2024-12-31-accounts

The Diocese of Southwark

ANNUAL PARISH CHURCH REPORT 2024

CELEBRATING 153 YEARS OF WORSHIP & COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

CONTENTS

Vicar’s Report	3
Church Wardens’ Report	5
Fabric Report	6
Church Finance	7
Events and Fundraising	8
Administrator’s Report	8
Charities, Causes & Campaigns	9
Junior Church	10
Diddy Disciples	11
PCC Secretary & Electoral Roll Officer’s Report	12
First Monday Club	13
Gardening	14
Licensing (Bar)Team	16
Bedelsford School	18
Refugee Action Kingston	19
Hall Administrator's Report	19
Hall Treasurer's Report	19
Safeguarding	21
Servers/Chalice	21
Sides-people	21
Pastoral Team Report	21
Team Rector’s Report	22

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VICAR’S REPORT 2024

Dear Church Family,

As we come together for our APCM this year, I want to start by saying thank you as we look back over everything that has happened in the past twelve months. Our church family has worked hard to grow in faith, to support each other, and to reach out into the community. The year has gone by quickly, but it’s been full of quiet, faithful service and kindness. Week by week, people have turned up, giving their time, energy, and love. That’s what keeps our church alive. Whether you’ve helped once or many times, whether you’ve been at the front or behind the scenes—you are important, and we are very grateful.

Worship and Life Together

Thank you so much to everyone who helps keep St John’s going. Whether it’s All Age Communion, Parish Communion, Reflections Services, Confirmation, or the children’s groups like Diddy Disciples, Little Groovers and Junior Church, your commitment means so much and keeps our worship fresh and meaningful.

Thanks also to everyone who serves week in, week out—the Ministry team, the Church Warden, Servers, Chalice team, Sidespeople, Verger, Organists, Pianists, Coffee and Cake team, Readers, Prayers, Charities and Campaigns Team, the audio team, First Monday Club, Junior Church team, and all who welcome and support during services. We are truly thankful to God for you all. We also give thanks for our Licensed Lay Pioneer and Pastoral Ministers, Treasurer, Gift Aid Secretary, Safeguarding Officers, and the members of the Standing Committee and PCC, who give their time and skills to lead and care for our church.

A big thank you to those who look after the building and grounds—the Caretakers, the Building Repairs Team, and those who maintain the sound system and hall. Your hard work keeps St John’s safe and welcoming.

We are grateful to our Church Administrator, Website Team, and Electoral Roll Officer for keeping things running smoothly.

Thank you, too, to those who run our community groups and activities—the Community Café team, the Licensing (Bar) team, First Monday Club, and the parents who support children’s worship. And a special thank you to the local groups who hold surgeries and dropin sessions here, including the Special Police Community Support Officer, local councillors, Bedelsford School, Refugee Action Kingston, and St John’s School. It’s wonderful to stay connected with the wider community.

Children and Young People

We are thankful for the children at Junior Church and for those who regularly help lead the service. A special thank you to the young people who gave their time last year as part of their Duke of Edinburgh Award. It’s great to see their thoughtful service.

Thank You to Those Stepping Down

This year we want to say a big thank you to some special people who are stepping down after many years of service.

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Frances Hazelgrove is standing down as Churchwarden after six full terms. Frances has been a steady, kind, and wise presence—always noticing the details and a person we all trust. Frances, thank you so much for everything you have done for St John’s.

Tony Hardy is stepping down after 35 years as our Treasurer. What an amazing contribution of care and consistency. Tony, we wish you happiness as you settle into your new home and enjoy time with your grandchildren.

Jo Need, our Gift Aid Secretary, has also stepped down after many years. Jo’s careful work has brought in thousands of pounds, quietly making a big difference. Thank you, Jo.

Wendy Malseed has stepped down from several important roles including Organist, Churchwarden, and Deanery Synod Representative. Her musical gifts and quiet strength have been a real blessing.

Finally, a sincere thank you to Pat Askey, who has stepped down as our Parish Safeguarding Officer. Alongside Grant Vanstone, Pat has done this vital work with great care, helping keep St John’s safe for everyone. We wish them all every blessing in the next chapters their lives.

Our Ministry Team

Our team here in Kington continues to grow. We warmly welcomed Revd Dr Sylvie CollinsMayo as Assistant Priest and look forward to Michael Stokes joining us as Pioneer Curate in July. Along with the wider clergy team, we meet weekly to pray, share news, and support each other. We were also delighted to welcome Julie Bishop as a newly licensed Lay Pastoral Minister here at St John’s. We are so glad she’s part of the team.

In Loving Memory

It is with sadness that we remember Pat Lines and Mick Cooper, two cherished members of our church family who passed away last year. Pat served faithfully as a Churchwarden in the past, and Mick was a Reader for many years. Though both had been unable to join us recently, their absence was felt in the church. We were honoured to hold a funeral service for Pat and a memorial service for Mick here at St John’s, where we celebrated their lives and contributions.

There are so many people to thank that it’s impossible to name everyone. So, if you have helped St John’s in any way this year—cooking, cleaning, fixing, listening, giving, praying, making tea, leading, serving, stacking chairs, or simply turning up—thank you. You help carry the life of the church. We see you, and we give thanks to God for you.

