2024 Report and accounts for the DAMASCUS Parochial Church Council
St Peter’s, **D** rayton St Peter & St Paul’s, **A** ppleford St Blaise, **M** ilton All Saints’, **S** utton **C** ourtenay St Michael & All Angels’, **S** teventon
_**Nurturing faith, bringing hope, and sharing love**_
_Registered charity number 1175551_
## **Introduction to the DAMASCUS Parish**
The DAMASCUS Parish is a single parish, formed from the five, growing, semi-rural villages of Drayton, Appleford, Milton, Sutton Courtenay, and Steventon in 2017. We are continuing to enable one another to flourish and grow together. The Parish is situated between Abingdon and Didcot with boundaries abutting both towns. There are considerable numbers of professional people in the area, with Oxford University, Oxford Brookes University, Harwell, Culham, Didcot Power Station and Milton Park Enterprise Zone all in the locality. The easy access to Didcot Parkway Station means that many parishioners commute to London, Oxford, Reading, Swindon and beyond
## **Aim and Purposes**
The DAMASCUS Parochial Church Council (PCC) has the responsibility of cooperating with the incumbent, the Reverend Helen Kendrick, 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 churches of St Peter’s Drayton, St Peter and St Paul’s Appleford, St Blaise Milton, All Saints’ Sutton Courtenay and St Michael and All Angels’ Steventon and St Michael’s Hall Steventon.
## **Our Vision and Mission**
Our vision is to be a living Christian presence at the heart of our communities, nurturing faith, bringing hope, and sharing love.
The PCC is committed to enabling as many people as possible to worship at our churches and to become part of our parish community. The PCC maintains an overview of worship throughout the parish and makes suggestions on how our services can involve the many groups that live within our parish. Our services and worship put faith into practice through prayer and scripture, music, and sacrament.
When planning our activities for the year, the incumbent and the PCC have considered the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit and, in particular, the specific guidance on charities for the advancement of religion. We try to enable ordinary 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.
- Missionary and outreach work.
- To facilitate this work, it is important that we maintain the fabric of the five churches in the parish.
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## **Achievements and Performance**
## _**Worship and prayer**_
Throughout 2024 the number of regular worshippers across the Parish has increased slightly but with a different age and attendance profile (younger age range but attending less frequently). The revised service pattern has enabled us to sustain a pattern of one service in every church every week. Main Sunday services take place at 9.30 or 11.00, except for the fifth Sunday when there is a DAMASCUS Parish service in one of the five churches. Midweek services are held in two churches on different days of the week. All five churches are open during the day every day for our local community and visitors to enjoy and use for private prayer. Limited live streaming of Sunday services has been available but proved to be a challenge due to technical difficulties and lack of expertise. The Ministry team continued to provide service sheets for people to worship at home where requested. During 2024 there were 198 people on the Parish Electoral Roll.
As well as our regular services, we enable our community to celebrate and thank God at the milestones of the journey of life. Throughout 2024 the requests for live-streaming of funerals continued to increase and live-streaming of weddings, particularly in All Saints’, Sutton Courtenay was made available when requested. In the DAMASCUS parish we have celebrated 30 baptisms, 10 weddings 3 blessings and 29 funeral services in church, 6 funeral services at crematoriums. In 2024 we had three confirmation candidates who were prepared for confirmation by the Reverend Canon Dr Phillip Tovey and Mike Blanch and the Reverend Canon Helen Kendrick.
Remembrance Sunday Services were well supported. Four of the five churches participated in the government’s Warm Spaces scheme and offered a variety of opportunities for individuals and families to benefit from free hospitality and activities with the benefit of a grant from local government.
We focused on sharing faith through various prayer and study groups which were hosted in the River Room and/or online and open to all. A Lent Group ran in the River Room using the Bishop of Oxford’s Come and See Material – The Way of Love. This was well attended by people across the parish. An Advent Course, hosted in the River Room for the whole parish, was based on the film The Nativity which led to good discussions of the characters and their relationships. A new weekly Home Group started in the Autumn led by Chris and Wendy Leake, attended by people from across the parish. The Tuesday online prayer group has continued this year, and Chris Leake has taken over the organisation.
We would like to thank our Rector, The Reverend Canon Helen Kendrick, our Associate Ministers - The Reverend Phil Sutton, The Reverend Rosie Bruce, our new Curate The Reverend Dov Whittle and Reverend Dr Phillip Tovey (retired PTO) and all the Licensed Lay Ministers for their hard work leading, nurturing, inspiring and teaching us during this year.
The following paragraphs present points about worship and ministry specific to each of the five churches in the parish.
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## _**Drayton**_
The Worship team continues to meet regularly to plan the Thursday morning service rota and the leadership of the monthly Praise Services. Members of the team usually lead one service per month on the Thursday rota. The Praise Services continue to provide interesting topics with music provided by Kay Davies and her team. Reverend Rosie Bruce supports the group, along with the congregation. One member of the team organises the organist’s rota, while another plans the hymns for each Sunday service.
The virtual prayer meetings continue to be held on the 4[th] Mondays of the month. The group has not met physically due to the cold weather and various health problems. It is hoped that they can meet together physically in the spring when the weather is warmer.
Healing Ministry continues to be supported at St Peter’s. The team meet up on the Saturday evening before the healing service, when prayer requests and cards left on the prayer board are offered for healing prayers. During the services the following morning, the congregation are invited to receive healing prayer by the laying on of hands.
The Comms team continues to connect St Peter’s with the village community through different forms of media. They post regularly on the St Peter’s Facebook page and the Drayton Village Community page. They also cross-post with Sutton Courtenay. The number of followers has increased during the year many of whom are not connected with the church. Additional posts are made for special occasions, services and events. They update the church noticeboard regularly which attracts a lot of interest. They also put together the church page in the Drayton Chronicle each month.
Pebbles continues to flourish under the leadership of Cheryl Jarvis and Katy Hoyle. It draws in mothers and carers from a wide area. A great number of children moved on to school or nursery at the end of the summer term, however, since September the numbers have increased again. This year the nativity was led by Rev Dov Whittle, who also led the crib service on Christmas Eve, both of which were very well attended.
The First Tuesday Connections group continues to meet on the first Tuesday of the month with a range of activities throughout the year, as well as tea and chat. Their annual summer party was a great success as was the Christmas party.
The Care Team continue to visit people on a regular basis. Phone calls are made to those who have not been seen for a while. Bereavement cards are sent on the anniversary of someone’s death and are much appreciated. The group also sends out baptism and wedding anniversary cards.
## _**Appleford**_
A service is held every week in the church and the numbers have remained stable throughout 2024. Breakfast Church is on the first Sunday of every month which continues to attract all ages. The WhatsApp group managed by Vicky Shepherd continues to be a useful method of promotion and communication as well as the parish council Facebook page.
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For Mothering Sunday flowers and prayer cards and for Easter, greeting cards and seeds, were distributed to every home in the village. These were very well received and helped to remind people that the church community was still active and praying for the wider community.
