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← Parochial Church Council Of Winscombe And Sandford

2023-12-31-accounts

PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF WINSCOMBE AND SANDFORD

Church of England

Benefice of Winscombe and Sandford

St James the Great,Winscombe

21[st] APRIL 2024

Annual Parochial Church Meeting 2024 Agenda, Minutes of 2023APCM & Reports for St James the Great and All Saints for the year ended 31st December 2023

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The Church of England Benefice of Winscombe and Sandford

Annual Parishioners Meeting 2024

Election of Churchwardens

To be held at the Church Centre, Winscombe, BS25 1BA on

Sunday 21[st] April at 11.30am

AGENDA

  1. Welcome and Opening Prayer (Revd Andrew Hiscox)

  2. Apologies for Absence

  3. Minutes of 2023 Annual Parishioners Meeting

  4. Matters arising from the 2023 Annual Parishioners Meeting

  5. Election of the Churchwardens to serve at St James’s

  6. Election of the Churchwardens to serve at All Saints

  7. Close of Meeting

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Benefice of Winscombe and Sandford Annual Parishioners’ Meeting Sunday 30[th] April 2023 at 15.00 hrs The Church Centre, Winscombe

Minutes

Item Action
1. Welcome and
Opening Prayer
by the Chairman		 The Revd. Andrew Hiscox welcomed everyone to the
meeting with a prayer
**Attended by: ** 23 members attended the meeting
2. Apologies for
Absence		 The following had given their apologies before the
meeting: Alison Butcher, Diana Williams, John Jenkins,
Sue Reed, Steve Reed, Hilary Hagen, Martin Hagen,
DorothyBaldwin,Jan Welling.
3. Minutes of the
previous Annual
Parishioners
Meeting held on
15th May 2022		 The approval of the minutes was :
Proposed by: Hugh Gunn
Seconded by: Ian Hine
and this was endorsed by all those present. Accordingly,
the Chairman signed the minutes.
4. Matters Arising There were no matters arising.
5. Election of
Churchwardens		 Nomination for St James’s
1. Ian Hine
Proposed by: Bill Wallace
Seconded by: John Hayter
Nomination for All Saints
1. Diana Williams
Proposed by: Tony Callow
Seconded by: Jan Welling
2. Douglas Ogram
Proposed by: Jan Welling
Seconded by: Tony Callow
The meeting endorsed these nominations unanimously.
The Chairman expressed his sincere thanks to Derrick
Claridge, Ian Hine, Diana Williams and Douglas Ogram
who had carried out their duties so well over the past
year.
As Derrick Claridge was retiring as Churchwarden for St
James the Chairman expressed his thanks to Derrick for
all his hard work and presented him with a gift from the
church community.		 Results
of
Election
Form to
be
displayed
(WDC)
Closing remarks
The Meetingclosed at 15.15 hrs

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The Church of England Benefice of Winscombe and Sandford

Annual Parochial Church Meeting 2024

To be held at The Church Centre, Winscombe, BS25 1BA

on Sunday 21[st] April at 11.30am

AGENDA

1. Welcome (Andrew Hiscox)

2. Apologies for Absence

3. Minutes of the APCM 2023 (with respect to 2022)

4. Matters Arising from the 2023 Minutes not covered by the Agenda

5. Reports

6. Electoral Roll - Changes

7. Elections and Appointments

8. Vicar’s Address

9. Closing Remarks and Prayers

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Benefice of Winscombe and Sandford Annual Parochial Church Meeting (APCM) Monday 30[th] April 2023 at 3.00 pm The Church Centre, Winscombe

Minutes

Minutes
Item
1. Welcome The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting and opened
with aprayer.
Attended by : 23 members attended the meeting
2. Apologies for
Absence		 The following had given their apologies before the
meeting: Alison Butcher, Diana Williams, John Jenkins,
Sue Reed, Steve Reed, Hilary Hagen, Martin Hagen,
Dorothy Baldwin, Jan Welling.
3. Minutes of the
APCM held on
15th May 2022		 The approval of the minutes of the 2022 APCM was
Proposed by: Beth Cutmore
Seconded by: Sarah Gunn
and this was endorsed unanimously. Accordingly, the
Chair signed the minutes.
4. Matters
Arising from
the Minutes
and not
covered
elsewhere on
the Agenda		 No Matters were raised
5. Annual
Reports		 5.1. Fabric
The Chair, Andrew Hiscox, reported that the Fabric
reports for both churches had both been circulated
before the meeting and were also available in hard copy
at the meeting to give everyone the opportunity to study
them. There were no questions on these reports.
Andrew Hiscox thanked all the Wardens for their constant
endeavours over the past year.
5.2. Finance
Hugh Gunn presented the reports noting that:
St James’s
The surplus for the year of £13K had been corrected by
the Examiner to £15K. The surplus was due to a number
of factors, tight cost control , the income held up and
includes a legacy of nearly £8K.
The Parish Share paid was £54K, slightly less than the
amount due. However for 2023 the full amount of the
Parish Share will be paid which is just under £60K.

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All Saints

There was a deficit of £14K in the year primarily due to £22K being paid for planned repairs. The Parish Share of £6K was paid in full.

The Chairman expressed his thanks to Hugh and Sarah Gunn for all their work in looking after the Churches’ finances.

5.3. Deanery Synod

A report was not available this year but full details of the meetings of the Deanery Synod were available for inspection if required.

The Chairman thanked Dorothy Baldwin and Angela Morris for their excellent work in representing the Benefice on the Deanery Synod.

5.4. Safeguarding Report

The Chairman praised the Safeguarding Team for their clear and effective work in this most important area and in particular thanked Jo Claridge for her excellent work as our Safeguarding Officer. It was noted that there had been no serious incidents that required a report to the Charity Commission in 2022.

The Chairman highlighted the other items covered in the Report that recorded the wonderful work done by many volunteers including:

He wanted to thank all those who contribute so much to the life of the Church, and the Secretary was also thanked for his contribution.