As we look to the future, I believe God is still at work here among us. We are eager to pick up our Mission Action Plan and get moving again. It’s an exciting time, full of hope and commitment. Let’s carry on with faith, love, and hope—trusting that the One who began this good work in us will see it through to the end. With every blessing, Reverend Lindiwe Maseko

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CHURCH WARDENS’ REPORT

St John’s had another happy and busy year with our building used for many different activities. Worship was central to everything else going on and the regular pattern was an All Age Communion Service at 10.00am on the first Sunday of the month, Parish Communion on the last two Sundays of the month when the Diddy Disciples joined us for Communion after their own worship, and from September on the fourth Sunday, following a 9.00am said Holy Communion, a new service of Reflection led in turn by Isobel Robinson, Andrea Campanale and Julie Bishop. The Junior Church met on a Sunday afternoon during term time led by Lindiwe and Kath Edwards with the help of Martha and Eve Hallahan and Toby Wraight as part of their Duke of Edinburgh Award voluntary service.

Thank you to our loyal Servers Kath Edwards, Neville Hall, Jim Duffy and Raymond Kendall, a Server from September, and our great team of sides people, ensuring our services ran smoothly and everyone received a warm welcome. Thank you to Katy Morbin and Susan Andrew and their team of parents who led the Diddy Disciples worship and to our lovely team who made the coffee and provided delicious cakes for everyone to enjoy after the services. We were very sorry that Wendy Malseed left us at the end of August to be the Organist at St Andrew’s church in Ham. We missed her playing and thank her for her contribution to our worship and the life at St John’s. We were pleased and grateful to George Short for stepping in to play the organ for our Parish Communion and Reflection services and to Daisy Burton for playing the piano for our All-Age services and Andrew Davies for playing during the confirmation service. We thank Mark Brooks for being our helpful Verger and Sacristan.

Sadly, Pat Lines and Mick Cooper, two dedicated, longstanding and very much-loved members of our church died last year. Pat had been a past Churchwarden and Mick Cooper a Reader for many years, but both had been unable to be with us for some time and were missed. We were able to share in the very special funeral service for Pat and the Memorial service for Mick in our church.

There were six baptisms, one wedding and one funeral during the year.

Our Community Café opened on the first Saturday of the month from 10.00am1.00pm not only providing a space for people to meet and enjoy the toasted sandwiches and homemade cakes but raising money for our church funds and the charities we support. Thank you to the loyal team who cooked, served coffee, made and sold the cakes and washed up! We were pleased that Simon Briggs, our Special Police Community Support Officer, and Councillors Nicola Nardelli, Roger Hayes and John Sweeney from the Liberal Party continued to hold surgeries with residents. The First Monday Club met each month and Little Groovers continued on a Tuesday morning. Thank you to everyone for making St John’s the warm and welcoming church it is and to the many people who give their time and energy to our church life as the reports will testify.

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We are grateful and thank Isobel and Andrea for all they do and Julie, who we were so pleased was licensed as a Lay Pastoral Minister in October. Our thanks to Tony, our Treasurer, for his continued hard work and good stewardship of our resources, and Jo Need for her support and help with Gift Aid. Thanks to our Standing Committee, PCC and our Safeguarding Officers Pat Askey and Grant Vanstone. Pat stood down in September, but we thank her for the time she gave to this role. We thank our Charities, Causes and Campaigns Team. Thank you, Michael Wraight, Tony Hardy and Lindiwe, for being involved with arranging the building repairs outlined in the Quinquennial report. Thank you to Colin Bowes who earlier in the year significantly improved the sound system. We thank Ray Symmons for his conscientious care of the church and hall buildings and for looking after our occasional hirers as Caretaker, and also Caroline Overholt for covering for Ray when needed. We were very sorry that Ray gave up the role in September but welcomed Silvana Silva as our Caretaker from November. Thank you Luanne Higgins, our PCC Secretary and Electoral Roll Officer, Evie Ng for continuing to be our efficient and helpful Church Administrator and Emma Peries who with Evie kept our Website up to date.

I have enjoyed being your Churchwarden and as I step down, I thank Lindiwe for her prayerful leadership and friendly guidance, Jan Wheeler and Julie for covering for me on the Sundays I was away and everyone for helping to make my time in the role easier and a very happy one.

Frances Hazelgrove - Church Wardens.

FABRIC REPORT

The church was kept in good order and continued to be professionally cleaned. The annual spring clean went well with a good number of helpers. The recommendations from the Quinquennial Report have been done. Thank you to Tony Hardy and Michael Wraight for your involvement with the building work. A five-year inspection of the electrics found that as only the worship area had new electrics further work was recommended. This will be organised. The accumulated rubbish in the church grounds was removed by a waste management company. The church grounds have been well maintained and kept looking beautiful by our loyal team of volunteer gardeners, Karoline Molberg, Tricia Badham and Chris Stuart, for which we thank them.

