ANNUAL REVIEW 2024
ANNUAL REVIEW 2024
ST JOHN THE BAPTIST CHURCH, CHILCOMPTON
THE PCC OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF CHILCOMPTON CHARITY NO 1178808 AND ST. VIGOR’S CHURCH, STRATTON-ON-THE-FOSSE
1
ANNUAL REVIEW 2024
Contacts
Parish Office 01761 502068 office@stvigorstjohn.church
St John's Church, Church Lane, Chilcompton, Radstock BA3 4HP
Facebook: StJohnTheBaptistChurchChilcompton Sermons available on the church website: www.stvigorstjohn.church
Rector
Revd. Esther Smith 01761 233401 rector@stvigorstjohn.church
2
ANNUAL REVIEW 2024
Contents:
St John’s Church
Rector’s Report ..................................................................................................................................... 4 The New Life Project ........................................................................................................................... 7 Music and Worship ............................................................................................................................... 8 Thursday Morning Communion and Coffee ..................................................................................... 8 Discipleship ........................................................................................................................................... 8 Contemplative Prayer .......................................................................................................................... 9 Messy Church ..................................................................................................................................... 10 Tea & Toast ......................................................................................................................................... 12 School report ....................................................................................................................................... 12 Mission ................................................................................................................................................. 13 Lunch Club .......................................................................................................................................... 13 Root Connections Cookery Club...................................................................................................... 14 The Wednesday Men's Group .......................................................................................................... 15 Monday Night Tea .............................................................................................................................. 15 Safeguarding ....................................................................................................................................... 16 Churchwardens’ Report ..................................................................................................................... 16 PCC Report ......................................................................................................................................... 17 Sidespersons ...................................................................................................................................... 18 Bellringers ............................................................................................................................................ 18 Electoral Role ...................................................................................................................................... 19 Treasurer’s Report year ended 31[st] December 2024 ................................................................... 19 Reserves .............................................................................................................................................. 20
St Vigor’s Church
Contents .............................................................................................................................................. 26 Report for 2024 ................................................................................................................................... 27 Electoral Roll ....................................................................................................................................... 27 Financial Status .................................................................................................................................. 27 Auditor’s Statement ............................................................................................................................ 30
With grateful thanks to Chris and Tina Collins for the photos of Messy Church and to Rachel Grant for the photos of the Root Connections Cookery Club
3
ANNUAL REVIEW 2024
Rector’s Report
‘See I am doing a new thing!’
Our verse for the year 2024 encouraged us to look and see all that God is doing amongst us, and what a very busy year it was. Although we were not called upon to celebrate any weddings last year, Alana Berry and George Cload were baptised, and Dawn Beecroft was confirmed. How lovely it is to see families growing and remaining part of our wider church family. Sadly, amongst the 17 funerals I took in 2024 were numbered a few of our dear friends from within our worshipping community – Rob Beck, Arthur Moon, Jill Culverwell, Kathleen Attwood and Felicity Redmond-Lyon. They are sadly missed.
Church life remained busy with us hosting the Annual Marriage Preparation Day for the Deanery in February, the spectacular National 12 Bell National Final in June and a Teddy Bear’s Picnic for all the families associated with our church family in July. Although we do not see them often on a Sunday, we connect with 70 different families across the month through our children’s and families’ activities, and a happy day was had by all.
We launched our New Life Project by inviting people to fill a lent box with small change: the smarties proved very popular indeed and kicked us off to a great start! Your generosity and hard work means that we finished the year having raised around £45,000 and we are ready to begin work as soon as permissions are granted to replace the hall heating and roof. Hospitality is so key to our engagement with the wider community in Jesus’ name, and the year has shown how important the hall and its facilities are to our ministry to families, the school and seniors in the community. We are grateful to those who went before us for their inspiration and hard work in providing it for our benefit and hope to be good stewards of this amazing resource in our turn. See the summary on the next page for examples of what the Hall Ministry looks like in practical terms.
