## **Elusen** /Charity 1185028 # **Adroddiad Blynydol a Datganiadau Ariannol** Annual Report and Financial Statement **Ar gyfer y flwyddyn yn diweddaru 31 Rhagfyr 2023** For the year ending 31 December 2023 **29 Hydref 2024** / 29 October 2024 1 ## **Cynnwys** / Contents |Structure, governance and management|3| |---|---| |Aims and purposes|4| |Objectives and activities|4| |Achievements and performance|5| |Buildings and churchyards|9| |Administrative information|12| |Finance|13| |Annex A - Independent Examiner’s Report and|16| |Financial statements|17| |Annex B - Risk assessment|20| |Annex C - Bags of Love Fund|21| ## **Structure, governance and management** ## _Structure_ The Bro Celynnin Ministry Area is one of nine Ministry Areas of the Bangor Synod and one of 27 that comprise the Diocese of Bangor in the Church in Wales (CiW). Bro Celynnin was formed in 2016 by uniting four parishes in the Conwy County Borough in the area comprising Conwy town and the north-western part of the Conwy Valley, west of Afon Conwy and extending in the south to Tal y Bont and Llanbedr y Cennin. The name commemorates St. Celynnin, a son of the legendary prince Helig ap Glanawg and brother of Rhychwyn (of Llanrhychwyn) and Peris (of Llanberis). A holy well at Hen Eglwys Llangelynnin, in the Carneddau mountains is believed to be where Celynnin preached and baptised in the 6[th] Century. The Ministry Area maintains and enjoys the use of five outstanding medieval churches (four Grade I listed and the other Grade II*): St Mary’s and All Saints’ Conwy; St Benedict’s, Gyffin; St Mary’s, Caerhun; and St Peter’s, Llanbedr y Cennin, all of which hold weekly services, and the Llangelynnin Old Church, Henryd, where monthly services are held from Easter to October. Other property managed by Bro Celynnin are the Church Hall, Conwy, and the graveyards of two former churches: St Agnes’, Conwy (demolished _ca._ 1972) and the Llangelynnin New Church, Llangelynnin, Rowen (deconsecrated _ca._ 1987). To complement our gathered congregations, Bro Celynnin is committed to Pioneer Ministry; our initiative, _Worship in the Wild,_ contemplative walking in the North Wales landscape, launched in 2020, has continued to flourish and grow. ## _The Ministry Area Council_ Bro Celynnin is administered by a Ministry Area Council (MAC), a parochial church council governed by the Constitution and Canons of the Church in Wales. The members of the MAC are the Trustees of the Charity. With the incumbent, the MAC is responsible for the whole mission of the Church, pastoral, evangelistic, social and ecumenical, in its Ministry Area. The MAC is not a body corporate. Its composition, procedures and powers are regulated by the Constitution of the CiW, which provides that before assuming office, every member must sign a declaration that he or she will be bound by the Constitution. Membership of the MAC is defined in the CiW Constitution and comprises ex-officio and appointed members, and members elected at the Annual Vestry Meeting (AVM) by those of the congregation on the Electoral Roll of the Parish. All persons over the age of 18 who attend services and are members of the congregation are encouraged to register on the electoral roll and seek election to the MAC. The MAC met six times in 2023. At the end of 2023, there were 129 persons on the Electoral Roll. In addition to the two Ministry Area Church Wardens each congregation nominates local (sub) wardens, many of whom are also members of the MAC. 3 Since 13 August 2023, the MA has been in vacancy, following the preferment of the Rev David Parry as Archdeacon of Bangor. The MAC has been greatly supported by our new part-time Parish Administrator, Mrs Nicola Davies-Nolan, appointed in June 2023. ## **Aims and purposes** The clergy and Trustees of Bro Celynnin are responsible for the whole mission of the Church, pastoral, evangelistic, social and ecumenical, in its Ministry Area, and for the operation and maintenance of its five churches and associated churchyards, two separate graveyards and the Church Hall, Conwy. ## **Objectives and activities** Bro Celynnin is focused on providing public benefit as a charity, through churches rooted in the communities they have served for many centuries, by: - providing resources and facilities for public worship, pastoral care and spiritual, moral and intellectual development, both for its members and for anyone who wishes to benefit from what the Church offers; - promoting Christian values, and service by members of the Churches in the Parish of Bro Celynnin to their communities, to the benefit of individuals and society as a whole; - encouraging wider participation in its activities from all sectors of the community; - supporting the work of two Church in Wales Primary Schools and providing religious instruction as requested; - maintaining its five medieval church buildings, a church hall and seven graveyards. Bro Celynnin is resilient and creative in fulfilling its mission, maintains a diverse programme of traditional and contemporary worship, and seeks new community partnerships and innovative approaches to outreach. We seek to offer worship and participatory events that appeal to all sectors of the community. The activities and expenses of Bro Celynnin, notably the parish share and maintenance of buildings, are financed by donations from members of the congregations and from visitors, investment income, legacies and occasional grants, for all of which we are most grateful. 