Frances Hazelgrove - Church Warden

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CHURCH FINANCES ST J(XIN THE EVNJI(%LIST. KW4GSfoM UPON TIL4MES STATEMENYOF FIWAPKIALAFFAIRS: YEAA EPXIED JI DECEhW 2tTr14 INCOME Gfft￿￿ Income Tax Recovered Loose Cc4￿Cl￿)n51Cartt Reader Donatb)nslGraThts 2024 27459 91 3766 8188 1383 27148 274S9 9160 3766 24410 B987 4611 5200 1383 27148 Fund RaisinR Church Fee5 Inotl Church Hire unIver￿ Rent Interest MIssiMs Mix. Re￿•￿ts 22857 1141 16543 16675 1364 2106 27 20850 16675 1784 16675 1784 2184 TOTAL £114.592 £5200 U19.791 £IO•A92 Missions & Affiliatilln Fee5 EducI￿n 2593 49 2593 814 2112 441 765 Part5h gJDoort Fund cle￿ Expenses Church AdM￿nIstratOr1pcC Sec $115 522 4234 6592 6592 ETII Or4ant5t Salary. OrEanlMu51C Heabni & LiRhti Water Rates Insurance FwdTrisiM ExDen5e5 Church fteDair5lMèin￿Dar￿e PostaRe & Stationery Swdry Éxpenses 3184 17299 323 3184 17299 923 5988 12342 20332 44S2 4S9 1871 13026 291 5815 12328 1172 4638 2518 12342 20332 4152 IS9 TOTAL £124.193 £765 £124.VJB £IQIJ90 SIIRPLIWIOEFiaTI 49.601 £4A55 45,165 Transler Eo re5eryes SURP(￿lOtFlQ1> FOrtTHÈVEAR 45.165 ADDASSETS FIIOM 2023 &4LANCE SHEEr £M.5S3 £91551 ASSETS FROM 21)24 BALAP￿ SHtEr £U553

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TREASURER’S REPORT

T otal income rose by 14.2% in 2024 to reach £119,792 with gift aid receipts, fundraising and church hire all showing healthy growth. However, expenditure at £124,958 was up by 14.8% with significant increases especially in energy costs and repairs/maintenance. We closed the year with a deficit of £9,601 in unrestricted (ordinary) funds which was reduced to £5,165 after grants totaling £5,200 (shown as a restricted ‘Family’ fund) and earmarked for future work with children and young people, were received.

We remain extremely grateful to all who give to St John’s via monthly standing orders or envelopes. In total, this contributes 24% of our ordinary income or 32% if the further £9,160 in income tax recovered on Gift Aid payments is included. £16,675 annual rent from Kingston University continues to form a substantial part of our income while church hire to commercial and community groups at £20,850 was 26% up on 2023. Fundraising from the bars at Banquet Records concerts plus the Christmas Fayre, Silent Auction, cafes plus Sunday coffee and cakes amounted to a record £27k.

The cost of running the Church increased in most areas. We gave £50,580 as our Parish Support contribution to the Diocese which pays for the ministry here and assists churches in Southwark, many of whom are significantly poorer than ourselves. While we felt inflationary pressures across the board, energy costs increased considerably, largely reflecting higher use of the building. We continue to be frugal with the thermostat! It is hoped that the autumn will see a substantial reduction in energy tariffs when our contract is up for renewal. The cost of repairs and maintenance at £20k reflected expenditure on the roof & gutters, stonework, PA system, gas and electric in addition to routine upkeep. Expenses on the organ/music included £1,404 for tuning and repairs.

Total reserves at the year-end stood at £83,388. Of this £15,964 is held in unrestricted funds, £39,538 in the restricted Regeneration Fund towards future building work, £20,596 representing the balance of legacies received plus £7,290 from new and residual grants (family fund). It is the policy of the PCC to keep a minimum £30k in liquid reserves to cover unforeseen emergencies or loss of regular income and this is only achieved by including the legacy money.

In 1990 I took over as Church Treasurer - initially on a temporary basis! - and 35 years later, as I write this, I look forward to passing on the role to my successor. It feels strange to be moving away from Kingston where Gill and I made our home after getting married but we do hope to stay in touch with you and wish everyone at St John’s the very best for the future. I would like to thank Lindiwe, Frances, Isobel, Julie, Andrea and all the PCC members for their help over the past year. Special thanks also to Jo Need, our Gift Aid Secretary, to Evie Ng, Luanne Higgins, Michael Wraight and the Bar Team, Ray Symons, Silvana Silva and Emma Peries for their invaluable support too.

Tony Hardy - Church & Hall Treasurer

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EVENTS & FUNDRAISING

This year was another record year for Fundraising revenue at St John’s with income of £27,148. After expenses of £12,342 mainly on stock for the Banquet Records bars, we raised a net £14.8k. Three-quarters of the income came from Banquet shows which also bring in valuable church hire fees. We held a successful Christmas Fayre again in partnership with St John’s School PSA, with the church share of proceeds amounting to £996. in addition, we received twice the profit (£1,992) under a workplace charity scheme via a church member to whom we are extremely grateful. The latter sum is included under donations rather than fundraising.

