The Covenham St Bartholomew Heritage Trust
Second Annual Report of the Trustees for the year ending 23 July 2022
Objectives and Public Benefit
The objects of the CIO are:
(I) For the public benefit to secure the preservation, conservation, repair, maintenance, improvement, upkeep, beautification and reconstruction of the church of Covenham St Bartholomew, Lincolnshire and of fixtures and fittings in such church and;
(II) To use the said church for such religious and other charitable purposes as shall be permissible under the Redundancy scheme providing for the appropriation of the said church under the procedures of the Pastoral Measure 1983 as superseded by the Mission and Pastoral Measure 2011.
Achievement and Performance
The Covenham St Bartholomew Heritage Trust was first registered as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation on 17 June 2019. It incorporates the former charity of the same name established by the late John Bowles in 1988, charity number 700816, which was formally dissolved by the Charity Commissioners on 14 December 2019.
The constitution of the CIO limits voting rights solely to the Trustees. Laura Clark agreed to become the 4th Trustee in 2020 and was duly elected for a term of 3 years. However, due to other commitments, Laura tendered her resignation towards the end of the Trust’s year in 2022 and Mrs Nicky Gulley-Brown was elected in her place. The other Trustees thank Laura for her contribution. The constitution also provides for meetings via electronic means, which is the usual form of Trustees’ meetings as being the most cost-effective and time-efficient. Although restrictions due to the Covid pandemic were lifted during the past year, Trustees have again held only one face-to-face meeting and have otherwise relied on electronic communications.
Temporary Nave Roof Covering
The previous two temporary polythene roof coverings on the nave where the lead was stolen had both rapidly failed, resulting in ripped material and rain pouring through the resulting holes. We first assumed that UV was damaging the membrane materials being used; however a specialist advised that he believed sulphur-based treatments used by the Victorians were responsible. So in March 2022 we tried an experimental approach to weather-proofing the roof, using the much denser material of discarded curtain sides from lorries which we considered would form an excellent barrier from the sulphur.
To separate the membrane from direct contact with the roofing timber we first collected enough curtain sides to cover the woodwork. They were more difficult to acquire free of charge but we finally managed to get a sufficient number. Two layers of poly-tunnel sheeting were then applied and battened down,
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the top sheet being of woven construction for additional strength. A two-foot overhang of the top sheet was left to cover the guttering. This has protected the wall plates from rain and so far the walls are now free from damp and algae to a large degree as a result. The real test will be the forthcoming winter.
We are grateful to Richard Jordan and his gang of volunteer roofers who helped to complete this project.
Churchyard and Ecology
The churchyard is the responsibility of the Parish Council and had been neglected for many years, with Cow Parsley and thistles being the predominant flora in preceding summer months. A team of volunteer gardeners (approx. twenty in total) now attend various working parties throughout the year, with the majority of the work being undertaken in the autumn. Ivy is cut at the base on trees and grave markers, fallen branches cleared and at least 10 x one tonne builders’ bags of fallen leaves have been placed into our composting bin. This is then available for anyone to use the following year before we refill it. Trustees are grateful to the Parish Council for a donation towards the costs of maintenance.
Wild flowers are now returning and we also have an excellent display of snowdrops, primroses and bluebells leading into the summer.
Five species of bat have been identified flying within the churchyard and two (long eared brown and pipistrelle) within the church. We have barn owls using the bell tower as a feeding roost with badgers, muntjac and roe deer recorded on a trail camera within the grounds.
Planning for the future
The year 2021-22 has been much quieter than last year, when the south transept was successfully repaired following the award of a grant from the Historic England ‘Covid19 Emergency Heritage at Risk Response’ fund. However, this has enabled Trustees to consider and plan for next steps for the future.
