## **2024 Annual Report and Accounts for the Parochial Church Council of St Mary the Virgin Lymm** ## **Annual Parochial Church Council Meeting 27 April 2025** ## **Aim and Purposes** St Mary the Virgin Parochial Church Council (PCC) has the responsibility of cooperating with the incumbent Rector Reverend Beverley Jameson in promoting the ecclesiastical parish, the whole mission of the church, pastoral evangelistic social and ecumenical. The PCC is also specifically responsible for the maintenance of the church of St Mary the Virgin, Church Road Lymm and the Church Hall off Crouchley Lane Lymm. The PCC is committed to enabling as many people as possible to worship at our church and become part of our parish community. ## **Mission Statement** St. Mary’s is a worshipping community which seeks to nurture people in faith and serve the needs of the wider community through practical engagement. ## **Aims** 1. To share the good news of Jesus Christ to people of all ages and backgrounds 2. To nurture and grow disciples in Jesus Christ 3. To be a Christian presence at the heart of the community in Lymm 4. To provide a resource for the community ## **Objectives** - _a)_ Attract and retain families and young people to grow the church and be a more broadly based church family _(supporting Aim 1)_ - _b)_ Diversify worship to have some informal services whilst retaining more formal worship _(supporting Aim 1)_ - _c)_ Provide an open, welcoming experience especially to those new to St Mary’s _(supporting Aim 1)_ - d) Provide regular discipleship and bible study opportunities to explore faith _(supporting Aim 2)_ - _e)_ Provide Co-ordinated Pastoral Care within church family and within the wider community _(supporting Aim 2&3)_ - _f)_ Sustain and increase links to schools and young people _(supporting Aim 3)_ - _g)_ Sustain and develop projects and events by networking within the church and the wider community _(supporting Aim 3 & 4)_ - h) Maximise the use of the church building and the Church Hall _(supporting Aim 4)_ 1 ## **Achievements and Performance** The church is at the heart of the community and provides civic services including Rushbearing Service, Lymm High Founders Day Service and Remembrance Sunday Service. The popular Christmas Tree Festival was a huge success with forty-nine trees on display, entertainment from local groups and schools, refreshments and a craft stall. St Marys pastoral Team provides services and pastoral support to those in need and the Care Homes in Lymm. These include Brookfield, Cheshire Grange, Keate House and Statham Manor Care Homes. Regular contact was maintained with the care home staff through Ian Bundey and Derek Buckthorpe our Lay Readers. St Mary’s links to children and young people is through links with the local schools and through St Mary’s children’s choir (launched in October 2021) which continues to be led by Choir Director Susan Gadd and is drawn from the wider community. The children’s choir sing at St Mary’s family services (attended by their families) and festivals (e.g. St Mary’s Community Christmas Tree Festival). Visits to the church by the school children as part of their religious education continues to be very popular with Ravenbank, Cherry Tree and Statham, Primary Schools participating again this year. Experience Easter, an interactive way of telling the Easter story and was visited by over 300 Children from Cherry Tree, Ravenbank, Statham and Oughtrington primary schools. Reverend Beverley and Reverand Jill continued to support the four secular local primary schools and the schools through frequent visits and their visits to St Mary’s church for various activities. Rector Reverend Beverley Jameson is the Rural Dean for Great Budworth Deanery supporting and helping other ministers and licenced laity in the Deanery both from a Pastoral and organisation viewpoint. Reverand Beverley is also Chaplain to the Royal British Legion, Lymm and District and Bishops Advisor for Ecumenical Partnerships for the Diocese of Chester. Reverend Beverley Jameson is a member of the Diocesan Synod and the Committee for Ministry and is co-opted into the Diocesan Central Services Committee. Reverend Jill Elston led a team to enable St Mary’s to achieve the Bronze ECO award and in helping St Mary’s becoming an Eco Church. Reverand Jill supported Reverand Beverley in working with many of the primary schools and their visits to St Mary’s and has been a keen supporter of other Eco groups within Lymm, involved in re-creating St Mary’s Church Hall Garden and its use for services. There were 101 parishioners on the 2024 revision of the Electoral