The Street Nativity was extremely well attended and once again a donkey was supplied by The Donkey Sanctuary. The Appleford Community Project paid for the donkey and provided refreshments in the farmyard at the end which was much appreciated by all who attended. Several people helped to knit bells which were then distributed around the village by the church families, for people to find and hang on their own Christmas trees. The carol service was led by The Reverend Dov Whittle and well attended with children and adults all playing a part. Midnight Communion was a shared service with Sutton Courtenay, held in Appleford.
## _**Milton**_
The typical attendance at the main Sunday service is 12 adults, but for family services typical attendance is 17 adults and seven children. One Sunday each month we have had a lay led service, Faith Conversations, this is a café style service and has been led by a variety of members of the congregation and a wide range of topics have been discussed. Our Family services have been well supported, and the young people have been willing contributors.
We have monthly joint services with Milton Methodists, the Palm Sunday procession began at St Blaise and walked to Milton Methodist church for the service. We were pleased to welcome some members of Milton Methodists to our service celebrating St Blaise Day and on Remembrance Sunday and on Christmas Eve. We enjoyed the Methodists covenant service and a summer picnic service. Through the year we have experienced a variety of service styles in each church.
For Easter a village craft afternoon blew and decorated eggs which added a colourful display as part of our Easter decorations. For Remembrance Sunday, the knitted poppy cascade was fixed around the porch entrance and in church there was a display of information about those whose names appear on our war memorial, this was much appreciated by the Milton community.
We had a successful Christingle service, and the children (and adults!) enjoyed making their Christingles during this service. The nativity play performed by the young people was particularly well supported and very much enjoyed by the congregation. After the success of the carol service in previous years we again held a Christmas Eve carol service by candlelight with a mix of traditional, contemporary and performance readings and music. The congregational singing was enhanced by the support of the Milton AHA Choir. The church was beautifully decorated and very full; everyone appreciated this lovely service.
## _**Sutton Courtenay**_
This has been another year of growth where we have welcomed new people to our worshiping community. The pattern of services has remained the same with a Family Service on the first Sunday, Holy Communion on second and fourth Sunday and Morning Worship on the third Sunday. The major festivals have been well attended.
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During Holy Week the Maundy Thursday service followed by a Lamb Supper was open to the whole Parish and was appreciated by all who came. This year we just had a family service on Good Friday. Then the church was left open with stations for reflection set up around the church for private prayer and reflection. The Easter Day Family Eucharist was very popular. The children enjoyed their annual Easter Egg Hunt around the graveyard.
Christmas Services again were well supported. The Torchlight Procession returned with torches this year and attracted 1000 people. Christmas Eve Crib Service had 74 children dressing up and taking part in the ‘Star’ Story. Over 700 bells were crafted by individuals for the Christmas Bell Hunt for members of the community to find and hang on their own tree – along with the ‘Follow the Star’ Booklet produced by the CofE.
## **Steventon**
The size of the congregation at each Sunday service has increased slightly in 2024 but continues to show a more occasional pattern of attendance. This is most noticeable in our monthly family service which attracts five village families and the most infrequent attenders (averaging once every 2-3 months). Midweek communion services maintain an average of eight attenders which include parishioners who do not attend Sunday services. The monthly service of Evening Prayer has developed into Evensong and attended by upwards of 12 worshippers (from a total of 18 frequent attenders).
End of term school services, village Christingle and Crib services plus weddings and funerals have led to the church having attendances of over 150 for 11 services in 2024. Occasional services including Harvest, Remembrance and special summer celebrations all attracted congregations of greater than 70.
## _**Social and fund raising**_
Many of the social activities provide outreach and mission opportunities within the village communities. Thanks to grant support we were able to offer a warm space and free activities and refreshments in some of our churches in January, February, March and December for a few hours each week. This has helped many who are struggling with heating and eating.
## _**Drayton**_
The annual plant sale in May went well and raised £400.The Christmas Cracker event at the end of November raised over £700 and drew in many people from the village. Homemade cards are on sale in church throughout the year and add to the fund raising.
The monthly Knit and Natter sessions not only provide an opportunity to make garments for charity, as well as knitting for ourselves, but provide a social gathering. A number of people who attend are not church goers and numbers have increased during the year.
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## _**Appleford**_
Monthly coffee mornings continue to be held, courtesy of Richard and Linda Payne, and are well supported by villagers and people from further afield. They provide an invaluable point of social contact and are much appreciated. The money raised goes to the Appleford Fabric Fund. The Appleford 100 Club continues to run and bring in some much-needed income. The draw is held at the monthly coffee morning. A sell-out Winter Warmer Lunch and Quiz was held in the Village Hall in November. The Christmas Carol Singing Evening was very well supported and raised several hundred pounds for Oxfordshire Homeless.
## _**Milton**_
Our twice monthly tea, chat and craft afternoons offer an opportunity for companionship particularly for older villagers and these have run regularly through the year. The crafters in the group enjoyed planning and running the Easter craft event and making items for the craft fair.
On Shrove Tuesday we held a pancake event with many pancakes and a variety of competitions and races. The young people had a great time and were probably surprised at how competitive parent and grandparent races can be! Lots of pancakes were tossed and consumed. Donations at this event went to our lent Charity.
In April we held the Milton Duck race. The rain held off and lots of villagers turned up to support their duck and to share tea and cake in the church after the racing. We raised over £1000 for church funds, and it continues to be a popular community event.
Working in partnership with the church, MICE (Miltonians in Community Events) have led in the promotion of a 100 Club and other events from which the ‘church’ benefitted, both financially and socially. In July MICE joined the church in running a food stall at TRUCK over a warm weekend. They sold out and raised over £2000 for church funds.
The craft and jigsaw fair in November, featuring several talented village crafters as well as the church stall. This event was well supported raised over £700 for the church funds and got our Advent and Christmas season off to an enjoyable and profitable start.
Our Lent Charity was EMBRACE the Middle East and at Christmas we supported the DAWN (Didcot, Abingdon and Wantage Talking Newspaper). There was good support for Oxford Historic Churches Ride and Stride – with one family visiting churches and well sponsored. We also had welcomers at St Blaise for most of the day, who did a grand job tidying the churchyard, cleaning the church and decorating for harvest festival during quiet periods!
## _**Sutton Courtenay**_
The regular events such as Community Cafe, Community Brunch, Movie Matinee, WeCare2, Together in Stitches, Knit and Natter have continued and have reached out to the community. A free family craft afternoon was offered to the community which attracted over 40 children and adults.
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Specific Fundraising events included: The Vicar’s Funday on Spring Bank Holiday Monday - which raised money for the 26[th] Abingdon Scouts; The Abingdon DAMASCUS Youth Project and All Saints’ Church Fabric Fund; Moonrakers Concert; Orwell Society annual visit with Cream teas; Cream teas during August.
100 hampers were distributed again at Christmas, reaching a lot more families in need than past years.
The collections at the Village Carol Singing and at the Torchlight Procession and Bonfire raised over £1,000 for DEC Middle East Humanitarian Appeal.
The River Room has continued to be well used both for church activities and external bookings. It is being used by the wider church community, such as a Clergy Quiet Day, run by the diocese, PCC away days by PCCs from Abingdon. It is becoming popular as a venue for Baptism parties and Wakes.