4 ## **Achievements and Performance** ## **Worship, mission and fellowship** ## _Parochial worship_ Throughout 2023, weekly services were held on Sunday mornings at St Mary’s and All Saints’, Conwy; St Mary’s, Caerhun; and St Peter’s, Llanbedr-y-Cennin, and on Wednesday mornings at St Benedict’s, Gyffin. Choral Evensong was offered on eight Sundays at St Mary’s and All Saints’, Conwy, featuring the Ministry Area’s choir, Cantorion Celynnin. Numerous other services were held on festival days, Civic Sunday in Conwy, Armistice Day, Remembrance Sunday, for local schools, and many baptisms, marriages and funerals. Attendances at services in all churches grew slightly in 2023. Average attendances at regular weekly morning services on non-festival days in 2023 were: St Mary’s and All Saints’, Conwy 45 (2022: 43) St Benedict’s, Gyffin 21 (2022: 19) St Mary’s, Caerhun 18 (2022: 17) St Peter’s, Llanbedr y Cennin 12 (2022: 11) Total recorded attendances, at regular services, festival, schools services, other special services, baptisms, marriages and funerals were: St Mary’s and All Saints’, Conwy 6,562 (2022: 5,712) St Benedict’s, Gyffin 1,426 (2022: 1,383) St Mary’s, Caerhun 1,277 (2022: 1,466) St Peter’s, Llanbedr y Cennin 638 (2022: 744) Monthly ‘Celtic Praise’ services were held at St Benedict’s until Easter and from October, and at the Llangelynnin Old Church from Easter to October. This form of open, bilingual, and reflective worship in a Celtic style has been well supported, led by an acoustic group of musicians. Llangelynnin’s hill-top remoteness and pilgrimage appeal, combined with its ancient roots as a place of worship draws people from far and wide, from different denominations and those searching faith; Celtic Praise attendance averaged 41 (2022: 44) at St Benedict’s and 38 (2022: 37) at Llangelynnin. Choral Evensong, led by Cantorion Celynnin, was offered on seven Sundays in Conwy, attracting an average attendance of 50. In addition, 237 attended the Evensong that opened the Classical Music Festival and 320 came to the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols. We welcomed the Prayer Book Society (North Wales Branch), for their mid-summer and Christmas services, at Caerhun and Llanbedr respectively. _Worship in the Wild_ has continued to attract a new and active congregation. The offer of a monthly contemplative walk began in 2020, responding to the value many were placing on walking with others through times of isolation and restriction. Since then, a walk has never been repeated, such is the abundant choice offered by an area of outstanding beauty and 5 variety. Organised Lowland Leader training was provided for several group leaders, generously financed by Community and Voluntary Support Conwy (CVSC). During the year the house groups were re-organised into ‘Life Groups’, and provide regular fora for guided discussion, contemplation and bible study. The MAC and congregations are deeply grateful to several clergy who willingly give their time to officiate at offices and services. Initiatives begun during the pandemic continued, notably communications and worship online, including weekly zoom meetings for prayer and contemplation, and weekly broadcasts on YouTube, which have typically attracted between 200 and over 400 views. ## _Diocesan and external activities_ Bro Celynnin plays a full part in the life of the Anglican Diocese of Bangor, including participation in Synod meetings and through pastoral support. We have shared the skills that we have gained in Pioneer Ministry and evangelism with other local churches and continued to work closely with a neighbouring Methodist congregation in provision for children and families. We have sought to be generous, open-hearted and outward-looking in all our relationships and use of our resources, in order to maximise their charitable benefit. ## **Pastoral leadership** In August 2023, the Rev David Parry relinquished his position as Vicar and Ministry Area Leader, on his preferment as Archdeacon of Bangor. The MAC and congregations have felt the loss of his inspiring parochial leadership, but have continued to enjoy and appreciate his support and advice, as our new Archdeacon. During 2023, the Rev David