Roll with two deaths and one person moved away. 2 The average weekly attendance in 2024 was 35 adults, 2 children, with more attending the Family Services (approximately 39 adults 10 children) and considerably more attending the occasional and festival services. St Mary’s serves the community with a range of occasional offices including 10 Baptisms 2 Weddings and 5 funerals (2 in church, 2 at a crematorium, 1 graveside). There was also one burial of ashes in the churchyard. ## **Church Building and Church Hall** ## **Church** All maintenance is up to date including PAT testing, Lightening, Clock mechanism etc. Military Cleaning now clean the church once every two weeks. The repairs to roof leaks are holding out well. The Quintennial Inspection report arrived last year. The ‘Immediate’ elements have been addressed, and more items will be undertaken this year. It will be mainly remedial work to the exterior masonry…and will be expensive. A scheduled programme of works has been prepared by Duggan and Parr. The churchyard was legally closed in October 2006 and responsibility for the maintenance of the churchyard including walls and fences lies with Warrington Borough Council. The collapsed wall (which collapsed February 2020) is now finally near completion. After taking the previous one down which was rented Warrington Borough Council had to install another footbridge to allow access to lower part of the churchyard and the war Memorial in time for the November 2024 Remembrance Service. We are awaiting the next meeting of the rebuilding committee. Kath has emailed the contractors for an update – the pre-Christmas meeting was cancelled by them. The Fellowship room floor has been replaced. Plans for an Audiovisual system and new lighting in the church are in the pipeline. These have been brought to the PCC by the Building Fund Group (BFG). We finally have a faculty to repair the vandalised window, and that will begin soon. ## **Church Hall** The Hall is currently fairing well. We have replaced the curtains, with fireproof versions which along with the new radiators have much improved the warmth and general atmosphere of the place. Kath has sent the paperwork after completion to Warrington Borough Council to fulfil the grant requirements. 3 Tim Old and a small team have worked throughout 2024 to ensure that the garden behind the Hall is useable for workshops and services to be held there. ## **Deanery Synod** Great Budworth Deanery Synod has met three times in 2024. In March at Christchurch, Latchford, where Jon Pocock explained the Diocese' Strategic vision process and the four key themes. In July at St. Thomas' Church, Stockton Heath, where an update on the Diocesan Vision was given. In October at St. Matthew's Church, Stretton, where Parish vacancies were discussed and in small groups, members worked to debate ways to meet the challenge. A checklist was produced at this meeting. At each meeting, there is a finance report, a report from Diocesan Synod and a report from the Rural Dean. Our Rural Dean is the Reverend Beverley Jameson. The elected representatives from St Mary’s Church are Ian Bundey, Jill Wasey and Michael Hall; Derek Buckthorpe is a de facto member as a Diocesan Synod member. ## **Ecumenical Relationships** Churches Together in Lymm and District (CTLD) continues to meet and work together within the Lymm and district with a focus on reaching out to encourage and nurture belonging and involvement within our community of Christian activity. A particular development has been the activities of the Sanctuary Café and Sanctuary Hub providing linking possibilities for families, the lonely, those with memory loss, those caring for others and through social meetings. The combined Church community continues to reach out into local primary schools, support Messy Church, Open the Book, a local food bank initiatives in support of the environment. Other activities include the week of Christian prayer and unity, special Easter and Lent activities, participation in united services, local festivals, appeals and communication through websites and booklets. Representatives on the Churches Together Committee form St Mary’s are Reverend Beverley Jameson, Reverend Jill Elston ad Derek Buckthorpe. ## **Structure Government and Management** The method of appointment of PCC members is set out in the Church Representation Rules. At St Mary’s the membership of the PCC consists of the incumbent (Rector), curate, church wardens, readers and those elected by members of the congregation who are on the electoral roll of the church. All those who attend our services / members