## **Steventon**
The Lent lunches, were well supported, raising over £1000 for Christian Aid. Two pasty parties, a plant sale, a concert, a harvest supper, two history group events, and the church fete all provided successful fund-raising opportunities for both the general fund and the church fabric fund. The annual TRUCK festival provided the opportunity of generating substantial funds for both the parish general fund and Steventon church fabric maintenance. A tremendous amount of work was involved in providing food for 20,000+ festival goers including a tonne of baked potatoes, 260kg of bacon, 4,000 crumpets and more than 30 catering sized tins of baked beans. Truck 2024 broke all records for the amount of food served, monies taken and the number of volunteers drawn from church families and villagers highlighting the level of support and encouragement for the church and its service to the community.
## _**Music**_
There are regular weekly choirs in Steventon and Sutton Courtenay. Singers from across the Parish regularly combine forces for weddings and funerals and for shared DAMASCUS Services.
## _**Drayton**_
The former members of the choir join with other choirs from the DAMASCUS Parish for certain DAMASCUS services as well as for some weddings. Drayton and Sutton Courtenay held a joint 9 lessons and carols service at which **the** choirs combined. A big thank you to the organists who play for us at Sunday services as well as Brian Thompson who accompanies us on guitar. Also, to Kay Davies who leads the music at our Praise services and frequently teaches us new hymns.
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## _**Appleford**_
With no regular organist, Iris Ramkisson continues to choose and upload the hymns to the church iPod and the sound system is used to good effect. Organist support is provided for special services (Christmas Carols and Midnight Mass) thanks to John Napper and Philip Agg.
## _**Milton**_
We do not have a regular organist, so we have effectively use music from CDs. Through the year we have continued to experiment with using some of the less well known hymns in our hymn book with the support of choirs from around the world via YouTube.
## _**Sutton Courtenay**_
The ‘Singing Saints’ have continued to support our worship and they were joined by a good number of ‘guest’ voices for the Carol Service in December to make a 25-strong choir. Our thanks go to Philip and Keiran Agg who rehearsed the choir, conducted and played the organ for the Christmas services. They are very grateful indeed to John Napper, who plays the organ, and to Barbara Vellacott for her piano playing during the year. Barbara retired at the end of 2024 due to ill-health.
## _**Steventon**_
Two long standing members of the choir sadly died in 2024 reducing the choir’s numbers to an average of 5-6 for services of Morning Worship and Holy Communion. All the members are very loyal and have all been with the choir for very many years. The choir rehearses once a month and sings at three services a month leading the congregation in the singing of hymns. For special occasions we can call on members of Steventon Choral Society to help with singing. The Choral Society joins the church choir annually for the traditional Christmas carol service and performs a concert on Palm Sundays in the church. Helen Pearce continues to serve as organist and Terry Pearce as choirmaster.
## _**Bells**_
The bells in Drayton, Milton, Sutton Courtenay, and Steventon have all rung regularly for services during 2024. Practices have been held most weeks at all four churches. Ringing at Sutton Courtenay during 2024 has been restricted because of a broken gudgeon on the fifth bell, so that bell has been unringable for much of 2024, it is anticipated that this will be repaired in spring 2025. The bells at Appleford remain unringable.
In addition to services and weddings the bells have been rung for local and national events. Most notably this year was the ringing at Steventon in April to mark the 90[th] birthday of Jack Jarvis and his retirement as Licensed Lay Minister. Steventon ringers were delighted that the Dean of Westminster accepted their invitation to dedicate a peal board and to deliver the address during a service of evensong on the church's Feast Day. The Dean attended in the Abbey's role as the patron of Steventon church. The beautiful, hand-made board marked the 75th anniversary of Jack's membership of the Oxford Diocesan Guild of Bell Ringers. There was ringing at Steventon and Milton in June as part of the national initiative Ring out
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for Peace marking the 80[th] anniversary of the D-Day Landings. In November there was ringing at all the churches for Remembrance celebrations in our villages.
We are pleased to report that learners recruited at Drayton, Milton, Sutton Courtenay, and Steventon have all been making good progress. All four of our ringable towers have been pleased to be able to welcome visiting bands and to host branch practices for ringers from the local area. During 2024 there were two peals and six quarter peals rung at Drayton; 19 peals and ten quarter peals rung at Milton; ten quarter peals rung at Steventon; and one quarter peal rung at Sutton Courtenay. Of note, two ringers, one from Steventon and one from Milton, rang their first quarter peal and two called their first quarter peal at Steventon, several ringers rang their first quarter in a method they had not rung before. There were also several peal achievements among the more experienced ringers, most notably Colin Turner rang his 8000[th] peal, the first person ever to reach this milestone.
Routine checks and maintenance of the bells has been carried out by the bellringers at each tower during the year. Sutton Courtenay bells had an annual maintenance visit from Whites of Appleton in March which identified a broken gudgeon preventing that bell being rung until the gudgeon is replaced. The clappers of Drayton bells were refurbished in July. We are grateful to visiting ringers, peal, and quarter peal bands for the donations they make to our church bell funds which help with paying for ropes and necessary repair work on our bells.
## _**Flowers**_
All the churches in the Parish are decorated for festivals and special occasions. We thank the many volunteer flower arrangers and those who organise flower rotas for all their efforts to make our churches look so beautiful.
## _**Drayton**_
Sally Dixon and Val Cross decorate the church for the major festivals, with help from other members of the congregation. At Easter, Tony Allen and Sally create an Easter garden beneath the altar and at Christmas they create a nativity scene. If a member of the congregation would like a loved one remembered, then a pedestal arrangement is done.
## _**Appleford**_
A team of people from the church and village ensure there are flowers each week in the church and come together to decorate the church for the major festivals. They are much appreciated by the congregation and visitors alike. We are grateful to Richard Mathews who maintains the two tubs outside the church door with all year around blooms.
## _**Milton**_
Whilst there is no flower arranging group at St Blaise, a variety of volunteers organised decoration of the church for Easter, Harvest, Remembrance Day, and Christmas.
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## _**Sutton Courtenay**_
The Flower arranging team, under the leadership of Ann White, have continued to provide a dedicated service, with most providing the flowers at their own expense despite their being funds available to compensate them. We are grateful to Richard Mathews who maintains the two tubs outside the church door with all year around blooms. The Easter Lilies continue to be very popular, and a number of people support their purchase to dedicate lilies in memory of loved ones who have died.
## _**Steventon**_
The church flower arrangers team provide flowers for church every Sunday; about twelve volunteers together decorate the church for the main festivals of Easter, Harvest and Christmas. During the Covid pandemic when gathered acts of worship were not permitted, fresh flowers were placed on the altar as an act of worship. The placing of flowers on the altar on a Sunday has now become a tradition of a rural community praising God for the beauty and wonder of His creation.
During 2024 the Team joined with the families to provide floral decorations for both weddings and funerals. The Church Flower Arrangers continue to provide only sustainable flowers and foliage, i.e. grown locally or in the UK and to eschew the use of floral foam as completely as possible, thus reducing their carbon footprint.