Parry continued to serve as a Trustee of Bangor Diocesan Trust and the Diocesan Board of Finance. The Rev Eryl Parry continued to serve periodically as a Chaplain for the Bardsey Island Trust, and served as Pioneer Priest in this and adjacent Ministry Areas. She has continued to strengthen the volunteer visitor team and works actively with Conwy County Borough Council in promoting spiritual and cultural activity locally. ## **Pastoral care, support and charitable activity** Pastoral support is offered to vulnerable adults and in response to other needs through visiting, groups, special events and courses. Weekly and seasonal Services are carefully planned to be accessible and relevant, with care taken over the quality of welcome, worship and teaching. An example of this is funding a professional British Sign Language interpreter so that Deaf people can be fully included. Bereavement counselling was re-organised during the year, and training provided to nominated individuals from each church, by visiting clergy. 6 Chaplaincy is provided to the Town Council and Royal British Legion, and for a full programme of Civic Events. Foundation Governors are appointed to the two Church Schools in the Ministry Area; the Rev David Parry continued as chair of one of the Governing Bodies. Weddings, Funerals and Baptisms are an area of excellence, with pastoral follow-up. We provide chaplaincy and fundraising support to a local children’s hospice. Bro Celynnin initiative ‘Bags of Love’, which provides monthly food boxes to 90-100 families in need, continued to grow in 2023. The project operates with many volunteers, from our congregations and communities, and has been generously financed by parishioners and grants from the Conwy Town Council, Conwy County Borough Council, local companies and the National Lottery Community Fund. Their support is gratefully welcomed and acknowledged. Frequent charitable fund-raising events were held throughout the Ministry Area during year. Charities supported include Christian Aid, Fairtrade, Macmillan and St David’s Hospice. The Vicar and parishioners have continued to support the two church schools, through parochial visits and service through the _Open the Book_ programme. St Mary’s and All Saints’, Conwy was widely used for school services, concerts, and events such as the Christmas Tree Festival in aid of St David’s Hospice. ## **Social and cultural** St Mary’s and All Saints’, Conwy has an active group of volunteers to welcome and guide the many summer visitors who, with concert attendances over the year, were estimated at nearly 20,000. St Benedict’s, St Mary’s Caerhun and St Peter’s are open every day between Easter and October. All the churches participated in Cadw’s Open Doors programme in September. The Conwy Church Hall continued to be well used, both for church gatherings and community events. Renovation and development of its facilities to enable wider use by the community is anticipated in 2024. ## **Music** The two choirs launched in 2022 continued to grow in numbers and confidence, ‘Canu Conwy’ for 8–12-year-olds and ‘Cantorion Celynnin’ for monthly Choral Evensong and special services in St Mary’s and All Saints’, Conwy. Cantorion Celynnin was invited to lead Choral Evensong at Bangor Cathedral in August. Cantorion Celynnin draws members from the churches of Bro Celynnin, and attracts in singers from a wider area, some with church affiliations and some without. About 45 singers are involved, with generally about 30 singers at each event. The choir grew in 7 confidence over the year and performed a growing repertoire of music, including evening services by Herbert Brewer, Basil Harwood, Charles Wood, C V Stanford (in B♭ and C), Thomas Tertius Noble and Orlando Gibbons. Anthems have included works by S. S. Wesley, Thomas Attwood, Charles Wood, Ernest Bullock, Johannes Eccard, Malcolm Archer, and Gabriel Faure. At the well-supported Service of Nine Lessons and Carols the choir numbered nearly 50, and included several ex-choristers home for Christmas. The Archbishop of Wales, the Most Rev Andrew John, led the service, which attracted a capacity congregation. As usual, the choir led the ‘Carols round the Trees’ event organised as part of the St David’s Hospice Christmas Tree Festival. The choir toured locally in 2023, singing evensong at Bangor Cathedral, and at Betws y Coed and Llanelian Churches. We greatly appreciate the support from visiting organists who have played for us this year: Charles Jones, Graham Eccles and particularly Martin Brown from Bangor Cathedral. Canu Conwy, the Junior Choir, has continued to meet, and contributes to events, but new members are slow to come forward, due to other family, school and social demands Many choirs and organisations sought to use St Mary’s and All Saints’, Conwy for their concerts. These included groups from