After this discussion, the Chairman asked the meeting to approve the Report and this was agreed unanimously. 5.5 Church Centre Development

A presentation was made by Derrick Claridge and Alison Haynes, members of the Development Group, who provided more details of this project. The Church Centre was showing signs of age with a roof that needed

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replacing and foundations which had been damaged by a
neighbouring hedge. The existing Centre is not suited to
the Vision for the Church in the Parish to be at the heart
of the Community. Alison reported that the Urban Design
Group had been contracted to apply for Outline Planning
Permission for the proposed development. The
Development Group was now looking at different sources
of funding while there was also the possibility of having to
sell part of the land at the rear of the site to part fund the
project.
Once Outline Planning is received then the project would
be brought back to the PCC for approval of the next stage
of the development.
Apublic meetingisplanned for 11thJune.
6. Electoral Roll Sarah Gunn reported that there were now 125 people on
the Electoral Roll - 92 at St James’s and 33 at All Saints.
7. Elections and
Appointments		 7.1. Elections for the PCC
All Saints
It is hoped that a regular worshipper at All Saints, Simon
Crew, would be co-opted to the PCC at the next meeting
in addition to Jan Welling.
St James’s
There were two nominations for re-election to the PCC:
Derrick Claridge
Proposed by: Beth Cutmore
Seconded by: Jo Claridge
Sarah Gunn
Proposed by: Bill Wallace
Seconded by: John Hayter
These nominations were passed by the meeting.
7.2. Appointment of Stewards
The meeting agreed unanimously the appointment of the
Stewards as listed on page 19 of the Annual Report.
7.3. Appointment of Independent Examiner to the PCC
The appointment of Dick Beath as the Independent
Examiner was endorsed, and Hugh Gunn will seek
confirmation of this.
8. Address by
the Vicar		 The Vicar gave an address drawing on his Annual Report
focusing on the shared vision for the Parish of putting the
love of Christ at the heart of the Community. He
highlighted the presence of 5 schools in the Benefice with
Churchill where the schools team were able to bring the
bible stories to students who often had little or no
knowledge of the Christian bible.
He also highlighted the presence of 5 care homes in the
Benefice with Churchill visited by the team on a regular
basis and thepresence of 5 Home Groups.

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Finally the Vicar emphasised that the way forward was to take the church to the people which would be assisted greatly by an improved Church Centre in the village. 9. Closing Prayer The meeting closed with a prayer at 4.30 pm.

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ANNUAL PAROCHIAL CHURCH MEETING REPORTS FOR ST JAMES THE GREAT, WINSCOMBE AND

ALL SAINTS, SANDFORD FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31[ST] DECEMBER 2023

1. OUR SHARED VISION

Quite simply, we want to put the love of Christ in the heart of the Community. That is what we believe the Lord is saying to us at this time, as three churches that have the potential to become one community of faith, three buildings, one church centre, one body of Christ. It is a time for us to begin reaching out more to our community to understand and engage them, and to be bold and courageous as we do so. We have two major new housing estates that we’d like to reach out to and give them a warm welcome to our church community and our wider community. We have strong ecumenical links, working with the Quakers, the Lynch Chapel, the Catholics and most recently the Methodists in Churchill. There are opportunities to benefit from the gifts God has given our brothers and sisters in these denominations to work together for the glory of God. We want to take welcoming further, recognising that we have 5 schools in our benefice and to that end we want to make sure our buildings look inviting to young families and we also want to have people who are willing to help minister in our schools, helping the young hear about the good news of Jesus.

We want to be caring , thinking especially of our 5 care homes, with whom we share Communion in the Community on a monthly basis. We want to care for all folk in our community, serving them in practical ways like meeting their needs through coffee mornings, home communions, community cafes, Café Church, Messy Church and Family Communions - our caring actions speaking of Christ’s love. We remember Christ’s command to make disciples, by giving Bible based teaching through our regular services and study courses and home groups.

But we need people to help make this vision a reality. That’s where you come in. Consider what we are and who God is calling us to minister to. We are three churches - to each of you God has given you gifts for use in his service, whether that’s an upfront or behind the scenes role. Now is the time to get involved. So, ‘ Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland’. (v3, v9)

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2. CHURCHWARDENS’ FABRIC REPORTS FOR 2023

St James’s

A year of steady advance now that the pandemic is fading into the background.

The attendance at our young people orientated activities are encouraging both ‘in house’ and in our schools, with many parents remarking on how much the children enjoy learning the Christian message. Thanks must be given to everyone in the team for making these activities so enjoyable.

Tuesday Coffee Mornings are well attended with everyone enjoying a ‘natter and a cuppa’ with an especially enjoyable Remembrance Morning when Year 6 from Winscombe School attended and we were all fortunate to hear from two ex-members of the Armed Forces who explained to the children about the medals they were wearing. The adults seemed absorbed too!

We are very fortunate to have the services of a loyal team to open and close the Church daily. Glancing through the visitors book it is amazing to note how well regarded our Church is both locally and with visitors alike. It is not always the building (beautiful though it is) but often the sense of Peace (capital letter deliberate) than emanates that is remarked upon. Thank you, team.

May saw the Coronation of his Majesty King Charles 111 and Queen Camilla the church family celebrated along with the village at this event which many of us will only experience once in our lives. The bells proclaimed the happy news far and wide.

Another well received item is Signpost Magazine which is growing from strength to strength, with many village activities as well as Church based events being included. The availability of this in an electronic as well as a paper version has opened up the possibility of many more people receiving it. We are fortunate to have had the services of a dedicated and hard working team to collate and produce this throughout the year. Thank you.

Refreshment – the breakfast for the menfolk has relocated to the Woodborough Hotel where we feel quite at home. The monthly meetings are well supported and enjoyed by all, with the occasional guest speaker, when the meetings are usually open to the Ladies to come along. Again, thanks must go to those behind the scenes who arrange this for us.