## _**Schools**_
Within the DAMASCUS Parish there are four primary schools of which the three in Milton, Sutton Courtenay and Steventon are Church of England schools. The clergy and lay people are actively involved in a variety of ways – as governors, taking assemblies, helping to deliver the RE curriculum, _Open the Book_ , and as reading volunteers.
## _**Drayton**_
There continues to be limited engagement with Drayton Community Primary School.
## _**Appleford**_
There is no school in Appleford but links are maintained with families in the village who attend Europa; Long Wittenham, Sutton Courtenay and other local schools.
## _**Milton**_
Milton CofE Primary School continues to have a strong link with the parish through the Reverend Phil Sutton who is a Foundation Governor with additional responsibilities for Safeguarding and staff wellbeing.
The demands on the pastoral care resources of the school have reached unprecedented levels as families find the high cost of food and energy pushing them further into debt and hunger. The need for emergency and maintained pastoral support reached such a level at
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Christmas 2024 that longer term support mechanisms will be considered and implemented in 2025.
At the end of the school year in July 2024, the school bade a fond farewell to their Head, Ruth Leach and a welcome to the new Head, Becky Costello. The transition has been a very successful one with the school achieving a ‘Good’ Ofsted rating with warm praise for its Christian ethos of care, nurture and positive learning environment. Class visits to the church have taken place during the year, but it has not been possible to hold School services in the church due to the complications of transporting the children to the church.
## _**Sutton Courtenay**_
A small team has continued to take Open the Book assemblies to Sutton Courtenay CofE Primary School. These are always well received and the Year 6’s enjoy taking on roles too. Year 6 have also come to All Saints’ for a variety of Experiences, including Holy week and Pentecost. The children have time to reflect and talk about the events surrounding the Easter stories. Years 5 and 4 came to the Church for the Christmas Experience. Nursery visited for an Angel Hunt around the Church and their Christmas party. The school also come to All Saints’ for end of term services at Easter, Summer Leavers’ Service and Christmas.
2024 has been a time of huge transition for the school with the departure of the head, Rachel Hornsey and the majority of the other members of staff. A new head, Raluca Chende, started in September 2024 and good relationships are continuing between school and church. We are currently seeking a new Foundation Governor to replace Bryony Landsbert who stood down after several years of service.
## _**Steventon**_
Steventon St Michael’s CofE Primary School joined the Abingdon Learning Trust Academy in December 2024 after 2 years of careful analysis of our options as to becoming an academy school or remaining as a LEA school. The school, Trust and governing body were delighted to celebrate our school becoming the fourth school in ALT when the complex legal process was complete. The benefits of enhanced senior teacher mentoring, curriculum and learning monitoring are already in evidence. The Trust is committed to enabling us to further develop our community and church links and to model such examples for the Trust’s three Abingdon schools.
The small Open the Book team continues to offer a whole school assembly once a fortnight which receives strong support from the children via their pupil parliament. Revd Phil Sutton continues to offer whole school and classroom assemblies as well as coordinating a pastoral support resource for families in crisis. Typically, four families will be receiving significant resources at any one time. Kathryn Mendus resigned as a Foundation Governor in the autumn and the governing body are actively seeking a replacement governor in conjunction with the Oxford Diocese and Didcot based churches.
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## _**Fabric**_
In all five churches routine maintenance has taken place, including clearance of drains and gutters and servicing of boilers, fire extinguishers, lightning conductors, roof alarms, CCTV, clocks, and organs. One quinquennial inspection took place during this year. For each church other specific activity related to maintaining the building and churchyard is given in the following paragraphs.
## _**Drayton**_
The repairs to the south wall and guttering have been done. Work remains to be done on the tower. At the end of the year the central heating was creating problems which was caused by a faulty radiator. This has now been removed.
There were many complaints in the spring when our gardener was unable to cut the grass in the churchyard. Drayton Parish Council has now taken on the responsibility for grass cutting from Spring 2025.
## _**Appleford**_
In September 2024 Brian Blakeman agreed to take on the role of Clerk of Works for Appleford alongside his work in All Saints’, Sutton Courtenay. A tree survey was undertaken and as a result the yew tree closest to the Church Cottage boundary had significant work done to make it safe; the front path yew trees were trimmed to a more manageable size and general pruning was carried out throughout the churchyard. Thanks to the team of volunteers headed up by Jacob Shepherd.
## _**Milton**_
The church building and its interior are in good condition following the major projects in recent years. Work carried out during the year includes improving the lighting in the chancel by replacing all the light bulbs with daylight LEDs; realigning and repointing stonework of the back vestry porch, repointing the roof joint between the north side of the nave roof and the chancel wall, re-building the top section of the high wall on the north-west side of the churchyard. Further work has been carried out clearing ivy from the churchyard walls. We would like to record our thanks to Paul Browning for the many tasks he has ably and enthusiastically carried out to maintain the church; to all those involved in cutting the churchyard grass and to the Churchyard Working Group that has done so much to keep the churchyard tidy.
## _**Sutton Courtenay**_
Thanks go to Brian Blakeman, the All Saints’ clerk of works, for continuing to help maintain the fabric of the church and the River Room. During the year the South Pillar on the main gate was rebuilt. The chancel lights were repaired and upgraded so they can now be dimmed. The Tower Clock was finally repaired and is back in working order. Path lights to the River Room have been replaced with pillar lights. The Main Entrance Inner Door has had the fabric covering replaced. Work continues on coming up with a solution to enable live streaming of services.
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## _**Steventon**_
Minor repairs have been undertaken to curtain poles and screen panels, a faculty was obtained for the installation of a commemorative plaque to celebrate the lifelong service to the church and community by Mr Jack Jarvis. A second faculty application was submitted in the autumn for the replacement of eroded and broken external stone on the church tower and north wall along with extensive repointing of the south wall. This work was specified in the 2020 quinquennial report and the specification and contract documents were prepared by the same architect.
## _**Deanery Synod**_
During 2024 Deanery Synod has met in February, May, October and November. Standing agenda items have included finance and parish share, and it was good to be able to again report that Abingdon Deanery parishes have all paid their share in full, so that a Diocesan discount continues to apply. It was wonderful to hear the news that St Helens Dry Sandford was able to reopen during the year, following remedial works to dangerous stonework. Other happy news included the appointment of Rev Wealands Bell, the former chaplain at Magdalen College School to be incumbent of Appleton with Besselsleigh, and Rev Dr AKMA Adams, a New Testament tutor at Oxford University to support the team at St Helen’s Abingdon. The Area Dean’s focus for the year has been on Children Young People and Families ministry, and this has carried across to our own PCC meetings. This initiative was also supported by a presentation to Deanery Synod by Anne Ferry – the newly appointed Parish Development Advisor for Dorchester Archdeaconry.
## _**Volunteers**_
We would like to thank all the volunteers who work so hard to make our five churches lively and vibrant communities. Particularly we thank welcomers, sidespeople, readers, intercessors, junior church leaders, refreshment providers and all those who assist with the financial processes, and all those who work behind the scenes who make for an efficient operation and ensuring we have well-presented buildings and churchyards.
## _**Ministry Team**_
The Reverend Helen Kendrick was installed as an Honorary Canon at Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford on Saturday 27[th] January where she was supported by family and friends from the Parish. This was in recognition of her services to the Diocese over 25 years.
