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2024-12-31-accounts

ANNUAL REPORT AND ACCOUNTS YEAR ENDING 31 DECEMBER 2024

ST HILDA’S CHURCH Parish of Warley Woods Diocese of Birmingham Abbey Road, Smethwick, B67 5NQ

Charity Registration Number 1181258

Contents

PCC Membership Page 2
Annual Report Page 3
Annual Safeguarding Report Page 7
Annual Accounts Page 10
Approval of Report and Accounts Page 20
Independent Examiner’s Report Page 21

PCC MEMBERSHIP AND TRUSTEES, 2024

Ex-officio Members serving the whole of 2024

Rev Jennifer Ruth Crewes - Incumbent and, ex-officio chair * Mr Peter John Stokes - Deanery Synod Representative * Mrs Julie Ann Batham - Churchwarden * Mr Ian Francis Dickinson - Churchwarden *

Elected Members serving the whole of 2024

Mr John Matthew Barber * Dr Terry Daniels [Treasurer to 20[th] April 2024] * Mrs Elizabeth Joan Farrier [Secretary] * Mrs Anne Harris * Mr John Christopher Fitzpatrick *

Elected Members Serving from the APCM, 21 April 2024

Mrs Elaine Lydia Carrington [Treasurer from 21[st] April 2024] * Mr James Atkinson * Miss Rhiannon Tonkinson *

Elected Members Serving until the APCM, 21 April 2024

Miss Rachel Elizabeth Davies

St Hilda’s Church, Warley Woods – Annual Report and Accounts for 2024, Page 2

ST HILDA’S CHURCH, WARLEY WOODS ANNUAL REPORT FOR YEAR ENDING 31 DECEMBER 2024

INTRODUCTION

The Parochial Church Council of St Hilda’s PCC of Abbey Road, Smethwick, B67 5NQ (‘the PCC’) is a registered charity under charity registration number 1181258. The governing document for the PCC is the Parochial Church Councils (Powers) Measure 1956 and it is constituted in accordance with the Church Representation Rules 2000.

Members of the PCC are the trustees of the charity. Some members of the PCC are members because they hold a particular office (to which they are appointed or elected). Others are elected at the Annual Parochial Church Meeting (APCM). In 2024 this was held on Sunday 21st April. Details of those who served as PCC members (who are the trustees of the charity) during 2024 are set out on page 2 opposite. Rachel Davies stepped down as PCC member: our thanks go to Rachel for her faithful service.

The main objective of the PCC is to co-operate with the incumbent in ‘promoting within the parish the whole mission of the church, pastoral, evangelistic, social and ecumenical’ (section 2(2) PCC (Powers) Measure 1956). This mission of the PCC is to benefit people generally, and specifically residents of the parish, by celebrating the work of the Spirit and promoting faithfulness to the teaching of Jesus. In fulfilling their duties, the PCC has had regard to the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit.

OVERVIEW

The year saw some highs and lows of church and community life. We said sad goodbyes to members who moved away, and to those who died, as well as welcoming new members and baptising some of them. The financial situation of the church still gives some concern, but with careful thought and sensible planning we continue to monitor our finances closely. Despite these concerns the church has been able to provide for our church family and the wider community throughout the year.

BUSINESS OF THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL (PCC)

The PCC met on seven occasions during 2024, including immediately following the Annual Parochial Church Council meeting on 21st April. The average attendance was 89.36% of the PCC members. During 2024, the PCC employed one person: a Hall Cleaner.

The PCC’s work in relation to safeguarding children, young people and vulnerable adults is outlined in the separate report from the Parish Safeguarding Co-ordinator (page 7).

We became an Oversight Area with three other churches: St Mary the Virgin, Bearwood, Smethwick Old Church and St Matthew with St Chad, Smethwick. Our incumbent, the Rev’d Jenni Crewes was appointed as Oversight Minister for the area. We celebrated Pentecost together at St Hilda’s, and some of our leaders met informally to share stories and pray together. In September we met together to form A Mission Action Plan to work together. We identified three key areas, bereavement, children and schools and encouraging vocations.

St Hilda’s Church, Warley Woods – Annual Report and Accounts for 2024, Page 3

FINANCE

A full account of the church’s financial position follows from page 10 onwards. We have experienced challenges over the year as our expenditure exceeds our income, consequently we have had to call on our reserves on two occasions. 2024 saw the completion of our new heating system in the church building, which has been in the planning over the past two years, and final completion was achieved in July. We are extremely grateful for the generosity of all who contribute to the life of St Hilda’s not only financially, but volunteering and sharing of their talents.

It is the policy of St Hilda’s PCC to maintain unrestricted reserves of at least the equivalent of two month’s normal expenditure (approximately £25,000).

FABRIC OF THE BUILDINGS

Heating

A small sub-group of the PCC explored the options for heating the church during 2023 as our two boilers had been condemned in December 2020. Following an application for a faculty to install electric heating and removing the gas heating, we had approval by the DAC in August 2023 and completed all work during the summer of 2024. Our heartfelt thanks go to all who tirelessly worked to oversee this project completed, and at the same time our grateful thanks go to everyone who generously contributed financially to what was a massive undertaking for our church.

Energy supply

We continued with Pozitive Energy on a twelve-month contract for electricity solely from renewable sources and with Crown Gas and Power for the supply of biogas during 2024. Both contracts were undertaken following consultation with Green Journey: the electricity contract is to be renewed in 2025, again after consultation with Green Journey, and the gas contract for the hall will be renewed in 2026.

Other fabric items

The following fabric items were completed during the year:

A new lectern in memory of Gerard Nixon was commissioned and was blessed for use in the church and choir vestry on Easter Sunday.

The parish magazine has been discontinued and replaced by an on-line quarterly newsletter.

ELECTORAL ROLL

On 31st December 2024, the electoral roll stood at 83 members, of which 35 were resident in the parish and 48 were non-resident.

CHURCH LIFE

The Sunday morning service is the main act of worship, which has been held throughout the year. These services followed various themes according to the liturgical calendar including a focus on Creationtide and our care for the environment in September, which included a pet-blessing service. The services during

St Hilda’s Church, Warley Woods – Annual Report and Accounts for 2024, Page 4

Epiphany and Lent focused on themes to help us think about Inclusive church, for which we invited a range of guest speakers on the themes of ethnicity, disability, poverty and sexuality. We joined the Inclusive Church Network in May.

Thanks go to our volunteer organists John Barber, Angela Daniels and David Ellis, who add so much to our worship by playing the organ and piano, and Mike Baynham with his guitar.