the Guildhall School of Music, the Welsh Choir of North America, the Monteverdi Singers, Bangor University Chamber Choir, The Telling, and Conwy Town Orchestra. The Conwy Classical Music Festival once again proved to be highly popular with attendances over the week of over 3,000. The whole gamut of classical music, both instrumental and vocal, was on display and featured performers from North Wales, as well as leading musicians from further afield. Highlights of the week included concerts and recitals by local pianist Tina Mason-Scheuermann, Zoe Beyers (Leader of the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra), the Choir of King’s College, London, the Chelys Consort of Viols, and many soloists. ## **Communications** The Ministry Area website caruconwy.com continued to develop and widen in scope during 2023. The site carries extensive details about current activities in the ministry area and diocese, reflections and short weekly devotional talks. Our weekly email mailing list, our presence on Facebook and Twitter, and our YouTube channel all carried regular messaging. For those not easily connecting to the internet a newsletter with devotional material, service times and news continued to be circulated monthly. 8 ## **Buildings and churchyards** ## **Properties of the Ministry Area** Bro Celynnin cares for the following properties - St Mary’s and All Saints, Conwy: - ➢ Grade 1 listed church and churchyard in the centre of Conwy - ➢ Church Hall on Rose Hill Street, Conwy - ➢ St Agnes’ Road graveyard. - St Benedict’s, Gyffin, Conwy: - ➢ Grade 1 listed church and churchyard on the outskirts of Conwy. - St Celynnin, Llangelynnin: - ➢ Grade 1 listed church and churchyard (the Llangelynnin Old Church) - ➢ Graveyard of the deconsecrated Llangelynnin New Church, Rowen. - St Mary’s, Caerhun: - ➢ Grade 1 listed church and churchyard south of Ty’n-y-groes. - St Peter’s, Llanbedr y Cennin: - ➢ Grade 2* listed church and churchyard. The MAC’s policy remains that these churches, which are all in good general order, will continue to contribute to their communities for the foreseeable future and have the potential to widen their appeal and to grow their congregations. All the churches are buildings of national importance. The Property Development Plan to frame the maintenance of these properties, prepared in 2019 according to Diocesan guidelines, will be updated after the next 5-year ‘Ezra’ report, to be published in 2024. All the work identified as ‘Category A - Urgent’ of the last Ezra report has been completed and many tasks identified in the ‘Category B – within 5 years’. Tasks in ‘Category C - 5 to 15 years) have been undertaken where it was convenient to do so with Category A and B tasks. Donald Insall Associates completed plans for selective and sensitive reordering of St Mary’s and All Saints’, Conwy, St Benedict’s and St Mary’s, Caerhun and this design work, and the associated faculty application process. _St Mary’s and All Saints’, Conwy_ - The clock room and upper part of the tower interior were cleaned, and new window grills inserted to prevent bird infestation. - A re-ordering project was included in the scope of a Diocesan application to the Heritage Lottery Fund for financing to restore and reorder three major Grade 1 churches of the Diocese (the ‘Stones Shout Out’ project), but this failed to receive funding. Preparations for an independently managed project for St Mary’s began in 2023, focusing on maintenance of the tower. 9 ## _St Benedict’s, Gyffin_ - Re-ordering plans for St Benedict’s, to include introduction of a toilet, kitchenette, mains drainage and moderate re-ordering were subject to further consultation and modification during the year. ## _Llangelynnin Old Church_ - Despite Ezra-recommended repairs to the two buttresses, the interior continues to suffer from damp, which has affected the interior decoration. Faculty 2020-005990 for external roof repairs and re-pointing to walls, consolidation of existing earth floor, repair of internal lime plaster and redecoration of some windows was approved in 2021, but so far only the external roof repairs have been addressed. - To address the damp, Faculty 2023-009540 for archaeological excavation to identify the nature of any current drainage, was approved in 2023 and this work will start in 2024. ## _St Mary’s, Caerhun_ - Re-ordering plans for St Mary’s Caerhun, which were to include moderate reordering of the chancel, north transept and west entrance, were subject to further consultation, which was continuing at the year-end. ## _St Peter’s, Llanbedr y Cennin_ - Maintenance has been limited to occasional electrical work and checks. - Work on the roof and ceiling torching was scheduled for January 2024. ## _Conwy Church Hall_ - A planning application to Conwy County Borough Council for the modification and development