One Potential future use of the church: Training in historic building skills
As reported last year, the south transept repairs enabled initiation of the pilot scheme of a not-forprofit conservation heritage skills training project pioneered by accredited heritage roofer Richard Jordan of Jordan Conservation Roofing Ltd and architect Sarah Moore. It involved recruiting trainees from a bursary programme offered by the Historic Environment Skills (HES) project run by the Heritage Skills Centre at Lincoln Castle to carry out the work alongside professional craftspeople, and as a result, far more was achievable for the amount of funding than would normally have been possible. From another perspective it provided valuable training on a historic site and proved a tremendous learning opportunity for those involved, as evidenced by articles featuring two of the - trainees on the Lincoln Castle site; Fede’s trainee blog: https://lincolncastle.com/content/fedes
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trainee-blog and Keiron’s end of placement reflections: https://lincolncastle.com/content/endplacement-reflections . It is really gratifying to know that Covenham St Bartholomew church played such an important part in developing the careers of these and other trainees.
Both Richard Jordan and Sarah Moore are keen to continue to use the church as a training opportunity in this way and Trustees are equally keen to explore ways of enabling this. Towards the end of this reporting year we learnt that sadly the Skills Centre and Lincoln Castle has closed, which spurs us on even more to find ways of facilitating such training at Covenham St Bartholomew.
Encouraging wider interest and support
Another future use of the building is as a hub for the local community. Trustees therefore see one of their most important tasks is to encourage wider interest in and support for the building, particularly locally, so that those who will benefit are able to be involved in its restoration from the outset. On 4th June 2022 the first public event to take place after the two years blighted by the global Covid-19 pandemic were celebrations for HM Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee. The event consisted of a concert by local band B1200 in the churchyard, together with locally brewed beer served in the temporarily-named ‘Skipwyth Arms’ (the south transept, transformed courtesy of a Temporary Event Notice and named after Sir John Skipwyth or Skipwith, whose memorial brass is in the chancel). Considering the relatively small size of the village population, the event was exceptionally wellattended and many who took the opportunity to visit the building and learn about some of its history had never stepped inside before. All local Trustees assisted, but thanks are especially due to Ian and Ali Fazakerley who shouldered the lion’s share of the work of preparing, running and clearing up after the event.
The next event, immediately prior to the end of the reporting year, was a Heritage Open Day, on 16[th] July 2022. As well as a BBQ and temporary opening of the ‘Skipwyth Arms’ there were demonstrations of several traditional building skills and heritage crafts, including slate dressing, roofing, stone letter cutting, bee skep making and arrow making. Other local charities and a plant nursery were invited to have stalls and the Covenham Village Volunteers sold home-made cakes and teas. All Trustees took part and helped, as did various members of their families and others, but once again thanks are due to Ian and Ali Fazakerley for undertaking the bulk of the work. This event was again highly successful in attracting people from the area and raising the profile of the building and the existence of the Trust. Also after a 2-year delay we were finally able to launch the ‘Friends of Covenham St Bartholomew’. Several visitors expressed willingness to volunteer their time and/or skills in different ways and Trustees are in the process of following up these offers of help. It will be good to be able to share tasks more evenly in the future.
Restoration: next steps
Trustees are about to embark on an application for funding for vital investigations on the structure of walls, roofs and floors, drainage, archaeology and ecology which are necessary to inform how and
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where we proceed with the next stage of restoration. Though the first steps may sound mundane, they may well prove to be the springboard for exciting restoration projects in the future. We hope to be able to report in much greater clarity and depth in the next annual report.
In carrying out the business of the Trust, Trustees pay due regard to the advice of The Charity Commission relevant to the administration of the Charity.
Financial Review
Income for 2021-22 was £1987 and expenditure was £750.44. The reason for the large drop in both income and expenditure since 2020-21 was because the Trust’s funds have had to start being rebuilt almost from scratch after its contribution in the last financial year to the south transept repair. However, there has been the welcome addition of profits from both the Jubilee and Heritage Open Day events, enhanced by donations and several regular standing orders. The charity is registered as a recipient on the ‘Give as You Live’ https://www.giveasyoulive.com/charity/stbartstrust and ‘Amazon Smile’ platforms– in both of which those who register can choose the Covenham St Bartholomew Heritage Trust to benefit from a small proportion of purchase costs, without further charge to themselves. Trustees recognise that more fundraising events and opportunities combined with further applications from grant making trusts will need to increase when we move to a higher level of restoration.
