## **Discover DeCrypt, Gloucester Annual Report for 2022** Discover DeCrypt is a charity based in the Church of St Mary de Crypt and the adjacent old schoolroom in Southgate Street in the centre of Gloucester. Our £2.1 million restoration project, completed in 2019, was made possible through a grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and donations from other trusts, organisations and individuals. We aim to share our faith in Jesus Christ, to promote the story of our history and heritage and to enhance the life of our city. Inspired by the vision of sharing our ‘Faith’, our ‘Story’ and our ‘Life’, Discover DeCrypt has continued throughout 2022 to maintain our mission to welcome people in the spirit of Christian hospitality. In addition to groups which use our buildings on a regular basis, we have welcomed 22,000 visitors over the course of the year. Visitors are greeted by our team of well-briefed volunteers, who are always keen to share their passion for our heritage and their interest in the story of the city of Gloucester. **----- Start of picture text -----**
Platinum Jubilee Concert
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This report highlights some of the major events we have held in 2022 and the groups we have supported in order to fulfil the three-fold objectives at the heart of Discover DeCrypt’s vision. ## **Objective 1 – FAITH:** ## **To share an inclusive sacred space** - As a consecrated Christian church, we continue to offer space within our busy city for people to pray, reflect or simply take in the tranquillity of our building. - We hold a weekly service of ‘Prayers for the City’ each Friday lunchtime; a particular focus this year has been to pray for the people of Ukraine. DISCOVER DECRYPT ANNUAL REPORT 2022 - Special Eucharist services have taken place on Ash Wednesday, Maundy Thursday, Ascension Day and Pentecost; the year ended with a service of carols and Christmas readings. On Good Friday we had a prayer board outside the church where people could stop and write their prayers and concerns for Ukraine. This was extremely well received. - In June we contributed to the Churches Count on Nature, recording the diversity of life in the churchyard and giving thanks for the glory of God’s creation. We are working towards the national Gold Eco Church Award. - The annual Gloucester Day service, which takes place in September, is held in the church followed by a parade through the four main gated streets led by the Town Crier. **----- Start of picture text -----**
Hardwicke Art Club Exhibition
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Primary Schools’ Art Exhibition
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## **Objective 2 – STORY:** ## **To preserve and enhance our heritage, making heritage and history accessible** - Our team of volunteer guides has been on hand throughout the year to escort visitors around all areas of the church and schoolroom, focusing on the architecture and historical characters who have given interest to this place. Specialist tower tours have also been provided. - Planning has continued for a major conservation project of the unusual medieval wall painting of the Adoration of the Magi in our chancel. Condition reports on the painting, stonework and stained glass in this area have been undertaken. - Significance reports have also been commissioned on the wall monuments in St Katherine’s Chapel in order to begin to understand their conservation needs. Developing access to this area forms the basis of the faculty application made for the removal of the Victorian organ. **----- Start of picture text -----**
Small Ships
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- The exhibition created by students from the University of Gloucestershire has remained in a prominent location to explain George Whitefield’s links with slavery and to set his career in the context of his time. It featured on a BBC Points West report in February. - We played a full part in the city’s Tall Ships Festival in June and ran a competition in which participants designed, built and raced their own ‘small ships’; we also hosted a fascinating Siege of Gloucester tabletop re-enactment. DISCOVER DECRYPT ANNUAL REPORT 2022 - Throughout the year we have had the pleasure of hosting a series of art exhibitions. These have included: an ‘Inside Out’ exhibition by art therapist trainees; an exhibition by members of Hardwicke Art Club; an exhibition of artwork by primary school children; a display of fine art, sculpture, carving and ceramics by the Gloucestershire Society of Artists; and an exhibition on the Cotswolds by local artist Joanna Howe. ## **Objective 3 – LIFE:** ## **To provide an inspiring community space that is affordable, accessible and welcoming** - The café in the schoolroom has been enhanced with additional seating and a wider range of refreshments. It supports our weekly Coffee, Cake and Conversation mornings, and hosts events such as the ‘Rainbow Cuppa’ attended by members of the LGBTQI+ community. The café is popular with its own customers and groups which hold meetings at Discover DeCrypt. - The groups which lease our premises on a regular basis reflect a diverse range of different interests. Among those included are the Heart of Gloucester community choir, a tai chi group, an Inclusion Gloucestershire drama group, AA meetings and the Cuddesdon, Gloucester and Hereford training course for ordinands. **----- Start of picture text -----**
Stay and Play
