2021-12-31-accounts - The Parochial Church Council Of The Ecclesiastical Parish Of Holy Trinity With All Saints, South Kensington

This text was generated using OCR and may contain errors. Check the original PDF to see the document submitted to the regulator.

Annual Report and Accounts for the Parochial Church Council of Holy Trinity

with All Saints, South Kensington for the year ended 31 December 2021

Aim and purposes

The Parochial Church Council (PCC) of Holy Trinity with All Saints, South Kensington, has the responsibility of co-operating with the Archdeacon of Charing Cross, the Reverend Adam Atkinson (in the absence of a Priest in charge) in promoting in the ecclesiastical parish, the whole mission of the Church, pastoral, evangelistic, social and ecumenical. The PCC is also specifically responsible for the maintenance of the buildings and fabric of Holy Trinity Church.

Objectives and activities

The PCC is committed to enabling as many people as possible to worship at our church and to become part of our parish community at Holy Trinity. The PCC maintains an overview of worship throughout the parish and makes suggestions as to how our services can involve the population that lives within our parish as well as the numerous visitors from outside it. Our services and worship put faith into practice through prayer and scripture, music and sacrament.

When planning our activities for the year we have considered the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit and specifically the supplementary guidance on charities for the advancement of religion. In particular, we try to enable people to live out their faith as part of our parish community through:

• Worship and prayer; learning about the gospel and developing their knowledge and trust in Jesus.

• Provision of pastoral care for people living in the parish.

• Music, which plays a very significant part in the worship in Holy Trinity and is what draws many people to the services here. Tim Roe maintains a very high standard of choral singing.

• Our grade 1 listed building that combines great beauty with an atmosphere of prayer and stillness. Its upkeep is a priority to the PCC and the subject of much labour and expenditure.

Achievements and performance

Worship and prayer

The PCC is keen to offer services on Sundays and during the week that our community finds beneficial and spiritually fulfilling. Prior to the Lockdown restrictions that took effect in March 2020 the Sunday morning service and all festivals were directed primarily to those who particularly appreciated the

language and theology enshrined in the 1662 Book of Common Prayer (BCP). As well as choral Matins on the second and fourth Sundays, and choral Eucharist on the first and third (and fifth) Sundays, there was a midweek lunchtime Eucharist every week (Common Worship), and choral Evensong was sung by the Chamber Choir of Imperial College during term time fortnightly on Wednesdays. The Wednesday lunchtime service provided a time for reflection for those studying and working in the vicinity.

These services were suspended during the various lockdowns in 2020 and 2021. During these lockdowns our Sunday morning BCP services went online, continuing the pattern of normal worship. We introduced an online service of Evensong at 6 p.m. on Sunday evenings, enabling us to reach a wider audience, including some who worshipped at Holy Trinity in the past and now live overseas. We are grateful to the Reverend Trevor Jordan for taking these services. The online Evensongs have continued after the church reopened for Sunday morning services.

The Interregnum that commenced on 28 February 2020 continues and at the time of writing we do not know when a new appointment will be made. We are grateful to a ‘rota’ of clergy, some retired, who have taken our Sunday morning services (both in church and online) since then. The Church Wardens continue to be actively involved in a dialogue with the Archdeacon of Charing Cross, the Reverend Adam Atkinson, concerning the steps required to bring the interregnum to an end.

We continue to maintain our strong links with the Chaplaincy and music department and administration of Imperial College. We also have fruitful relations with a local non-church school which holds important acts of worship in the church. The Priest in Charge holds services in the school four times a term.

We use printed Order of Service booklets containing those parts of the Book of Common Prayer that we use for Matins and Eucharist. These are designed to make it easier for those not familiar with the BCP to follow. We are an ‘Inclusive Church and all are welcome to attend our services. At present there are 44 parishioners on the Church Electoral Roll.

As well as our regular services, we enable our community to celebrate and thank God at the milestones of the journey through life. Through baptism we thank God for the gift of life, in marriage public vows are exchanged with God’s blessing and through funeral services friends and family express their grief and give thanks for the life which is now complete in this world, and to commend the person into God’s keeping.