We have been delighted to be able to extend the length of time that Birch Cottage has provided a safe peaceful haven for our Ukrainian Family. We have enjoyed having them as part of our community , but waved goodbye to them at the end of the year as they headed for pastures new nearby. Dorothy Baldwin and Alison Haynes were our ‘Link’ with the family and we also owe them thanks for uniting the whole community to enable this to happen.

Towards the years end the second ‘Carols by Lantern Light was put on at the Church Centre. As with last year this was extremely well received by the community. Santa arriving to dwell in his grotto, seasonal refreshments, music, singing and more - even the weather played ball. This looks like an annual event however it can only take place if people are willing to give time to volunteer to help. The team do a fantastic job, but please do consider if you can help.

Throughout the year, various tasks have been taking place.

The gate post in the Church carpark seems to attract the wrong kind of attention - the magnetic kind! Once again it was dislodged, probably by a heavy goods vehicle. It was temporarily propped in place until it was fixed permanently in position.

There was an area of dead and dying wood noticed in the yew tree. Tree surgeons visited and removed the dead wood, this left a better view of the heart of the tree which thankfully was in better condition than feared. It now looks quite healthy and happy. The stone seat surrounding the base of the tree had been pushed apart as the tree had grown. After taking advise from an arboreal expert it was decide to remove the stonework to allow the tree to grow and to reduce the chance of infection entering the lower portion of the trunk. This was done in the summer and the trunk was found to not be damaged as feared it might be. The intention is to replace the seating with wooden benches when the weather improves. Staying in the Churchyard, an oil monitoring device was fitted to the oil tank to enable us to remotely take oil level readings ( no more fiddling with a dipstick!) so we should not run the risk of running out of oil in the future.

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During the year the emergency lighting system in the tower was upgraded. The spiral staircase was quite ‘murky’ in places, so it is good to lessen the risk of an accident, and perhaps go some way to encouraging more people to take up bellringing, We are woefully short of ringers and often share ringing with other towers to make up the numbers. This means the bells are no longer rung for every service. Thank you, Ringers for the joyous sound you make when we have a team.

Conversations have been ongoing with the Friends of St. Jame’s to look at the possibility of up grading the Churchyard Lighting which is coming to the end of its useful life. An attempt to temporarily provide relief with solar lighting was not as successful as hoped despite pre-installation tests. Watch this space! My thanks go to Derrick Claridge for his support with all of the above even though he is no longer a Churchwarden.

Finally I know that many people have been missed in this report but my thanks go to you all. You know all the time and effort you have put in over the year, whether cleaning the building, polishing the brass or making the tea; THANK YOU Ian. Churchwarden. April 2024

All Saints Church Wardens’ and Fabric Report 2023

We have had an encouraging year at All Saints church Sandford.

With thanks to our Vicar Andrew, our Curate Jacqui and the ministry team celebrating and officiating at our church. We have had services at All Saints on three Sundays each month which have been either Holy Communion or Parish praise. A weekday Holy Communion service is held on Tuesday mornings. The popular community café has taken place on the 1st Saturday morning of each month which is held in the church. This social event is always well attended with delicious soups, cakes, coffee and tea provided. It is run by Llyn Callow and her hard-working team. In this way, between £350 and £400 are raised through voluntary donations each month which go towards All Saints, Sandford church funds. On the 3rd of March we held our popular yearly quiz and raffle with over ten good humoured and very competitive teams vying with each other to obtain the top score. It took place in the village hall and the funds raised went towards the building fund.

On May 8th we had a special service for the Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III. The decorations in the church were amazing. In the afternoon we had a coronation tea for the older (and younger) members of the village which everyone thoroughly enjoyed.

On 23rd September we had our delicious Autumn Ploughmans supper. This was produced by our fine team of helpers and the food was washed down by cider generously donated by Thatchers. The funds raised went towards the church building fund.

On the 7th of December we were delighted to welcome 77 members of the Womens Institute from local branches to All Saints church for their Annual Christmas Carol service. The Sandford Handbell ringers enthusiastically opened the service and members of the WI read the traditional and more contemporary seasonal readings.

On the 14th December our local community Carol Singing took place outside ‘Sandford Premier Stores’ who kindly provided mulled wine, hot sausage rolls and mince pies.

On Christmas Eve at 8pm a large congregation filled our beautifully decorated church for our annual Carol Service. Seasonal fare was generously provided following the service accompanied by the joyous tones of the handbell ringers.

All Saints Fabric Report

The external doors leading to the church room and toilets were replaced on May 9th . The original doors were rotten at the bottom, only single glazed and they opened inwards. The new doors are double glazed for better insulation, they let more light in and allow wheelchairs to enter

The Scouts painted the gate at the entrance of the porch with black rust proof paint. This has made a difference as the gate was beginning to look very rusty.

A technician from Bristol Sound systems visited All saints on July 30th, 2023 to fix problems with the loudspeakers and sound system.

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The fire extinguishers were checked on December 3rd and a new fire blanket supplied.

We applied to Thatchers for a grant to help with the renovation of the church room and toilet. Bill Witter helped us with the application. The church room has damp due to a wrongly positioned damp course being included when the church room was built. We intend to remove the old existing cupboards and sink unit and replace it with a better sink unit, overhead and under the work top cupboards, an oven and new work tops. The small sink alcove will become part of the toilet. The door of the toilet will be enlarged for wheelchair access and the toilet and sink fittings will be suitable for disabled users. These improvements will enable the church room to be better used to provide catering for both church and community events. This year the church room has been a venue for our local Alpha course.