The church was kept open on Tuesdays and Wednesdays for private prayer throughout the year. There were Wednesday morning Holy Communion services and Tuesday morning services of Morning Prayer. The Prayer Ministry Team has continued to be open for prayer requests: these are shared via WhatsApp daily. The Prayer Ministry Team has also been available to pray with members of the congregation on a regular basis during and after some of the morning services. Most months, prayer ministry was offered on the first and third Sunday of the month by a small and committed team of volunteers. We also offered prayers for healing and anointing with oil at our healing service.

For the first time we held a vigil on Holy Saturday evening and a dawn service on Easter Sunday, which included lighting the Paschal Candle from the bonfire and carrying it into church.

During the year we lost two of our church members, Stan Eades and Alan Shingleton. We held our annual service for the commemoration of those who have died on 3[rd] November 2024.

There were several baptisms of adults and children, including a full emersion baptism carried out outdoors. We had two weddings in church and there continued to be funerals in church or at crematoria.

Our incumbent and the Lay Pastoral team took many home communions to folk who are housebound and those in hospital.

We held “pondering” mornings where we discussed different aspects of Christian Discipleship and life. These were great spaces for people to grow in faith, encourage each other and explore taboo topics.

We continue to work with other churches in the area through joint services, assemblies and a walk of witness on Good Friday. Our vicar met regularly for prayer with other church leaders.

In partnership with The Dialogue Society we have regularly met for ‘scriptural reasoning’ with our Muslim neighbours. This included an Iftaar (the meal at the end of the day during Ramadan to complete the fast).

OUTREACH, CHARITABLE AND SOCIAL WORK

The Church Hall continued to be put to good use with our CAMEO (Come And Meet Each Other) senior’s group, the Youth Group, the Table Tennis Club, the Friendship Club, and Rainbows, Brownies, and Guides.

Other weekly groups hiring the hall include Zumba, a Mother and Baby Fitness Group, Baby Sensory class, Mini Athletics, Little Parakeets Play Group, and the Freedom Church together with increasing numbers of external hires for parties and family events. Thanks must go to Marian Hills for all her hard work in coordinating and managing bookings.

CAMEO continued with strength, and provides a valuable and life-giving opportunity for some of our older church members and outside contacts to meet with friends. For some members, this is the only contact they have with other people during the week.

The Youth Group for secondary school age children met once a month on Sunday evenings with a typical attendance of seven members.

Friendship Club met monthly sharing a meal together on a Friday evening. This group provides a warm welcome for refugees and asylum seekers to make friends and local connections.

Table tennis club continued to meet throughout the year roughly every other Saturday morning with between 4 and 16 players.

St Hilda’s Church, Warley Woods – Annual Report and Accounts for 2024, Page 5

Eight concerts by students at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire were held in the church. These were free admission events open to all, and generally well attended: the new heating system enabled us to continue during the colder months rather than having to pause until Spring. In July we held the ‘Three Shires Festival’ with concerts from jazz to classical music.

There were a number of school visits to church as well as visits were made to a number of schools for assemblies. Some involved Annie Lennard School, who became part of our increased parish in 2022 and the children seemed to enjoy their visits to St Hilda’s. In December we once again hosted Abbey School’s Festival of Light.

We have again supported our four adopted charities: Christian Aid, The Children’s Society, the Mission to Seafarers, and the Diocesan Fund for Malawi. There was a Christingle service on 14[th] January where we focussed on The Children’s Society. Sea Sunday was celebrated on 14[th] July at which items knitted by congregation members for the seafarers were brought to church. Earlier in the year various goods were sent to Malawi in the container organised by Birmingham Diocese.

The ‘Eco Church’ group reformed and were granted the Bronze Eco Church award for St Hilda’s, and are now working towards the Silver award. The group are helping us to think about and make changes to our care for creation.

The Enchant choir held their Christmas concert in church on 7[th] December 2024. St Hilda’s held a walking nativity service in partnership with other local churches on Saturday 14[th] December.

Our flower arrangers faithfully continued to decorate the church. After almost forty years of volunteering in the capacity Wendy Dyke stepped down from this role. Our thanks go to her for all her years of service.

The Reverend Dr John Wilkinson stepped down from public ministry in February. We marked this with a ‘bring and share’ lunch to thank him for his ministry among us.

SUMMARY

This year we have seen many encouraging signs of growing community life. So many volunteers enable us to worship together, keep our building welcoming and safe, and enable us to proclaim and live our faith.

Elizabeth Farrier, PCC Secretary February 2025

St Hilda’s Church, Warley Woods – Annual Report and Accounts for 2024, Page 6

ST HILDA, WARLEY WOODS ANNUAL SAFEGUARDING REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDING 31 DECEMBER 2024

The safeguarding of children, young people and vulnerable adults is an ongoing concern of the PCC. Anne Harris, Parish Safeguarding Co-ordinator, reports to each PCC meeting and works on behalf of the PCC to:

To do this, Anne is helped and supported by Revd Jenni Crewes, the PCC, other volunteers and members of St Hilda’s Church and the Church of England Birmingham Safeguarding Team.

A dedicated safeguarding mobile phone number and a dedicated safeguarding email address enable safeguarding issues to be reported directly and are monitored regularly.

This year, Anne has been the only member of the safeguarding team and there are vacancies. We are pleased to welcome Mike Baynham who will become a Parish Safeguarding Officer after completing the training pathways required for that role. If anyone else is interested in joining the safeguarding team and helping with some aspects of safeguarding at St Hilda’s, please speak to Jenni Crewes or Anne Harris.

Definition of the term ‘vulnerable adult’

Section 6 of the Safeguarding and Clergy Discipline Measure (2016) states that the term ‘vulnerable adult’ refers to a person aged 18 or over whose ability to protect themself from violence, abuse, neglect or exploitation is significantly impaired, temporarily or indefinitely, through physical or mental disability, illness, old age, emotional fragility, distress or otherwise. Some adults may not consider themselves vulnerable but may be vulnerable to being abused by individuals in positions of leadership and responsibility.

Safeguarding records

Confidential records are written and kept of all safeguarding concerns and actions. These are maintained in line with UK GDPR and Church of England guidance for all parish safeguarding records, their retention and storage.