Prior to Lockdown on the second Sunday of the month, six times a year, the Parish organised a lunch in the Church Hall, immediately following the morning service, that was usually attended by between 20 and 30 people, including members of the choir and visitors to the area. This lunch was and will continue to be an important part of our parish life and adds a social dimension to the spiritual and theological ones.

The church is a member of Churches Together in Westminster.

Deanery Synod

One member of the PCC sits on the deanery synod. This provides the PCC with an important link between the parish and the wider structures of the church.

Use of the Church and Hall

We want our church to be open to our local community for uses other than worship, where these uses are compatible with the objects of the church. Accordingly, outside Lockdown, the church is used by a variety of musical, educational and artistic organisations based in and around South Kensington. We are particularly proud of our connections with Imperial College, the Royal College of Music, the Royal Albert Hall and the Royal College of Art, all of which make up the educational and arts environment in South Kensington referred to as ‘Albertopolis’. We host the annual Proms service. During the week the hall is used by a nursery school that pays a commercial rent to use the hall four days a week. There is also a Saturday children’s school that rents the hall. We are a member of the South Kensington Business Resilience Forum.

A summary of forthcoming events is set out in our Bulletin that is handed out to those attending our services and is available to visitors to the church.

Financial review for the year ended 31 December 2021

Total receipts into unrestricted funds for the year were £136,036, of which £60,836 comprised incoming resources from donors and a further £19,514 was represented by other voluntary income. Restricted grants of £12,891 were also received, which funded the building insurance premium and included a refund of VAT of £1,972 on building works completed. Income from investments was £4,207, rent from the Nursery school and Vestry flat came to £38,590. Total receipts fell by £24,505 (15%) compared with 2020, mainly as a reduction of £37,911 in the one-off grant from the Holy Trinity Church House Trust, which was partially offset by Bequests of £13,000.

£123,577 was spent from unrestricted funds to provide Christian ministry. This represented a decrease of £53,775 on the previous year and was mainly the result of a reduction of £62,830 in building repairs. Total spending for the year included the contribution to the diocesan parish share which remained unchanged at £55,000, helping to provide stipends, pensions and housing for the clergy.

Unrestricted funds increased by £22,893 after taking account of a gain of £10,434 in the value of investments. During the year, the total fund balances increased from £109,818 to £132,711, of which £131,099 was unrestricted and £1,612 restricted.

In contrast to 2020 only £13,873 was spent on repairs to the building.

Reserves policy

It is PCC policy to try to maintain a balance on free reserves (net current assets) which equates to at least twelve months' unrestricted expenditure. This was equivalent to £123,577 in 2021 and is to cover unforeseen events, such as short-term fluctuations in cash flow and to meet emergencies, such as urgent repairs to the building and fabric of the church, which are to be expected when dealing with the obligation to maintain a listed historic building. The balance of free reserves at 31 December 2021 was £131,099, which represents approximately 12.5 months’ unrestricted payments (2020: 7 months).

The balance of £1,612 in the restricted fund represents funds set aside to maintain and repair the organ. It is intended that this balance will be spent at some point in the next two years.

It is our policy to hold most of our cash at bank in a Nat West current account, with the remainder held on a deposit account to meet short and medium-term requirements. The rest of our capital is invested in the M&G Charifund account, which provides opportunities for capital growth as well as a modest but regular income.

Fabric Report

Under Section 50 of The Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction and Care of Churches Measure 2018

Expenditure in 2021:	£
Lavatory block	7998
Downpipe damage	1994
Architect	1840
Hand-rail to steps	1073
Surveyor	600
Supplementary heaters	298
Lightening Conductor	70
Total:	£13,873

Total expenditure in 2021 was £13,873, a substantial reduction on the 2020 figure of £69,736, which included expenditure of £52,250 on the lavatory block and £9,857 on architects’ fees. The largest items in 2021 were the payments of £7,998 and £1,994 to Universal Stone relating to the completion of works on the lavatory block, which were only invoiced at the beginning of the year, and to repair of a stormdamaged downpipe.