The Reverend Dov Whittle and his wife Katy, and sons Daniel and Isaac moved into Drayton Vicarage as Dov commenced his Curacy in the DAMASCUS Parish. Members of the parish attended his ordination at Christ Church Cathedral at the end of June.
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## **Financial review**
This financial review covers the period 1st January 2024 to 31st December 2024. Income has exceeded £250,000 so we continue to prepare and present the accounts using the accruals method. Income and expenditure are therefore recognised as soon as entitlement is established, e.g., gift aid must be recognised when the income is received even though the actual claim may be received in the subsequent year.
Accruals accounts consist of a SOFA (Statement of Financial Activities), a balance sheet, a cash flow statement, and further explanatory notes. The SOFA is on page 19, the balance sheet is on page 20, the cash flow statement is on page 21 and the notes on pages 22-32.
Total unrestricted income during 2024 was £183,593, a small increase on the previous year's income of £178,793 primarily due to an increase in tax efficient and other planned giving, an increase in fund raising income for the unrestricted fund and an increase in interest. There was a decrease in income to the unrestricted fund from statutory fees because some statutory fees are now being paid to relevant church fabric funds. Overall, the income from statutory fees in 2024 was similar to that in 2023 as was total income from fund raising activities, but the share of these monies between unrestricted and restricted funds has changed. Total income from interest was higher in 2024 due to the high interest rates, but most of this income is in restricted funds.
Total unrestricted expenditure increased slightly from £158,175 to £165,837, this is mainly due to an increase in the Parish share, as we had a £5,000 reduction in the payment of the Parish Share in 2023 as recompense for the Rector taking the role of Acting Assistant Archdeacon during a vacancy. There was a decrease in the cost of church utilities from £22,925 in 2023 to £16,150 in 2024, this was partly due to a modest reduction in the cost of electricity and gas but mostly was due to a hugely overestimated gas bill in one church in 2023 and it took most of 2024 to use up the balance of the overestimate. We purchased a new parish photocopier during 2024.
In 2024 there was a net gain in unrestricted funds of £20,186. Consequently, the unrestricted funds carried forward to 2025 are £97,573. The increase in unrestricted funds means we have a cushion above the limit set by our reserves policy (see below). As we review our ministry staffing in 2025 and plan for the future, the modest gains in the unrestricted fund for three years despite increasing costs, will allow us to consider whether an increase in the ministry team might be sustainable.
A designated fund established in 2022 to handle short term grants for warm spaces projects, received a further grant of £8,000 in January 2024. This, together with the remaining money from previous grants, allowed funding of Warm Spaces activities in January to March and in December 2024. The balance of £6,725 in the fund will continue to be used for Warm Spaces activities in 2025.
The overall income to the restricted funds during 2024 was £87,697, an increase on the previous year’s income of £74,794. There were more voluntary donations and associated gift aid to restricted funds and the income from interest has been higher. There was a legacy
14
of £10,000 to one Fabric Fund and increased grant income from Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme. The expenditure from the restricted funds was higher in 2024 at £71,677 than in 2023 when it was £46,400. This increase in expenditure in the restricted funds is mostly in major capital expenditure and in church running costs because of several minor maintenance or fabric repair projects across the five churches and the start of a more major fabric project in Steventon Church. Overall, there was an increase in the balance of the restricted funds of £16,988, though this is largely an increase in the balance of two of the restricted funds. All the church fabric funds have an adequate balance for day-to-day expenditure, but most would require fund raising if there are essential large building repairs required.
Investment funds, which are all endowment funds, increased in value from £674,784 to £686,409. For most of these funds only interest or dividends may be spent.
In summary, we have had a successful year with modest increases in the overall balances of both the restricted and unrestricted funds despite high inflationary increases in costs and more minor maintenance activity. However, we must continue to pay close attention to the level of unrestricted funds if we are to increase our ministry staffing. Considering the age profile of our committed regular givers, we need to continue regular stewardship campaigns if this important source of income is to be maintained into the next decade. Additional fund raising will be required, particularly for the five church fabric funds, if we are to continue keeping the churches in good repair.
## _**Reserves Policy**_
It is PCC policy to maintain a balance on free reserves (net current assets) which equates to at least two months unrestricted payments. This is equivalent to £30,000. It is held to smooth out fluctuations in cash flow and to meet emergencies. It is our policy to invest short term balances with the CCLA Church of England Deposit Fund and longer-term reserves in the CCLA Church of England Investment fund.
15
## **Structure, governance, and management**
The method of appointment of PCC members is set out in the Church Representation Rules. In the DAMASCUS Parish the membership of the PCC consists of the incumbent, other members of the clergy team, churchwardens, licensed lay ministers, and members elected by those members of the congregation who are on the electoral roll of the parish. All those who are members of the congregations are encouraged to register on the electoral Roll and stand for election to the PCC.
The PCC members are responsible for making decisions on all matters of general concern and importance to the parish including deciding how the funds of the PCC are to be spent. The PCC met six times during the year all were in-person meetings. The Local Church Committees (LCC), with responsibility for considering local activity and provide local church feedback to the PCC and who act as a forum for the PCC to consult with the congregations of each of the five churches continued to meet in the alternative months to the PCC. Each of the five LCCs provide a report to every PCC meeting. For each church Pro-Wardens, elected at the APCM, carry out roles ensuring the smooth running of their church and maintain order in the church and grounds.
A Standing Committee consisting of the incumbent, the churchwardens, the PCC Secretary, the PCC Treasurer and two other members of the PCC meet bi-monthly (in the months between PCC meetings) to transact business delegated to them by the PCC.
## **Administrative information**
## _**The Ministry team**_
## _**Clergy**_
Parish Rector – The Reverend Helen Kendrick Associate Priest (Half-Time Stipendiary) – The Reverend Phil Sutton Associate Priest (SSM) - The Reverend Rosie Bruce Retired PTO – The Reverend Canon Dr Phillip Tovey PTO – The Reverend Geoff Morgan Assistant Curate – The Reverend Dov Whittle (from July 2024)
## **Licensed Lay Ministers**
Dr Tim Budd (PTO) Mr Jack Jarvis (PTO) (until April 2024) Mrs Alex Landsbert (PTO)
## **Authorised Preacher**
Mr Paul James
The DAMASCUS Parish is part of the Abingdon Deanery within the Diocese of Oxford within the Church of England. The correspondence address is The Parish Office, All Saints Church, The Green, Sutton Courtenay, Abingdon, Oxfordshire OX14 4AE. The PCC is a body corporate
16
(PCC Powers Measure 1956, Church Representation Rules 2006) and a charity registered with the Charity Commission, with registered charity number 1175551.