Two Church of England online applications

(1) The Parish Safeguarding Dashboard

This is an easy to use, online national Church of England tool which helps the PCC and parish safeguarding team to meet their requirements to review safeguarding regularly and to conduct an annual assessment of the PCC’s safeguarding arrangements. The Parish Safeguarding Co-ordinator regularly updates the parish safeguarding dashboard and ensures that any necessary actions have been taken. In 2024, full parish ‘Promoting a Safer Church’ action plans, generated by the safeguarding dashboard, were presented to the PCC on 9th January and 18[th] September and summary ‘Promoting a Safer Church’ action plans were included in the safeguarding reports to each of the other PCC meetings.

(2) The Safeguarding Hub

This second online application is linked to the Parish Dashboard and designed to help a parish church with following the Church of England ‘Safer Recruitment and People Management’ Guidance. Stage 1 is the ‘Role Creator’ which lists and describes our 38 current church roles for volunteers and employees. Stage 2 is the ‘People Manager’ and provides a record of DBS checks and safeguarding training for each of our 41 volunteers. Stage 3 is the ‘Recruitment Tracker’ which helps us through the first 11 steps required by the

St Hilda’s Church, Warley Woods – Annual Report and Accounts for 2024, Page 7

national Church of England ‘Safer Recruitment and People Management’ guidance for recruitment to all roles which have substantial contact with children, young people and vulnerable adults.

Role descriptions

The House of Bishops ‘Promoting a Safer Church’ safeguarding policy statement (2017) recommends clear role descriptions for all church officers. A church officer is anyone, ordained or lay, who is appointed or elected by or on behalf of the church to a post or a role. Role descriptions have been given to those volunteers at St Hilda’s Church who have substantial contact with children, young people or vulnerable adults. The PCC and Parish Safeguarding Co-ordinator are continuing to work on developing role descriptions for all other volunteers.

Parish Identity Verifiers

Liz Farrier, Parish Identity Verifier, assisted by Anne Harris, Deputy Parish Identity Verifier, has continued to process new applications for DBS checks before a volunteer has started in a new role and DBS renewals every 3 years for volunteers in roles involving substantial contact with children, young people and vulnerable adults.

Safeguarding Training

In line with the Church of England House of Bishops ‘Framework for Safeguarding Training’, the Parish Safeguarding Co-ordinator and PCC have ensured that each church employee and volunteer has completed or renewed safeguarding training within the previous three years, at the required level for their role. New volunteers are informed of their safeguarding training requirements and the relevant training is arranged and completed before a volunteer begins in their new role.

Safeguarding training begins with basic awareness training which is a requirement for all volunteers and paid church officers. All volunteers are seen to be representing the Church and it is important that we all know how to recognise or respond to a potential safeguarding matter and what to do.

Further Church of England safeguarding training ‘pathways’, relevant for certain roles, include ‘Foundations’ which follows ‘Basic Awareness’, ‘Responding to Domestic Abuse’, ‘Leadership’ and ‘Safer Recruitment and People Management’.

Safeguarding training is usually done online, but the Church of England, Birmingham, has provided videos and accompanying paperwork to enable Parish Safeguarding Co-ordinators and Parish Safeguarding Officers to facilitate sessions on ‘Basic Awareness’ and ‘Foundations’ for volunteers who feel unable to do the training online. At St Hilda’s, on 31[st] August 2024, 5 people attended a ‘Basic Awareness’ session and on 4[th] September 2024, 6 people attended a ‘Foundations’ session, both based on the videos and facilitated by Jenni Crewes and Anne Harris.

Annual reviews of safeguarding policies and procedures

On 19th March 2024, with further amendments on 6[th] June, the PCC approved annual reviews of the following St Hilda’s safeguarding policies and procedures:

(1) ‘Safeguarding Policy and Procedures’,

(2) ‘Safeguarding Complaints (Appendix J of the ‘Safeguarding Policy and Procedures’,

(3) ‘Policy and Procedures for Responding to Domestic Abuse’,

(4) ‘Policy and Procedures for The Safe Use of Social Media and Mobile Phones’,

(5) ‘Promoting a Safer Church Parish Policy Statement’.

On 18[th] September 2024, the PCC approved a review of:

(6) ‘Recruitment of Ex-Offenders Policy Statement’.

Up to date copies of these policies can be accessed on noticeboards in the church porch and the entrance to the church hall and also at St Hilda’s on ‘A Church near you’ website.

St Hilda’s Church, Warley Woods – Annual Report and Accounts for 2024, Page 8

Church activities

A church activity is an activity organised in the name of the church primarily for children, young people or vulnerable adults OR an activity which includes teaching, training, instructing, caring for, supervising or transporting children, young people or vulnerable adults. It is the PCC’s responsibility to decide if an activity is organised in the name of the church. This has implications for the safeguarding arrangements and the activity’s recruitment of staff and volunteers, governance, finances and insurance. The current three St Hilda’s church activities are: Cameo, the Youth Group and the Commissioned Pastoral Care Team. The Parish Safeguarding Co-ordinator has been available to help the leaders and helpers of these activities to ensure that they receive the necessary safeguarding information and training and comply with diocesan and national safeguarding requirements, including safer recruitment processes, role descriptions and risk assessments.

Non-church activities

On 9[th] January and 18[th] September 2024, as part of the review of the ‘Promoting a Safer Church Action Plan’, generated by the Parish Safeguarding Dashboard, the PCC reviewed the list of non-church activities for children, young people and vulnerable adults that are held on St Hilda’s Church premises.

Safer Recruitment

The Parish Safeguarding Co-ordinator and PCC have continued to monitor and encourage the development of safer recruitment practices in line with the revised Church of England House of Bishops ‘Safer Recruitment and People Management Guidance’ (January 2022) for the safe recruitment, supervision and support of every church employee and volunteer who has substantial contact with children, young people or vulnerable adults.

Safeguarding Sunday

Our third annual Safeguarding Sunday which took place at St Hilda’s on Sunday 21[st] January 2024 is a national initiative and was an opportunity to highlight and celebrate the safeguarding work in our church within the context of worship.

The Makim Review

Following publication of the Makim Review, on 8[th] October 2024, the PCC, meeting on 28[th] November agreed that some of the learning for our approach to safeguarding at St Hilda’s is:

Conclusion

In accordance with Section 5 of the Safeguarding and Clergy Measure 2016 the PCC has therefore complied with its duty to have due regard to the House of Bishops Guidance on safeguarding children and vulnerable adults.