The annual Silent Auction proved very popular this year raising a net £3,131. Contributions to fundraising also came from Saturday cafes, Pancake Day, book sales and Sunday refreshments. Our grateful thanks go to all who help run and staff the bars and assist with all our events over the year. Special thanks go to Adrienne, Jo and Kate from the school PSA who led the organisation of this year’s Christmas Fayre so successfully and all those helpers from church and school for their time and talents. Fundraising events continue to play an important social role in adding to the spiritual life of St John’s, enriching relationships between church members and welcoming visitors from the local community and beyond, as well as providing vital income to help meet our running costs.

Tony Hardy - Church & Hall Treasurer

ADMINISTRATOR’S REPORT

2024 has been another wonderfully busy year at St. John’s, with the church continuing to serve as a welcoming and vibrant space for a wide range of community groups and activities.

We have been delighted to host many of our regular hirers, including the Orpheus Choir, Kingston Spring Grove Morris Dance, Daisy First Aid, Sound Bath, Ginger Tonic, Hartbeeps, and Refugee Action Kingston. The Best Bedelsford Café also continued to run during term time, offering a joyful and inspiring experience as the students served the community with such dedication.

A particular highlight has been our ongoing collaboration with Banquet Records. In 2024, the church hosted 20 gigs, with our fantastic bar team supporting each event. These evenings have not only brought music and energy into our building but also raised significant funds for the church’s mission.

Our own church-led groups — the First Monday Club, Little Groovers, Junior Church, Community Café, and Ping Pong—remain at the heart of community life, filling the building with laughter, conversation, and connection.

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Both St. John’s School and Bedelsford School have continued to make beautiful use of the church for seasonal services, including Easter, Harvest, Christmas, and leavers’ celebrations—bringing in joy and a festive spirit throughout the year.

Towards the end of the year, we held a number of successful fundraising events, including the much-loved Christmas Fayre.

Altogether, 2024 has been a year of continued growth, activity, and community engagement. We give thanks for all those who contribute to making St. John’s a place of warmth, welcome, and joyful witness.

Evie Ng - Parish Administrator

CHARITIES, CAUSES & CAMPAIGNS TEAM

St John's Church community has continued to give generous support to charities and good causes at home and abroad over the last year. Including payments through the church accounts and direct to Christian Aid and the Children's Society, a splendid total of around £4410 was donated through a combination of cake sales, special collections in church and individual gifts, plus envelopes through local doors during Christian Aid Week. The Lent Appeal for The Leprosy Mission was particularly successful, raising £760, and we were delighted to welcome back Sally Carter-Esdale to update us on the work of TLM. Other charities supported included the UNICEF appeal for Sudan, the Matabeleland Link and Kingston Churches Action on Homelessness.

In addition, generous donations of food and other items were made by St John's School families and church members at Harvest Festival: these were mostly delivered to the Kingston Foodbank, but also some to Refugee Action Kingston. A month later, in early November, 51 filled and wrapped shoeboxes from St John's Church and School and All Saints Church began their journey, in order to reach hard-pressed families and individuals in Eastern Europe in time for Christmas.

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The annual Christingle service in aid of the Children's Society was held on Sunday 1 December, and we are pleased to report that the collecting box scheme has been updated and relaunched. A total of £261 from existing box-holders was sent to the Society – thank you all for your loyal support, and thank you, Shona.

For all of this, we are hugely grateful to our church community, who have continued to engage and to give despite current financial difficulties. Your generosity is much appreciated, and has enabled us to continue to reach out in love to those who need our help, whether locally or in the wider world.

Rev. Lindiwe Maseko, Kay Baker, Tony Williams, Shona Pitcher, Isobel Robinson

JUNIOR CHURCH

Two words spring to mind when reporting on Junior Church's second successful year and they are “fun” and “faith”.

The children have continued to deepen their understanding of key Bible stories, their Christian belief and faith in a fun and interactive way. Lindiwe and I have often been

taken aback by the maturity and perceptiveness of the children's questions and thoughts during the sessions and their boundless creativity in the “hands on” activity element to the gatherings.

JC numbers have remained steady this year and the age of attendees to the Sunday teatime sessions ranges from Reception to Year 4 . We usually have 6-8 children taking part on a regular basis, but the JC twilight gardening evenings have attracted

around 12+ children each time.

This particular activity is fast becoming an extremely popular event. Come rain or shine, the children turn up ready to help pull up weeds and clear patches of ground ready for seed sowing and bulb-planting. They are rewarded with a mug of hot chocolate and waffles after their hard work. The session ends with prayer, thanks to God for His beautiful world, and a strong sense of camaraderie. “The best day ever!” and “We are working as a team” are just some of the happy comments made by the children about the gardening sessions. Our JC indoor sessions have mainly focused this year on the New Testament reading presented in the Sunday morning

Holy Communion Service and involve the older children reading the Bible passage to

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the group, a viewing of a child-friendly video explaining the story, followed by an invitation to comment and question what they have just heard and seen. This will be followed by music, a craft activity, the children's prayers, and finally the opportunity to break bread together with food kindly prepared by a small group of JC parents. For their help and support, we are extremely grateful.

Although Lindiwe plans for the sessions to follow the scheduled Bible readings, there is flexibility for the children to suggest themes for up-coming sessions or to include activities at short notice in response to events that are important to them. The JC children are very much at the heart of what we do.

