Vale and Cotswold Edge **St Peter and St Paul Blockley Trustees Report for 2021** ## **Achievements and performance** Blockley PCC has met 7 times since the April 2021 APCM. The PCC has largely met remotely on Zoom due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Safeguarding is an agenda item at each PCC meeting and any issues arising are discussed, excluding Standing Committee meetings. ## Highlights of the year included: - This year has been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic with services on Zoom, with help for people to access this from Ginny Williams Ellis and Sophie Le Metais. Dana thanked Robert Burch and Adrian Beney for technical support, and John Baldwyn and Doreen Robinson for music. Ministry and worship were sustained through the VaCE team through most difficult times, including ongoing work from our Children and Youth Leader. Shared with Bourton in the Hill, our home group became two home groups, plus a study group, and a group exploring the Christian faith. Services returned to the church building in April, including with the choir, following the Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns and restrictions - The church continues to serve the local community, for example through VE Day Celebrations, Christmas services/activities, and supporting North Cotswold Foodbank. - Dana Delap has continued to engage with other local charities, Bromford, social services and the police to care for those in need. The increase in poor mental health in the community led a number of us (including members of the Ministry Enabling Team) to take the Mental Health England Mental Health First Aid course. It has been valuable to both church and community engagement. She is also a trustee of or chair a number of charities which offer support to the most venerable in our community. These include educational trusts and Help in Need/Richard Perkins, alms houses and medical charities. - The church has been trialling _Messy Church Goes Wild_ as part of our Open-Door service. This service draws people from across the parishes, and it has been exciting watching this service develop its own musical group. Second Sunday at Six braved the cold church to also grow and develop its own congregation. - Blockley Church is featuring in case study in Church of England for 'Church in Action'. - An area of churchyard has been re-wilded with the local school with wildlife boxes and over 50 species of flower and grass growing. This included orchids. We were given a quantity of yellow rattle by Cotswold AONB to plant in both churchyards to keep the grasses from taking over. Bourton on the Hill was used by Gloucester Diocese for an inspirational video about ecological sustainability. (Bishop Robert was not told that the plant he identified as Herb Robert is a weed.) - There are 72 people in total on the electoral roll, and none have been removed since our last APCM. - Weddings and christenings were able to resume in church, and the BBC returned to continue filming Father Brown following the Covid-19 pandemic restrictions. - Christmas services were well attended, including a carol service, crib service, midnight mass and Christmas Day communion. Once again live Advent Calendar windows were set up around Blockley. - The PCC has continued to work on plans for installing a new heating system in the church, and reordering plans to improve accessibility, install a toilet, and provide greater 1 flexibility for using the nave for community gatherings, hospitality and activities. A consultation with the congregation and wider community were undertaken in October. ## **Church Wardens’ Fabric Report** Work on the installation of the new boilers continued but ended with only partial success. When the new plant was fired up leaks sprang from the old pipes with the result that our new system could not be commissioned. To allow continued (if somewhat chilly) use of the church, electric convector heaters were purchased as a temporary alternative. An additional mains supply was tapped from the vicarage. As the boiler crew moved out attention turned to updating the Vestry which was redecorated throughout. In the Upper Vestry the window was refurbished, access created to long term roof space storage, new floor covering laid, and storage racking installed. Downstairs a self-contained sink unit, additional heating, and new lighting fitted, and finally a new carpet. The BBC returned to film a further series of Father Brown, although use of the church interior was somewhat less than previous years. The Christmas season also saw a welcome return to normality with fresh green trees atop the tower and in church, courtesy of the Northwick Estate. The overdue Quinquennial Inspection was carried out in late January by Caroline Edwards, a conservation architect working with Acanthus Clews. Her report has yet to be received. The revision of the Church Inventory was finally tackled with the help of Anne Packer and Rob Willott and is currently being typed up with the aim of adding an additional photographic record. During Dana’s sabbatical the normal pattern of services was maintained with the help of Craig, David, Ricarda and Jay, to whom we owe an immense debt of gratitude. The problem of replacing the churchyard