Anne Harris, Parish Safeguarding Co-ordinator 6th February 2025

St Hilda’s Church, Warley Woods – Annual Report and Accounts for 2024, Page 9

ST HILDA’S CHURCH, WARLEY WOODS ANNUAL ACCOUNTS FOR YEAR ENDING 31 DECEMBER 2024

OVERVIEW

Status: St Hilda’s Church is the parish church for the Parish of Warley Woods in the Diocese of Birmingham. In 2018 the Parochial Church Council of the Ecclesiastical Parish of St Hilda, Warley Woods (PCC) became a registered charity under The Charity Commission of England and Wales, with the Registered Charity Number 1181258.

Premises: The church building, church hall, vicarage and grounds are the property of Birmingham Diocese. The PCC owns a scout hut on the site: this is hired exclusively to a scout troop on a fifteen-year repairing lease which was renewed in 2016. The electricity used by the scouts is paid by the church as part of the site charge, but separately metered and recharged at cost to them. The scout hut was valued at £117,700 for insurance purposes in 2014: this is included in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities at one fifth of this value, £23,540 which better reflects its likely current market value, and is the same as in the 2023 report. Use of the Church and the Hall by community organisations is a major source of income.

Site Developments: There was one significant development in 2024, a major capital project to replace the existing condemned gas-fired heating system in the church building with electric radiators using ‘green’ electricity, and thereby to also reduce the carbon footprint of the church. The cost in 2024 was £66,722, financed from reserves and by appeal. With previous expenditure of £7,090 in 2023, the total cost of the project was £73,812. In November 2024 the PCC agreed to transfer £16,961 from our reserves to meet the overall project cost.

Clergy: The incumbent is a vicar, the Rev Jennifer Ruth Crewes.

Lay Employees: The church employed one person, a hall cleaner, and the staff payroll is administered by Birmingham Diocese at no cost to St Hilda’s Church. No PCC member has been a church employee. No PCC member receives any honorarium or expenses arising from a position within the Church.

Charitable Giving: As usual, the PCC sent £500 to each of its four adopted charities, Christian Aid, the Mission to Seafarers, the Children’s Society, and Birmingham Diocese Malawi Fund. Various items were collected for the container sent annually by Birmingham Diocese to Malawi

Accounting Basis: These accounts have been prepared on a ‘receipts and payments’ basis in accordance with the Charities Act 2011.

Review of Financial Procedures: A review of current financial practice at St Hilda’s Church was carried out in December 2022 using the Charity Commission guidelines and checklist: the report was approved by the PCC in January 2023. As the role of Treasurer changed during 2024, a review of our current financial practice was started on the approval of the PCC in December 2024. The 2022 Report stated that all legal requirements and most ‘best practice’ recommendations were being met by current procedures. The most significant departure was the use of only one approval, the Treasurer’s, for bank transfers (two for cheques): this has been changed in 2024 so all debit entries are completed under dual control. The PCC adopted a policy of full review every five years, so next review will take place 2029.

Bank Accounts and Investments: St Hilda’s PCC holds a current account with the Bank of Scotland (BOS), five deposit accounts with Church of England Central Board of Finance (CBF), and two investment funds, the Porter-York Fund held in CBF property shares, and a UK Equity Fund. In anticipation of expenditure on the church heating project, the holding in the current account was maintained at a much higher level than would normally be necessary throughout 2023 until completion of the heating replacement during 2024.

Agency Operations : St Hilda’s PCC collects some fees as an ‘agent’ which it then redistributes: this is necessarily handled through the PCC’s Bank of Scotland current account, but the fees are not part of the

St Hilda’s Church, Warley Woods – Annual Report and Accounts for 2024, Page 10

church’s income and expenditure, and are therefore excluded from the church’s accounts (note 17). These include payments from statutory fees made on behalf of Birmingham Diocese, money specifically raised for charities (but not church donations to charities), refundable damage deposits for hire of buildings, and charges for electricity used in the scout hut.

Summary of Accounts: 2024 continued to present financial challenges, and revenue expenditure exceeded revenue income in most months. Total receipts were £79,648 (down £26,197) and total payments £150,630 (up £56,167), giving an overall excess of expenditure over income of £70,981 for 2024. However, this expenditure figure includes the capital cost of £66,722 for the new heating system in the church building. Excluding this item, the ‘revenue’ expenditure is reduced £83,908 and the excess of expenditure to £4,259, a more reasonable deficit on the year, although still reducing the church’s reserves.

Income Sources: The main source of income is the voluntary giving of church attenders. Stewardship dropped to £25,102, however, with open plate collections and other voluntary giving, the total income by voluntary giving was £33,265. Gift aid at £7,321 was also down. We also continue to see higher income as a result of the use of our church, church hall and scout hut by both community and church groups, £20,505, which gave a profit of ££9,850 after covering all running costs for the hall.

Expenditure: The main cost to the church is the Parish Share paid to Birmingham Diocese, which was increased to £44,004. With increased use of our buildings, the running costs are higher, particularly electricity bills for the church, offset in part by not using any gas in the church building. The other major expense for 2024 was the completion of the new heating system in the church building, as noted above.

Investments: Two investment funds managed by CCLA for the Central Board of Finance of the Church of England. The total holding in the Porter-York fund was unchanged over the year. However, one transfer of £10,000 was made from the UK Equity fund to the current account to finance the new heating. Total investment reserves on 31[st] December 2024 were £24,485

Reserve Policy: It is the policy of St Hilda’s PCC to maintain unrestricted reserves equivalent to around two month’s normal expenditure, approximately £25,000, immediately available. On 31[st] December 2024, an unrestricted balance of £14,171 was held in the BOS current account and £10,737 was held in the ‘General Reserve’ Deposit Account on one week’s notice

The Unquantifiable: These monetary accounts cannot include the significant time and effort freely given by church members in supporting the work of the fellowship in many ways. We are grateful to the people who continue to give under the stewardship scheme, to those who have found new ways of giving, and to the people who give of their time, skills and talents to support the fellowship. On a personal note, as Treasurer I would like to thank all who count and bank the collections and other cash receipts week by week: your help is very much appreciated.