of the derelict playground behind the Church Hall, for the benefit of church and community, prepared by the Diocesan Llan Project, was not approved. The scope of work and approach is being reconsidered. (The Llan Project is a Church in Wales initiative to promote church growth and evangelism, through facilitating new opportunities for communities and individuals to engage with the church). - In September 2023, the MAC applied for a substantial grant for renovation of the Church Hall from the Conwy Community Regeneration Key Fund, the local component of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF), and the result of his application was still awaited at year-end. ## **Churchyards** The historic parish churchyard funds have now run out, reflecting the high costs of recent maintenance and low current income from interments, so maintenance costs are largely financed from unrestricted reserves. Very welcome annual grants from the Conwy Town Council for the three Conwy churchyards, are gratefully acknowledged. In addition, a very generous private donation was received for tree maintenance at St Agnes cemetery, which was greatly appreciated. 10 ## _St Mary’s and All Saints’, Conwy_ A section of the north wall has collapsed or been demolished and negotiations regarding repairs, which are subject to faculty, are in hand. The churchyard is maintained by a small group of volunteers. Most of the pathways through the churchyard have been adopted by the council and are designated public footpaths. ## _St Agnes’ Graveyard_ St Agnes’ graveyard extends over approximately 3.5 acres on the east side of St Agnes Road, Conwy, adjacent to and north of the Town Council’s St Agnes’ Road Cemetery. It is an attractive site, sloping to the east, with many mature trees. Interments are limited to existing graves. The oldest (northern) part of the churchyard has been cleared in recent years by the active Friends of St Agnes, who continue diligently and faithfully to maintain that section. Between this northern sector and the Town Cemetery lies a narrow zone maintained by Bro Celynnin. There are nine Commonwealth War Graves Commission graves. The condition of the churchyard is now good, although reconstruction of sections of the walls is desirable. To encourage wildlife, a section is cut only once annually. ## _Graveyard of the deconsecrated Llangelynnin New Church, Rowen_ Although the church is now privately owned, the graveyard remains open to the public and is maintained and the gravestones checked regularly by the MAC. A small Friends group was formed in 2022 to undertake periodic maintenance. ## _Environmental management_ Bro Celynnin joined the nation-wide ‘Caring for God’s Acre’ scheme, which provides guidance and support for environmental management of churchyards. Wildlife observation days were held at all the churches during the summer and the reports forwarded to a national database. This initiative drew in many participants from the surrounding communities. 11 ## **Administrative Information** ## **Trustees (members of the Ministry Area Council)** **----- Start of picture text -----**
Appointed Retired
Incumbent The Rev D A Parry 25/05/16 13/08/23
Clergy The Rev E H D Parry 25/05/16
The Rev S Blagden 29/04/19
Lay Reader Mrs H F Thompson 29/04/19
Peoples' Warden Mr C J M Roberts 25/04/23 (original election 25/05/16)
Vicar's Warden Mr M E Young (& Treasurer) 07/06/23 (original election 9/11/17)
Elected members Mr S R Baldon 25/05/16
Mrs C M Clews 25/05/16 25/04/23
Mrs R I Mitchell 25/05/16
Mr J A Shakespear 25/05/16
Ms S M Swallow 23/04/18
Mrs J L Young 23/04/18 25/04/23
Mrs M Tobin 29/04/19
Mrs E M Clough 26/04/21
Mrs J Devereux 26/04/21 25/04/23
Mr D J Fabby 25/04/22
Mrs L C Jones 25/04/22
Mr M Holliland 25/04/23
Miss L Davidson-Flood 18/07/23
Mrs P Fysh 18/07/23
Mr G Griffith 18/07/23
Ex officio Mrs E A Bowen (Secretary) 27/04/17 20/01/23
Mrs B Baldon (Secretary) 25/04/23
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## **Charity Number** 1185028 **Administrative address** The Vicarage Rose Hill Street, Conwy, LL32 8LD **Independent Examiner** Malcolm Evans FCA Breeze and Co 9 Lloyd Street, Llandudno, LL30 2UU **Bankers** NatWest Bank, Llandudno, LL30 2WY Barclays Bank, Llandudno, LL30 2SH ## **Architect** **Parish Administrator and Safeguarding Officer** Donald Insall Associates, Conwy, LL32 8RF Mrs Nicola Davies-Nolan (part-time) 12 ## **Finance** ## **Finance sub-committee** The Finance Sub-committee met three times in 2023. Financial issues considered and/or actioned during 2023 included: - Banking: continued rationalisation of accounts. - Monitoring of investments in the Common Investment Fund of the Church in Wales and investment of accumulated cash. - Fundraising for church and charitable purposes. - Routine and emergency maintenance of churches and churchyards and advancement