## **Annual Report and Financial Report** The Parochial Church Council of the Ecclesiastical Parish ## **St. Michael and All Angels Church, Withyham** ## **with All Saints Church, Blackham** ## **For the year ended 31 December 2020** St. Michael & All Angels Church, Withyham, Hartfield, East Sussex TN7 4BA All Saints Church, Oak Lane, Blackham, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN3 9UD _Incumbent:_ The Revd Canon James M. Campbell, The Rectory, Withyham, Hartfield, East Sussex TN7 4BA _Independent Examiners:_ (Withyham): Charles Lamb, 3 Blacklands Crescent, Forest Row, East Sussex RH18 5NN (Blackham): Robert H. Jackson, 1 Wrothtyes Cottage, Cat Street, Upper Hartfield, TN7 4DY _Banks:_ NatWest, 89 Mount Pleasant, Tunbridge Wells, TN1 1QJ Barclays, 1 High Street, Crowborough, TN6 2QA _Website:_ www.withyhamchurch.org ## **Annual Report 2020** ## **Aims and Purposes** The Parochial Church Council (PCC) has the responsibility of co-operating with the incumbent, the Revd Canon James Campbell, in: - The promotion of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ according to the doctrines and practices of the Church of England; - Promoting in the parish the whole mission of the church, pastoral, social, evangelistic and ecumenical; - To know Jesus better and make him better known; - Practical support and care for people in the parish and the wider church community, from the youngest to the eldest, irrespective of the level of need; - Providing financial support for those in need and to other organisations with similar objectives. ## **Structure and Governance and Management** The PCC is registered with the Charity Commission and is governed by the Parochial Church Councils (Power) Measure 1956. During the year 2020/2021, the following were PCC members: _Ex Officio members_ Rector Revd Canon James Campbell Chairman Churchwarden Antony Cumberland Churchwarden Richard Halcrow Readers Elizabeth Carden (E. Parish until 31 October) Donald Yonge Deanery Synod reps (Donald Yonge) Janice Yonge _Elected members_ Anne Barker Hon. Treasurer Alison Hunnam Hon. Secretary Miriam Boobier Parish Safeguarding Officer Richard Carden Robert Clark Janet Funnell Gillian Halcrow Paul Radford Sue Schooling Meg Stafford Neil Watson (to APCM October 2020) Jackie Watson (from APCM October 2020) Nick Wells Piers Wilson 2 Membership of the PCC is determined under Church Representation Rules and consists of certain ex-officio members - the Incumbent, Readers, the Churchwardens and members of the Deanery Synod - together with members of the Church elected at the Annual Parochial Church Meeting (APCM). ## **Coronavirus Covid-19 Pandemic** The majority of 2020 was like no other year since those of the Second World War 75-80 years ago. There were two Lockdowns during 2020; churches across the country were closed from late March-early July; again for a month in November /December; and then another immediately after Christmas. The delayed 2019 Annual Meeting took place on 21[st] October 2020. ## **Achievements during the Year** James Campbell is in his fifth year, having been inducted as the Rector by the Bishop of Chichester on 6[th] July 2016. ## **Sunday Worship** A feature of life in 2020 was the number of significant changes in Government legislation and related C of E Guidance regarding churches, often introduced at short notice. Normal worship ceased on 15[th] March – the week before Mothering Sunday. We did not reopen until the end of July. Then the congregation had to use hand sanitiser on entering the church, remain socially distanced (two metres +), wear a face-covering whilst in Church (unless speaking during the service) and there was no singing. Whilst the Church was closed, back-to-back Zoom services were held, led by James Campbell from the Rectory: Breakfast Church at 10.00 am and ‘Sunday Worship at Home’ which became a short service of Matins at 10.30 am. Up to 20 households attended each, often 12-15. Attendance amongst families at the earlier Zoom held up well although engaging the children proved a challenge; most weeks over half the regular 11 am congregation joined the second Zoom. Prior to the two Churches being reopened, detailed Risk Assessments were carried out and on each subsequent change in the circumstances. Considerable thanks to Diane Pedder and Anne Radford initially, and subsequently to Gilly Halcrow, Janet Funnell and Miriam Boobier. The latter have also acted as Stewards at all the main morning services. A capacity of 65 was set for Christmas and Easter (when the Chapel is able to be used) with 50 in the main body of the Church. Once the Church was open for worship, a pattern of one principal service per Sunday in Church together with one gathering on Zoom evolved: three times a month services were held at 11.00 am (Said Communion or Matins) and once a month a Family Service at 10.00 am; three Zooms at 10.00 am and one at 11.00 am. The recommended 72-hour gap between services was adhered to. 3 The only services that continued almost throughout were small funerals for up to 30 people. A Harvest Festival was able to take place, as well the Remembrance Day Service which had to be moved at very short notice to the preceding Wednesday. A Nativity Service was held at Buckhurst prior to Christmas thanks to Lord and Lady De La Warr. Four services were planned