Elaine Carrington, PCC Treasurer

Terry Daniels Acting Treasurer from March 2025

St Hilda’s Church, Warley Woods – Annual Report and Accounts for 2024, Page 11

ANNUAL ACCOUNTS FOR YEAR ENDING 31 DECEMBER 2024

RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS 2024

RECEIPTS
Note
Restricted
Designated
Unrestricted
Total 2024
Donatons
Stewardship
1
Tax-efcient
£0.00
£0.00
£20,714.00
£20,714.00
Other
£0.00
£0.00
£4,388.00
£4,388.00
Collectons at Services
2
£0.00
£0.00
£4,499.60
£4,499.60
Gif Aid Recovered
3
£0.00
£0.00
£7,320.84
£7,320.84
Other Voluntary Giving
4
£50.00
£0.00
£3,615.30
£3,665.30
Grants
5
£7,062.20
£0.00
£0.00
£7,062.20
Bequests
5
£1,000.00
£0.00
£0.00
£1,000.00
Other Receipts
5
£0.00
£0.00
£1,665.00
£1,665.00
Donations Sub-total
£8,112.20
£0.00
£42,202.74
£50,314.94
Charitable Actvites
Statutory Fees
6
£0.00
£0.00
£2,960.00
£2,960.00
Trading Income
7
£0.00
£0.00
£20,965.18
£20,965.18
Fundraising for Church
8
£0.00
£0.00
£3,190.43
£3,190.43
Charitable Activities Sub-total
£0.00
£0.00
£27,115.61
£27,115.61
Investment Income
Investment Accounts
£0.00
£0.00
£1,329.07
£1,329.07
Deposit Accounts
£47.80
£271.13
£572.35
£891.28
Investment Income Sub-total
£47.80
£271.13
£1,901.42
£2,220.35		 Total 2023
£23,667.00
£5,142.00
£5,557.25
£8,416.60
£5,878.66
£0.00
£26,588.68
£0.00
£75,250.19
£6,516.00
£18,938.48
£3,260.67
£28,715.15
£1,361.12
£519.47
£1,880.59
TOTAL RECEIPTS
£8,160.00
£271.13
£71,219.77
£79,650.90		 £105,845.93
PAYMENTS
Fundraising Costs
Cost of Fundraising
8
£0.00
£0.00
£1,000.12
£1,000.12
Charitable Actvites
Diocesan Parish Share
9
£0.00
£0.00
£44,004.00
£44,004.00
Charitable and other donatons
10
£585.00
£0.00
£2,171.45
£2,756.45
Salaries, wages and honoraria
11
£0.00
£0.00
£3,894.00
£3,894.00
Clergy and staf expenses
15
£0.00
£0.00
£705.04
£705.04
Charitable Activities Sub-total
£585.00
£0.00
£50,774.49
£51,359.49
Site Running Expenses
Mission and evangelism
13
£0.00
£0.00
£0.00
£0.00
Church running expenses
14
£85.70
£0.00
£13,218.66
£13,304.36
Church utlity costs
14
£0.00
£0.00
£7,341.26
£7,341.26
Cost of trading
15
£1,452.70
£0.00
£9,450.26
£10,902.96
Site Running Expenses Sub-total
£1,538.40
£0.00
£30,010.18
£31,548.58
Capital Items
Major projects
16
£0.00
£0.00
£66,722.11
£66,722.11		 £819.97
£42,000.00
£2,201.06
£8,635.85
£1,168.18
£54,005.09
£868.34
£11,685.45
£6,048.48
£8,288.85
£26,891.12
£12,747.60
TOTAL PAYMENTS
£2,123.40
£0.00
£148,506.90
£150,630.30		 £94,463.78
EXCESS OF RECEIPTS OVER EXPENDITURE
£6,036.60
£271.13
-£77,287.13
-£70,979.40
Transfers from Investments to Current accounts
£10,000.00
£10,000.00
OPENING CURRENT AND DEPOSIT ACCOUNTS 1/1/24
Current Account
£938.74
£0.00
£86,129.75
£87,068.49
Deposit Accounts
£2,249.95
£3,759.10
£10,781.32
£16,790.37		 £11,382.15
£350.00
£75,855.81
£16,270.90
CLOSING CURRENT AND DEPOSIT ACCOUNTS
£9,225.29
£4,030.23
£29,623.94
£42,879.46		 £103,858.86

St Hilda’s Church, Warley Woods – Annual Report and Accounts for 2024, Page 12

ANNUAL ACCOUNTS FOR YEAR ENDING 31 DECEMBER 2024

ASSETS AND LIABILITIES 2024

ASSETS AND LIABILITIES 2024
Monetary Assets
Restricted
Designated
Unrestricted
Totals 2024
Deposit Accounts
CB3001513 - Church Fabric Reserve
£3,783.39
3,783.39
CB3001523 - Church Music Reserve
£948.54
948.54
CB3001583 - Church Hall Reserve
£1,349.21
£246.84
1,596.05
CB3001595 - General Reserve
£11,309.15
11,309.15
CB3001596 - Gifs and Bequests Reserve
£46.52
46.52
£2,297.75
£4,030.23
£11,355.67
£17,683.65
Bank of Scotland Current Account Funds
General Fund
£2,109.50
£14,171.42
£16,280.92
Baby Group Fund
£217.86
£217.86
Choir Fund
£104.19
£104.19
Festval Fund
£1.46
£584.83
£586.29
Flower Fund
£30.64
£30.64
Friendship Fund
£89.19
£545.44
£634.63
Heatng Fund (Closed September 2024)
£0.00
Ministry Support Fund
£5.35
£5.35
Music and Organ Fund
£1,982.75
£1,982.75
Musical Director Fund (Opened Dec 2024)
£4,500.00
£4,500.00
Social Fund
£330.00
£330.00
Vicarage Fund
£450.00
£450.00
Youth Fund
£4.18
£69.00
£73.18
£6,927.54
£0.00
£18,268.27
£25,195.81		 * Totals
2023
£3,592.70
£900.74
£1,515.61
£10,737.14
£44.18
£16,790.37
£32,777.23
£217.86
£237.19
£380.62
£82.12
£871.08
£49,661.11
£0.00
£5.35
£1,982.75
£330.00
£450.00
£73.18
£87,068.49
103,858.86
CLOSING BALANCE, CURRENT AND DEPOSIT ACCOUNTS
£9,225.29
£4,030.23
£29,623.94
£42,879.46
Investments
Porter-York Fund, shares at market value, 31/12/24
£11,933.24
£11,933.24
UK Equity Fund, 31/12/24
£12,552.01
£12,552.01
TOTAL MONETARY ASSETS, 31/12/18
£9,225.29
£4,030.23
£54,109.19
£67,364.71
Other Assets and Liabilites
Buildings
Scout Hut at one ffh of insurance value in 2014
£23,540.00		 £11,867.37
£21,967.36
£33,834.73
£23,540.00

Church Account (as above) £25,195.81 Agency Holding (note 17) £1,031.04 £26,226.85

St Hilda’s Church, Warley Woods – Annual Report and Accounts for 2024, Page 13

NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS 2024

The church runs a stewardship scheme for regular giving either by direct payment into the church account or by gift-aid envelope at services. 82.5% of regular stewardship qualified for gift-aid. The total stewardship received was £3,707 less than the amount received in 2023.