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- We hold a weekly ‘Stay and Play’ drop-in session for parents, carers and under-5s, which has gone from strength to strength with an increasing number of participants supported by their own WhatsApp group. - Community events to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee of her late Majesty were a real highlight of 2022. We hosted a Jubilee concert and a vintage tea dance, both of which were greatly enjoyed and supported by community workshops in flower arranging, bunting-making and frocks and frills up-cycling. - The year ended with a Christmas Tree Festival, which saw a variety of organisations from across the city put up trees around the church as well as a popular wreath-making workshop. DISCOVER DECRYPT ANNUAL REPORT 2022 ## **Thank You** We are grateful to have received continued funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund to support professional consultancy advice into Discover DeCrypt’s organisational resilience. A range of meetings has been held with many individuals and groups with an interest in our work. The result should be lots of fresh initiatives to implement in 2023 and beyond! We would like to thank all those who have enabled Discover DeCrypt to flourish and move forward this year. A particular debt of thanks is due to Jess Gordon, who has contributed so much to Discover DeCrypt over many years and sadly relinquished the role of Community Manager this summer. We are also grateful to: our devoted volunteers, who welcome visitors week after week; our faith community, on whose continued prayer we rely; our regular hirers, who are always so appreciative of our facilities; and all our visitors and supporters, whose continued engagement and interest has made all we seek to do worthwhile. One visitor comment which seems to sum up the year was: “Very welcoming and well-organised; we loved the tea dance on Jubilee Sunday!” **----- Start of picture text -----**
Jubilee Tea Dance
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## **Charity Details** Registered Charity Number: 1167097 Address: St Mary de Crypt Church and School, Southgate Street, Gloucester, GL1 1TP The following have continued to be trustees throughout 2022: Rev Canon Nicola Arthy (Ex-Officio Chair); Mr Peter Gould (Treasurer & Vice-Chair); Mr David Evans (Secretary); Rev Dr Sandra Millar, Ms Ursula Corcoran, Rev Guy Treweek and Mr Richard Ryan. Trustees are either nominated by the PCC or appointed by the Chair following consultation with existing trustees. The full Board of Trustees has at least four meetings a year, whilst a smaller group referred to as the Operations Board meets more frequently. The charity employs an Operations Manager and a Community Manager and others in duty manager, café manager and cleaning roles. We also rely extensively on our volunteers, all of whom work hard to help make Discover Decrypt the lively and vibrant community it is. _David Evans on behalf of Discover DeCrypt_ DISCOVER DECRYPT ANNUAL REPORT 2022 SECTION A Receipts and payments Unrestrirted Restricted Endowment Total funds Al Receipts NHLF Delivery grants DCMS LPOW VAT Delivery NHLF Operations grants NHLF Resilience grant Kick Start Covid recovery Other donations /grants/GA Insurance claim pcc School account Trading or 527 1520 25539 31400 1115 1700 9577 527 1520 25539 31400 1115 1700 9577 6200 897 39212 117686 6200 897 39212 117686 tota ross Income A2 Investment sales Sub total Total Receipts 117686 117686 A3 Payments Glos DBF Loan repayment Fabric maintenance Window repair (Insurance) Energy/lnsurance/Water Websitenelecomms Legal/Accounting/Marketing Payroll/ Payroll admin Resilience School account Other Sub total A4 Asset & Investment purchases 7537 3995 16336 4296 1048 52878 19502 1297 17482 124370 7537 3995 16336 4296 1048 52878 19502 1297 17482 124370 Sub total Total payments 124370 124370 Net of receipts/(payments) A5 Transfer between funds A6 Cash funds last year end Cashfunds this year end -6684 -6684 38342 38342 31659 31659 Bank accounts Y/C balances: Cooperative Natwest Lloyds Total 3595 33835 912 38342 3595 33835 912 38342 Bank accounts Y/E balances: Cooperative Natwest Lloyds Total 5180 25967 512 31659 5180 25967 512 31659 SECTION B Statement of assets and liabilities at Y/E Details Unrestricted Restricted Endowment Bl Cash funds 31659 B2 Other monetary assets B3 Investment assets Assets retained for the charity's own use Liabilities Diocesan Loan NHLF Resilience; balance of first drawdown 30000 11898 CHARI￿ COMMISSION FOR ENGIANO AND WALES Independent examiner's report on the accounts Section A Independent Examine: Report Report to the trustees Discover Decrypt On accounts for the year ended 31 December 2022 Charity no (if any) 1167097 Set out on pages I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity ("the Trust") for the year ended Responsibilities and basis of 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 re.spect 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: 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 fonm 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. Signed: (149 - Date: 10 July 2023 Name: Pauline Buckley Bolton Relevant professional qualification(s) or body (if any): B.Sc(Hons) Address: 70 Amberley Way Wickwar, Wotton Under Edge IER Oct 2018 Gloucestershire GL12 8LP Section B Disclosure Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight material matters of con￿rn (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. IER Oct 2018