The group continues to meet in church at 4.30 - 6pm on Sundays in term time, apart from the first Sunday of each month when the children are invited to participate in the All Age Communion Service at 10am instead. Recently, Lindiwe established an additional JC group which meets every third Sunday in the month in the Parish Hall for children whose parents are participating in the 10am Reflection Service.

We are always keen to welcome new members to the JC groups so if you have a young one who would like to join in the “fun and faith” we would love to hear from you.

Kath Edwards

It’s been another busy year for Diddy Disciples, the group is as popular as ever and well attended. We have a core group of parent volunteers running sessions which we are very grateful for, around 10 children attend weekly and we have expanded our core group welcoming new parents and children this year as regular members. We have been known to have close to 20 children in busy and lively sessions some weeks! The children are engaged and active during the sessions with singing and crafts key highlights. In the summer months we use the wonderful church grounds and get outside to incorporate nature and explore the world around us, bringing elements of what we are learning to life.

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A key highlight this year was the wonderful Diddy Disciples and Junior Church Christmas party, you'll see from the photos this was a lovely festive event enjoyed by parents/carers and children alike, a great way to celebrate the fantastic church community we have.

Katy Winter

PCC SECRETARY & ELECTORAL ROLL OFFICER’S REPORT

PCC

The PCC met six times this year and welcomed 3 new members, 2 elected and one ex-officio.

In May, the PCC held a very productive Away Day for MAP (Mission and Action Plan), planning with a moderator from the Diocese. An outline of a plan was produced, and a working group formed. This is in further development.

In April, the PCC also appointed a new Treasurer following Tony Hardy moving from the area after many years of service. The new treasurer, Monika Sosnowska, will take over once a final handover has taken place.

Electoral Roll

As necessitated by the Church of England, a new Electoral Roll from scratch is being undertaken. This occurs every six years when all of the names from the existing Roll are removed, and all wishing to appear on the new roll must complete a form.

This is a very time-consuming process, and at the time of writing, 57 names appear on the roll, although additional forms have been received and will be added prior to the APCM.

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Any new forms received from now will be added to the roll after it is presented at the APCM, so it's never too late!

Luanne Higgins - PCC Secretary & Electoral Roll Officer.

FIRST MONDAY CLUB

Another lively year with up to 10 members meeting for two hours or so each month for entertainment and tea.

We have had interesting talks from: Isobel on The Exploits of her Aunt, from Carolynne on the history of Bentalls and from Ray about his visit to Vietnam and the various religions that he encountered.

During the summer months we enjoyed picnics at Polesden Lacey and Marble Hill, a visit to the Lavender Fields and cream teas at Pembroke Lodge.

We were sorry to say Goodbye to Pat Lines, one of our founder members who died in October.

Do come and join us, you will know everyone.

• Jo Need & Frances Hazelgrove.

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Quiz session in church
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Picnic in Marble Hill Park
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SJC GARDENING TEAM

The SJC Gardening Team is dedicated to nurturing the church grounds and creating an area for all to enjoy and experience.

Over the past year, a great deal of care has gone into maintaining the church grounds, with special attention given to the wonderful lawns. A huge thank you to Chris for his dedication—thanks to his hard work, the lawn has been scarified, top-dressed with compost, and overseeded with high-quality dwarf rye grass, the same variety used at Wimbledon. We continue to uphold our commitment to

environmentally friendly gardening, avoiding pesticides entirely. Instead, as an example, we protect our roses from greenflies using a gentle spray of water and diluted washing-up liquid.

Another exciting development has been the nurturing of a new wild area to the left of the main gate, beneath the willow tree. This space is gradually being transformed into a haven for wildlife, and a special thanks goes to Trisha for creating a charming bug hotel. In late March, we plan to introduce wildflowers to further enhance this space—our gratitude to Lindiwe for kindly providing the seeds to make this possible.

We have also made great strides in sustainability, sourcing essential gardening materials through Freecycle to keep costs down. This has allowed us to replenish our supply of soil, gravel, and tools while reducing waste.

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A big thank you must also go out to Leo for her generous donation of 8 terracotta pots of various sizes, which now add a beautiful, natural touch around the church perimeter.

In addition to our planting efforts, we’ve also made some practical improvements to the church grounds. One has been the laying of new paving at the rear of the church, where the wheelie bins are collected. This area was previously rough and often muddy, making it difficult to navigate—especially at night. Now, thanks to this much-needed work, the ground is beautifully level, making it far easier to roll the bins in and out. A huge thank you to Ray Symons for his hard work in making this transformation possible. Another is the jasmine that was planted in a 3 meter long bed at the rear of the church by the brick wall. This came about with the work done by the girls from Surbiton High School. They spent 2 days with us in June 2024 working in the grounds as part of their ‘Soul in the Community’ programme. Lastly, if you’ve been to the rear of the church, you’ll also notice our new locked garden sheds, allowing us to store tools more securely. A big well done to Chris for organizing the team so efficiently—at this rate, we could rival RHS Wisley facilities!

All the team enjoy tending to these grounds and warmly invite anyone with a bit of free time to join us and mother nature.

Chris Stuart, Trisha and Karoline Molberg

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LICENSING TEAM

I am writing this report as the Premises License Holder to update you on the activities of the Licensing team throughout 2024.