The coming year (2022) is likely to include further expenditure on the alley wall and replacing the plaster on the geographical east wall, which has been damaged by damp emanating from the steam pipes. As reported last year, the alley wall will require partial reconstruction (the extent revealed upon inspection of the mortar), possibly including a complete rebuild of the gate pier and presumably replacement of the rotten oak gate. Some of the wall damage was attributed to vegetation growing against it on the Bulgarian side. The embassy has been asked to remove this.

Volunteers

We should like to thank all the volunteers who work so hard to make our church the lively and vibrant community it is. In particular, we want to mention our churchwardens, Chris Cann and Paul Meitner (who also serves as Treasurer), PCC Secretary Catriona Howatson, as well as the rest of our PCC.

Structure, governance and management

The Parochial Church Council is a corporate body established by the Church of England. The PCC operates under the Parochial Church Council Powers Measure and is a Registered Charity.

The method of appointment of PCC members is set out in the Church Representation Rules. At Holy Trinity the membership of the PCC consists of the Priest in Charge, two churchwardens and ordinary members elected by those on the electoral roll of the church. All members of the congregation are encouraged to register on the Electoral Roll and stand for election to the PCC.

The PCC is responsible for making decisions on all matters of general concern and importance to the parish including deciding on how the funds of the PCC are to be spent. New members receive initial training into the workings of the PCC.

The PCC has 6 members elected annually. It has met 6 times since the last APCM. The PCC members are Trustees of the church and as such have great responsibility to examine the finances and expenditure of the church, the appropriate uses and maintenance of its Grade 1-listed building and how we engage with the outside world.

The PCC considers and approves matters relating to Health & Safety legislation. It has adopted the Diocesan Safeguarding Policy. It voted to increase the annual Common Fund contribution to £56,000. It considered when to hold a Gift Day and how to apportion the giving.

The PCC continues to support Inclusive Church and supports its statement of belief: ‘Inclusive Church exists to support and challenge the church to be open and inclusive to all people.’

Administrative information

Holy Trinity Church is situated in Prince Consort Road, South Kensington. It is part of the Diocese of London within the Church of England. The correspondence address is Holy Trinity Church, Prince Consort Road, London SW7 2BA. It is a registered charity, number 1162519.

PCC members who have served at any time from 1 January 2021 until the date this report was approved are:

Ex Officio members:

Priest in Charge: Vacant Assistant Priest: Vacant Churchwardens: Mr Chris Cann and Mr Paul Meitner Secretary and Deanery Synod Representative: Miss Catriona Howatson

Elected members:

Mr Richard Buckingham Mrs Caroline Burke Ms Tara Dudley Smith Mr Alan Pardoe Mrs Carol Seymour-Newton Mr Chris Williams

Approved by the APCM on 1 May 2022 and signed on its behalf by Paul Meitner as PCC Chair

Paul Meitner

HOLYTRINITY WITH ALLSAiffjiS CHURCH STATENfiENT OF ASSEfs AND LIABILITIES S AT31st DECEMBER 2021 mONARy ASSETS Notes 2021 2020 General Fynd= B account Current Club/Societie5 Reserve M&G Charifund 579 35.695 88,422 726 32,707 77.988 124.696 111.421 Debtors= Bequest HMRC.. Gift Aid tax rebate DCMS Grant Scheme Church hirers Diocese of London Facilities Manager expenses io,ocx) 6,767 332 2,502 1,195 5,874 2,447 495 20.796 8,856 145.492 120,277 Facilities Manager Church House Trust Priests in Interregnum Independent Examiner Diocese of London= funeral fee 12.473 80 9,724 495 200 160 12.781 10,459 132.711 109.818 ACCUMULATED FUNDS General Fund Organ Fund 131.099 1.612 108,206 1.612 132,711 109,818 Notes to the accounts are on page4 Paul Meitner Treasurer Date: )ol> page I