**PCC members who have served at any time from 1 January 2024** until the date this report was approved are:
## _**Ex Officio members:**_
Incumbent: The Reverend Helen Kendrick (Chairman) Associate Minister: The Reverend Phil Sutton Associate Priest: The Reverend Rosie Bruce Licensed Lay Minister: Mr Jack Jarvis Licenced Lay Minister: Mrs Alex Landsbert Churchwarden: Dr Hilary Otterburn (until July 2024) Mr Anton King representative in Deanery Synod Mr Michael Murray representative in Deanery Synod Mrs Sue Harris, Secretary Mrs Sue Jenkins, Safeguarding Officer
## _**Elected members:**_
Mrs Valerie Cross Mrs Linda Johnson (until May 2024) Mrs Nicola Turner (Hon. Treasurer) Dr Elaine Maxwell Mrs Alison Budd (Churchwarden from July 2024) Professor David King Mrs Caroline Miller Mr Tony Sloggett
**Local Church Committee members who have served at any time from 1 January 2024** until the date this report was approved are:
**Drayton LCC:** Val Cross (Pro-Warden); Gareth Davies (Clerk of Works); Sally Dixon; Sue Harris; Sue Icke; Linda Johnson (Pro-warden until June 2024); Anton King; and The Reverend Canon Helen Kendrick and The Reverend Dov Whittle
**Appleford LCC:** Elizabeth Duffield; William Finch; Sue Helby; Linda Payne; Iris Ramkissoon; Jacob Shepherd (Pro-Warden from November 2024) and The Reverend Canon Helen Kendrick and The Reverend Dov Whittle
**Milton LCC:** Mike Blanch, Pat Capuzzimati, Elaine Maxwell (Pro-Warden), Janet Money, Janet Taylor, Nicola Turner (Pro-Warden) and The Reverend Canon Helen Kendrick and The Reverend Dov Whittle.
**Sutton Courtenay:** Brian Blakeman (Clerk of Works), Alison Budd (Pro-Warden), Susan Jenkins, David King, Alex Landsbert, Viviene Maunders, Malcolm Ross, Phil Stubley, Mary Warrington and The Reverend Canon Helen Kendrick and The Reverend Dov Whittle. **Steventon:** Alan Binning (Pro-Warden), Diana Bowder, Doreen Goddard, Jack Jarvis, Andrew Loutit, Caroline Miller, Mike Murray, Hilary Otterburn (Pro-Warden), Terry Pearce, David Sandford, Tony Sloggett and The Reverend Phil Sutton.
17
## **DAMASCUS PARISH INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF DAMASCUS**
I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the company for the year ended 31 December 2024 which are set out on pages 19 to 32.
## **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 respect of my examination of the charity’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 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 confirm that I am qualified to undertake the examination because I am a member of the ICAEW, which is one of the listed bodies.
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:
1. accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 130 of the Act; or
2. the accounts do not accord with those records; or
3. the accounts do 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.
## **Signed**
## **Caroline Webster, FCA**
UHY Ross Brooke Suite I, Windrush Court, Abingdon Business Park, OX14 1SY
**Date:** 13.05.2025
18
## **DAMASCUS PARISH STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES**
## **For the year to 31 December 2024**
|Notes
**INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS**
2a
**Activities for generating funds**
2b
**Church activities**
2c
**Dividends, interest, income from property etc.**
2d
**Other incoming resources**
2e
**TOTAL INCOME**
**EXPENDITURE**
**Church activities**
3a
**Church expenses**
3b
**Costs of generating income**
3c
**Major capital expenditure**
3d
**Other expenditure**
3e
**TOTAL EXPENDITURE**
**NET INCOME/EXPENDITURE**
**BEFORE INVESTMENT GAINS**
**NET GAINS ON INVESTMENTS**
**NET INCOME/EXPENDITURE**
**TRANSFER BETWEEN FUNDS**
**NET MOVEMENT IN FUNDS**
Total funds brought forward
Total fund carried forward
**Voluntary income**|Unrestricted
funds
£
139,821
19,702
14,439
3,496
6,135
**183,593**
126,787
35,725
1,189
-
2,136
**165,837**
**17,756**
**17,756**
2,430
**20,186**
**77,387**
**97,573**|Designated
funds
£
8,000
-
-
-
-
**8,000**
136
1,418
-
-
-
**1,554**
**6,446**
**6,446**
(3,398)
**3,048**
**3,677**
**6,725**|Restricted
funds
£
36,090
15,505
7,368
28,734
-
**87,697**
3,315
58,815
3,372
5,568
607
**71,677**
**16,020**
**16,020**
968
**16,988**
**182,546**
**199,534**|Endowment
funds
£
-
-
-
-
-
**-**
-
-
-
-
-
**-**
**-**
**11,625**
**11,625**
-
**11,625**
**674,784**
**686,409**|Total 2024
£
183,911
35,207
21,807
32,230
6,135
**279,290**
130,238
95,958
4,561
5,568
2,743
**239,068**
**40,222**
**11,625**
**51,847**
-
**51,847**
**938,394**
**990,241**|Total 2023
£
160,237
35,820
23,996
27,964
5,570
**253,587**
121,004
81,796
3,022
-
717
**206,539**
**47,048**
**43,687**
**90,735**
-
**90,735**
**847,659**
**938,394**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
19
DAMASCUS PARISH
BALANCE SHEET AT 31 DECEMBER 2024
2024
Total
2023
Total
Notes
FIXED AssErs
Tangible
Investments
1,240
686.409
687.649
674,784
674,784
CURRENT ASSErs
Debtors and prepayments
Short-term deposits
Cash at bank and in hand
15,340
200,434
89.812
305,586
13,271
170,402
84,968
268,641
LIABILITIES
Creditors- amounts falling due
in one year
2,994
5,031
NET CURRENT Ass/(LIABIL[T1E5)
302.592
263,610
TOTAL ASSETS LESS CURRENT LIABILITIES
Creditors- amounts falling due
after one year
990,241
938,394
io
TOTAL NETASSETS
990,241
938.394
PARISH FUNDS
Unrestricted
Restricted
Endowment
li
104,298
199.534
686.409
81.064
182,546
674,784
12
990.241
938,394
Approved by the Parochial Church Council on......
OX5. and signed on its behalf bv:
The Revd Helen Kendrick (Chairl ..ktr..wA.ryG
Nicola Turner ITreasurerl
20
## **DAMASCUS PARISH**
## **CASH FLOW STATEMENT AT 31 DECEMBER 2024**
|||2024||2023|
|---|---|---|---|---|
||£|£|£|£|
|**Net cash from operating activities**||4,506||(3,606)|
|**Cash flows from investing activities**|||||
|Dividends, interest and rent from investments|32,230||27,964||
|Interest paid||-|-||
|**_Proceeds from sale of:_**|||||
|Tangible fixed assets||-|-||
|Tangible fixed investments||-|-||
|**_Purchase of:_**|||||
|Tangible fixed assets for the use of the PCC|(1,860)||-||
|Fixed asset investments||-|-||
|Cash flows from financing activities|||||
|Loans (outstanding balances)||-|-||
|**Net cash provided by/ (used in) investing activities**||30,370||27,964|
|**Change in cash and cash equivalents in the reporting period**||34,876||24,358|
|**Cash and cash equivalents at 1 January**||255,370||231,012|
|**Cash and cash equivalents at 31 December**||290,246||255,370|
|Reconciliation of net income/(expenditure) before investment|gains||||
|**Net income before investment gains 31 December**||40,222||47,048|
|**_Adjustment for:_**|||||
|Depreciation charges||620||203|
|Dividends, interest and rent from investments||(32,230)||(27,964)|
|Decrease/(increase) in debtors||(2,069)||(1,760)|
|(Decrease)/Increase in creditors||(2,037)||(21,133)|
|**Net cash provided by/(used in) operating activities**||4,506||(3,606)|
|**Analysis of cash and cash equivalents**|||||
|Cash in hand||89,812||84,968|
|Notice deposits (less than 3 months)||200,434||170,402|
|||290,246||255,370|
21
## **DAMASCUS PARISH**
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024**
## **1 ACCOUNTING POLICIES**
The Parish is a public benefit entity within the meaning of FRS 102. The financial statements have been prepared under The Charities Act 2011 and in accordance with the Church Accounting Regulations 2006 and with the Regulations "true and fair view" provisions, together with FRS102 as the applicable accounting standard and the 2019 version of the Statement of Recommended Practice, Accounting and Reporting by Charities (SORP (FRS102). The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention except for the valuation of investment assets, which are shown as fair value.