We had a successful year with 20 concerts taking place in conjunction with Banquet Records hosting the following artists, Fran Carter, Gruff Rhys, Jamie Webster, Benjamin Francis, The Snuts, The K’s, Starsailor, While She Sleeps, The Feeling, Jordan Rakei, Bat for Lashes, The Mysterines, Griff, 86 TVs, Cassyette, Paris Paloma, Orla Gartland, Tom Speight and Lauren Mayberry. Many artists also take the time to thank the Church staff and have photographs taken with members of the team and family afterwards.

They also now sign a little note which is displayed on our new Bar Sign as a lasting memory of all the events.

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Most of these shows sold out meaning a capacity crowd of 350 were able to come and enjoy the wonderful surroundings of St John’s.

From taking time to talk to attendees the most common response was what a lovely building we have and it was so nice to see it being used for such amazing community events.

We cannot underestimate the support of Jon Tolley and his team at Banquet Records for bringing these events to us enabling us to promote St John’s within the community and raising much needed funds for the building.

We have a very committed and amazing team of Bar Volunteers who give up their evenings to help with setting up, serving and closing up the bar when we host

these events. And we were able to thank some of them with an evening out at Christmas at The Park Brewery Tap Room.

A special mention should be given to Jan Hartley and Linda Richards who have both taken on the role of Bar Supervisors and Managers in my absence at events.

On behalf of myself and the Church I would like to express my thanks to all the team, without whom none of this would be possible, the effort that each and every one of them gives ensures the smooth running of these events.

Regular training and ensuring compliance with the terms of our license have made the Licensing team not only a great asset to the church but has forged new friendships within the group who now attend other local concerts when not held in St Johns.

We have managed to align ourselves with local suppliers for our stock, namely The Park Brewery, Against the Grain Cidery and Hampton Court Spirits. This allows us to continue the ‘local’ community spirit of the Church by supporting 3 local companies and solely stocking their products, this again has proved to be a real ‘hit’ with our customers and these companies have supported the Church in their fund raising efforts as well.

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Their support throughout the year has forged great links between St Johns and each of them with bigger plans in 2025 in the making.

Michael Wraight - Premises License Holder

BEDELSFORD SCHOOL

The Best Bedelsford Cafe has developed greatly over the last year. Students from our Primary and Secondary classes are attending together along with their parents and are having a

great time socialising with each other.

Our new sandwich board, kindly supplied by the church, has also helped to increase footfall and we are seeing visitors from the local community on a regular basis.

We have also purchased a new kettle tipper and trolley to help our students make and serve the drinks! We are grateful to Reverend Lindi and to all at St John's Church for the continued use of their space.

Phil Skippon - Head of Secondary and Sixth Form

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REFUGEE ACTION KINGSTON

Refugee Action Kingston continue to deliver a key part of their provision at St Johns which is their Community Hub. Using funding from The Big Lottery they run a day centre on Wednesdays with English Language teaching, welfare and legal advice and counselling. There is always a hot lunch and in the afternoons art class and a sewing workshop. Over the last year , the church is visited by up to 50 people a week. There have

also been health education sessions, training and social activates for RAK, celebrations of festivals and culture .

Refugees and people seeking asylum from all faiths and backgrounds find the church a welcoming and safe space

and are grateful for the opportunity to come together as a community and find new friends. Following the development of a small plot at the side of the church, they are also looking forward to planning a bed of herbs for communal use.

Jenny Arokiasamy - Learning Manager

HALL ADMINISTRATOR’S REPORT

The hall had another busy year with our regular hirers continuing to enjoy using it for their activity. With the Badminton group, Pilates, Jiu Jitsu, Teddy tennis, the Rose Youth Theatre, a Mother and Baby group, Poco Loco Salsa dance class, the Spring Grove Fringe and a new class of Capoeira, private events, school fund raising events and weekend children’s parties, the hall is still an important and sort after venue. The hall continued to be regularly professionally cleaned. Thank you to Ray, our Caretaker, for his care of the hall and for looking after our occasional hirers. Thank you also to Caroline Overholt who so cheerfully and proficiently took over the Caretaker role during the weeks when Ray was away. We were sorry that Ray gave up the role at the end of August and we were very pleased when Silvana Brito da Silva became our

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Caretaker in November. We thank her for the conscientious attention she gives to the hall and her friendly manner with our hirers. Our regular hirers were invited to a meeting with the Hall Committee in October to let them know our future plans for the hall renovations and to give them the opportunity to ask questions. Representatives from the Badminton Group and Spring Grove Fringe came and although low in attendance the meeting was helpful.

The Hall Committee met regularly and played an important part in keeping the hall in good repair and in safe condition for everyone to use. Their wisdom and practical support continued to be very much appreciated.

Frances Hazelgrove - Hall Administrator.

ST JOHN’S PARISH HALL - TREASURER’S REPORT

Finance Report for the year ended 31 December 2024

This year the Parish Hall achieved a surplus of £7,592 with total funds rising to £94,210 by the year end. Income was at £24,377 was 19% on 2023 reflecting increased numbers of regular hires. 84% of our income came from regular hirers with highest usage by Jiu Jitsu and Spring Grove Fringe. Income from occasional hire chiefly for children’s parties fell slightly, although bookings were steady throughout the year.