Diana Williams Douglas Ogram Church wardens

3. FRESH FOUNDATIONS ( CHURCH CENTRE DEVELOPMENT TEAM) REPORT 2023 BACKGROUND

Church Centre Development Team was initiated by Winscombe and Sandford Parochial Church Council in February 2022. There were a number of issues with the current Church Centre and plans for a third Church, St John’s of Churchill to join the Benefice were underway, thus creating the need for a larger building to accommodate the new congregation. Also increase in population due to large housing estates and the demand for good quality community space was increasing.

A sum of £40,000 was left as a legacy for the improvement of the Church Centre, this enabled the team to fund the necessary reports and professional services to meet the success criteria.

A larger sum has been pledged (by a person who wishes to be anonymous) for the purpose of improving the centre and leaving a legacy.

Why was the project necessary .

I. Old building/structural/maintenance issues. Costly, Not energy efficient. II. Too small to accommodate expanding congregation with increased use for worship/3 Churches III. Lack of flexibility for use of building

IV. Unattractive externally, lack of bio diversity and garden design

V. Unattractive internally, not fulfilling full potential, lack of socializing area

VI. Does not support Church Parish Vision How the Project was rooted/part of in an overall organization strategy.

I. Part of the Parish Vision – providing fully accessible Place of Worship in Winscombe II. Increase mission through community hospitality III. Potential business case for Wedding Receptions/increase lettings What were the goals

I. Be a modern centre for all 3 Churches II. Physically more welcoming III. Increase Church Youth Activities IV. To have obtained planning permission that is fit for purpose and affordable to build The success of the project was measured by obtaining Planning permission. This was granted by North Somerset council in October 2023.

Budget and budget break down – Aim to obtain success criteria as economically and efficiently as possible. Total spend of this project £7,272.00 David Gough legacy 1.9.21 +£40,000.00 +£40,000 Robinson Clarke -£ 1,800.00 Fenswood Ecology -£ 380.00 Planning Application -£ 526.00 Topographic survey -£ 1,856.00 UDP fees -£ 1,500.00 Robinson Clarke -£ 180.00 UDP fees -£ 828.00 Bal +£32,728.00

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Scope What is not included in this project – Not to obtain Building Regulation Permission. Not to include any form of construction. At the conclusion of this project a new project was initiated by the PCC in January 2024.

Consultation with stake holders and the community (PCC/St Johns, Stakeholders/neighbours/other

community providers in villages, congregation, parish council, NSC planning dept, diocese)

PROJECT STRUCTURE

SPONSOR – PCC members during 2022 and 2023

PROJECT TEAM – Chair Alison Haynes, Treasurer Derrick Claridge (no independent budget is held by this group). Team members (not all in post for the whole project period) Rev Andrew Hiscox, Dorothy Baldwin, Iain Hine, Douglas Ogram, Nigel Carson, Tony Callow, Emma Stocks.

SUB-GROUP FUND RAISING - Alison Haynes, Rosie Thurling, Jo Claridge

CONCLUSION – HAS THE PROJECT BEEN SUCESSFUL -

To have obtained planning permission that is fit for purpose and affordable to build

· Is the design affordable to build? This has not been answered fully. It is feasible using donations from the congregation, external corporate donors and grant applications but this has not been proven in this project. This will be established as part of Project 2 and will form part of the key aims.

· Is the design of the building fit for purpose? The project team found that further work on the internal designs and scale of increasing the building/removing and new build options need to be carried out. This will form an essential part of Building Regulations specification. As the scope of this project does not include obtaining Building Regulations Permission this work will be carried out in Project 2

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Fresh Foundations Project 2, launched in Jan 2024 - key deliverables:

4. OUR WONDERFUL VOLUNTEERS a. Pastoral Team (verbal report at the APCM

b. Signpost (Parish Magazine)

‘Signpost ’was launched in September 2021 as a monthly online parish magazine covering Winscombe, Sandford and Churchill. Now in its third year, a monthly edition has been produced since then.

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A team of five volunteers, Beth and Denys Cutmore, Ann and Douglas Ogram and Jo Claridge have formed the Editorial team since then. They have ensured that a monthly magazine has been produced. The magazine has been edited, compiled, proofread and emailed out. About 150 copies are also printed monthly and distributed via the churches and local shops. Several copies are hand delivered to those not able to access the internet. The team have also managed the commercial advertising. Sue Smyth has been helping with some of these tasks over the last few months.

Future of the magazine

At the end of October, the members of the Editorial Team informed the PCC that they would be stepping down from producing the magazine from Easter 2024, their last edition being April 2024.

Distribution

The magazine is received by email, in full colour, to 281 addresses (an increase of 5 from 2023) It is also available to download or read, in full colour, on the Church Website. Approximately 150 printed black and white copies are distributed by hand as follows:

Churches:18 Church Centre:10+ Local Shops:52 Delivered by hand:46 Sheltered/Care Homes:15 Welcome packs 4+

Content

Our aim is to produce a magazine with varied content including church news, news from the villages and articles of interest to those living in the local area.

We have nearly 40 regular contributors.

The magazine is usually 48+ pages including advertising.

Advertising

The magazine currently carries 13 paid adverts. The rates for 12 issues are as follows: 1/6 page: £42 1/3 page: £84 1/2 page: £126 Full page: £252 Advertisements provide an annual income of £1134, an increase of £420 since last year. This income helps to offset the cost of printing in black and white which is approximately £50 per month.

c. Events Team – St James’s

Background

An action from the May 2023 PCC away day was to set up an events team with focus on non religious activities. A scoping meeting was held on 7/7/23 which developed the following remit:-

· Focus on fun

· Raise money for St James Church

· Team open to anyone to join

· Events accessible and open to all

· Aim to hold an event every 2 months

Team members are Alison Haynes, Beth Cutmore, Jo Claridge, Helen Mc phearson, Jayne Smith, Sue Smyth, Martin and Hilary Hagen.