Structure, Governance and Management
The charity is controlled by its governing document and is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation.
Reference and Administrative Details
Registered Charity number 1183927
Principal Address
Ashtree House, Main Road, Covenham St Bartholomew, Louth LN11 0PF
Trustees
Mr Ian Fazakerley (for 3 years from 2019 to 2022)
Mrs Anne Gray (for 4 years from 2019 to 2023)
Ms Laura Clark (for 3 years from 2020 to 2023) (resigned in July 2022 and replaced by
Mrs Nicky Gulley-Brown )
Mrs Diane Seddon (for 3 years from 2021 to 2024)
Bankers
Barclays LLP, Leicester. LE87 2BB
Approved by the Trustees ……………………………………………
Signed ....................................................................................................... (Trustee)
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The Covenham St Bartholomew Heritage Trust Annual Accounts July 2021 – end June 2022
| Covenham St Bartholomew Heritage Trust |
2021 - 2022 | Income (£) | Expenditure (£) |
Running Balance (£) |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Opening Balance end June 2021 |
1088.64 | ||||
| July | Standing Orders | 50.00 | |||
| Direct Credit - Fazakerley - Donation |
10.00 | ||||
| 1148.64 | |||||
| August | Standing Orders | 50.00 | |||
| XL Horticultural (Tree Felling) |
176.40 | ||||
| Amazon Europe | 7.47 | ||||
| Give as You Live | 23.70 | 1053.41 | |||
| September | Standing Orders | 50.00 | |||
| Cheque Deposit (Parish Council) |
200.00 | ||||
| Paypal Credit | 24.20 | 1327.61 | |||
| October | Standing Orders | 50.00 | 1377.61 | ||
| November | Standing Orders | 50.00 | 1427.61 | ||
| December | Standing Orders | 50.00 | |||
| Amazon Europe | 8.38 | 1485.99 | |||
| January 2022 | Standing Orders | 50.00 | |||
| Give as You Live | 19.12 | 1555.11 | |||
| February | Standing Orders | 50.00 | |||
| Amazon Europe | 7.48 | 1612.59 | |||
| March | Standing Orders | 50.00 | 1662.59 | ||
| April | Standing Orders | 50.00 | |||
| 100008 | Tedder Hall - Licence for Jubilee Celebrations |
21.00 | 1691.59 | ||
| May | 100009 | Liability Insurance | 192.40 | ||
| Standing Orders | 50.00 | ||||
| Amazon Europe | 5.00 | 1554.19 |
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| June | Standing Orders | 60.00 | |||
| Give as You Live | 48.11 | ||||
| Parish Council Grant | 200.00 | ||||
| Katrina Davies (Photos) |
10.00 | ||||
| Payment to Simon Plumb for Covenham Beer |
180.00 | ||||
| 100010 | Tedder Hall - Licence for Heritage Open Day |
21.00 | 1671.30 | ||
| Jubilee Event Account - All cash transactions |
June 4th | Total Income From event - Float |
813.54 | ||
| Pub Sign | 20.00 | ||||
| Lager Beer Wine etc | 70.00 | ||||
| Ascot Tumblers | 49.64 | ||||
| Jacklins Straw Bale Hire |
20.00 | ||||
| Simon Plumb £180 (see June Payment) |
|||||
| TENS Licence £21 See June Payment) |
|||||
| Totals / Balance | 1987.00 | 750.44 | |||
| Cash at the bank as at end June 2022 |
1671.30 | ||||
| Cash in Hand | 653.90 | 813.54-159.64 Jubilee Float Transactions all cash) |
|||
| Total Balance C/F to July 22 |
2325.20 |
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