Expenses at £16,785 were up by a reasonably modest 5.5% on last year, with energy and water costs surprisingly stable. In addition to weekly cleaning, more was spent this year on repairs and replacements including gutters and pipework plus some redecoration of the toilets. The Hall Committee has started the process of applying to grants and trusts to provide funding on top of our own reserves so that major refurbishment can be carried out on the Hall. This includes improving access and toilet facilities plus replacing the windows and doors and fully redecorating the Hall. The timescale will be determined by how successful we are at achieving external funding.

Sincere thanks are extended once again to Frances Hazelgrove who manages the Hall bookings and invoicing so well for us, to Ray Symons and Silvana Silva for caretaking duties, plus the staff of Paragon Green Cleaning for their service. Thanks also to Michael Wraight for overseeing Hall maintenance, to Jan Hartley for leading the Hall management committee and to all our hirers for their much appreciated support.

Tony Hardy - Church & Hall Treasurer

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ANNUAL SAFEGUARDING REPORT

It is the responsibility of the Parish Safeguarding Officers and the PCC to provide an Annual report on Safeguarding and to report that it is in compliance with the duty to ‘have due regard’ to the House of Bishops’ (‘HOB’) Safeguarding Policy and Practice Guidance.

Currently Shona Pitcher and Grant Vanstone are holders of the joint role of PSO’s. A review of policies is due by October this year.

Further training sessions for the PSO’s are contemplated by the Diocese.

An Audit of Parish Safeguarding was carried out by March 2025 with due regard to the House of Bishops guidance. This review is now complete, and the audit required completed. The PCC members safeguarding certificates need to be checked to see if certificates need to be updated.

Insurance cover and rental agreements have been audited and are in compliance with the HOB guidance.

Safeguarding is at the heart of all activities that the church and PCC are involved in. Safeguarding is now an agenda item at every PCC meeting.

Formal notices are displayed as advised by the HOB guidance with the contact details of the various officers. Photos are now displayed of the Officers.

We have procedures in place to deal promptly with any safeguarding allegation or suspicion of abuse however this will need to be kept constantly under review and a further audit prior to Oct of 2025 in line with the new changes and audit process introduced by the Diocese after the 2019 review and the restrictions and difficulties caused by COVID 19. A three yearly review and update with regard to Safeguarding policies and training is being implemented and is under review of all members of the PCC’s now and in the future.

We have systems in place to ensure that any known offender or others who pose risks to children are identified.

There are some other final checks that need to be reviewed regrading training and certificates although the policies and procedures are in place but as is always the case, they need to be more robust and kept under review.

Risk assessments are carried out in relation to all activities that take place within the church and the areas under its responsibility and guidance is provided to all who hire premises under the church’s responsibility.

Thankfully there have been no major issues reported again this year.

Strong and robust procedures tend to ensure the likelihood of any issues become less likely and if arising are dealt with appropriately and without as much pain and difficulty than if there are less stringent checks in place.

SERVERS

Serving at the altar remains one of the quiet joys of our worship at St John the Evangelist. It is a ministry grounded in presence, care, and reverence. Each Sunday,

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before the congregation arrives, servers gather in the calm of the sanctuary to prepare the altar – a still moment that connects us to something deeper. A highlight this year was the Confirmation Service in June, when the Bishop of Kingston, Rt Revd Dr Martin Gainsborough, joined us to baptise and confirm candidates. It was a moving and hope-filled celebration, and a privilege for our team to serve on such a meaningful occasion. As always, we would love to welcome new people to the servers’ team. No prior experience is needed – just a willing heart and the gift of your time. Training will be offered, and there’s always support from the rest of the team. If this is something you feel drawn to, please do speak to Nev, Kath, Jim or Raymond. Serving is a simple act – but in the rhythm of our worship, it becomes something sacred.

SIDES-PEOPLE

Every Sunday – and at our special services too – our Sidespeople are the friendly faces who welcome you at the door. Their kind greeting helps set the tone for worship, offering warmth and calm right from the start. Over the past year, this lovely team has continued to serve quietly and faithfully – giving out service sheets, helping visitors feel at ease, and staying steady when things get busy or unexpected. Whether the church is full or just a few of us, they help everyone feel safe, noticed, and at home. A big thank you to each of you – your time, care, and thoughtfulness mean a lot. Even though your work is often in the background, it really makes a difference. Looking ahead, we’d love to welcome more people to the team. You don’t need any experience – just a warm smile and a kind heart. If you're interested, please speak to Frances, David H, Michael, Kay, Carolynne, Jo, Pam, Emmanuel or Adam. We'll give you all the help and support you need. Thank you again for everything you do – your ministry of welcome really matters. Rev’d Lindiwe

PASTORAL TEAM REPORT

Our pastoral team continues to coordinate our efforts. We meet every two months after church to discuss any pastoral needs within our parish, update each other on current happenings, and agree on our next steps.

If you know of anyone who needs our support or if you would like to join our team, please contact Julie or Lindiwe.

