholr Clergy- Clergy Dixretlonary Designated 1,875 IA75 84 84 1,790 1.790 Sub-total for Cler8y Clock- Clock Malntenance Restricted 14,912 14.912 5,759 5.759 7.086 7.086 13,6511 13,6511 9.933 9,933 Sub-total for Clock CraftGroup- St Thomas Craft Grou Restricted 33 33 340 340 88 88 285 285 Sub-total for CraftGroup DEV- 0iscipleshiplEvangel Designated 41.648 41.648 2,949 2,949 44,598 44,598 Sub-total for DEV Decoration- St Thomas Decoration Designated Restricted Restritted 37 64 299 400 37 1,000 1,000 1,299 IAoo Sub-total for OÈ¢oration Page 20 Dlsablllty- Disability Facilitle Restricted 696 696 696 696 Sub-total for Disability FamilyWork- Famrly Work Restricted 3,172 3.172 210 210 2.962 2.962 Sub-total for Famllywork General- General fund Unrestricted 22.396 22,396 124,344 124,344 112,279 112,279 1,878 1,878 2.372 2.372 37,192 37,192 Sub-total for General Hall- Parish Hall De5i8nated Restricted 2.901 5,761 6.406 2,608 4,863 Sub-total for Hall 901 5.761 6.406 2,608 4,863 Hèating- Heating Fund RestrS¢ted 11,773 11,773 15,424 15,424 3.651 3.651 Sub-total for Heatin8 Hollday- Hollday Club Restricted 168 168 168 Sub-total for Holiday IDSLDBF- IDS Decoration Sthem Restricted 437 437 437 437 Sub-total for IDSLDBF Jubllee- Platlnum Jubilee Restricted 400 400 14001 14001 Sub-total for Jubilee Jump-jump Forjoy Restricted 253 253 12531 12531 Sub-total for Jump Kin8- Kin4 Incumbent And C Restricted 13,716 13.716 87 87 8,097 8￿97 1,093 1.093 6,800 6.8rMJ Sub-total for King Magazine. Magazrne Designated 1,046 1,046 76 76 11,1231 11.1231 sub.total for Magazine Malntaln- Church Maintenance Restrlcted 5,000 5,000 sU￿tOtal for Maintain Mlsslon- Mlsslon Resource Deslgnated 819 812 812 Sub-total for Mission 819 Reserve- Reserve 3 Month5 exp Designated- Holy Ascension Desi8nated- St Thomas 5,988 2,409 5,988 2,409 Page 21 Sub-totsl for Reserve 8,397 8,397 Santa- Santas Gifts Designated Sub-total for Santa Sound- Sound System Restricted 207 207 544 544 13371 13371 Sub-total for Sound Warm- Warm Space Restricted 500 soo 499 Sub-total for Warm 499 Warmth- Places Of Warmth Restricted 2.608 2,608 12.6081 12.6081 sub.total for Warmth Grand total 147,227 142,293 153,570 6.415 140,845 Fund movement by type 2022 Opening In¢oming Outgoing Transfers GainlLos5 Closing AltarFront- Altar Fronts Restricted 500 soo 376 376 123 123 Sub-total for AltarFront Bibles- Bible5 Restricted 717 717 63 508 508 272 272 Sub-total for Bibles Build- Building Fvnd De518nated Restricted 14,285 14.285 2.118 2,118 780 780 15,598 15,598 Sub-total for Build Buildmain- BuIldin￿maIntenan£e Restricted 128 128 57 57 185 185 SUl￿total for Buildmain CUFHealth- CUF Together Mental Restrlcte