floodlighting has been resolved. Lightmaster Direct kindly donated their time and expertise in giving us a professional design solution resulting in efficient, eco-friendly LED lighting that doesn’t pollute the night sky, with a fraction of previous running costs. The following reports were received from groups within the church: ## **Safeguarding Report** A document was collated which details the DBS number and completion dates of training for those required to undertake such training. Most training is now available online. There were no referrals to the Diocesan Safeguarding Team in 2021. Online paperwork has taken us to level 3 of the parish dashboard, a significant achievement, and we have contributed to the Past Case Review 2. ## **Bell Ringers** After we were released from the second lockdown in June several of the Bell ringers were reluctant to restart ringing straight away as there was still so much Covid about and the ventilation in the Tower is not good even with the door open. Regular Thursday practice nights recommenced in the Autumn and our two new ringers have been making good progress ever since, with extra tuition from a ringer in Offenham. We have not been able to return to regular ringing on Sundays before the Services but have rung for the Major Church Festivals, and hopefully with our two new local ringers we will be able to restart. on Sundays. 2 ## **Children and Youth Leader** Due to the pandemic, government restrictions and guidelines meant much of my workload was held online. School work consisted of leading collective worship via Microsoft Teams, writing Newsletter prayers, and recording short videos based around the value of the term. Church work was divided up into age groups - younger youth, youth and _bedtime church_ . All provided continuity and helped to maintain relationships with and among the younger members of our church family. As restrictions lifted, the level of in person engagement also changed. School started allowing in-person collective worship. To begin with many schools held class collective worship before moving back to whole school worship. Due to COVID numbers increasing within school, collective worship would often return to teams. Towards to end of the year visits took place in 7 out of our 8 schools, with mentoring, hosting collective worship and school clubs. Mindfulness days and transition days for school leavers as well as leavers services took place. The older youth group meets regularly as a life group to study the bible. Christmas movies night and social gatherings resumed for the children and young people in the VaCE. Community involvement increased as a group of volunteers hosting craft and games at village festivals and gatherings. Ecumenical involvement also began again in Chipping Campden. ## **Church Choir** By Easter of last year (2021) we were moving back into something like normality and had much pleasure in welcoming our newest members, John Connolly and Laura Shepherd. Although we have enjoyed no celebrations to compare with those of 2019 (Doreen Robinson’s BEM), we have had especial joy at singing at two weddings of our own choristers, Beatrice and Andrew, and Meriel and Steve. We sang at two further weddings and one funeral at Blockley and one wedding at Chipping Campden. The only downside to this period has been the freezing temperatures in church for services and practices. Hot water bottles were much in evidence! The choir’s financial balance at 31[st] Dec. 2021 was £676.38p, our main expenses being music scores, music enlargements and wedding gifts for choristers. ## **Deanery Synod Report** Like every deanery in the Gloucester Diocese, the North Cotswolds spent much of 2021 framing a deanery strategic plan. Working together as deanery synod, chapter, benefices and parishes, we aim to reshape the mission and ministry of this deanery to be more focussed on our shared mission priorities whilst at the same time reducing our dependence on stipendiary ordained ministry to a level that is sustainable for the long term. Parish giving across the whole North Cotswolds increased and we are now closer than ever to reaching our share target. ## **Flower Arrangers** With no services for the first part of the year, flowers inside the church were not possible. We have been able to contribute to the reordering project. We have been very lucky to have added Jane Sked to our team. She is a professional florist with a particular interest in sustainability. She was able to create beautiful sustainable floristry arches around the door for Christmas and Easter. Because of Covid our team has been affected, a number of members have not felt able to continue as volunteers. We do need to build up a new generation of helpers who would like to contribute and are interested in sustainability. We have continued to change floristry practices in church by reducing and finally eliminating the use and consumption of plastic and other materials which are toxic to the environment. We have begun to move away from the purchase of imported flowers for our regular 3 services. We are conscious of damaging air miles associated with out of season and exotic blooms. We try to source foliage and flowers locally. Claire has been busy preparing and growing a limited