Julie Bishop

TEAM RECTOR’S REPORT

It’s been good to see all three churches in our Team Ministry developing new mission initiatives. St John the Evangelist , in Spring Grove, have extended their thriving work with pre-school children by adding a Junior Church for primary school children that meets for worship and food every month. St John the Baptist , Kingston Vale, have

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made great strides in developing a project called the Wellspring Community. This includes ambitious plans to build a swimming pool behind their parish hall. Meanwhile, All Saints, in the town centre, has secured funding from the Diocesan Investment Programme to extend their Lifting Young Voices programme in local primary schools.

We continue to offer a joint Lent Course with mixed groups in each church discussing the sermons by guest preachers. In 2024 the theme was ‘Ways of Praying’. In 2025 we have been thinking about ‘Speaking of God’ with the help of some experienced chaplains working in challenging settings. This included sermons by our own Mandy Beck and Sarah Williams, both of whom offer chaplaincy alongside their parish ministry.

As a group of parishes, we have started a 12-month Growing Leaders course with participants and mentors from all three churches. We hope that the 10 participants will grow in confidence and discern a call from God to offer a variety of ministries within our churches.

Our Clergy Team continues to meet every week for the sharing of news, mutual support and a time of prayer. We are very pleased that Sylvie Collins-Mayo has recently joined us as an Assistant Priest and we look forward to welcoming Michael Stokes as a Pioneer Curate in July. Expanding the team in this way will mean that we can circulate around the churches a bit more regularly. We’re also delighted that licensed lay ministry is growing with the recent addition of Julie Bishop as a Licensed Lay Pastoral Minister at St John the Evangelist.

Finally, we look forward to the re-introduction of a joint annual service. This will be on Ascension Day, May 29[th] , with an outdoor evening service (weather permitting) in the orchard of St John the Baptist Kingston Vale, preceded by picnic and games.

Rev. Joe Moffatt - The Vicar, All Saints Church Kingston

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ST JOHN THE EVANGELIST, KINGSTON UPON THAMES

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL AFFAIRS : YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024

INCOME	Unrestricted	Restricted	2024	2023
Gift Aid	27459		27459	24410
Income Tax Recovered	9160		9160	8987
Loose Collections/Card Reader	3766		3766	4611
Donations/Grants	3088	5200	8288	4484
Little Groovers	1383		1383	1687
Fund Raising	27148		27148	22857
Church Fees (net)	606		606	1141
Church Hire	20850		20850	16543
University Rent	16675		16675	16675
Interest	1784		1784	1364
Missions	2484		2484	2106
Misc. Receipts	190		190	27
TOTAL	£114,592	£5,200	£119,792	£104,892
EXPENDITURE			2024	2023
Missions & Affiliation Fees	2593		2593	2112
Education	49	765	814	441
Little Groovers	0		0	399
Parish Support Fund	50580		50580	48960
Clergy Expenses	0		0	522
Church Administrator/PCC Sec	6592		6592	4234
Organist Salary, Organ/Music	3184		3184	1877
Heating & Lighting	17299		17299	13026
Water Rates	323		323	291
Insurance	5988		5988	5815
Fundraising Expenses	12342		12342	12328
Church Repairs/Maintenance	20332		20332	11728
Printing, Postage & Stationery	4452		4452	4638
Sundry Expenses	459		459	2518
	£124,193	£765	£124,958	£108,890
SURPLUS/(DEFICIT)	-£9,601	£4,435	-£5,165	-£3,998
Transfer to reserves
SURPLUS/(DEFICIT) FOR THE YEAR			-£5,165	-£3,998
ADD ASSETS FROM 2023 BALANCE SHEET			£88,553	£92,551
ASSETS FROM 2024 BALANCE SHEET			£83,388	£88,553

JOHN THE EVANGEUST, KINGsfoN UPON ThAMES BALANCE SHEET AT 31 DECEMBER 2024 2024 2023 CURREITh ASSETS Debtors Bank Current Account Deposit Funds 2538 14166 70337 1932 19443 71182 £87JMI £92557 LESS: CURRENT UABILMES Sundry Creditors -3652 ASSErs £83388 £W53 REPRESENTED BY: un￿StrICted Fund Restricted Fund (AI- ReReneration Restricted Fund IBI- LeRacv Restricted Fund (Q- Fami 15964 39538 20596 72￿} 25564 39538 20596 2855 £83388 £88553 N￿ASSErS. 31 DECEMBER 2024 Balances at l January 2024 Income ExpendTtu Transfers between funds Totals 88553 119792 -124958 25564 114592 -124193 39538 20596 2855 52fX) -765 Balan￿ at 31 De¢ember2024 £83,388 SSRned - Church Trf&urer SIEned . Team Wicar Independent Examsner5 Report I report on the accounts of St John the Ewan%eftst. Kin%5ton upon Thame5 forthe year ended 3V12124. My examination was carried cAJt iu accordan￿ with the Reneral directions %iven b¥ the Charity Comission. This includes a review of the accountin% records kept bythe church and a compari50n of the a¢counts Dresented wÈth those records. I have examined the SOFA and Balan￿ Sheet and confirni thatthese are in accordance with the acivuntirbR records. receipts. invoices. staternents and documents submitted to me. SiRned . Independent Examiner