for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day but in the end, just one service was held on Christmas Day. The Rector’s Sunday sermons have been emailed to those on the Parish list (over 90 names), together with a Midweek Bulletin normally issued on Wednesday. For most of the year, Diane and Clive Pedder and three others have delivered these to the dozen or so Church members who do not have access to the internet. ## **Blackham** The pattern of worshipping on 5[th] Sundays in the month (excluding December) remains the policy. In 2020 there was an evening Harvest Festival service, together with a Service of Readings and Music which replaced the Carol Service. ## **Church Electoral Roll** At the last delayed APCM in October 2020, the number on the Electoral Roll was 117. Five names have been deleted, four of whom have died and one who moved away; and six names have been added, three of whom have joined the Church in the past couple of years. There are now 118 names on the ER of whom 32 (27%) are resident in the Ecclesiastical Parish of Withyham whilst the remaining 86 (73%) live outside. ## **Church Administrator** The Parish was left a very generous legacy by Miss Elizabeth Edmonds and Miss Anne Edmonds. It was agreed to use most of the income from this gift to fund a part-time administrator to assist the Rector and other Church officers. Bridget Clayton, a Church member and the daughter of one of our Churchwardens, was appointed in September. She usually works for four hours per week, two at The Rectory on Tuesday mornings and two at home on Fridays. Whilst disrupted by the pandemic, this appointment is proving to be a considerable asset both to the Incumbent and to the wider Church Family. ## **Teaching & Nurture** The incumbent places an emphasis on preaching and teaching in his ministry. ## **The Church Buildings** St. Michael and All Angels Church, **Withyham** is a fine Grade One building. It has a long association for 800 years with the Sackville family, owners of the surrounding Buckhurst Estate. The 72-hour gap between services enabled the Church to be open on Wednesdays for private prayer during the first Lockdown. 4 The **Churchwardens** , Antony Cumberland and Richard Halcrow, ensured that the building remained in good condition. In February 2020 a panel of the mid-Victorian East **Window** suffered damage during a storm; the lengthy process of restoration was completed in early 2021 and it is due to be installed during May this year. Before Withyham Church reopened in July, a **cleaning** firm called ‘Busy Bees’ from Hartfield were employed to clean the Church and loos fortnightly. Anne Radford has co-ordinated that. In addition, together with Diane Pedder on occasions, she has cleaned the Church at other times especially before funerals. The Flower Guild continues to be co-ordinated by Jill Pardey. A more modest approach was adopted for **flower arranging** including providing flowers in the Lady Chapel when the Church was open for prayer. It has not been possible for the **bellringers** to meet since the first Lockdown in March. The **Quinquennial Inspection** in 2019 highlighted a small number of items that required attention. **All Saints Church, Blackham** has had to remain closed. The whole of the interior was redecorated just prior to the first Lockdown. The Quinquennial Inspection was carried out early in 2020 was eventually received in July 2020. It recommended various minor repairs including to gutters and roof tiles. ## **Churchyards** ## Withyham Hamilton McNaughton and his team were able to continue to mow and strim **grass** each week, as well as cut the boundary **hedge** at the top of the Churchyard in the autumn. The annual **clear-up** in late November was not able to take place but McNaughton’s cleared the leaves in early 2021. Anne Clark retired from the work that she has done with friends tirelessly keeping the vicinity of the Church free of weeds and moss and generally tidy **.** John Collins continued to assist James Campbell in the allocation of **graves** and related enquiries. ## Blackham The **grass mowing** was again done by a local Blackham contractor. In the spring, two oak trees beside the road were felled much improving the view of the Church from the road. ## **Baptisms, Weddings and Funerals** These were very affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. 5 During the year, there was just one **Baptism** in January compared to nine in 2019 and eight in 2018. During Lockdown **Weddings** could not take place; when they could they were limited to 30 or 15 or six in number. Of the original eight weddings booked, three were able to take place including that of Richard Carden and Elizabeth Parish. This compares with 12 weddings and a blessing in 2019 and nine weddings in 2018. Three of the weddings postponed last year have been carried forward to this summer. Six **Funerals** took place – including one at Blackham. This compares with 12 in 2019 and nine in 2018 **;** five took place in Church and one at the Crematorium. There were also four interment of ashes including one at Blackham. In the first three months of 2021, six funerals have taken place. The Withyham Church Family have recently lost a number of stalwart members including Zoe Turner, Pauline Cremer, Ro Goolden and Robert Murray Willis. ## **Parish Events** Casualties