of the congregation 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 importance to the parish deciding on how the funds of the PCC are to be spent. Throughout 2024 the trustees held 8 business and specialized meetings in order to fulfil the management of the Charity. Average attendance throughout the year has 4 been around 76% with the meetings held in church. Detailed minutes and records have been maintained. ## **Safeguarding** 1. The P.C.C. continues to adopt and implement the Safeguarding guidelines of the Church of England and the diocese of Chester. All details of the above can be found on the diocesan website – Safeguarding and Vulnerability policy and procedures: Safe in our Care. The Safeguarding Officer’s number is on display along with Warrington Borough council Children’s and Adult Services are displayed in the Church and at the Church Hall. 2. The Safeguarding Policy was signed off by Arch Deacon M Gilbertson in Rev Beverly Jameison’s absence on January 13 the 2025 meeting. 3. The PCC and volunteers are encouraged to complete basic safeguarding training which is online. The certificate that acknowledges the completion of the training will be stored with the Safeguarding Officer. This is on-going 4. All parents for the children’s choir are to fill in again the necessary paperwork with regard to taking photographs/recording and social media. The Safeguarding officer attended the first rehearsal on 15th September 2024. 5. The Safeguarding Officer has spoken about safeguarding at the service in November 2024 and has again distributed information to the congregation. 6. The data input required by the Diocese has been completed to level One. The next level will be completed mid-year. 7. All volunteers have completed either a DBS or the appropriate certification or both. The Safeguarding officer has checked that they will be informed when a DBS must be reviewed. So far two have been renewed. ## **GDPR** The PCC of St Mary’s Lymm complies with its obligations under data protection and GDPR by keeping personal data up to date; by storing and destroying it securely; by not collecting or retaining excessive amounts of data; by protecting personal data from loss, misuse, unauthorised access and disclosure and by ensuring that appropriate technical measures are in place to protect personal data. ## **Volunteers** We would like to thank all those who gave their time in 2024 for the parish including the wardens Kath Buckley and George Bainton, Lay Reader Ian Bundey, PCC Secretary and Lay Reader Derek Buckthorpe, GDPR lead & Data Controller Carol 5 Roberts, Organist and Musical Director Susan Gadd, The Choir, Safeguarding Officer Kath Buckley, Mothers Union, Liz France and the team of bell ringers, Kath Hough for supporting the Church Hall and all those who work tirelessly for the church. We would also like to thank Reverend Jill Elston who completed her training and left the Church at the end of June 2024. We would also like to thank our Rector Reverend Beverley Jameson, for all her hard work, care for our church community and her work in the wider community in Lymm. Special thanks to those who volunteered to be part of our various teams in 2024 - Finance Team (David Young, Treasurer, David Critchley, Liz France, Michael Hall) - Grants Team (Lewis Denton, Mike Hall, Tim Morris) - Pastoral Care Team (Reverend Beverley Jameson, Reverend Jill Elston, Derek Buckthorpe, Pauline Buckthorpe, Ian Bundey) - Building Fund Group (Tim Morris, Simon Fathers, Derek Buckthorpe, George Bainton, Lewis Denton) ## **Administrative Information** St Mary the Virgin Lymm is situated on Church Road, Lymm, WA13 0QS. It is part of the Diocese of Chester within the Church of England. The correspondence address is The Rectory, 46 Rectory Lane, Lymm WA13 0AL. St Mary’s Church Hall is situated off Crouchley Lane Lymm WA13 0AS. The PCC is the body corporate (PCC Powers Measure 1956, Church Representation Rules 2011) and a charity registered with the Charity Commission Charity Registration number 1179339 ## **Officers** St Mary’s Safeguarding Officer – Kath Buckley GDPR Officer & Data Controller- Carol Roberts Electoral Roll Officer – Vanessa Lees PCC Secretary – Derek Buckthorpe ## **Deanery Synod Elected Members (Ex-officio PCC members)** Ian Bundey, Jill Wasey and Michael Hall ## **Diocesan Synod Representatives** Derek Buckthorpe Rector - Reverend Beverley Jameson ## **PCC Members** Rector - Reverend Beverley Jameson Curate - Reverend Jill Elston 6 Wardens – Kath Buckley and George Bainton Licensed Lay Readers – Derek Buckthorpe, Ian Bundey ## **PCC Elected Members at the Annual