4
ANNUAL REVIEW 2024 A year in numbers A review of the ministry in the Church Hall over 2024 1200 slices of toast shared 70 young families interacted with through our Children & Family ministries 260 soup lunches served 40 Christmas dinners eaten £45,000 raised so far towards the New Life Project to renovate the hall 4000 hot drinks consumed
ANNUAL REVIEW 2024
In the early summer I enjoyed a Sabbatical Break and travelled in the footsteps of St Paul in Greece: what a privilege! It is inspiring to read scripture in the places it is actually writing about. Across the year we have read our way right through the Old Testament – what a feat! It was good to hear those well-known stories in context and in chronological order as we saw salvation history unfold week on week. If you need to jog your memory, the timeline we created remains on the wall in the hall.
In September we bid farewell to our curate Steve and his wife Jenn, Steve having completed his training here at St John’s. Many of us joined him at his licensing in Ringwood and were delighted for them at finding a suitable post so close to Jenny’s family. Student Rosanna Blewett joined us shortly afterwards on her placement from Sarum College, whilst she prepares for ordination in 2025. We have been so blessed by the ministry of them both and thank them for all their hard work.
We ended the year with lovely Christmas Celebrations: from hosting Root Connections Christmas Fair, to the Messy Christingle and the Carol Service which were all very well attended and full of joy.
I would like to thank all who do their part by generously sharing their time, their treasure and their talents to grow God’s kingdom here in Chilcompton. As we give generously back to him of that which He has given to us, we see kingdom moments in the every day.
‘See, I am doing a new thing!’ God says. My prayer for the year ahead is that He will give us eyes to see where He is at work, and the courage and enthusiasm to follow where He leads.
Every blessing,
Esther
Rector St John’s Church, Chilcompton
with Downside & St Vigor’s Church, Stratton on the Fosse Assistant Area Dean , Midsomer Norton Deanery AIMEO Diocese of Bath & Wells
6
ANNUAL REVIEW 2024
The New Life Project
Easter 2024 saw the launch of our New Life Project, a fund-raising initiative aimed at renovating the church hall, replacing the heating system in the church itself and improving access. We recognised that the imagination and foresight of previous generations of worshippers at St John’s has provided us with a valuable asset but that it had become tired and unprofitable to run, with a leaking roof on the hall and an expensive and inefficient heating system. After a lengthy period of consultation with experts we made a plan to secure this precious resource for future use by our community for the sake of the Gospel. Affordability and our journey towards net carbon zero shaped our thoughts.
There have been many forms to fill in and permissions to be sought, and my grateful thanks must go to Revd Stephen, Fred Corp and Sarah Williams who have joined me in shouldering much of the burden on our behalf. I think it is fair to say we have had a steep learning curve! Your generosity has been amazing, and we are making good progress towards our initial goal, ending the year having raised over £44,000. As we enter 2025, we have secured planning permission from the council for Phase One of the project and hope to have a faculty granted before Easter to permit work to begin on replacing the Hall heating. Work on the roof must wait for a survey of bat life in May to ensure we do no harm during our work.
The situation with the church heating and improved access is more complex due to the historic nature of the building and its boundaries and for this reason we were advised to separate out these parts of the project and deal with them one at a time. Thank you for your generosity, commitment and enthusiasm which has already achieved so much. We are not, however, past the finishing post and I ask for your continued prayers for wisdom and favour with the ‘powers that be.’ God is indeed ‘doing a new thing’ amongst us, and renovation of our buildings is a crucial part of seeing His Kingdom extended here in Chilcompton, as you can read in other parts of this report.
Thank you for playing your part in the New Life Project in 2024. We hope next year’s report will be full of exciting photos of Phase One of the project completed!
Every blessing,
Revd. Esther Smith, Rector
7
ANNUAL REVIEW 2024
Music and Worship
Music Group: Due to people’s changing circumstances and no new support this group has now closed and most of the music for services is being accessed on-line. Worship Group: Roberta Adams and I (Linda Van Peborgh) continue to prepare suggestions for hymns and songs to the Leadership Team, based on the Scripture Readings / Themes of the Services.