of the Coronavirus included the annual Church **Fete;** and special services and events including the **Passover Meal** (inaugurated in 2019), the **Parish Barbecue,** the annual **Bridge Day** , the Choir singing Evensong at Chichester **Cathedral** and **Outdoor Nativity** at the Rectory, as well as the **Rogation Service** (mid-May) and the **Pet Service** (July). ## **Pastoral Care** Visiting elderly members of the congregation at home has not been possible since the outbreak of Coronavirus. This includes regularly visiting the residents of The Elizabeth, Countess De La Warr’s Almshouses next to the Dorset Arms; the Rector is one of the trustees. ## **St. Michael’s Primary School, Withyham** James Campbell was not able to take assemblies at the school. Numbers at the School are in the 80s and Mrs Katie O’Shea continues as the Headteacher. ## **Safeguarding** Miriam Boobier has continued as our Parish Safeguarding Representative there has been little to report. Due to the current situation, some training courses were offered online whilst others have been rearranged for a later date. ## **Data Protection** The parish has continued to seek to comply with the requirements of the legislation introduced in May 2018. James Campbell has co-ordinated the work in the absence of a Data Protection Officer. ## **Health & Safety** An informal audit was carried out in 2019 using the template provided by Ecclesiastical Insurance and various measures were taken to implement the required action. 6 As mentioned, detailed Risk Assessments have been carried out prior to any significant changes in Government legislation and related C of E Guidance regarding churches. ## **Support for the wider Church and Community** ## **Family Support Work** The parish is very active in supporting this Diocesan-run work which is spear-headed locally by Miriam Boobier. During this year of pandemic, need grew significantly and contributions were particularly appreciated, including tins and packets at Harvest and Christmas presents in December. ## **Charitable Donations** During the year Withyham made a number of donations to local, national and international charities as in the previous year: Christian Aid; Church Mission Society; the College of St. Barnabas, Lingfield; Chichester Association for Family Support Work; Friends of Chichester Cathedral; Friends of Crowborough Hospital; Hospice in the Weald; The Children’s Society; Open Doors; ‘Acts 435’; Mustard Seed Appeal; and OMF (Int.) (for Peter & Renate Yonge). In addition, annual donations are made to various local groups: Blackham Village Hall; King’s Hall, Withyham; St. Michael’s School, Withyham. Overall, a total of c. £2,500. Blackham didn’t make any donations during the year. ## **The Parish Magazine** During the first Lockdown - and again briefly earlier this year – hard copies of the Parish Magazine weren’t printed and it was only available online with a link from the Website. Hard copies continue to be distributed to over 300 homes for 11\12 months p.a. and a number receive it by post. Stephen Whittaker from Blackham continued as **Editor,** Janet Funnell co-ordinating the **distribution** (with about 20 volunteers) and Roger Funnell overseeing the **advertising** . ## **Church Web Site** Meg Stafford continued to update the web site. In the near future it will be remodelled and run by the Church Administrator who has some expertise in this area. ## **Withyham Parish Charity** The Charity was established with the Charity Commission in 1981, being the amalgamation of various older village charities. The Rector and Churchwardens are trustees together with two representatives from the Parish Council: currently just Jill Pardey. The Charity’s remit covers Withyham Civil Parish which includes the Ecclesiastical parishes of New Groombridge (St. Thomas’) and St. John’s, Crowborough. Grants are available to assist those under the age of 25 with training for a profession, trade or business, or to further their education in other ways, as well as those suffering hardship or distress. 7 During the pandemic, grants have been made anonymously to families in particular need after consultation with the Headteacher of Withyham Primary School. ## **Village Hall lunches** The popular monthly lunches held at the Kings’ Hall have not taken place since March. ## **Deanery** Rev’d Sharon Francis from St. Thomas’, Groombridge continued as the **Rural Dean** of Rotherfield although she will be retiring in July this year. The Archdeacon of Hastings, Edward Dowler, is currently also the Priest-in-Charge of St. John’s, Crowborough; he lives in the parish. St. Dunstan’s Church, Mayfield and Five Ashes became vacant in the summer; the post was advertised in early 2021. Rotherfield Deanery **Synod** met just twice during 2020: - 16[th] March at All Saints, Crowborough: principal speaker Debbie Beat, Diocesan Environmental Officer - 3rd November Zoom from Groombridge: presentation of the Diocesan finances by the Chairman of the Finance Committee. ## **Diocese** The Bishop of Chichester, Martin Warner, continues in post. The new Suffragan Bishop of Lewes, Will Hazlewood, moved from Dartmouth in Exeter Diocese early in the year; he lives in a different house from his predecessor in Halland near Lewes. A new Suffragan Bishop for West Sussex, the Bishop of Horsham, Ruth Bushyager, was