FRIENDS OF ST MARY’S
Chairman’s Report July 2023
Thank you all for your attendance and your support through another year.
Firstly, and sadly, we must record the loss of several staunch members since we last met: Jim Myers, committee member, Sheila Lee, wife of Tom, our ex. Treasurer, and John and Carol Philpott, all of whom were great supporters of our cause.
We have held two major events in the past year; the 10[th] Annual Village Barn Dance last September, and Jazz at the Tithe Barn, a new venture in June. They were both sell-out events, receiving good reviews , and contributing nearly £5,000.00 to our funds. Events also advertise our cause and bring in new members. I thank Jan Enever especially, for her hard work in organizing the Jazz Event.
We have produced a 2[nd] edition of our great book, ‘A History of St. Mary’s, Lenham’. Thank you to Annette Tomarken, Amy Myers and Danny Coorsh for organising that, and Christian Merry for his new design. It is now on offer at £10.00 as the first edition has sold out.
Our membership has slightly increased to just over 140, and this includes some of the Attwood family from the U.S.A whose ancestors lived at Royton Manor and were related to the Honywoods. So we now have truly global membership.
Our next projects to improve St. Mary’s are:
Firstly, the repairs to the West Door stone moulding which we have finally got permission to do.
Secondly, the parquet flooring at the front of the pews, where our application is with the DAC and imminent.
Thirdly we have lately given a down payment to the Community Hub Project to go toward the renovation of this floor here in the back of the church.
I am afraid that Planning Permission and permission from the DAC on all these projects does take a long time, but we do get
there in the end, as we have done so many times in the past 11 years of our existence.
We have made a notable difference in this time and I am sure we will continue to do so with our members support. I thank all of our Management Committee for all their hard work, but I must especially mention Danny Coorsh for her excellent reports in Focus and all the advertisement she gives us on Facebook and in messages to all our members. Also our Treasurer, Jan Enever, who is so efficient and helps keep us all on the straight and narrow.
I am afraid I end this report with some sad news which is that Lyn Fuller is standing down after over 10 years of great service as Secretary to the Friends. I will miss her invaluable help she has given me over all this time, during which we have gone from no members to over 140 and have spent nearly £100,000.00 on repairs and improvements to this amazing church which were very necessary, and have helped to keep it standing for the future use of our lovely village. Thank you Lyn, and good luck in all your future projects.
Andrew Barr Chairman
BALANCE SHEET FOR YEAR ENDING 31 MAY 2
EXPENDITURE
| EXPENDITURE | ||
|---|---|---|
| BALANCE C/FWD | £62,213.99 | |
| SUBCRIPTIONS | ||
| DONATIONS | £600.00 | |
| LEGACY | ||
| PROJECTS | £16,169.69 | |
| FUND RAISING | £1,643.55 | |
| STATIONERY | £249.38 | |
| STATIONERY for SALE | £822.40 | |
| WEB SITE | £55.95 | |
| INSURANCE | £133.19 | |
| MISCELLANY | £43.12 | |
| SUM UP FEES | £15.67 | |
| GIFT AID 22/23 | ||
| Gift Aid Interest 2021/22 | ||
| BALANCE B/FWD | ||
| £81,946.94 | ||
| Prepared by: Jan Enever | Treasurer | |
| Checked by: Andrew Barr | Chairman | |
| Independently checked by: L Wiggins of Wiggins &Co. |
( See attached report) |
023
INCOME
£1,625.00 £2,142.95 £35,532.87 £6,003.22 £465.00
£481.75 £1.08 £35,695.07 £81,946.94
Independent examiner's report on the accounts
Section A Independent Examiner’s Report
Report to the trustees/ members of
Charity Name
On accounts for the year Charity no ended (if any)
Set out on pages
(remember to include the page numbers of additional sheets)
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended DD / MM / YYYY .
Responsibilities and As the charity's trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the basis of report 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 [The charity’s gross income exceeded £250,000 and I am qualified to examiner's statement undertake the examination by being a qualified member of [insert name of applicable listed body]]. Delete [ ] if not applicable.
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination (other than that disclosed below *) which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:
-
the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act; or
-
the accounts did not accord with the accounting records; or
-
the accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a ‘true and fair’ view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination.
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.
- Please delete the words in the brackets if they do not apply.
Signed:
Date:
Name:
Relevant professional qualification(s) or body
Oct 2018
1
IER
(if any):
Address:
Section B Disclosure
Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight material matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners).
Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose .
Oct 2018
2
IER