Linda Van Peborgh
Thursday Morning Communion and Coffee
A shortened form of Holy Communion taken from the Book of Common Prayer is celebrated on a Thursday morning in Church/Hall at 11am. A time to pause in our busy lives to be in God’s presence and reflect on the gospel for the day. The service is followed by tea and coffee and time to socialise.
Margaret Holcombe
Discipleship
Our home groups have continued meeting faithfully throughout the year and I would as ever like to thank all those who make this possible, either by offering their homes for groups to meet in or by being prepared to lead the group.
We have 4 home groups running at present and it would be lovely to be able to offer another one if anyone felt able to lead it so we can offer people a wider choice. Please talk to me or Esther if you feel God is calling you to this. The groups are clearly valued and provide a key resource not just in discipleship but also in pastoral care as relationships build between the members. I believe the home groups are the heart of the church where God can speak to us and where we can be encouraged, supported and inspired learning what it means to be a disciple.
For the Lent Course in 2024 we based our studies on The Greatest Showman, using Rachel Mann’s book “From now on”, starting with a fish and chip supper to watch the film and then meeting weekly on a Wednesday evening in the Church Hall. The questions were thought provoking, and it was good to mix with people from other home groups and get new perspectives on our shared faith.
At the start of January 2024, we began a sermon series looking at the Old Testament showing us that history is truly ‘his story’, the relationship of God our Father and creator with his creation - us! It was of necessity a bit of a whistle stop tour, but it was good to see how different parts of the Old Testament we may be more familiar with fitted in the whole wonderful story of God and his people. This ran from January, starting with creation and finished at the end of December with the Magi visiting Jesus. A pictorial timeline was put up around the corridor in the Church Hall.
8
ANNUAL REVIEW 2024
We then started 2025 by following “A life worth living” by Nicky Gumbel studying the book of Philippians and using questions written by the Revd Dr David Stone that accompany the book. Insights from Esther following her sabbatical following the journey of St Paul really made the book come alive.
I would encourage all those who do not currently belong to a home group to consider joining one. You would be very welcome, and you can always come on a trial basis to see if you like it.
Kristin Marshall
Contemplative Prayer
I continue to circulate a monthly resource by email to around 15 church members and 15 others who live further afield, for their own times of silent contemplation. Do let me know if you would like to be added to that circulation.
For those who live nearer we are now meeting for a face-to-face time of quiet contemplation on the 2nd Tues of each month 2.30-4pm in the Church Hall. This has been moved so that it doesn’t fall on the same day as the new Parish Prayer and Time to Pray schedule. Please feel free to join us, either as a one-off or more regularly; but check the date / time with Linda as this could alter on occasions.
Linda Van Peborgh
9
ANNUAL REVIEW 2024
Messy Church
Messy Church continued to meet monthly throughout the year. Each session was good, and the feedback was positive.
2024 was a very encouraging year with 60 different Children from 33 different families. We now seem to be attracting families from a wider catchment area. Only 25 of the 60 children came from Chilcompton. 9 came from MSN, 5 from Westfield. Others are coming from as far away as Frome, Wells, Shepton Mallet and Keynsham!
Throughout 2024 we explored different stories from the Old Testament as well as Easter and Advent. The highlight for the children at Easter was an Easter egg hunt and for Advent they received an Advent calendar.
We need a large team, of 20 plus people each month, for Messy church to happen. Most help out with crafts on Sunday afternoons or by cooking food in the kitchen. Others help with cutting out and admin tasks at home. This year we welcomed 2 new members to the team but were sad to see others leave due to illness. Steve and Jen also moved on.
Overall, our team is brilliant, most team members have been on board with Messy Church for several years. Everyone is willing to muck in and support each other and will help in any way they can. New team members are always welcome.
In the summer we joined with Tea and Toast and had a Beach themed party and BBQ with a bouncy castle, Pinata, games and fun.