also appointed. James Campbell is a member of the Diocesan Overseas Council which has responsibility for Chichester Diocese’s Overseas Links: West Africa: The Diocese of Gambia (The Gambia, Senegal and the Cape Verde Islands); The Diocese of Guinea (Guinea Conkry and Guinea Bissau); The Diocese of Freetown (N. & W. Sierra Leone; The Diocese of Bo (S. & E. Sierra Leone); the Diocese of Liberia; and the Diocese of Cameroon. East Africa: four dioceses in the Rift Valley in Kenya. There is currently a major review of these links. ## **The Rectory** After the significant building work in 2018/19, the Diocese has not carried out any major repairs. The wood-burning stove in the sitting room which had been installed when the Campbells arrived was condemned during the winter; it had never been very satisfactory. Its replacement is highly efficient. Unable to welcome either parishioners or visiting groups of Christians after mid-March, the Rectory has hosted various family members during the lockdowns. 8 ## **Financial Statement for the Year 2020** ## _**The 2020 PCC Accounts are attached as appendices.**_ ## **Reports by Anne Barker (Hon. Treasurer)** ## St. Michael & All Angels, Withyham Quite a difficult year- no fete which usually made £7000 and fewer weddings, cutting down on money in the plate to £2000 as £12000 last year. However, there were 2 saving graces: 1: We joined the parish Giving Scheme, which deals with Gift Aid contributions and Tax reclaim which netted us approximately £12000 and with other Gift aid donations, helped to swell the funds. Thank you to everyone who has joined the scheme. 2: We are very grateful for a number of legacies. One in particular from the estate of Ann and Elizabeth Edmunds for over £131.000. Of this, £120,000 was invested to pay for a Parish Administrator. All in all, with a deficit of just over £2,000, we have survived the year without too much damage. I would like to thank Alison Hunnam for all her help with the collection and banking. ## All Saints, Blackham At Blackham, the running costs were higher than usual, because we redecorated the interior of the Church and had to cut down two self-seeded trees in the front hedge. This has improved the view of the Church from the road. However, we were grateful for a grant of £400 to cover the cost of grass cutting in the Churchyard. With fees for weddings and funerals and some kind donations, we managed to keep the deficit down. Our thanks go to Chris and Sue Schooling for all their hard work cleaning the church after the decoration. We do appreciate their care of All Saints. The 2020 PCC Accounts were approved by the Standing Committee on behalf of the PCC and signed by 5[th] May 2021 Rev. Canon James Campbell (PCC Chairman) 9 ## **APPENDICES - Financial Statements** ## **Appendix 1 - St. Michael & All Angels Church, Withyham** ## **1A - Receipts and Payments** 10 IB- Assets and Liabilities Tol CBF Del￿. Fw¥l 787 131.S51 10.625 114318 1¢K625 1x823 12.876 44,￿ 131.551 175.943 7.381 S￿218 )7.381 755.433 .218 5T5. 134.813 134ffj13 134.613 1,￿.5￿) 1.628.212 1.331296 179.C(fj 1.525.1 1.704.155 1.470. XQ1 5•TrJ ¢xi tsb8 Jk li IC- Independent Examinerfs Report The Independent Examiner's Report Tbe IDdepeDdent examiner's report lo the PCC ofst Micbad and All ADgels Wi¢hyb4m I report on the accounts of the PCC for the year ended 31 December 2020. which are attached to this report. Respective responsibilities ofihe PCC and ibt eiamimer As rnembers of the PCC yiyj are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. You consider that the audit requirement of the Church Accounting Regulations and Section 14412) of the Charities Ath 2011 ('Ihe Act") do not apply. It is my responsibility to- Examine the accounts under the Church Accounting Regulations and Section 145 of the ACL To follow the procedures laid down in the 8en¢rnl Directions of the Charity Commission under Section 145{5Mb) of th¢ ACL and To state whether particular matters have come to my allention. B*sts of this Report My ¢xaminaiion was Carried out in acc(Ydance with the General direction5 given by the Charity Commission and to be found in the Church guidance. That examination includes a review of the a¢¢ounting records kept by the PCC and a comparison of the accounts with those records. li also includes considering any unusual itrms or disclosure5 in the accounts and s¢¢king explanaiions from you as Trusi¢¢s conc¢ming any such maner. The pnxedures undertaken do not provide all the eviden¢¢ that would be required in an audit and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the a¢¢ounts preseni a true and fair view and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below. IndependeDt ExAmlner's Ststemtnt I hav¢ completed my examination. l Confirni that ￿ material matters h8ve come to my artention in connection with th¢ ¢xamination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect: accountin8 ￿ordS were kept in resp￿1 of the PCC as required by Section 130 of the Act. or 2. the accounts do accord with those records. I have no concerns and have come acr055 no other matters in connection with the examination to which artenlion should be drawn in this reTM)rt in order to enable a proFr understanding of the accounts to be rea¢h¢d. Charles Lamb Chgrter¢d Accountant 3. Bla¢klands Crescent Forest Row East Sussex, RH18 5NN 10 2021 12