The financial statements are prepared on a going concern basis. There are no material uncertainties in respect of the charities ability to continue as a going concern for the foreseeable future.
## **ASSETS**
## **Consecrated and benefice property**
Consecrated and beneficed property of any kind is excluded from the accounts by s.10(2) of the Charities Act 2011. All expenditure incurred during the year on such property is written off as expenditure in the SOFA and separately disclosed
## **Moveable church furnishings**
These are capitalised at cost and depreciated over their useful economic life (normally 20 years) other than when insufficient cost information is available. In this case the item is not capitalised, but all items are included in the Church's inventory in any case.
## **Tangible fixed assets for use by the charity**
These are capitalised if they can be used for more than one year and cost at least £1,000. The Parish photocopier comes within this scope and has been depreciated over 3 years.
## **FUNDS**
## **Unrestricted Funds**
These represent the remaining income funds of the PCC available for spending on general purposes of the PCC. They include designated funds that have been set aside by the PCC for specific purposes.
## **Restricted Funds**
These are income funds that must be spent on restricted purposes and details of funds held and restrictions provided are shown in the notes to the accounts.
## **Endowment Funds**
These are restricted funds that must be retained as trust capital either permanently or subject to a discretionary power to spend capital as income.
## **INCOME**
Collections and planned giving are recognised when received by or on behalf of the Parish. Income tax recoverable on covenants or gift aid donations is recognised when the income is recognised. Grants and legacies to the church are accounted for as soon as the Parish is notified of its legal entitlement and the amount due. Funds raised by fundraising events are accounted for as gross. Sales of books and magazines are accounted for gross.
## **INVESTMENT INCOME**
Interest on bank balances is accounted for on an accruals basis with interest recognised in the period to which the interest relates.
Dividend income is recognised on the date the share interest becomes ex-dividend or when the right to the dividend can be established.
## **EXPENDITURE AND LIABILITIES**
Liabilities are recognised as expenditure as soon as there is a legal and constructive obligation and settlement is probable and quantifiable.
22
## **DAMASCUS PARISH NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR YEAR TO 31 DECEMBER 2024**
|**2 INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS**
Unrestricted
funds
£
**2(a) Voluntary income**
All other giving and voluntary
receipts, including Special Appeals
(recurring and one-off)
4,624
Collections at services
15,083
Collections at services for charity
4,973
Gift Aid recovered
24,300
Grants (include recurring and one-off)
4,564
Other planned giving
4,347
Legacies received (capital value)
-
Tax efficient planned giving
81,930
139,821
**2(b) Activities for generating funds**
Gross income from fundraising activities
19,702
19,702
**2(c) Church activities**
Additional wedding and funeral fees
2,267
Gross income from trading (e.g. hall
lettings, magazine, bookstall). NOT
fundraising.
4,454
Statutory fees retained by the PCC
(weddings, funerals etc)
7,718
14,439
**2(d) Dividends, interest, income from property etc.**
Dividends, interest, income from
property etc.
3,496
3,496
**2(e) Other incoming resources**
Other incoming resources
6,135
6,135
**TOTAL INCOME**
183,593|Designated
funds
£
-
-
-
-
8,000
-
-
-
8,000
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
8,000|Restricted
funds
£
15,889
1,644
-
2,112
4,745
-
10,000
1,700
36,090
15,505
15,505
60
4,524
2,784
7,368
28,734
28,734
-
-
87,697|Endowment
funds
£
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-|Total 2024
£
20,513
16,727
4,973
26,412
17,309
4,347
10,000
83,630
183,911
35,207
35,207
2,327
8,978
10,502
21,807
32,230
32,230
6,135
6,135
279,290|Total 2023
£
17,156
16,576
4,029
25,752
13,037
2,216
1,000
80,471
160,237
35,820
35,820
1,416
11,961
10,619
23,996
27,964
27,964
5,570
5,570
253,587|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
23
## **DAMASCUS PARISH**
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR TO 31 DECEMBER 2024**
|**3 EXPENDITURE**
**3(a) Church activities**
_Clergy and staff expenses_
_Diocesan parish share contribution_
_Mission giving and donations_
_Salaries, wages and honoraria_
**3(b) Church expenses**
_Mission and evangelism costs_
_Church running expenses_
_Church utility bills_
_Cost of trading_
_Independent examiner's costs_
_Depreciation on church equipment_
**3(c) Costs of generating income**
_Costs of fundraising activities_
**3(d) Major capital expenditure**
_Major repairs to the church building_
_New building work_
**3(e) Other expenditure**
_Other outgoing resources/ payments_
_Governance costs_
**TOTAL RESOURCES EXPENDED**|Unrestricted
funds
Designated
funds
£
2,841
136
105,785
-
11,371
-
6,790
-
126,787
136
274
1,418
19,953
-
13,678
-
-
-
1,200
-
620
-
35,725
1,418
1,189
-
1,189
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
2,101
-
35
-
2,136
-
165,837
1,554|Restricted
funds
£
-
-
175
3,140
3,315
4,425
51,481
2,472
437
-
-
58,815
3,372
3,372
5,568
-
5,568
607
-
607
71,677|Endowment
funds
£
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-|Total 2024
£
2,977
105,785
11,546
9,930
130,238
6,117
71,434
16,150
437
1,200
620
95,958
4,561
4,561
5,568
-
5,568
2,708
35
2,743
239,068|Total 2023
£
3,319
96,292
11,443
9,950
121,004
5,962
51,528
22,925
218
960
203
81,796
3,022
3,022
-
-
-
682
35
717
206,539|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
24
## **DAMASCUS PARISH**
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024**
## **4 STAFF COSTS**
|Parish administrator
Cleaner
Groundsman
Gravedigger
Organist
Vergers
Bell ringers
Note: All staff above are self-employed
Parish administrator
Cleaner
Groundsman
Gravedigger
Organist
Vergers
Bellringers|2024
£
6,760
1,590
615
-
935
30
-
9,930
1
1
1
-
3
1
-|2023
£
6,720
1,515
615
-
1,100
-
-
9,950
1
1
1
-
5
-
-|
|---|---|---|
None of the Trustees received any remuneration or employee benefits during the year. The lay trustees, where applicable, who acted as agents to the PCC in making approved payments on its behalf, were reimbursed for these expenses on presentation of suitable documentary evidence.