Events

HARVEST LUNCH Sunday 10th Sept, free ticket, Monthly FILM CLUB 1st ‘Mrs Harris goes to Paris’ 40 people/new memberships £67 donations

2nd ‘Fishermans Friends’ 26 people inc 4 new members £47 donations

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3rd The Duke, 4th 1/12/23 Nativity

FAB AUTUMN SUPPER – Bar raised £107 Raffle £185, overall profit £793.00 Promotion LATE NIGHT SHOPPING 5/12/23 – popular lucky dip took £122.50

BADGERSET Saturday 9/12/ 23 – very successful sold out approx 115 and rebooked for 7/12/24 Church Centre, 50% proceeds for St James £1,355 in total raised

WREATH MAKING –13th Dec Ticketed £25 inc mulled wine. £553.00 raised All felt it was very successful CAROLS BY LANTERN LIGHT – Saturday 16th Dec – Well attended but children down to less than 50, date an issue too late in month and 2 other santa visit events in the village that day. Profit £395.21 but purchased 3 mobile flood lights and 2 tarpaulins and xmas lights from money.

Conclusion

Approx £3,000 raised with essential equipment for future events purchase. Great team who work well together and enjoy and have fun. Lots of creative ideas for future events. Many many occasions of engaging and getting to know more people in our community. Over 6 events planned for 2024.

d. Music and Choir – St James’s

2023 was a very positive year for the Choir. We were extremely glad to welcome Derek Jones as our new Organist in the spring and – while Clare Blythe continues her Maternity Leave – he is both leading and instructing the Choir as well as playing the Organ. The Choir is gaining confidence and we are once again singing the Communion Service on 2[nd] and 4[th] Sunday mornings and we are also extending our repertoire of Anthems. We are also robing once again on important Sundays and Festivals. The Music Group continues to provide music at the 3[rd] Sunday Family Holy Communion in the Church Centre and we also have a visiting Music Group who lead our singing at Café Church. Very many thanks to all who lead and support our music at St James’s and the Church Centre

e. Church Cleaning – St James’s

The Church continues to be cleaned on a regular basis by six teams of two people. Each team is responsible for two weeks at a time and can choose when and how often it should be cleaned during the two weeks. The Church always looks welcoming and we are extremely lucky to have such commitment to keeping the building looking cared for and clean. It would be wonderful if more people were interested in joining us – the more teams we have the less each individual has to do! Contact the Church Office (844650) if you would like to offer a couple of hours every six months.

f. Flower Arranging – St James’s

During 2023 the five teams of Flower Arrangers at St James’s continued to ensure that at all times (except during Advent and Lent) there are flowers in the church. Each team creates arrangements on a fortnightly basis that enhance the beauty of our Grade 1 listed building and we are deeply grateful to them for their talents. At important festivals all the teams gather together to make sure the church is bursting with flowers in the appropriate colours for the Liturgical season. During 2023 we welcomed newcomers to our teams and we would love it if more wanted to join. It is a very fulfilling and joyous contribution to be able to make to our church life and experience is not necessary!

Bellringers – St James’s (verbal report at the APCM)

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5. THE PCC 2023

Report from the Secretary

At the first PCC Meeting after the 2023 APCM held on 2nd May 2023 the Standing Committee for the year were appointed : Revd. Andrew Hiscox - Chairman Diana Williams - Churchwarden, All Saints Douglas Ogram - Churchwarden, All Saints Ian Hine - Churchwarden, St James’s Sarah Gunn - Acting Treasurer In addition the following were elected : Electoral Roll Officer – Sarah Gunn PCC Secretary – Bill Wallace Independent Examiner – Dick Beath In addition Jan Welling and Simon Crew were both co-opted onto the PCC. In May 2023 it was decided by the Diocese to include the Parish of Churchill into the Benefice of Winscombe and Sandford and this proposal was publicised in the villages. In the same month discussions were held about the work needed on the Yew tree in St James churchyard.

In June there was a community meeting about the proposed development of the Church Centre with a presentation of the outline project. The application for Outline Planning permission was made in the same month. June also saw the ordination of our curate, Jackie Keir-Bucknall, at Wells Cathedral. In July the first Alpha course finished with two more planned. In the summer the Bishop recommended a return to the Common Cup away from Simultaneous Administration but Rev. Andrew decided to continue with both methods of distribution. Safeguarding continues to be a priority for this Benefice with existing safeguarding policies being updated regularly and new policies being implemented by the Diocese. In September it was agreed that Pastoral Care will now come under one umbrella for all three churches and the appropriate Diocesan training was arranged.

The concrete seat around the Yew Tree was removed and there was pruning of diseased branches. In the autumn proposals were drawn up for the All Saints church room including the renovation of the kitchen, re-doing the damp proof course and renovating the toilet adding disabled access with a sliding door. In October Outline Planning consent was received for the Church Centre Development, now called Fresh Foundations, with certain conditions with a time limit of 3 years for them to be carried out. The tower lighting at St James was upgraded providing enhanced lighting. Churches Together held several meetings during the year and the meeting in November included discussions on the future of this group.

In December the Ukrainian family living in Birch Cottage were offered accommodation by North Somerset Council and moved out during the month.

During the Christmas period 36 services were held including carol services and attendance had included over 1,000 young people from the schools.

The team publicising the Signpost magazine gave notice that they were stepping down, but a new team has been put in place which will enable this publication to continue. Bill Wallace – PCC Minute Secretary

6. DEANERY SYNOD REPORT 2023

There were four meetings this year. The additional meeting was a visit by the Bishop Michael of Bath and Wells on 9th November.

The March Synod was held at St Peter’s Milton when the Deanery Deployment Plan was discussed and finalised. The Lay Dean, Haydn Taylor, explained that we had to reduce the number of Stipendiary (paid) Clergy by 16%, taking the number for Locking Deanery to15. In addition to this reduction Locking Deanery Vision and Mission Action Plan is seeking two additional posts, one for a permanent Stipendiary Clergy for Haywood Village Conventional District and a second for a Lay Pioneer to work with the Rector at St Barnabas 16

and the surrounding Magnificat communities of the Coronation and Oldmixon estates. These are two of the most socially deprived areas in the Diocese of Bath and Wells. I can report that the Revd. Fiona Mayne has been appointed as Associate Priest for Haywood Village and a part time pioneer lay worker for the Coronation and Oldmixon Estates is being sought.