of potential re-ordering projects. - Moving to the MyFund Accounting system. ## **Accounts** For our level of income, the Charity Commission requires presentation of annual accounts in the Receipts and Payments format (Form CC16) and independent inspection, rather than audit. The independently inspected Receipts and Payments accounts for 2023 are presented in Annex A. The nominal surplus shown for the year is £29,522. However, Receipts include £38,230 realised from the sale of investments held in the Common Investment Fund of the CiW. The effective deficit is therefore £8,708. Other points to note include: - Total voluntary giving, the first four income categories (ie excluding Donations for Mission), was close to that of 2022, although Planned Giving decreased for the second year. - Donations received for Mission declined. - Income includes a kind legacy from our late Secretary, Mrs Jane Bowen. - Grants from many sources increased significantly, as shown in the table below. - Increased churchyard income reflects a much-appreciated grant from the Conwy Town Council and a very generous private donation towards the cost of tree surgery in St Agnes’ graveyard. - The Church Hall made a slight loss this year of £231. - The Ministry Area paid its agreed 2023 parish share of £83,500 in full to the Bangor Diocesan Board of Finance. Bro Celynnin has always contributed its agreed quarterly tranche on schedule. 13 ## **Grants** Grants received totalled £43,342 in 2023, and the Ministry Area is deeply grateful for generosity from so many sources, as shown in the following table. ## **Grants received in 2023** **----- Start of picture text -----**
Public - national Public - local Corporate Other
27/01/23 National Lottery Community Fund 10,000.00
26/01/23 Diocese of Bangor (architect fees, Gyffin) 3,206.61
15/02/23 Commonwealth War Graves Comm. (Caerhun) 22.50
20/02/23 Cartrefi Conwy 1,000.00
21/02/23 Conwy Town Council, for Bags of Love 1,000.00
21/02/23 Conwy Town Council for St Mary's tower repairs 6,360.00
27/02/23 Denbighshire CC RIF grant, training for Worship i.t.w. 3,041.40
13/03/23 Listed Buildings Places of Worship Scheme (Gyffin) 1,174.40
14/03/23 Cymdeithas Gweldd 1,250.00
27/03/23 Denbighshire CC RIF grant, training for Worship i.t.w. 324.31
30/03/23 Diocese of Bangor (architect fees, Caerhun)) 2,575.54
06/06/23 Gwynt y Mor energy grant (Church Hall) 750.00
26/06/23 Tesco Groundwork Community Grant 1,125.00
24/07/23 Blakemore Foundation (Spar) 200.00
08/09/23 Conwy Classical Music Festival 800.00
16/10/23 Conwy Classical Music Festival (picture restoration) 400.00
09/11/23 BOCS Self Storage (Guto Lewis) 5,000.00
10/12/23 Blakemore Foundation (Spar) 100.00
27/12/23 St David's Leisure (via Cymdeithas Gwledd) 500.00
11,196.90 11,725.71 8,925.00 6,982.15
Total (as per 'Grants - exceptional') 38,829.76
15/12/03 Commonwealth War Graves Comm. (Llanbedr)
(as per 'Grants - recurring') 12.00 12.00
04/10/23 Conwy Town Council (listed under 'Churchyards fees') 4,500.00 4,500.00
43,341.76
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## _Cash reserves_ At the year end, liquid reserves held in bank balances totalled £86,543 (Section B1 of the Accounts), within our preferred range of 4-6 months annual expenditure. ## _Planned-giving_ The numbers of individuals or couples giving regularly via Gift Direct or by standing order to the General Fund at end-2023 was 56 (2022: 62). ## _Investments_ The value of shares in the Common Investment Fund (CIF) of the Church in Wales rose by 5.6% over the year. Some investments were liquidated, notably to cover architects’ fees and part of the parish share, and the total value at year end was £738,968, as set out in Section B3 of the Accounts. ## **Financial administration** ## _Reserves and investments policy_ The policy of Bro Celynnin is that, taking all bank accounts together, readily available unrestricted resources should be maintained at four to six months of expected annual expenditure. Accumulated resources significantly exceeding this target will be invested in the Church in Wales Common Investment Fund with the objective of providing income to support the Ministry Area’s mission and objectives. If approved by the Trustees, investments may be liquidated to maintain services and to support projects relevant to the Ministry Area’s mission and objectives. 14 ## _Risk management_ Bro Celynnin’s income is below the threshold, above which a detailed risk assessment is required to be reported. Nevertheless, a simplified risk assessment that identifies the main risks is presented in Annex B, and this will be amplified and developed as the MA’s initial Mission, Finance and Property Development Plans are further advanced. ## _Financial controls_ Payments and receipts, received in cash, by cheque or bank transfer are managed according to the Charity Commission Guidance: _Internal Finance Control for Charities (CC8)._ ## **Funds management** ## _Restricted funds_ ## Bro Celynnin’s resources include these funds for specific purposes: **----- Start of picture text -----**