HOLY TRINITY WITH ALL SAINTS CHURCH General Fund Receipts & Payments Account 2021 2020 RECEIPTS Notes Incoming resources from donors Collections- General Fund Collections= Gift Day Gift Aid Tax rebate lestimatedl Donations Bequests Donation for specific objects 13.785 24.904 6.767 2.320 13.IXK) 60 12.458 27.875 5,874 2.074 60 60.836 48,340 Other voluntary incoming resources Use of Church Baptlsm, Wedding, Memorial fees Guide. Newsletter {netl. other sales 19.115 228 7.804 1,121 217 171 19.514 9.142 Grants from Church House Fund Trust DCMS Grant Scheme Diocese of London: clergy fees 9.724 1.972 1.195 47,635 13.550 12.891 61,185 Income from investments M&G Charifund Deposlt interest Iclubs/Socs. Reserve} 4.205 3,807 26 4.207 3,833 Income from charÈtable and ancillary trading Rent from Nursery School Rent from Vestry flat 35.550 35,000 3.040 38,590 38,040 Total Receipts 136.036 60,541 Notes to the accounts are on p. 4 page 2

HOLYTRINttYWlTFI ALLSAINTS CHURCH General Fund Receipts & Payments Account 2021 2020 Notes Brought forward from p. 2 136.036 160,541 PAYMENTS Ae(ivtties directly relating to the work of the Church Repair5 to Building5 Diocesan Quota Organists & Facilities Manager Insurance Repairs to Equipment Church staff emoluments Choir Sundry Clergy expenses, past estimate adjusted Heat. light, power Westminster Deanerysynod Telephone & Broadband Diocese of London.. fees Disbursements to Chartties Sanrtuary expenses Bank charges Repair5 to Organ Printing, postage, stationery Water rate5 Flat & Vestry repairs 13.873 55.000 26,693 9.724 301 5,774 5.830 976 1.195 1.994 426 76.703 55,tK)O 11,530 10.236 6.359 5.774 3,535 1.581 1.370 1.069 925 921 633 495 434 557 108 298 200 212 193 246 200 159 143 39 130 Total payments 123,577 177.352 Excess of Receipts over Payments 12,459 116,812} Balances at 1st January 108.206 141,388 Gain / (Lossl in value of M&G Charifund 10.434 t16,3711 Balances at 31st December 131.099 108,206 page 3

HOLY TRINITY IvrTh ALL SAINTS CHURCH 2021 2020 Notes i) Organ Fund Balance at 1st January Transfer from General Fund 1,612 1,612 Balance at 31st December 1,612 Organist/Facilities Manager Deputy organists 26.693 14,425 130 26,693 14,555 2021 figure includes the settlement of arrears of pay from earlier periods page 4

HOLYTRINITY IVI I H ALLSAINTS CHURCH Independent examinerfs reporttothe Pccof HolyTrinity withAII Saints Church This report on the financial statements of the PCC for the year ended 31 December 2021 which are set out on pages I to 4, is in respect of an examination carried out in accordance with the Church Accounting Regulations 1.the Regulations") and section 145 of the Charsties Act 20111~the 2011 Act"}. Respective responsibiltties of the PCC and the examiner As members of the PCC you are responsible for the preparation of the financial st-tements. You consider that the audit requirement of the Regulations and section 144 of the 2011 Act do not apply. It is my responsibility to Issue this report on those financial statements in accordan with the terms of the Regulations. Basis of this report My examination was carried out in accordance with the General Directions given by the Chartty Commission under section 14515llbl of the 2011 Act and to be found in the Church Guidance, issued by the Finance Division of the Archbishops, Council. That examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the PCC nd a comparison of the accounts with those records. It also includes considering any unusual items or disclosures in the financial statements and seeking explanations from you as trustees concerning any such mètters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently I do not express an audit opinion on the view given by the accounts. Independent examinerfs ststement In connection with my examination. no matter has come to my attention= 111 which gives me reasoaable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the 2011 Act- and to prepare financial stateiments, which accord with the accounting iecords and comply with the requirements of the 2011 Act and the Regulations have not been met- or 121 to which, in my opinion. attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Signature Date: 30th April 2022 Julia Palmer 7 Ernest Court 122 Bowen Drive London SE218PL page 5