The Summer Synod was held on 11thJuly at St John’s Churchill. As it was the start of the new Synod, Andrew Hiscox was the celebrant at a Holy Communion Service which was followed by the election of members of both Clergy and Lay Houses to the Deanery Pastoral and Mission Group and other officers of the Deanery. It was reported that the Deanery Deployment Plan had been approved by the Diocese.

The Autumn Synod was held on 11 October 2032 at Clarence House in Weston super Mare. This is a retirement home owned by Locking Deanery Synod. It was reported that All Saints Weston super Mare is now under the oversight of a priest from Portishead Deanery, and Locking Castle Church has a Baptist minister. Both of whom are entitled to be members of Locking Deanery Synod.

9th November saw Deanery Synod Members meeting Bishop Michael at St Peter’s Church, Milton. He was wanting to hear positive reports from around the Deanery and encourage Members. I asked if any account was taken by the Diocese of the burden having to maintain Grade 1 and Grade 11 listed buildings had on dwindling congregations. This is often at the expense of focusing on outreach and mission. He was not interested.

Dorothy Baldwin and Angela Morris

7. CHURCH SUPPORT FOR CHARITIES in 2022

(verbal Report at the APCM)

8. SAFEGUARDING REPORT 2023

1. Introduction

Safeguarding is a standing item at P.C.C. Meetings. A Safeguarding Report is presented and discussed at every meeting.

The Benefice works in line with the Church of England Safeguarding Policy and Practice Guidance. The Benefice uses the Safeguarding Dashboard, a piece of software that makes administration and governance of safeguarding simpler.

2. Formal Obligation

The PCC has continued to comply with the duty to have “due regard” to the House of Bishops’ Safeguarding Policy and Practice Guidance.

This means that we are committed to:

3. Safeguarding Roles

The Parish Safeguarding Officer (PSO) for Winscombe and Sandford is Jo Claridge.

The Parish Safeguarding Officer for St John’s is Pauline Hurst.

Details of how to contact the PSOs are displayed on the notice boards at each church and on the church website.

The two PSOs work closely together and the two PCCs within the Benefice have adopted the same policies, guidance and procedures in respect to safeguarding, to ensure a consistent approach.

4. DBS Checks

All volunteers who work with children, young people or vulnerable adults have to undergo a DBS Check.

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The DBS Recruiter and Verifier is Jo Claridge. DBS Certificates are renewed every 3 years.

The Diocese is now working with the Christian safeguarding charity thirtyone:eight for DBS checks. 47 people currently hold up to date DBS certificates (including 7 clergy) and are actively volunteering with adult or children’s activities.

5. Safeguarding Policy, Guidance and Documentation

The Benefice has a number of Safeguarding Policies and Guidelines which all those who work with children, young people or vulnerable adults are expected to follow and comply with. Copies of these can be found on the Church Website

· Parish Safeguarding Policy; a copy of this is also on display in each Church and at the Church Centre

· Guidelines for the Prevention of Bullying and Harassment

· Safer Working Practices

· Policy for the Use of Social Media

· Domestic Abuse Statement

· Safeguarding Agreement for the Hiring of Premises

· Safer Recruitment and People Management

· Recruitment of Ex Offenders

· Responding to Safeguarding Allegations or Concerns All policies and guidelines are reviewed annually. The Benefice works in line with the Church of England Parish Safeguarding Handbook which is supported by use of the Safeguarding Dashboard (see 1. above)

6. Safeguarding Learning and Development

All volunteers / staff who work with children, young people or vulnerable adults undertake mandatory Safeguarding Training provided by the Church of England online or face to face. The core pathways are Basic Awareness, Foundation and Leadership

· The majority complete Basic Awareness and Foundation Training.

· In addition, leaders of some activities / groups are expected to complete Leadership Training.

· The PSO and Churchwardens also complete Leadership Training. These trainings are renewed at the highest level every three years. In our Benefice we provide face to face training at Foundation Level every three years. Face to face training was organised in October 2022 and all those who were required to attend did so. Members of the PCC are also expected to complete the training in ‘Awareness of Domestic Abuse’ every three years.

The Churchwardens and PSO also complete Safer Recruitment Training every three years. Training Completed 2023 -24 Course Number Role Basic Awareness 2 Volunteers / PCC Foundation 2 Volunteers / PCC Leadership 3 Activity Leaders Safer Recruitment 1 PSO Awareness Domestic Abuse 3 PCC

7. Safer Recruitment and People Management

The churches are compliant with C of E guidance regarding Safer Recruitment and People Management. When appointing paid staff at least one member of the interviewing panel will have completed Safer Recruitment Training.

All relevant guidance has been followed in recruiting to paid and voluntary roles. All activity leaders are aware of their responsibilities when recruiting new volunteers.

New volunteers are expected to complete an application form and provide referees as well as undergoing a DBS check.

8. Safeguarding Concern

No safeguarding concerns were reported within the Parishes.

9. Safeguarding Sunday

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Safeguarding Sunday was the theme for Family Holy Communion on 19th November. Led by Reverend Jacqui, this included a reflection on Matthew 25, a Q&A session, a poem and special intercessions.

Jo Claridge Parish Safeguarding Officer 31st March 2024

9. ELECTORAL ROLL REPORT 2023

The Electoral Roll was reviewed in April 2023. There were 87 on the St James’s Roll (a decrease of four on 2022) and 33 on the All Saints Roll (an increase of 2 on 2022) making a total of 120. A copy of the Electoral Roll was displayed on the notice boards of both churches after the 2023 APCM. Sarah Gunn, Electoral Roll Officer

10. CHURCH LOG BOOKS, INVENTORIES AND TERRIERS

St James’s Church

The Terrier, Inventory and Log Book are up to date. The documents are filed in the Church Office and are available for inspection if required.