Fund Purpose
Bro Celynnin
Churchyards Fund Maintenance of churchyards
Charitable Fund Charitable and educational purposes
St Mary's, Conwy
Choir Fund Choir expenses
Chancel repair fund Maintenance of the Chancel of St Mary's
St Benedict's, Gyffin
Church Hall Fund Provision of relevant parish educational, residential or meeting places; or
'any other intellectual moral or social wants of the neighbouring population'
David Thomas Hughes Fund Charitable church purposes and repairs in connection with St Benedict's
St Mary's, Caerhun
Caerhun Church Hall Fund Charitable purposes of the parish (income unrestricted)
St Mary's legacies Charitable purposes of St Mary's
St Peter's, Llanbedr y Cennin
Mrs Laura Fair Fund General purposes of St Peter's
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## _Bags of Love Fund (within the Charity Fund)_ Demand on the fund increased over the year and now 90-100 families are supported, and a faithful team of 15-20 people help with purchasing, delivery and fund-raising. We continue to be grateful for many very kind and generous personal donations, and for donations or grants in 2023 from Asda, Blakelock Foundation, BOCS Self Storage, Cartrefi Conwy, Conwy Town Council, Cymdeithas Gwledd, Evenrock Ltd, Spar, Tesco and the National Lottery Community Fund. Corporate and personal donations remained at much the same level as 2022, and the fund was further strengthened by the £10,000 grant from the National Lottery Community Fund. Monthly expenditure averaged £1,524 from January to November, but jumped to £2,407 in December. The surplus in the fund has more than doubled since last December, and stands at £22,313. ## _Churchyards Fund_ The Churchyards Fund continues in deficit, due largely to tree surgery at the Llangelynnin New Church, reported last year (£19,020), and at the similarly un-endowed St Agnes Graveyard in 2023 (£7,994). M E Young _Ministry Area Treasurer_ 15 ## **Annex A Receipts and Expenses Accounts, 2023** 16 **----- Start of picture text -----**
Bro Celynnin Ministry Area (combined) No (if any)
Receipts and payments, 2023
For the period 01/01/2023 31/12/2023
To
from
Section A Receipts and payments
Unrestricted Restricted Endowment
Total funds 2022
funds funds funds
to the nearest to the nearest
to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £
£ £
A1 Receipts
Voluntary income
Loose (plate) collections 7,420 0 0 7,420 8,816
Planned giving 35,334 2,180 0 37,514 39,114
Offertory box / wallsafe 14,342 0 0 14,342 9,212
Donations 3,787 0 0 3,787 6,951
Mission 1,966 6,871 0 8,836 20,851
Funeral collections 0 0 0 0 0
Tax refund (GiftAid & GASDS) 16,051 1,151 0 17,202 15,295
Legacies 0 5,000 0 5,000 8,823
Grants - recurring 12 0 0 12 23
Grants - exceptional 8,179 30,651 0 38,830 7,680
Generated income 0 0 0 0 0
Money Raising (excluding Church Hall) 5,191 350 0 5,540 3,618
Money Raising - Church Hall receipts 5,022 0 0 5,022 6,577
Fees for Offices 8,061 0 0 8,061 6,878
Investment income, including bank interest 12,471 0 0 12,471 10,441
Other incoming resources 0 0 0 0 0
Rents 150 0 0 150 150
Churchyard fees 0 11,000 0 11,000 8,000
Net agency income 202 0 0 202 258
Sub total (Gross income for AR) 118,188 57,203 0 175,390 152,686
A2 Asset and investment sales, (see table).
Llanbedr and Gyffin 38,230 0 0 38,230 16,690
0 0 0 0 0
Sub total 38,230 0 0 38,230 16,690
0
Total receipts 156,418 57,203 0 213,620 169,376
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17 **----- Start of picture text -----**
A3 Payments
Support for Ministry
Parish share, paid directly to Diocese 83,500 0 0 83,500 83,500
Parish share, paid from churches via Bro Celynnin 0 0 0 0 0
Clergy expenses 4,382 0 0 4,382 5,538
Parish activities 0 0 0 0
Maintenance of services [wine, etc] 1,678 0 0 1,678 2,596
General parish expenses [stationery, meetings, etc] 10,198 0 0 10,198 3,398
Church property 0 0 0 0
Maintenance of churches, inc insurance 20,339 6,360 0 26,699 21,796
Churchyard maintenance 1,854 9,524 0 11,378 24,865
Maintenance of other property 20 0 0 20 838
Exceptional 0 12,498 0 12,498 24,172
Grant giving and support 0 0 0 0
Mission spending - parish 939 22,667 0 23,605 25,565
Mission spending - UK/world 1,760 650 0 2,410 2,747
Other resources expended 0 0 0 0
Costs of money-raising (exl. Church Hall) 908 0 0 908 702
Cost of money raising - Church Hall expenses 5,253 0 0 5,253 4,104
Capital payments 0 0 0 0 0
Net agency payments 1,532 0 0 1,532 216
Other miscellaneous expenses 36 0 0 36 33
Sub total 132,399 51,699 0 184,098 200,071
A4 Asset and investment purchases, (see
table)
Investment of surplus cash in CIF 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0