In December some of our team hosted a ladies Christmas craft evening with mince pies and Christmas music for the mums and the ladies on the team. This was lovely with the opportunity for some really positive conversations. Instead of a nativity this year we hosted a Christingle. This is the first time we have had a Messy event like this. The children really enjoyed making their own Christingles. It was very calm, and everyone appeared to have a good time. Tina Collins
10
ANNUAL REVIEW 2024
Messy Church Annual Report 2024
A Year of Fun, Faith, and Fellowship!
Who Joined Us?
60 different children from 33 families A growing community of young hearts and curious minds!
How Often Did We Meet?
10 amazing Messy Church events Filled with crafts, stories, and laughter!
Our Average Attendance
27 children per event 15 adults per event Families growing together in faith!
The Power of a Shared Meal
Over 420 meals served! Nourishing bodies and spirits with good food and great company!
Looking Forward
More fun, more faith, and more families!
11
ANNUAL REVIEW 2024
Tea & Toast
Tea & Toast continues to meet every Thursday morning in Term Time when we welcome on average 10 or 11 families, plus a group of child minders with their charges, to share each other’s company: tea, coffee and toast oil the wheels of conversation whilst the children play. Although we do not gather to worship, many kingdom conversations are had amongst the Lego and the toys. Deep and trusting relationships are formed and community with Jesus at the heart is being established. It is a joy and a privilege to spend time with these young families and see them grow as part of our extended church family. We would value your prayers that Jesus’ name be honoured, and young lives be blessed by knowing him in this context. If you have a heart to serve young families in Jesus’ name and are good at making tea, we would love you to join the team. Speak to Esther in the first instance.
Esther Smith
School report
Our relationship with our church school, St Vigor’s and St John’s School, Chilcompton, continues to be warm and open. Both Esther and Dan Owen serve as Governors and children from the school are regular visitors to our church and hall. Reception Class often visits to enjoy our facilities and explore what Church means, and the whole school community and their parents and carers join in seasonal services of worship when the building is full, and we celebrate our faith. On these occasions there are never any spare seats, and it is good to hear the children tell the Christian story in word and song. This year we presented every child in the school with their own bible ‘My Big story Bible’ by Tom Wright. These were extremely well received. Next year (2025) will see a SIAMS inspection for the school (a church school’s inspection) and we are confident that they will find this is a church school where distinctive Christian values are taught and celebrated.
Esther
12
ANNUAL REVIEW 2024
Mission
Oversees Mission: As there is currently nobody appointed with overall responsibility for the Oversees Missions we support, I am submitting a summary. They are each featured on our church website links and for focused prayer on a rotation basis at ‘Time to Pray’. Please let Esther know if you’d be interested in having some responsibility for Overseas Missions.
The Leprosy Mission: The Annual Diary, Quarterly Prayer Updates and New Day Magazines continue to be available at the back of the church or on the Welcome Desk. Gabby North gave a TLM presentation at a Sunday Service and she was very encouraged by the interest engendered and financial support raised.
Tear Fund: We have supported Tear Fund through participating in their annual ‘Big Quiz Night’, ably facilitated by Fred Corp and family – thank you! Recently their Area Rep Janet, who managed to get to us with the help of kind friends after experiencing car problems, gave a Tear Fund presentation at a Sunday Service. She left literature which remains available at the back of the church or on the Welcome Desk and there was a retiring collection for the work of Tear Fund
Church Missionary Society: Sadly, our young link-person Aaron Stanbury has been unable to return to Africa due to health issues, so currently our link with CMS is inactive.
Christian Aid: This too is currently not active.
Other: ‘ Crisis at Christmas’ was supported by a retiring collection at the ‘Carols by Candlelight’ Service and likewise the ‘Children’s Society’ at the ‘Christingle’ Service. Linda Van Peborgh
Lunch Club
Lunch Club continues to meet on the third Thursday of the month (except for August) The meal through the Autumn, Winter and Spring months is soup and a roll or Jacket Potatoes and various filings with a pudding and cream followed by tea or coffee. During the Summer months we have quiche and salad and a ploughman’s lunch.