All Saints

The Terrier, Inventory and Log Book are up to date, and they are kept in the safe in the Church Room.

11. FRIENDS OF ST JAMES THE GREAT CHURCH

A brief overview of our year’s events started with our annual Burns Night Supper, featuring the lively tunes of "Get Reel," was a resounding success—arguably our best yet! With vibrant dancing, delectable haggis, neeps, and tatties, fantastic raffle prizes, and a significant amount raised, i extend a massive thank you to all who joined us.

At last year's AGM Dr. James Mansfield delivered a fascinating presentation on Hinckley Point C, detailing its purpose, functionality, and significance. His clear and informative PowerPoint was met with some very interesting questions from the floor, which James adeptly answered.

Our beloved "Jazz in the Paddock" event on July 1st has become a real village tradition, drawing over 100 attendees to the church paddock armed with picnics, chairs, and blankets. The soulful melodies of Richie Paradise's 16-piece Big R Big Band filled the air, and we were blessed with perfect weather—a rain-free evening enjoyed by all.

In the autumn, Gary Hale enlightened us with his talk "Two Legs Followed By Two Wheels and a Well," shedding light on his charity work with "Running Water" to provide freshwater wells in Uganda. Gary's recent feat of climbing Mount Kilimanjaro to raise funds, followed by a journey on foot and bike to the Indian Ocean, left a lasting impression on all who attended.

Our current endeavour, the church's external lighting project, remains in progress, with ongoing discussions and input from electricians as we strive to improve the illuminations of our historic church grounds.

As autumn approached last year, i felt that it was time for a change within our committee. After serving as chair for six years (which seems to have flown by), i've decided to step down in March 2024. Joining me in this decision is our incredible Teasurer, Jason Schofield, who will also be stepping away from his role. I would like to express my deepest gratitude to Jason for his unwavering support and dedicated work as our Treasurer.

I also want to extend a heartfelt thank you to the rest of the committee. Without each and every one of them, there would be no "Friends of St. James'." i am immensely proud to have been part of a team that has accomplished so much in enhancing our beautiful church over the years. Janet White, Chair of Friends of St James’s

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12. SERIOUS INCIDENTS REPORTED TO THE CHARITY COMMISSIONERS

Our Charity Number is 1173106

All charities with an income over £25,000 have to report Serious Incidents to the Commission. A Serious Incident is:

An adverse event, actual or alleged which results in or risks significant:

There were no Serious Incidents to report in 2023.

13. STEWARDS in 2023

St James’s

Senior Stewards Niel AKED - 8.00am only Derrick CLARIDGE Beth CUTMORE Hugh GUNN Sarah GUNN Martin HAGEN John HAYTER

Stewards

Dorothy BALDWIN Jo CLARIDGE Barbara COOK Hilary HAGEN Chris HAYTER Ian HINE Margaret LISTER

All Saints Stewards

Tony CALLOW Douglas OGRAM Angela MORRIS Jan WELLING

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Winscombe & Sandford - St James the Great Winscombe's Receipts & Payments Account for the year ended 31 December 2023 Accounts List code 2022 Receipts Donations and Lep¢ieY. Planned giving Collections. donations & other gi¥in8 Income tax recovered Legacles Other Trnding actlvities MagazinelBookstall 5aleslHall Lettings etc Income from other Properties Annual Fetelevents Receipts from Investments: Interest & dividends Receipts from Charitsble activlties: Parochial fees Other Receipts Insurance clairns Sale proceeds from frxed assets Loans receive 47,557 51.740 3.107 11.203 Sl.740 11,20J 11.232. 11,232 3,570 3,150 10.582 5,854 962 3,570 3.150 3,457 3,457 4.915 364 364 io li 12 Other 5.549 5,549 13 Total Receipts 98,287 99,115

Payments Charitable activiti DonationslGrants to charities M15sion & Evangelism Parish Share Clergy expenses Church running expenses Churchyard maintenance Cost of raising fund5 14 (428)1 (59.366) (428). (59,366) {719) 111568) (1,717) (10.609) (262) (54,000) {912) (7. 922) 15 16 17 18 (12,568}' (1.7171 {10.609) 19 (5,665) 2Q Support costs Admini$tr3tion costs (inc. staff costs) Governance Costs Other (56) (10.895) (56) (471 (10.942) 21 (7,584} 22 24 <5,7081; (4,400) 23 Major expenditure Repairs to church bLbildings Repairs to other property Capital purcha5esladditions Loan repayments (3.950). (1.500) (2.706) {6,656> (1.500) (1,800) 25 26 27 28 Total payrnents urPlu￿{Def1cIt) of Receipts over payments Tronsfeis between fvnd5 (107,516) (9,229) 3.950 (2,753) (110,269) (83.981) (2,7S3) (11,982) 15,134 (3.950) (6,703) (11.982) 49.021 129,878 (5.279) 80,857 15,134 lJ4.74.5 C<7sh ot bunk ond in hond ot l Jun C(ysh ui bonk oftd in hond ut 31 Dec 75.578 42,318 117,896 129,879 prnddcedusing [)ky5