Parochial Church Council Meeting 2024** Susan Brooks, Lewis Denton, Simon Fathers, Liz France Vanessa Lees, Tim Morris Jonathan Wide David Young (Treasurer) Malcolm Young ## **PCC Co-Opted Members** Peter Clark 7 ## **Financial Review David Young, Treasurer** ## **Income** Our Income receipts remain relatively flat year on year. There were fluctuations in the receipt categories with a decrease in Christian Responsibility Schemes being offset by an increase in other receipts. We saw a decrease in the bookings of Weddings at St Mary’s and we expect this trend to continue through 2025 and beyond. On a more positive note, the Christmas Tree Festival continues to be a great success and is more popular than ever. ## **Expenses** 2025 saw an increase in our overall expenditure, with inflationary pressures and the need for further investment in improving the condition of the church hall. However, we believe this to be a wise investment and that they will reap the benefits of increasing church hall revenues in the coming years. ## **Overall** Even with the increased expenditure we were still able to post a positive return. ## **Budget 2025** We have allowed for utilisation of building fund reserves being used for PCC approved projects. Inflationary pressures will continue on our day-to-day expenditure during the coming years. ## **Thank You** I am grateful to a number of people for their support David and Sylvia's continued dedication is beyond admiration. Mike Hall for his endeavours with utilities and allround support. Lewis and Tim doing great work in the background on Grant applications Liz for chasing in the tax rebate. Simon and Tim on reviewing Building Fund Projects. 8 ## **Independent Examiner Report, Christopher Callaway** 9 2024 Accounts, David Young. Treasurer 15 io LI'MII P.4RISH CHLRCH RECEirt5ANTr PAI"ME%TS.4K TO l>t(tkn2024 2123 JICTbhL1•24 105.9?4 TOTALRECYIPTS RlJt_4NDSERI' 4.06l 2.55 Cp 4.3 622 2J99 533 2.337 462 RryrStotrrt￿￿r 4b¥ 22J7J 5.177 J629% 1.052 2.40J 524 595 W*v Ekrw Inwrv U (1MD Rcfuy¢C'oLkn 2.IWJ 259 2.137 •38 IW2 I￿2 O MACtAiINE PAYMEF¥rs 1935 ￿￿DDINGANDFLJNE￿lLPAYmElIT5 1192 C"L¥ts 2.445 .55 IL1174% 1Q179S li 000 12 Ill l¥tt*g 8 9 881J ts * 18¢* 284#- If Iiiiij It aaaa uiju 13 zottww¢n Oo 14 RECEIPTS AND PAYI¥IEliTS AIC 12 Mof*THS TO 31st DECEMBER 2024 RECEIPTS Christian Res Envelope OthLr Gift Aid Lloyds Taxalion R¢fund nsibili Sche 5,684 13.369 59.324 Nun C.R. SihLmc (i¢n¢rdl Oll¢rturi¢% Coll¢Llions Sp¢¢Jdl Otl¢nori¢s- W¢ddings Fun¢rdls ¢t¢. 3,186 2.728 5.914 fTr5.2311 P.C.C. Fees W¢ddings and Funerals TOTAL RECEIPTS 4,556 fi9.794 Church Hall R¢ntals Rec¢ived 18.210 Bank Inlcresl Received LLbTdLy In¢LrL%¢ HindlLy E.I'anQDa￿1d MairslBuiulding Fund Fundrai4ingT RLLLlPt% DI￿atIonS and Other 6.866 61 1.5(M 8.171 TOTAL RECEIPTS l (H.696 15 RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS BUDG￿ 2025 RECEIPTS ChTiStian R¢ Fn%.¢1i)￿ Othir Gift Aid Taxation Refund nsibili 5,798 39,063 13.21yJ 514.1)61 Nop C.R. Schvn¢ Cienerdl Otlertorith- Colleciii)ns Sp¢Lial ui'f¢rturi¢s- Wedding5 Fwicrnis ei¢. 3218 2,783 IA.061 P.C.C. Fees Weddin85 and Funerdls TOTAL RECEIwrs 4.f>93 68,754 Church Hall R¢nts]s kneived Balth Inlcrest Received Lcgacy Interest Ilirtdl¢y Evan%lDaviil mail￿B￿l￿1di￿g Fund Trundrni5ing Rcccip¢s Donalions and Othcr 4,950 78 2R,51X) 7,926 TOTAL RECEiwrs 16 .I'NIII P..IRISH CHURCH RECEivfs AYD PAI'NIF.NTS IVC 12 11()NTHS TO DECEMBER 2024 AcfuAL 2024 TOTAL RECElWtS Bll) 104,696 PAy￿lE￿Ts CHURC"H AND SERVICES Org￿1n. Organist and Choir Insurance (Bas Water Cl¢aning El¢¢tricity Int¢rn¢t R¢pair% and Mainlenance R¢paiTh ¢0 the Boiler Printing Stationery and OtTice EX￿15¢S 4,061 6,075 4,399 622 612 1299 462 2.96% t>07 46% 22,573 RECTORS EXPE'NSES AND RECTORY AND CLERIC 6.64¥ MINISTRY SUPPORT COSTS 56.29¥ (ias 2.465 524 595 1.519 2.275 EILLiriLIty InsurdnLL Hall C ILdninb (iLllLrdl RLpdj￿ and Mainienance UihLr 10,642 WEDDING AND FUNERAL PAYMENTS 1192 TIIER PAYME UihLr Cust 1445 l(M),798 Excess of Payments over Receipts 3,11911 17 BUDGET 2025 TOTAL RECEiwfs B,D 129,3211 PAYIIENTS CFIURCII AND SIRVICES Orgdn. thb)dnis1 dnd Choir 4,264 6,379 4,487 634 624 2.3fi 471 27,116 657 491 47,492 Water Cleuning .leciricity Inlernel R¢pair% arhd Mainl¢naw¢ IEnhan¢¢nKnts R¢pair% to ih¢ Boil Priniing Slaiionery and Office Expen%s REcfoRS EXPF.NSES AND RECTORY AND CLERIC C'LF.RI('AL SI.'PP()RT MINISTRY SUPPURT C'OSTS 6.7YI 55,5(KJ 2.712 534 613 1.565 2.I¢N) ElcLiriLily InsuTunLc Ilall C'leaning Cicneral Rcpairs and Mainlena￿e thher 240 10.013 10,013 WEDDING AND FUNERAL PAYMENTS 2.8 (hhcr Cos15' 2,8(KJ 125,87X EKces5 of Payments over Receip 3.450 18