In December we had our usual Christmas meal of turkey with all the trimmings and a glass of wine or fruit juice followed by Christmas pudding and minced pies all topped with cream. We are very grateful to Mitchards butchers who cook the turkey crowns for us. We would also like to thank Hannah and David Smith for doing the clearing up in the kitchen after the meal.
Grateful thanks to the loyal people who each month help at Lunch Club.
For further information please contact me, details are posted on the church website. Margaret Holcombe
13
ANNUAL REVIEW 2024
Root Connections Cookery Club
Cookery Club meets on the 4[th] Monday of the month and has continued to develop throughout the year. Our maximum capacity is 16 for cooking and lunch but despite having more people than this on our mailing list numbers always seem to work out.
Root Connections is at Manor Farm in Stratton on the Fosse. The organisation aims to improve health and wellbeing for the vulnerable adults who have been homeless and rough sleeping who come to the Dairy House homeless hostel.
Through the vegetable and flower gardens on site the residents and community volunteers receive creative opportunities to develop social and practical skills. The sale of vegetables and flowers through the veg box and flower scheme come back into the project to enhance the positive social impact of the organisation which is one of our mission partners.
The recipe cards developed by cookery club are in the process of being printed and will enhance the veg box offer. In 2024 we developed vegetarian savoury and sweet recipes using kohlrabi, parsnips, peas, leeks and salad leaves all fresh from the farm. The surprise of the year was how delicious a celeriac steak can be! As well as making the church harvest loaf we prepared for and ran the café alongside the Root Connections Christmas market that took place at church raising around £1000 for the organisation.
I love the direct connection of cooking and baking with what we grow directly at Roots.
Good company, learning different techniques from each other and trying out new and unusual recipes.
14
ANNUAL REVIEW 2024
At my time of life, it’s the first time I have started veggie recipes (with my father being a butcher and my husband in agriculture so a very different way of eating, particularly making cakes with vegetables.
I felt very welcome from the very first time I joined. I love cooking and baking and exploring different recipes.
I love the chance to try new recipes with a lovely group of ladies.
It feels very meaningful to cook, eat and then discuss the recipes with an end goal of sharing them as recipe cards.
Cookery club is like a family – we chat, we laugh, we support each other with the new recipes. It’s a safe and happy place for a couple of hours every month and we are helping Root Connections charity at the same time.
Rachel Grant
The Wednesda Men's Grou y p
This small fellowship group of retired men continues to flourish, meeting on Wednesday mornings at St John’s. Many tasks are undertaken which vary according to season. Outside work in the summer months. Inside tasks in the colder months. This may be painting, minor repairs, Christmas light decorations or looking into dark dusty corners, clearing out worn out or redundant equipment. But whatever time of year coffee breaks, or once a month bacon bap breaks, with conversation ranging over many topics forms a most important and enjoyable part of the morning. We are an open Group welcoming those who would enjoy this type of social activity.
Fred Corp
Monday Night Tea
The Monday Night Tea @ St John’s Group is a welcoming space for parents and children to connect, share, and support one another. The group meets for dinner on the second and fourth Monday evening of each month in the Church Hall. These gatherings provide a relaxed and family-friendly environment where members can enjoy a meal together, build friendships, and strengthen their sense of community.
We currently have a group of between 20-25 adults and children meeting regularly, at Christmas all families brought a dish to make up a fabulous Christmas dinner and recent pancake desserts went down very well!
Daniel Owen
15
ANNUAL REVIEW 2024
Safeguarding
It is with great thanks that I can report that there have been no safeguarding concerns that have been brought to my attention. Currently there is some more ongoing training taking place. Training has to be done every 3 years, but only the highest level taken for a particular year is required to be done as a ‘refresher’. All training is up to date at this point.