Sub total 0 0 0 0 0
Total payments 132,399 51,699 0 184,098 200,071
0
Net of receipts/(payments) 24,018 5,503 0 29,522 -30,695
A5 Transfers between funds 0 0 0 0 0
A6 Cash funds last year end 30,830 26,192 0 57,022 87,716
Cash funds 54,848 31,695 0 86,543 57,021
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18 Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of 2023 Unrg•trf¢¢gd fundi RoqtriGtod Endowmont fund• C•tggorlg5 Dotal Ir*n••mtÈ B1 Cash fuThd8 It ènd.Dtr¢embtrr 2023 conwy 0,150 7,954 Gyffin 7.935 LlaAtedr 16.7F2 BTQ Cetynnin ladmin hjbl 23.990 Tot*1 ¢a$h fynds 31.696 OK OK OK unrWtr￿t•o lund R•$lrl¢tsd ÉThdowm•nt funds fundi to nHrq¥tE Illn￿￿1£ Oètal B2 Other monetary as80ts Gyffin L￿nbedr ¢Wynnin l$dmini Fund •M•tbthnAs Currqnl y￿u• B3 InvoStrn8nt assets Con 44.438 G￿ffin CaÈthun 352.e64 372.337 L￿n￿Jr 41,430 36.323 Bro CelYnn￿ lèdminl 293.868 282.527 732,391 73B.968 Fundtowhlch b￿￿ D•tsll¥ C￿1 l0ptknn￿I 1.SOO Cuff•ntv•l B4 A850ts retslned for tho charSty'8 own u8 ca8￿￿ srrtmd 1.PJS 4,18È F￿￿ta*hICh 4t•¥ Amountd Dotalls BS Llablllues Generèi Recapts Troiyet credit G9n¢r81 000 Loan General Outstsndiw ctwues Churchystds General BMF adiuxtrnents Date ol roval ITU¥1￿ Signaiure Pnni Name MEYOU 0910512024 eJMRoW 5Y2024 19 ## **Annex B – Risk analysis** |**Bro Celynnin Ministry Area: outline assessment of core risks**|**Bro Celynnin Ministry Area: outline assessment of core risks**||||| |---|---|---|---|---|---| ||||**Factors(after mitigation)**||| |**Risk**|**Effect of risk**|**Mitigation measures**|**Likelihood **|**Impact**|**Combined**| |**Mission and organisation**|||**(1= low; 5= high)**||| |Gradual reduction of
congregational numbers|Failure to deliver mission and
objectives
Loss of income|• Continual outreach and energetic, proactive mission by
clergy and congregations|3|5|15| |Loss of key personnel, notably
clergy|Failure to deliver mission and
objectives|• Continual efforts to attract and motivate key congregational
leaders
• Effective recruitment at times of transition|2|5|10| |Poor management and
ineffective goal setting|Demotivation of clergy and
volunteers, leading to decline of
congregations, loss of income
and failure to deliver objectives|• Clear statement of purpose and management process via
Mission, Property and Finance Development Plans
• Maintenance of clear, frequent and positive communications
by various channels|1|4|4| |**Property**|||||| |Injury to people and third party
property, arising from our buiilt
properties or churchyards|Personal injury, damage to third
party property|• Regular inspections (Ezra Report) to identify risks and
required maintenance
• Phased programme of recommended maintenance
• Regular routine monitoring of the general state of buildings
and churchyards and rapid emergency maintenance when
necessary
•Appropriate insurance|1|4|4| |Damage to our buildings|Financial cost to restore|As above|2|3|6| |Damage to our churchyards|Financial cost to restore|As above|2|1|2| |**Finance**|||||| |Loss of financial resources
through fraud|Inability to maintain property and
to cover expenses, including the
Parish Share|• All investments held independently by CiW
• Only dual authorisation of payments possible
• Spending limits set
• CC_Internal Finance for Charities Guidance_followed|1|3|3| |Failure to maintain income levels|Drawing down of resources, loss
of investment income, ultimately
leading to financial failure|• Encouragement of giving by traditional and innovative means
• Promotion of legacies
• Regular applications for Gift Aid and GASDS, and VAT refund
grants
• Money raising events
• Financing special projects by strategic fundraising|
3|3|9| |Unexpected significant expenses|As above|• Careful budgeting and monitoring of controllable expenses
• Keeping to building maintenance schedules|2|3|6| 20 ## **Annex C – Bags of Love Fund** **----- Start of picture text -----**
Bags of Love / Bagiau Cariad
Summary financial report, November 2020 to December 2023
Nov-Dec 2020 2021 2022 2023
Brought forward 0.00 4,496.86 6,394.98 10,092.12
Expenses
Equipment 207.97 327.93 314.80
Energy vouchers 250.00
Food parcels distributed * 478.14 15,337.91 16,133.05 20,127.44
Total expenses 478.14 15,545.88 16,460.98 20,692.24
Receipts
Grants - Nat. Lottery Community Fund 8,000.00 0.00 10,000.00
Grant - Cartrefi 1,000.00
Grants - Conwy Town Council 3,333.00 500.00 0.00 1,000.00
Grants - local companies & organisations 1,000.00 4,100.00 8,218.00 8,275.00
Events and collections 446.00 2,086.92 1,429.60
Personal donations (excl waived costs) 535.00 3,665.00 8,211.00 9,340.70
Gift Aid on 80% personal donations, est 107.00 733.00 1,642.20 1,868.14
Total receipts 4,975.00 17,444.00 20,158.12 32,913.44
Surplus carried forward 4,496.86 6,394.98 10,092.12 22,313.32
* Excluding value of food donations
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