Suite 1 Paddington House Festival Place Basingstoke,  RG21 7LJ 

admin@basingstoketownchaplaincy.org.uk basingstoketownchaplaincy.org.uk 01256 842232 

Town tiiChaplaincy 

## **Basingstoke Town Chaplaincy Annual Report 2020** 

The Chaplaincy service had to make many adjustments during 2020 as everyone suffered the disruptions caused by Covid-19. Visiting was stopped in March but restarted as soon as restrictions were lifted in June. During the summer we mainly visited outside. During the summer Chaplains were joined by Street Pastors. We opted not to visit shops so as not to disturb trading and to maintain a reasonable degree of distancing to prevent spreading the virus. We continued to visit the staff at the Magistrates' Court and extended our visits to the bus station, railway concourse and the taxi rank. Being in the streets enabled us to engage more with the community police and rangers and we were able to engage in many useful conversations with a broader range of people. Only those who were fit and able volunteered during this period and those who were in any way vulnerable were discouraged from participating. Chaplains were able to make brief visits to shops and other places of work before Christmas. 

Early in the lockdown we sent cards to people working in the town and to shops to indicate our continued support of them. Christmas cards were distributed to the shops that had been visited regularly. 

We supported the activities of churches in central Basingstoke. One ran a lunch service and provided food for those in need and together they organised a Living Nativity presentation where we had the opportunity to talk to passers-by. 

## **Chaplains** 

During the year one Chaplain was trained and started patrolling in the summer and one Chaplain retired. Half the number of Chaplains were available to go out from June, spending around 2 hours at a time. Every weekday morning and one or two afternoons a week were covered. We noticed people we met had high levels of fear for themselves or family members and loneliness and frustration were expressed. In some cases Chaplains were able to indicate places were help could be obtained. People often welcomed prayers, praying with them or the promise to pray for them. Despite the periods of lockdown and workplaces closed to us about 1,600 hours of chaplain time was given during the year (2019: 1,860 hours). 

In response to being unable to go out or to meet we arranged frequent prayer times by Zoom each week on different days to enable more Chaplains to be involved. Informal training and regular discussions took place on different aspects of chaplaincy work. In December, we presented several showings of a guided course on suicide awareness via Zoom to which Street Pastors and members of churches also participated. We plan to continue to make the training opportunities we give to chaplains available to other Christians in the town. 

Basingstoke Town Chaplaincy Trust is a Registered Charity, Number:  1160005, Registered Office:  Suite 1, Paddington House, Festival Place, Basingstoke, RG21 7LJ 



## **Publicity** 

Festival Place displayed an electronic advert of our presence on two sites. We launched a Facebook page during the year and have a website. We have kept in regular contact with individual supporters and churches. Support has been maintained but financial support has changed as some churches are not able to support us financially due to their loss of lettings income during lockdowns. Additional publicity is given by One Church Basingstoke. 

## **Future** 

We have renewed contact with the railway staff and seek to progress the proposal for Platform Pastors. We will collaborate with Street Pastors in this. We are researching how to keep in better contact with people who are open to engagement with the Chaplaincy, especially while there are restrictions on movement and many premises are closed. 

The Trust continues to employ an Administrator part-time.   All Trustees and Chaplains are volunteers. Their dedication and willingness to provide additional services are much appreciated. 

We are grateful to Festival Place management for providing affordable office space, which has been renewed for a further 3 years. 

## **John Hayward** 

## **Chair of Trustees** 

Chair 

Member of the Alliance of Town & City Chaplaincies 

Basingstoke Town Chaplaincy Trust is a Registered Charity, Number:  1160005 Registered Office:  Suite 1, Paddington House, Festival Place, Basingstoke, RG21 7LJ 