The diocesan dashboard is regularly updated as policies/procedures are put to the PCC for their approval. I am working on a diocesan ‘hub’ for safeguarding, which is online and can be accessed by the necessary parties i.e. the deputy safeguarding officer (Leisa Thorne) with the necessary authority to do so. DBS checks are up to date and can be done both by the PSO and the deputy PSO.
Safeguarding Sunday on November 17[th] 2024 was a quick review of how to report a safeguarding concern and to whom. Useful folders containing pens, paper and a small booklet on what to do if a disclosure is made to you, are available on the Churchwardens table and in the Vestry. Additional copies of the booklet are available from the PSO.
Finally, thank you to everyone for continuing to support the role of Parish Safeguarding Officer and for giving their time to do the required training. Your efforts and awareness go to make St John’s a safe place.
Connie Moore
Safeguarding Officer
Churchwardens’ Report
With thanks to the ‘Wardens’ Team’ (Fred Corp, Rachel Grant, Margaret Holcombe, David Jones and Tony Pook and Jill Bushill), who have supported me in making the everyday running of church activities possible. We meet by Zoom for a short catchup and check-in every 2-3 months. Please chat to any of us if you’d like to consider joining this team effort.
A special thanks must be recorded to the ‘Men’s Group’, who come regularly on a Wed morning to attend to pressing maintenance and other jobs. Also, thanks to those who prepare rotas for both church and hall activities and to those who serve us all on those rotas; with thanks again to the ‘Sides Persons’ who readily volunteered for ‘extra duties’ over the busy Christmas Season. We couldn’t do it without all of you!
Thanks too to Tom Mayes and Rev Steve Miles for facilitating the completion of the new visual and audio system in church. Now, hopefully, everyone can see a screen and hear what is happening!
The main focus in 2024 has been the ‘New Life Project’; various fund-raising events, consulting the Church Architect, obtaining industry quotes, applying for DAC Faculties + Somerset Council Planning Permissions and submitting Grant
16
ANNUAL REVIEW 2024
Applications. Please pray for Fred Corp and the ‘Task Force’ as they seek solutions and submit Grant Applications and for Sarah Willimas as she submits DAC Faculty Applications for these vital and major church property upgrades.
We are at the point of being able to proceed with the new heating for the Church Hall, though re-roofing will need to wait for the required ‘bat survey’ between May and Aug 2025. New heating in the Church still has several planning and other hurdles to negotiate. We are aware how pressing this has become with the demise of the church boiler and the decision not to spend more money on its repair. This still leaves outstanding the matters of disabled access to the church from the car park and repair to the North boundary wall, which sadly will have to wait for yet another year.
Linda Van Peborgh Churchwarden
PCC Report
The PCC met five times during the year and the decisions were conveyed to the Congregation via PCC Jottings, available on the website.
At the Annual Parochial Church Meeting in April, Chris Collins was re-elected as Laity Rep. At the PCC meeting in June, Linda Van Peborgh was put forward as a Deanery Synod Representative following Tony Chivers’ step back from this role. Tom Mayes’ term as a Churchwarden came to an end at the APCM and the Rector shared her thanks to him for all his work. In April 2024 Lesley Close stepped down from her role as the PCC Secretary and Caroline Bradley took up the post. The PCC is made up as follows:
| is made up as follows: | |
|---|---|
| St John’s PCC | Term of Office |
| Ex officio | |
| Rector - Esther Smith | |
| Churchwardens - 1 warden, elected annually, 6 years max. | |
| Linda Van Peborgh | 2022-2028 |
| Laity Reps - 6 reps, 3 year term, a third retire each year | |
| Leisa Thorne | 2023-2026 |
| Fred Corp | 2023-2026 |
| Tina Collins | 2022-2025 |
| David Aldridge | 2022-2025 |
| Chris Collins | 2024-2027 |
17
ANNUAL REVIEW 2024
| Jill Bushill | 2024-2027 |
| Deanery Synod Reps - 2 reps elected for 3 year term | |
| Leisa Thorne | 2023-2026 |
| Linda Van Peborgh | 2024-2027 |
Caroline Bradley PCC Secretary
Sidespersons
We are grateful to a small group of people willing to welcome people to Church on a Sunday morning. If anyone would like to join this rota please speak to me.