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Parish Finance Return Tliv IoiiTI below 15 produced by Ilie ￿(li￿lS￿￿' Councifs Statist￿5 dMSlQD.andsknuld be Submitted usiw 1￿1r￿b￿tts1 at.. htt )nd.or Rtwn of Parish Anante 6tt1345 ￿e￿ery.. Lo(klr4 Januaryto December 2023 meSthtGlat w StJirn¢Slb fytat. WiKombo Bath & Wpl ••rtsr El I￿p•It￿l Ol•r￿AnD￿d81￿r1S Colltcllcns 41 i¢rwlt IB Iss CW Apptsals I'ecurrin6 and onB-oIII GM-. roc0￿￿d 19 5S.366 11.203 20 ¥ord 51afl Yo¥ALVo 66.051 23 47 ki15tyt41 '. El'rdd i 2.90> '.144 2$ nlwldcndi, In'.oitST. Iram prLyrfy•rt 37 oto 4.584 29 2.71k8 2,7>S 7.196 26 cA￿t￿r￿Colts TOTALIFK01•46B£WIIIK 1.75B 97J57 ResTrlcffd 03 2,753 l(¥.556 UNRtSTRICIED P￿￿￿¢¥E0 TOTAL 91.95? TOT Numborof oihér plènnÉdBIwTS NLiinkerof rcthwd tobr(offwW¢dmowollywthefwtrsthYWt 31 cath&￿dÈ0tyt bDlaw•s•f 31￿￿ 1013 32 Fixed Eoslr￿fftl PILWiie5 D4t• SthWI 7014 Plea5erf.er the k1low1￿p￿g•5￿htIp￿1r1tyWhOtISIF￿u￿d¢TréXh 5ettlGn.Th* Item DJnrtJV31efer io APF rtma4.tonl

Winscombe & Sandford - All Saints Sandford's Receipts & Payments Account for the year ended 31 December 2023 Accounts List code 2023 Receipts Donations and Legacles: Planned giving Collections. donats'ons & other gbmng Income tax recovered Legacies Other Trdding activiues Ma2azinelBookstall sale51Hall Lettings etc Income from other Properti'es Annual Feteleyents Receipts from Investments Interest & dividends Receipts from Charitable actlviti Parochial fees Other Receipts I nsurance claims Sale proceeds from t￿ed assets Loans received Other 7.202 900 9,414 7.202 600 2,148 3( I148 3.540 976 4.516 1,994 3iJ); 58 358 87 103 io li 12 13 13,893. 15.227 Total Receipt5 .

Payments Charitsble activities: Donation51Grants to chariDes Mission & Eyangelism Parish Share Clergy expenses Church running expenses Churchyard maintenance C05t of raisirbg funds 14 .Qi.I, {115). {6.600) (511) (6,445) {55) 15 (6.504) (555).1 j2.855} 16 (6.600) 17 18 (3.990) {55) (2.4551 19 20 (597) (1,915) 21 Support costs Administration costs (inc. staff costs) Governance Costs 22 (2.017) (ioiy) 24 {1,064) {1,0341 23 Other Major expenditure Repairs to church buildin85 Repairs to other property Capital purchasesladdits'ons Loan repayments (1,064). (22, 7821 25 26 27 28 Total paymehts Surplus1(Defi£it) of Re￿Ipts over.paym,ents Transfers betsveen fvnd5 (14.438) {545> 273 (2,4SS) (16.893) (36,482)., (1,121) (1,666) (14.518) (272) 21.855 (1.394) 4.2H (1.666) 26,099 {14,518) COSRI ffl bonk ond in hand ut l Jon Cosh ot bniik dnd in hand ot 31 Dec 21.583 2.850 26,098 pr￿l￿GEdu$1ng the Dictesots co51th￿l￿5

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Parish Finance Return The form bEkM LS pwoduced by the Aichbi5hJps' CvurKI'5SlatsbcsdNw aTrJ $￿U￿1 be5ubm1llèd￿S￿&theirwe￿p￿ts1zt. htt rlshreiurn5.churchofEn Return of Parish Finance dipJ January to December 2023 S&lnls$4fidtDrd. St All Snts, Sandf￿￿ Bath & WEI £1 i.L'16 17 IB ￿y￿E1￿ thn4t.ons taryT Appe?1slrttui1I￿ 4rd 0￿￿01f1 Gllr Ald rttOVe'•d Le8arles rÈEal￿d Ic1￿￿1￿1 valu•l 3Wt D5r￿e￿n￿r￿s￿reCtyW1bY 2.148 3QO CILYty.é ex￿5¢5 TOTAIW 9.950 jots 22 c1￿.:h 5.fJ57 1.139 24 Cost gf tf4dil r¢w.rs'.01heth￿tb bui1d.w ewilSW optity. gtstytsiy bYrh• PCC Iw•dLlfj85, Tyn•rilicl Gr055 |nrQmè Ircrn trbdln81•.i.hEII Iwtirtis. rniydne. 29 R6 Y9 Oth c￿1 ALINtOMINGWQUR ¥2$ 144>9 Re5trfded raTAL 16 ri Iwp&srpJuED RE57RlCttD NuthbÈt oFoikEI tAannpd ol new I cie5 roceivÉd Tbij artJK rrfcardffdwlrhlnlhe cohboo 31 lash4￿ (W&41b•l•fjc•s•l 3) 1013 32 aSlL I'.)￿ 2)23 2A41 16 Dbt 5thAryil 1024 str1hfy￿n Ple#5Èrefei tothE nijttsort t￿￿1&10%¥1￿8p￿&ests)hdpdarlfyw￿t ach￿ctIon Yhe numbers rElertoRPF nQtos, vJrthtnE¥rfthh S￿￿tte rovwed In PttAccount4￿l1lv.?QIj. Narro P￿110 2Q20 W*r•t￿r• pw that

Independent examiner’s report to the Parochial Church Council of Winscombe & Sandford (“The PCC”)

I report on the accounts of the PCC for the year ended 31 December 2023 as set out in the Receipts and Payments and Financial Return reports.

Respective responsibilities of the PCC and examiner

The PCC are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The PCC consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144(2) of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act) and that an independent examination is needed.

It is my responsibility to:

Basis of independent examiner’s report

My examination was carried out in accordance with the general Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from you as members of the PCC concerning any such matters. The procedures 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 next statement.

Independent examiner’s qualified statement

In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements:

There are no other matters to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Signed Independent Examiner

Date: 16[th] April 2024