number of flowers which can be used at various times of the year. This may not be possible for special occasions like weddings where particular colours or blooms are requested. If florists are employed they are asked not to use floral foam, and if they insist, they are asked to remove it immediately after the occasion. Local flowers grown in allotments in Blockley and Moreton have been donated by kind individuals for Harvest Festival and a beautiful local wedding. ## **Giving and Mission** Our thanks go to Robert Willott for an enlightening talk on Save The Children charity. This resulted in the sum of £1,070 being sent to the charity. ## **Home Groups** Despite the lockdowns, our home group continued to meet on alternate Monday evenings, as we moved our meetings onto Zoom. This worked well, enabling us to share screens, watch videos, and use breakout rooms. It also had the added benefit of enabling Vanessa Zimmerman, who now lives in Sweden, to join with us. After a long summer break, we reconvened in September, starting the new term with a bring-and-share supper. Dana joined us for this and gave us a fascinating introduction to Paul’s letters to Colossians and Philemon, which we had chosen as our next study. The remaining meetings of the year were in person, but with Vanessa still joining us on Zoom, which has been great! Average attendance is generally around 6- 8, although we have reached 10 on occasions. ## **Ministry Enabling Team** The Ministry Team met with Dana at the vicarage on as soon as they were able after lockdown ended. We shared hopes and dreams for the future of the church and spent time in prayer, asking for Gods leading and guiding in the growing of his family in this village. Discussion took place as to who would be responsible for various tasks during Dana’s sabbatical, namely the running of the Open Door service and the liaising with clergy when enquiries were made re baptisms, funerals etc. ## **Open the Book** There has been no Open the Book in-person collective worship since lockdown in March 2020. However, a number of videos were produced of Open the Book stories which were shared with Blockley school in the spring of 2021. We kept in contact with Ann Barry, the Head of Blockley School; she is very enthusiastic about our resuming, but Covid 19 has meant that safety remained a concern throughout the year. The church continued to make charitable donations. Safeguarding is an agenda item at each PCC meeting and any issues arising are discussed. Our policies are on the website www.blockleychurch.org.uk. 4 Vale and Cotswold Edge Team St Peter and St Paul Blockley with Aston Magna Annual Accounts 2021 Independent Examinerfs Report 'I'o the members and rrustees of the Parothial Church Council ol Blockley with Aston Magna. This report on the financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2021 is in respert of an examinarion carried out in accordance with section 145 oFthe Charities Act 2011. Respective responsibilitie5 of the trustees of the charity and the examiner The trustees are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements. The trustees consider that an audit is not required under section 144(2) of the Charities Act 2011 and that an independent examination is needed. It is the examinerfs responsiblliry 10 Examine the accounts under sertion 145 ofthe 2011 Act frollow ihe procedures laid down In the general dirertion5 given under section 145{51[bl of the 2011 Act 'I'o stare whether particular matters have come to the Examiner's attention. Baslsofthls report My examination was carried our in accordance with the General Directions given by the Charity Commission. Thar examination Includes a review of the accounting records and a comparison of the accounts Wlth those records. It also Includes considering any unusual items or disclosures in the financial statements and seeklng explanations concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required In an audit. and consequvnily I do not express an audSt opinion on the view given by th¢ arcounts. Independent Examlnerfs Statement In Lunnection wlth my examination. no matter has come to my attention.. l) Which Kives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requlrements to keep accountlng records in a¢rordance with section 130 of the 201 l Act, and to prepare financlal statements, which a¢cord with the accounting records and comply with the requiremenrs of the Act have not been met; or 2) To which, in my opinion. attention should be drawn in order ro enable a proper understanding of thLb accounts to bc r¢ached. Signed... Date. Address &Ji T&-f Ik4rfE bifcèl rtsR> &IL L LS69os sr PÉTER & ST PAUL CHURCH, BLOCKLEY wmi A￿0￿ MAGNA RECEIPTS & PAYMEpns FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021 P4otes Unr*strScted Restrlrted 2021 2020 TOTAL TOTAL INCOME Glvlng Parish Giving kheme Other givlng and donation5 Twx recovered throu¢h Glft Aid Churth o¢tlvftl¢s Father 8rown income from BBC Father 8rown income frorn rnetchandise sale5 The Voice sales and advertisin8 Le84CV Parochial Fees Income Church Room lettingslnursery yrden lent Sundry income InVestm￿tIn¢0Mt Interest & investrnent income In¢omelrom eAtrnordin#ryortfvttles Grant re VAT refund Donation from the Brownees Appeal for Save the Children Tot•1 In¢omlni f•50ur¢ E20.841 £7.102 £4.687 £20.841 E12.102 £4.687 £18.168 £11,588 £6,647 £5,L £10,650 £1.545 £J.482 2.Cl)O £5,308 £168 f 238 £10.650 £1,545 £3,482 E2.OLKI 5.308 168 £238 £0 É1.060 £3,161 £0 £2.696 £0 £0 £947 £2,257 £3,204 £4.208 £2,965 f 2,965 £0 £1,070 £68,160 £0 £i,tXO £0 £48,528 El,070 £11.291 £56, EXPENoiniAE OutwurdGlvlnq l)onatlon5 Runnlno ejrpenms Parish Share Mlnor repairs & rovtlne malnttnance Clergy expenses Heating & lighting The VoKe costs Conservator fees rè Fèther Brown Illmlnl Father Brown rnerchandt5e costs Insurance Fundr3isifi8 Costs Paro¢hi31 Fee5 paid to Dboce5e Music costs, includin8 weddin8$ Adminlstraiion c05ts Flowers Youth work costs Sundry costs -£1.020 -El,020 -£2,368 -£30.277 -£5,020 -£2,734 .