Bèsingstoke
Town
ChaplainLy
Suite 1, Paddington House, Festival Pla￿, Basingstoke, RG217LJ
01256 842232
admin@basingstoketownchaplaincy org.uk
www.basingstoketownchaplaincy.org.uk
•ng od[ CO
2020 A¢¢ounts - Notes
(registered charity number 1160005)
1. Compensation of £250 was received from Nat West Bank following the raising of a complaint
via the Financial Ombudsman about the extreme delay and complications in changing
signatories on the account.
2. A new 3 year18ase for our offices came into effect from 26 November 2019 at a rate of £4350 +
VAT per annum. This lease was nol signed off until April 2020 so the payments in 2020
included the rent for the remainder of 2019 as well as for the first quarter of 2021.
3. The Utilities total of £548 includes £278 for Electricity (including charges for August to
December of 2019 but excluding charges for October to December of 2020) and £270 for
Telephone and Broadband. Website charges were not paid until 2021.
4. Other expenditure of £130 was incurred on subscriptions and fees. No payments were made
from the restricted fund for Plafform Pastors as this project is currently on hold.
5. As we do not have a credit or debil card for the charity, ￿rtain items for the Chaplaincy were
purchased by individuals from their own funds and reimbursed accordingly. Overall. the
following expenses were refunded lo the persons below..
J, Hayward {trustee)- £729
E. Ham {administralor) - £541
Total £1270
J E Saunders
Treasurer
5 March 2021
Type to enter text
Basingstoke Town Chaplaincy Trust IS 8 Registered Charity, Number.. 116CWS
Re8lStered Office. Suite l. Paddington House. Festival Plèce. B39in8gtoke, RG217U

CHARITY COMMISSIO
FOR ENGLANO AND WALE
#AblNGSTOKE .1 OVVN '-.H*l!",,
',IwLY TRUJT
1 60005
Receipts and payments accounts
CC16a
For the pgriod
from
Section A Receipts and payments
Unrestricted
Restricted
funds
funds
, to th8 n8ar8st £ I to the n8ar8st £
Endowment
funds
to the nearest £
Totsl funds
Last year
to the nearest £
to the near¢5t £
A1 Recgl ts
Personal donations
Donations from local churches
Sundry donations
Gift Aid reclaim
Other Income (note 11
7,206
2.702
170
1,649
250
7,206
2,702
170
1,649
250
6,531
3,162
620
1,555
250
AR)
11,977
11,977
12,118
sse
an
see table
Inves
men
es,
Sub total
••za
Total receipts
11,977
11,977
12.118
A3Pa
ments
Consurnables and sundry items
MainlenanGe
RÈni for offices
505
236
6,940
605
236
6,940
858
188
3,163
158
4,374
314
908
678
157
Administr81orfs salary
Insuran
Utilities (note 31
EquipmÈnt
Other payments (note 41
4,368
314
548
795
120
4,368
314
548
795
120
Sub total
13.826
10,796
A4 A$set and investment
Sub total
Total payments
Net of receipts/(payments)
A5 Transfers between funds
A6 Cash funds last year end
Cash funds this year end
1,849
1,849
1,322
3,817
1,968
273
4,090
2,768
273
Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period
Unrestri¢ted
Restricted
-JJind8
to fle8￿$t £
Endowment
fundx_---
Categories
-IS
Details
t() nearest £

B1 Cash funds
Gen8ral fund
1,968
273
Total cash funds
1,968
273
layree balanceswith receipts and paymen15
accounii511.
Unrestrictgd
funds
to rwargsl £
Restricted
funds
to n¢ores¢ £
Endowment
funds
Details
to nearest £
82 Other monetary assets
Fund to whlch
asset belon
Curren¢ value
'. Details
Cost loptionall
Fund to whlch
asset belon
Details
Cost loptlonall
Current value
ional
B4 Assets retained for the
.,charity's own use
omput¢rs
General
AV ¢quipmont
General
Office furniture
General
Telephones
General
Unifomi$
General
Fund to which
Amount due
When due
Details
Loase of offices (note 21
BS Liabilities
G8neral
Èlectrfcity chary8s Inote 21
G8noral
TelephoTr8 and broadband contract
General
Website contract
G8n8ral
.Signed by one or two trustees on
eh?If of all Ihe trustees
aleo
ignalure
Print Name
J HAYWARD
80/03121
30/03121
J E SAUNDERS
CCXX R2 awounts ISSI
0910212021