Gift-aided Non-GA Total Direct giving: £20,714.00 £4,388.00 £25,102.00

2 Collections at Services:

This figure, £4,499.60, includes all open plate collections at regular and occasional church services, and retiring collections at baptisms, funerals, weddings etc. This is £1057.65 lower than the amount received in 2023.

3 Gift Aid Recovered:

The gift aid recovered in 2024, within tax years 2023-24 and 2024-25, comprised

Gift-aided donations: £5,587.00 76.3% GASDS [Small donations]: £1,733.84 23.7% Total: £7,320.84

4 Other Voluntary Giving:

Apart from regular donations through the stewardship scheme and collections at services, occasional voluntary donations are received in other ways, including one-off donations, donation boxes in church, and gifts specifically for the Friendship Fund. Some of these are itemised below.

Donation for Church Hall improvement £2,000.00 Donation boxes at church (Wall safe, Flower Fund, Votive Candles) £373.48 Friendship Fund £520.00 Miscellaneous small donations from individuals £771.82 Total £3,365.30

5 Grants, Legacies and other receipts

Grants, Legacies and other receipts
Two grants were received in 2024:
Sandwell MBC – decoraton of Church Hall and chairs
Keble College, Harlow Trust – appointment of Musical Director		 £2,562.20
£4,500.00
£7,062.20

One legacy was received, £1,000 - the balance of a restricted legacy for improvements to the Church Hall from the estate of Gerard Nixon.

From October 2024 the incumbent was seconded one day per week to Birmingham Diocese for six months, and payment of £555 per month made by the diocese to the PCC: this is recorded as ‘Other Receipts’.

6 Fees Retained by PCC:

St Hilda’s personnel conducted one wedding (fees paid in 2023), and nineteen funerals, twenty-six of which came into the church. The statutory income for the church (net of fees paid as agent to the diocese, organist, minister, verger and choir) was £2,000. A further £960.00 was received as ‘permitted charges for heating, lighting etc’ for funerals and weddings.

Funerals 7 Trading Income £1,729.00 Weddings Hire of Buildings: The church and church hall were in use by church and community groups for the whole year, and £0.00 Banns community hire of buildings is t ~~he major sou~~ £271.00 rce of ‘trading income’. The Scout Hut is leased to a Scout Troop on a fifteenyear repairing lease. Hourly rent is not charged for use by church groups (such as CAMEO senior citizens group, Table Tennis Statutory Fees: £2,000.00 £2,000.00 Group, Guides etc), but these make ad hoc donations to the church.Permitted charges: £960.00 Church Hire Total: £765.00 £2,960.00 Church Hall – Community Hire £17,875.00 Church Hall – Church Groups (Donations) £1,037.60 Scout Hut £827.08 Total: £20,504.68

St Hilda’s Church, Warley Woods – Annual Report and Accounts for 2024, Page 14

Other Trading Activities: Minor activities that contributed to trading include the provision of ‘remembrance’ items, and use of the church’s photocopier through charges for external users. The publication of the monthly parish magazine ha ceased, but one subscription was received in 2024. Remembrance items are mainly entries in the Book of Memory, and costs incurred are for calligraphy: these costs are included under the ‘cost of trading’, (note 15) as ‘Remembrance Items’.

External use of Photocopier £135.00 Monthly Parish Magazines £10.50 Remembrance Book and Plaques £315.00 £460.50

Thus, total trading income

was £20,965.18 , comprising the £20,965.18 from building hire plus £460.50 from other trading.

8 Fundraising for Church and Cost of Fundraising:

St Hilda’s PCC is registered with ‘easyfundraising’ for gifts from internet sales by registered supporters. The church stages a programme of concerts for the community for which no entry charge is made: many attendees make donations at these events to offset costs and support the church. The ‘Three Shires’ Music Festival is an annual event with both free and paid events. It is not primarily intended as a fundraising venture, but as an activity for the local community:

‘easyfundraising’
Donatons at Free-entry Events
Three Shires Festval
Totals		 Receipts
£261.89
£1,857.75
£1,070.79
£3,190.43		 Costs
Net Income
0.00
£261.89
£135.00
£1,722.75
£865.12
£205.67
£1,000.12
£2,190.31		 Costs
Net Income
0.00
£261.89
£135.00
£1,722.75
£865.12
£205.67
£1,000.12
£2,190.31
£2,190.31

9 Diocesan Parish Share:

The Parish Share contribution to Birmingham Diocese is the church’s largest expenditure: £44,004 was agreed with the diocese for 2024, an increase of £2,044. This amount was paid in full.

10 Donations to Charities and other Charitable Activities by the Church:

Church Donations administered through the Church Accounts: The church regularly supports four charities (Birmingham Diocese Malawi Fund, The Children’s Society, Christian Aid, and the Mission to Seafarers) as part of its on-going mission work. The PCC approved the sum of £500 from church funds for each of these charities in 2024.

The Friendship Group is used to support local asylum seekers, and occasional payments for items such as medical expenses, travel or telephone cards are made from the Friendship Fund, which contains both restricted and unrestricted funds. In 2024 the fund received £520.00 in donations, and paid out £756.45 in restricted and unrestricted funds.

Donations to Adopted Charities £2,000.00 Friendship Group donations to Asylum Seekers £756.45 Total £2,756.45

The church collects items to be sent annually via a container to Malawi through the Birmingham Diocese Malawi Fund: the church normally contributes towards the cost of the container, but in 2024 the church’s cost was paid by a donor.

In addition to monetary gifts for the Mission to Seafarers, members of the congregation knitted items for the men at sea.

Money for Charitable Activities excluded from the Church Accounts:

The church also raises funds specifically for charities as ‘agents’, and these are administered through the ‘Agency Account’, not the Church Account. This includes some funds for the church’s adopted charities, £479.54 in 2024: the collection at the Christingle Service (£137.00) was donated to the Children’s Society, the collection at the Christian Aid service (£127.10) was sent to Christian Aid, and the Sea Sunday collection (£215.44) was sent to the Mission to Seafarers. These collections used the organisations’ envelopes and, therefore, are not included in the church’s collections or donations, but administered through the Agency account.

£123.02 was collected for the Smethwick Food Bank at Christmas 2023 and sent in January. Foodstuffs are also collected throughout the year.