The current Sidespeople are :-
-
Elaine & Fred Corp
-
Judy & David Jones
-
Gill & Mike Bushill
-
Robin Singh
-
Connie Moore & Det Saunders
-
Margaret & Geoff Holcombe
Geoff Holcombe
Bellringers
Ringing at Chilcompton continued in a regular pattern over the past year with ringing for Sunday services and practices on a Monday night as well as regular quarter peal and peal attempts. Members of the band also assist with service ringing at St John the Baptist Midsomer Norton and with training learners there.
In June, we welcomed over 500 ringers from across the country to the final of the National 12 Bell Contest. After many years of the final being held in Cities and Cathedrals, this was a huge undertaking for a village parish church. The weather was (just about) kind and the beer tent provided ample shelter from the occasional shower! A huge thanks to all those ringers, church members and locals that helped a hugely successful day run smoothly, whether helping serve tea and coffee, stewarding, preparing for the day or the cleaning up afterwards. Special mention must be made of Mathew Higby, who was instrumental in bringing the contest to Chilcompton and making the event happen, along with Jody Wood and Sophie Sikorsky for all their efforts in planning. Also, congratulations to The Royal Society of Cumberland Youths who won the event for the first time since 1997 (when they had ‘home advantage’ with the competition held at St Martin in the Fields, Westminster). The band is already preparing for the 2025 competition and will be competing in an eliminator in Shrewsbury at the end of March.
18
ANNUAL REVIEW 2024
Bellringing is a very social affair, once learned it is an opening to bell towers wherever you go. Bellringers are always happy to welcome visitors to their church and often enjoy a social time afterwards. Here at Chilcompton we regularly welcome visiting groups and run training sessions for ringers at all stages in the learning process. There is no age limit to learning and we would welcome anyone interested in taking up this hobby. We do lose a lot of local ringers to universities etc. so we are always looking to augment our numbers. Just come along on any Monday at 7pm and have a go – there is obviously no obligation, but you might find you enjoy it. Just ring Adrian Beck on 01761 41590 if you would like more information.
We give thanks for the regular prayers in support of the band, their continued commitment, and particularly to Adrian Beck, for ensuring that the bells of Chilcompton continue to sound.
Tom Mayes
Electoral Role
As at the 31st of December 2024, we had 79 members on roll (84 at the end of 2023), 53 female (56) and 26 males (28). During the 2024 we bid farewell to Robert Beck, Arthur Moon, Jill Culverwell, Felicity Redmond-Lyon and Kathleen Attwood who have passed from this world to the next, but we continue to sign up new members which has kept our overall numbers in good stead.
It is never too late to add your name to the Electoral Roll and forms are readily available from the Church Wardens or myself should you wish to take this next step. Once registered you are eligible to vote at the Annual Church Meeting and stand for election to the Parochial Church Council (PCC). It is with grateful thanks that we acknowledge the 30+years of faithful service of Richard Moon as Electoral Roll Officer, who has now passed the baton to Nigel Wood.
Nigel Wood Electoral Roll Officer
Treasurer’s Report year ended 31[st] December 2024
During the year the balance on the unrestricted (day to day running) account stood at £2,264 and our reserves were reduced by a further £1,000 to stand at £5,000.
There was a small surplus on the year of £1,499. This was in effect only achieved because the Parish Share was underpaid by £8,780.
It is difficult to compare the total income received as during the year the New Life project was launched, so during the year the Fabric Fund increased by £28,928.
19
ANNUAL REVIEW 2024
If we were to look at just the Unrestricted Funds (day to day running) then across all categories there have been significant increases:
-
Planned Giving increased £2,405 (6.0%)
-
Collection at Service increased £417 (15.5%)
-
All other giving increased £1,887 (48.6%)
Income from other sources, in particular fees from weddings/funerals fell so that the overall increase in income was £1,901.