Clergy working expenses were reimbursed in accordance with Church of England guidelines.
There were no related party transactions.
25
## **DAMASCUS PARISH**
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024**
## **5 TRANSFER OF FUNDS**
||Unrestricted|Designated|Restricted|Total|
|---|---|---|---|---|
||£|£|£|£|
|From Warm Spaces Grant (Designated|||||
|Fund WARM) to General and restricted|||||
|funds depending on the expenditure|2,430|(3,398)|968|-|
26
**DAMASCUS PARISH NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024**
## **6 TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS**
|Cost of valuation
At 1 January 2024
Additions
Disposals
At 31 December 2024
Depreciation
At 1 January 2024
Charge for the year
At 31 December 2024
Net book value at 31 December 2024
Net book value at 31 December 2023|Office
equipment
£
-
1,860
-
1,860
-
620
620
1,240
-|Total
£
-
-
-
1,860
-
620
620
1,240
-|
|---|---|---|
27
## **DAMASCUS PARISH**
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024**
## **7 INVESTMENTS**
|Milton Milton - Church Lands
Drayton Bradfield Trust
Drayton Clerk's Piece CO3056670
Drayton Miss Emma Hyde for maintenance
of church fabric CO3055160-001
Drayton Hyde's charity for psalmody
CO3057211
Steventon CB3031650 - ENDOWMENT
FUND
Steventon CB3031648 - N01 INVESTMENT
FUND
DAMASCUS PCC CB3030966
*|Market value at
31st December
2023
£
601,309
10,607
933
2,600
893
34,329
24,101
12
**674,784**|Additions
£
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
**-**|Disposals
£
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
**-**|Market value at
31st December
2024
£
611,253
10,850
954
2,658
913
35,115
24,653
13
**686,409**|Change in
value Jan 1 to
Dec 31 2024
£
9,944
243
21
58
20
786
552
1
**11,625**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
- This investment was purchased for £10.00 on 21 Aug 2018 by a parishioner for the Parish but was omitted from the investment list in 2018 to 2021 inclusive.
28
**DAMASCUS PARISH NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024**
|**8 DEBTORS**
HMRC Gift Aid
Statutory fees due
Collections to be banked
Fund raising to be banked
Parish share rebate
Dividends, interest, income from property etc.
Miscellaneous debtors
**TOTAL**
**9 CREDITORS falling due within one year**
Accounts examination costs
Mission and evangelism costs
Clergy expenses
Church running expenses
Mission giving
Parish Administrator
Organist
Cleaner
Miscellaneous creditors
**TOTAL**
**10 CREDITORS falling due after one year**
**TOTAL**|**2024**
£
3,025
160
2,282
793
4,274
4,299
507
15,340
**2024**
£
1,200
-
146
863
-
600
25
150
10
2,994
**2024**
£
-
-|**2023**
£
3,330
99
1,065
1,593
2,558
4,402
224
13,271
**2023**
£
960
732
-
812
1,627
560
175
165
-
5,031
**2023**
£
-
-|
|---|---|---|
29
## **DAMASCUS PARISH**
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR TO 31 DECEMBER 2024**
## **11 UNRESTRICTED FUNDS**
|**General funds**
**Designated funds**
DAMASCUS Warm Spaces
**UNRESTRICTED FUNDS IN 2023**
**General funds**
**Designated funds**
DAMASCUS Warm Spaces
Steventon Roots and Shoots|Brought
Forward
£
77,387
3,677
3,677
Brought
Forward
£
54,554
8,034
615
8,649|Income
£
183,593
8,000
8,000
Income
£
178,793
-
-
-|Expenditure
£
165,837
1,554
1,554
Expenditure
£
158,175
1,349
615
1,964|Transfer
£
2,430
(3,398)
(3,398)
Transfer
£
2,215
(3,008)
-
(3,008)|Carried
forward
£
97,573
6,725
6,725
Carried
forward
£
77,387
3,677
-
3,677|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
30
## **DAMASCUS PARISH**
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024**
## **12 RESTRICTED FUNDS**
|Drayton fabric
Drayton Carpenters legacy
Drayton Bells
Drayton Clerk's Piece
Drayton Hydes for Psalmody
Appleford fabric fund
Milton bells
Milton building
Milton Church Lands
Sutton Courtenay Fabric
Sutton Courtenay Ringers
Sutton Courtenay Fun Day
Steventon Fabric
Steventon Churchyard
Steventon Tower|Brought
Forward
£
9,316
1,314
3,602
424
690
13,779
14,461
14,486
70,078
21,240
246
8,162
7,021
14,787
2,940
**182,546**|Income
£
4,181
54
605
26
25
1,622
1,322
3,454
24,023
34,333
155
7,260
9,792
609
236
**87,697**|Expenditure
£
5,279
-
1,985
-
-
2,515
234
7,156
10,200
28,414
-
7,058
8,777
-
59
**71,677**|Transfer
£
188
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
195
477
715
(715)
108
-
-
**968**|Carried
forward
£
8,406
1,368
2,222
450
715
12,886
15,549
10,784
84,096
27,636
1,116
7,649
8,144
15,396
3,117
**199,534**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
## **RESTRICTED FUNDS IN 2023**
|Drayton fabric
Drayton Carpenters legacy
Drayton Bells
Drayton Clerk's Piece
Drayton Hydes for Psalmody
Appleford fabric fund
Milton bells
Milton building
Milton Church Lands
*
Sutton Courtenay Fabric
Sutton Courtenay Ringers
Sutton Courtenay Fun Day
** Steventon Fabric
Steventon Churchyard
Steventon Tower|Brought
Forward
£
9,317
1,269
3,244
398
665
10,498
13,224
12,779
54,084
14,008
705
8,732
6,880
14,871
2,685
**153,359**|Income
£
6,014
45
358
26
25
4,308
1,302
2,899
21,632
25,333
16
4,573
7,144
516
603
**74,794**|Expenditure
£
6,015
-
-
-
-
1,027
65
1,192
5,723
18,809
475
5,143
7,003
600
348
**46,400**|Transfer
£
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
85
708
-
-
-
-
-
**793**|Carried
forward
£
9,316
1,314
3,602
424
690
13,779
14,461
14,486
70,078
21,240
246
8,162
7,021
14,787
2,940
**182,546**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
* During 2023 the Restricted Fund called Sutton Courtenay River Room was merged with Sutton Courtenay Fabric
** During 2023 the Restricted Fund called Steventon Church Repair was merged with Steventon Fabric
31
## **DAMASCUS PARISH**
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024**
## **SUMMARY OF ASSETS BY FUND**
|Tangible fixed assets
Investment fixed assets
Current assets
Liabilities
_Amounts falling due in one year_
_Amounts falling due after one year_|Unrestricted
funds
Restricted
funds
Endowment
funds
**TOTAL 2024**
£
£
£
£
1,240
-
-
1,240
-
-
686,409
686,409
105,223
200,363
-
305,586
(2,165)
(829)
-
(2,994)
-
-
-
-
104,298
199,534
686,409
990,241|
|---|---|
32