£2.706 -£2.770 -£30,277 -£5,020 -£2.734 -£2,706 -£Z,770 £0 -£823 -£2,416 £0 £0 -£690 -É30,277 -£4,803 .£2.065 -£3,356 -£2,655 £0 -£389 -f2,385 £0 .£1,605 -£489 -É1.964 -E152 -£334 -£1,368 -£54,210 -£823 -£2,416 .£690 -£646 £0 -£3,339 -£2.528 -£54,969 -E3,319 -£2.528 -£53.949 -El.020 Extraordlnttry expendlture Refund of donation from AbKLts IAutomatonl Reordering projett Total resoufce5 expexded -El.500 -£27,083 4Z9,603 -£1,500 -£27,083 .£83,552 £0 -£23,292 477.502 -£53,949 SurplusllDefi¢itl before gains Transfers between funds Net outgoing resource5 before gains Gains on invÈstment assets Net movement in funds Funds brought forward at l January 2021 Funds carried forward at 31 December 2021 £3,019 -£5 £Z.519 £2.721 £5.240 £89,848 £95,088 4IB311 £500 417.811 £6.485 -£11,326 E214,087 £202,761 415.192 £0 -£l5.192 £9,206 .£6,086 £303.935 £297,849 18.974 £0 -£28,974 £4.114 424,860 £328,795 £303,93S contlnued ST PETER & ST PAUI CHURCH. BLOCKLEY WITH ASTON MAGNA RECEIPTS & PAYMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021 ICONTINUEDI 2021 Z020 Total lund$ are represenied br. Lloyds Treèsurers. account Lloyd5 Instant Saver Lloyds re Voice CBF Investment Fund laccurnulaied incorne unitsl èt MaTket Value. CBF Investment Fund (income unitsl at Marketvalye. Skipton Buildln8 Socle¢y United Bank Trust £88. £5.080 £4,231 £45.946 £JB,686 £so,o £85,OC £297y9 £69.926 £4,FAM £1.304 £39,089 £16.337 £86,311 £86.364 f303.935 Accounts 8PPf¢>v•d It • m••tln¢ otthe P•rochl•l Clwjrth Coundl on 7th March. 2022. Rob•rt Gr••nstock jchurchwardenl M•rle Illltheth jChur(ibward•nl Phlllp fjee ITre•sU￿rI ST PETER & ST PAUL CHURCH. BLOCKLEY wfTH ASTON MAGNA Notes to the Receipts & Payments Account for the year ended 31 December 2021 l. The accounts have been prepared on the Recelpts & Payments basis and are in accordance with the Church Accounting Regulations 2006. 2. The easing of the restrictions relatlng to the Covid 19 pandemic meant that it was possible to resume services in church part way through the year and the BBC was able to resume filming of Father Brown giving a much needed boost to income. 3. Restricted funds are those raised explicitly for specific purposes such as for the maintenance, repair and improvement of the church and its contents and for funds resulting from special appeals. These funds can only be used for these purposes. The movements on the funds in 2021 were: Restricted Funds.. Chancel Robin50n Or8an Automaton Bells Reorderin8 Other 30.032 5.2S7 5,792 319 31,259 5,971 4,528 332 5.000 72 L7 214,087 202,761 Unrestricted Funds £303 935 £297 849 Each year £500 is credited to the Organ Fund. This is a donation from Doreen Robinson in Ileu of notional payments that she would receive for playin8 the organ in regular services. A phased scheme of a major refurbishment of the chvrch is in progress and it is expected that the funds held by the church at the year end will be needed for this purpose. 4. Father Brown merchandise ha5 been sold a8ain th15 year, malnly through Blockley Shop,. the easing of the Covid 19 restrictions has resulted in a welcome increase in sale5 compared with 2020. We continue to be grateful to Sam and his staff,. the Shop receives part ofthe proceeds of each item sold. A total of £5.020 wa5 spent on minor repairs. routine maintenance and replaclng items of routine use, such as candles. 6. The parish continued to pay an administrator who worked with Dana one day a week. Stacy left to take up employment elsewhere atthe end ofjanuary, 2021 and was replaced by Sophie in June. 7. Amy, a Youth, Children and School's leader is employed by the Vale and Cotswold Edge Team and the costs are shared with other churches in the Team. The fi8ure of £3,339 relates to £1,522 for 2020 and £1,817 for 2021. Contributions are paid monthly by standing order but for unknown reasons the bank ceased to make these payments in the early part of 2020. As a result a 'catch-up' payment was made in early 2021. The amount of £27.083 relates to f urther expenditure on the installation of a new heating 5yStem for the church. This is part the f ir5t stage of the phased scheme of a major ref urbishment of the church mentioned in Note 3 above. Independent Examinerfs Report To thc mcmbersandtDJSttt501thc l¥rOCb￿ ChUr¢hCO￿￿j0lBIoCk1¢y￿ry￿A5Eon Ma ThLs report onthe fiTray]alstsle￿eIrts fortheyearethd31 DecetThber 2021 i5in tE5PECt oran Èxamirjation ca￿led0￿[In accordanc¢￿th sectloD 145oftheChariue5Ao 20tI. 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