11 Salaries, Wages and Honoraria:

The PCC employed one person in 2024, a Cleaner at an annual cost of £3,894.00 . The payroll is administered through Moorepay by Birmingham Diocese without charge to the church. No other person is paid by the church.

12 Clergy and Staff expenses:

The church is responsible for transport, telephone and other expenses incurred by the Vicar, its own employees, and laity in

St Hilda’s Church, Warley Woods – Annual Report and Accounts for 2024, Page 15

the course of their duties for the church. The vicar’s expenses were £705.04 in 2024.

13 Mission and Evangelism:

This subject is discussed in the Secretary’s report. The Friendship Group provides social and material help to local asylum seekers. In 2024, £520 was received by voluntary donations, and £756.45 spent on supporting local asylum seekers, leaving £871.08 in the Friendship Fund on 31[st] December 2024.

The Youth Group meets monthly, but there was no income or expenditure in 2024. The group was funded by a grant in 2021, and a £73.18 balance remained in the Youth Fund account on 31[st] December 2024.

14 Church and Site Running Expenses:

This item covers the cost of maintenance and insurance for the church building, maintaining the grounds, regular tuning of the organ and piano, purchase of worship materials, and other incidentals in the day-to-day operation of the church. Running costs for the hall (note 15) and capital items (note 16) are considered separately.

Insurance (excluding church hall)
Church maintenance
Site maintenance
Telephone, broadband and website
Ofce supplies and photocopying
Organ and piano tuning
Church Copyright Licence
Worship materials
Other small items (under £150)
Sub-total Church and Grounds Running Costs:
Church Electricity
Church Gas
Sub-total Church Utilities
Total Church and Site Running Expenses*		 £2,351.12
£4,180.20
£2,227.11
£1,185.00
£1,366.02
£637.00
£337.72
£550.47
£469.72
£13,304.36
£13,304.36
£4,344.23
£2,997.03
£7,341.26
£7,341.26
£20,645.62

Fuel costs are sub-totalled as ‘Church Utilities’. PCC had decided that, despite their higher cost, the ‘greenest’ options should be used for both fuels; solar, wind and hydro power for electricity and biomass for gas. Electricity is charged against a single meter for the church and scout hut, and the scout hut usage is separately metered internally. The cost is split pro rata on consumption for both buildings. The scout hut electricity is recharged to the scout group at cost, the church acting as ‘agent’ and this cost is excluded from the church accounts. The Church Hall usage is now separately metered and charged to ‘Cost of Trading’ (note 15).

Gas, now used only in the church hall is charged to ‘Cost of trading’ (note 15).

15 Cost of Trading and Hall Running Costs:

The main trading activity is the hire of the church hall to community groups, and, therefore, most ‘cost of trading’ comprise the running costs and maintenance of the church hall, shown below:

Electricity
Gas
Sub-total Hall Utilities
Water
Insurance
Maintenance
Redecoraton
Sub-total Hall Running Costs
Total Hall Running Costs
Remembrance Items
Total Cost of Trading		 £1,136.93
£2,346.89
£3,483.82
£252.84
£1,754.93
£3,710.67
£1,452.70
£7,171.14
£248.00		 £3,483.82
£7,171.14

£10,654.96
£248.00
£10,902.96

It is not possible to apportion the costs between use of the building by outside hirers and use by church groups, but the larger part of its use is by non-church groups.

16 Capital Items:

There was one significant capital item in 2024, the removal of the old gas-fired heating system in the church building, and the installation of a new electrically-powered system. This was a major project, with £7,089.60 spent in 2023 in preparatory work surveying and removing residual asbestos-containing materials related to the old system. The work carried out in 2024

St Hilda’s Church, Warley Woods – Annual Report and Accounts for 2024, Page 16

cost £66,722.11 , taking the total cost of the project to £73,811.71. It was financed from Church Reserves plus an appeal.

New electrical supply to church and hall
Removal of gas heatng and meter
Purchase and installaton of new electric system
Total for Capital Items in 2024		 £9,420.16
£11,905.95
£45,396.00

£66,722.11

On environmental grounds, the PCC decided to completely discontinue the use of gas in the church building and install an electric radiator system to be run on renewable electricity.

17 Agency Holding and Bank of Scotland Current Account Reconciliation:

The ‘Agency Holding’ is money held by the church in its Bank of Scotland current account as agents for other organisations or persons. This does not form part of the church’s assets, and, therefore, is excluded from these church accounts. In 2024 the Agency Holding was used for transactions such as processing Statutory Fees for funerals and weddings (only part of which is due to the church), holding damage deposits for hire of buildings, holding money raised specifically for charities, holding money collected for leaving gifts, and for processing charges due for electricity used in the Scout Hut.

On 31st December 2024 the Agency Holding comprised:

ecember 2024 the Agency Holding comprised:
Charity Holding [Birmingham Diocese Malawi Fund]
Charity Holding for Annual Charity
Statutory Fees
Damage Deposits for Church Hall hirers
Scout Hut Electricity due [to be charged later at cost to Scout Group]
Total Agency Holding		 £247.37
£25.50
£100.00
£678.00
(£19.83)

£1031.04

The total holding in the Bank of Scotland Current Account on 31st December 2024 is reconciled by the inclusion of both the Church Account and the Agency Account totals, thus:

31 December 24 31 December 23
Church money in BOS Account £25,195.81 £87,068.49
Agency holdings in BOS Account £1,031.04 £445.16
Closing value, Bank of Scotland Account, 31/12/23 £26,226.85 £87,513.65

An exceptionally large amount was held in the current account at the start of 2024 in anticipation of payments for the installation of the new heating system in the church building. By year end, it had reduced to normal levels

End of notes

St Hilda’s Church, Warley Woods – Annual Report and Accounts for 2024, Page 17

DEPOSIT AND INVESTMENT ACCOUNTS

St Hilda’s Church deposit and investment accounts are administered by CCLA for the CBF, the Central Board of Finance for the Church of England.

DEPOSIT ACCOUNTS

DEPOSIT ACCOUNT CB3001513 - CHURCH FABRIC ACCOUNT

A designated account for the additional maintenance of the Church building and site.

Credit Debit Total
Startng Balance, 1/1/24 £3,592.70
Bank Interest (total over year) £190.69 - £190.69
Closing Balance, 31/12/24 £3,783.39

DEPOSIT ACCOUNT CB30001523 – CHURCH MUSIC ACCOUNT

A restricted account to cover all aspects of church music, including organ and piano repairs.