On the expenditure side the two largest areas of expenditure have seen reductions in the amount spent. As previously mentioned, we were unable to pay the full years Parish Share leading to a reduction in spend of £3,958 compared to last year, although £8,780 below our quota.
Utilities have seen a significant reduction of £4,604. This is in part due to the breakdown in the heating of the church which has led to a fall of £2,232 in gas costs, and the reduction on the tariff has resulted in a fall of £2,568 in the electricity costs.
During the year the planned upgrade of the Audio-Visual system was completed with the installation of the screens.
Reserves
The balance carried forward at the 31st December on unrestricted funds totalled £7,425 of which included the Current Account at £2,264, Designated Fund at £161 and Reserves £5,000.
The restricted funds total £29,232 of which the Fabric account stands at £28,332 (New Life £26,104)
Chris Collins
Treasurer, PCC of Chilcompton with Downside
20
ANNUAL REVIEW 2024 JIL-JV Pksrrtd fft RDr¥erEta 67 JA gL71T ijt 451 PEri5h 5hvE 417ZT 4197 7J {hurth.&v]1 urth 4917 7J J72 17J31 7.710 UJ 23Z L45 21
ANNUAL REVIEW 2024 Ll6J 7? 7J 94 Itx &917 yyj 22
ANNUAL REVIEW 2024 2U L423L 3LL P FeE5 tll z Ihibtrens 5DDEty 73 IJ 71 23
ANNUAL REVIEW 2024 Independent Examinerfs Certificate forthe PCC Accounts to tho thJ5t••s ,, Chllcomrton tlth Downsld• Parochlal chUh Council aOunt1 Il yw ••0 31 Drntl 2024 CY rnoI [18ppknbl•l.' Sl IW No. IKI S•tU0P• fio4 The (h¥ty'8 knjslees rÈ5ponsè fDI Thè tyoparall ol lh• ¥c¢ounts The ¢haly's tru51s corth Ihal audit 15 rol rnqthred lor year secMn144 lhe hèn18 Aci 2011 Ilhe Chames kt) Ih8t an ttAMnADn JB rdId, It Yd rrty r86POnSit• to.. •Thne the und¢r Jectton 145 of the Chwrtm Art tts fdkn¥ Iho 0¢ertur lald dryn In Ihe genw4 0105 gwen try lh8 fty Ciynm158Km Iwjei wion 14515iib} olts Chs111i8& Pd. and slalo vrtwlhw rnauers 159y& come its my atttrniion and gxamlnpr B••ls of Ind•pend•nt lty exBmwwtfn w88 r¥mtrd c1 in wlth n9r@I D9¢1k 91¥ Dy •xamIne• statlt Chprity Cunmi55jn. wKbJdes a ol Ihe e0[try kopl by Ihe tharity •nd a the oro)urts piesemed ¥Jh th(%e 18ci¥d5. It ¥lw ry)¢lutX>s ol any uN$u81 lem8 cr dxcbJ8ur85 In th? coUnts, and frtm truslg8S (&VXVM9 mailws T prw8dureB und•len du provmlf 41 tl rquii•d kn aln audl 3FKJ copwquerlty w>nlon h glbtn ws whetlw Ihe oUr5 eserf A Irue fair Ihe repcrt is Iirnrted ID thoa8 matterb sut (¥Jl m Ihe slabjmont bel(w. Ind•pfftd•nt•tsmknrf o)TriiecJn Wllh ••m1w(. no corne lJ my attentJn IdlThl stat•m•ni whKh me mODn¥>kn cawe io bkn that In, (In¢ins re¢Nds In wlih $ecknn 130 1)1tho Ch• Act or do nrA x£ordidlh thvj wxwnlnu I havB CDme arf0&5 no vir Thaileis kn {x)n¢tK Wlih Ihe exama)n attentn k)uld be diawn In orlerlo erTraty a propÈr understanding olthe a1ntI 10 be re•ud BignBd: 03 R•kn•rt prolMknn• Iv 24