Credit Debit Total
Startng Balance, 1/1/24 £900.74
Bank Interest (total over year) £47.80 - £47.80
Closing Balance, 31/12/24 £948.54

DEPOSIT ACCOUNT CB30001583 – CHURCH HALL ACCOUNT

This account contains both restricted and designated holdings for the same purpose, maintenance of the Church Hall. Interest is applied to the designated holding.

CHURCH HALL ACCOUNT [Designated]

ALL ACCOUNT [Designated]
Credit Debit Total
Startng Balance, 1/1/24 £166.40
Bank Interest (total over year) £80.4 - £80.44
4
Closing Balance, Designated, 31/12/24 £246.84 CHURCH HALL
d]
Startng Balance, 1/1/24 - - £1,349.21
Closing Balance, Restricted, 31/12/24 £1,349.21

ACCOUNT [Restricted]

Total closing balance of account (restricted and designated ) = £1,596.05

DEPOSIT ACCOUNT CB30001595 – GENERAL RESERVE FUND

An unrestricted account holding reserves that are available on a short withdrawal period.

Credit Debit Total
Startng Balance, 1/1/24 £10,739.14
Bank Interest (total over year) £570.01 - £570.01
Closing Balance, 31/12/24 £11,309.15

DEPOSIT ACCOUNT CB30001596 - GIFTS AND BEQUESTS ACCOUNT

An unrestricted account to hold legacies and large gifts.

count to hold legacies and large gifs.
Credit Debit Total
Startng Balance, 1/1/24 £44.18
Bank Interest (total over year) £2.34 - £2.34
Closing Balance, 31/12/24 £46.52

Total interest on Deposit Accounts (re-invested in the accounts) = £891.28

St Hilda’s Church, Warley Woods – Annual Report and Accounts for 2024, Page 18

INVESTMENT ACCOUNTS

INVESTMENT ACCOUNT – CBF PROPERTY SHARES, CB3001443 (PORTER-YORK FUND)

An unrestricted account invested in CBF Property Shares arising from two large legacies, to be used at the discretion of the Incumbent and Churchwardens. The withdrawal period for CBF Property Shares is now ninety days. There were no fund transactions in 2024.

Transactions and Share Holding

Transactons and Share Holding
Deposit Withdrawal Share Holding
Share Holding, 1/1/24 9,686.86
Share Holding, 31/12/24 9,686.86
Value of the Investment
Shareholding Mid-value Investment
(p/share) value
Opening Investment Value, 01/01/24 9,686.86 122.51 £11,867.37
Closing Investment Value, 31/12/24 9,686.86 123.19 £11,933.24
Interest received [paid to BOS Current Account]
Shareholding Dividend (p) Interest
28/02/24, 4thQuarter, 2023 9,686.86 16.00 £154.99
31/05/24, 1stQuarter, 2024 9,686.86 17.70 £171.46
31/08/24, 2ndQuarter, 2024 9,686.86 16.20 £156.93
30/11/24, 3rdQuarter, 2024 9,686.86 16.20 £156.93
Total Interest in 2024 £640.31

INVESTMENT ACCOUNT – UK EQUITY FUND, CB3001430

An unrestricted account established in August 2021 with funds transferred from the Porter-York Fund, to give access to investment funds on a one-month withdrawal period. There was one withdrawal of £10,000 on 25/09/24 to cover expenditure on the new church heating system. This reduced the share holding from 11,136.03 to 6,283.55.

Transactions and Share Holding

Transactons and Share Holding
Deposit Withdrawal Share Holding
Share Holding, 1/1/24 11,136.03
Sale of 4852.48 shares @206.08 p/share £10,000 6,283.55
Share Holding, 31/12/24 6,283.55
Value of the Investment
Shareholding Mid-value Investment
(p/ share) value
Opening Investment Value, 01/01/24 11,136.03 197.21 £21,961.36
Closing Investment Value, 31/12/24 6283.55 199.76 £12,552.01
Interest received [paid to BOS Current Account]
Shareholding Dividend (p) Interest
28/02/24, 4thQuarter, 2023 11,136.03 1.74 £193.77
31/05/24, 1stQuarter, 2024 11,136.03 1.74 £193.77
31/08/24, 2ndQuarter, 2024 11,136.03 1.74 £193.77
30/11/24, 3rdQuarter, 2024 6283.55 1.71 £107.45
Total Interest in 2024 £688.76

Total Investment Income (paid to BOS Current Account)

CBF Property Shares (Porter-York Fund)

£640.31

St Hilda’s Church, Warley Woods – Annual Report and Accounts for 2024, Page 19

CBF UK Equity Shares £688.76 Total Investment Income £1,329.07

St Hilda’s Church, Warley Woods – Annual Report and Accounts for 2024, Page 20

APPROVAL OF REPORT AND ACCOUNTS

The Annual Report as set out on pages 3 to 6

was prepared by the Elizabeth Farrier as PCC Secretary

The Annual Safeguarding Report as set out on pages 7 to 9

was prepared by Anne Harris as Safeguarding Officer

The Annual Accounts set out on pages 10 to 19

were prepared by Elaine Carrington as Treasurer of St Hilda’s PCC and Dr Terry Daniels [Acting Treasurer from March 2025]

and examined by Mark J W Jennings, ACA, ICAEW

----- Start of picture text -----
The above Reports and the Accounts were approved and adopted
EN by St Hilda’s Parochial Church Council
D
on 21st May 2025
OF
Rev Jennifer Ruth Crewes (Chair) Julie Batham (Churchwarden)
2024 ANNUAL REPORT AND ACCOUNTS FOR ST HILDA’S PCC, WARLEY WOODS
----- End of picture text -----

St Hilda’s Church, Warley Woods – Annual Report and Accounts for 2024, Page 21

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT

Report to trustees of St Hilda’s Church, Warley Woods Registered Charity No 1181258

On the Annual Accounts for the year ended 31[st] December 2024 as set out on pages 10 to 19

Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner

The trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts.

The trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the Charities Act) and that an independent examination is needed.

It is my responsibility, as Independent Examiner, to:

examine the accounts under section 145 of the Charities Act,

to follow the procedures laid down in the general Direction given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Charities Act, and

to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.

Basis of independent examiner’s statement

My examination was carried out in accordance with general Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from the trustees concerning such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a ‘true and fair’ view and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below.

Independent examiner’s statement

In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention

have not been met; or

Signed: Date:

Mark J W Jennings, ACA, ICAEW 3, Clent Drive, Hagley, Stourbridge, DY9 9LN

Disclosures:

St Hilda’s Church, Warley Woods – Annual Report and Accounts for 2024, Page 22