Annual PCC report for the year ending 31[st] December 2024
The church of St Mary the Virgin, Alveley, is a Grade II* listed building within the village conservation area. The church dates back to 1140 and is of considerable architectural beauty and historical interest. The United Benefice consists of the churches of St Mary the Virgin, Alveley, and St Andrew, Quatt. It was in the Bridgnorth Deanery within the Diocese of Hereford and situated in the county of Shropshire. During 2024, the Bridgnorth Deanery amalgamated with other local Deaneries and the new Deanery is now called the Severn Borders Deanery.
The address for correspondence is:
David & Jackie Hampson, 23 Daddlebrook Road, Alveley, Bridgnorth, Shropshire. WV15 6PT Email: david.hampson2025@gmail.com and jackie.hampson@hotmail.com
Members of the Parochial Church Council (PCC) are either ex-officio (Clergy, Readers, Church Wardens, Deanery Synod Representatives, Alveley Old Chapel Manager) – the latter because Alveley Old Chapel is under the ownership and jurisdiction of the church. Others are elected at the Annual Parochial Church Meeting (APCM) in accordance with Church Representative Rules.
During 2024 the following have served as PCC members:
| Incumbent: | Reverend Jon Aldwinckle |
|---|---|
| Reader: | Mrs Sue Chidwick |
| Church Wardens: | Mrs Penny Jenkins |
| Mrs Alison Pearson | |
| Deanery Synod Reps:Mrs Kirsty Ritzenthaler | |
| Mrs Sue Chidwick | |
| Mrs Alison Pearson | |
| Safeguarding Officer:Mrs Jackie Hampson | |
| Alveley Old Chapel Manager:MM | |
| Elected Members: | Mr Dale Chidwick |
| Mr David Hampson (Joint PCC Secretary) | |
| Mrs Jackie Hampson (Joint PCC Secretary) | |
| Mrs Anne Simms (PCC Treasurer/Gift Aid Officer) | |
| Mrs Kirsty Ritzenthaler (Electoral Roll Officer) | |
| Mrs Penny Jenkins | |
| Mr Colin Taylor | |
| Prof Paul Rylance | |
| Mr Paul Walford | |
| Dr Keith Pearson | |
| Mrs Alison Pearson | |
| Mrs Patricia Haw | |
| Mrs Lynn Madden | |
| Mrs Jenny Sirrell |
Aims and Purposes of the PCC: St Mary’s PCC has the responsibility for co-operating with the incumbent in promoting in the ecclesiastical parish the whole mission of the church, pastoral, evangelistic, social and ecumenical. It is a Registered Charity (No. 1185217).
During 2024 our incumbent has continued to engage well with the PCC, congregation and wider village residents.
JA is a great benefit to St Marys and St Andrews and has built on the successful existing services and events and introduced many new initiatives for worship, fundraising and fellowship.
Objectives and Activities: The PCC is committed to enabling as many people as possible to worship and become part of the parish community of Alveley. To facilitate this work, it is important to maintain the fabric of the church. The last Quinquennial Report highlighted various issues to be addressed and these continue to be attended to by the Churchwardens. This year has continued to be challenging and demanding on all levels. A new Quinquennial Survey has been undertaken in July 2024, the report is still to be received.
Safeguarding: To ensure that all are cared for safely, we have a Safeguarding Officer, Mrs Jackie Hampson, and any concerns over personal welfare and safety should be addressed to her.
Pastoral Care and Visiting: JA has recommenced pastoral care with hospital and home visits. Holy Communion is provided at home for those unable to get to Church and is also planned for Bower Grange, the home for the elderly in the Parish.
Prayer Ministry: praying with and for people at any time. Suggestions for daily prayers are now given out each Sunday. There is a prayer session every Monday morning which is well attended.
Training: Two PCC members began further ministry training. Keith Pearson – began Reader Training in September and Alison Pearson began her course on: ‘an Introduction to Christian Ministry’.
Worship and Music: Our music group plays frequently at 20/20/20 services. Full congregational hymn singing, choir and the playing of the organ continue to be the main method of worship in the other services.
Children and Youth: Sunshine corner, our parent, carer, baby and toddler group closed during 2024 due to the resignation of the leader (to pursue other activities within the village).
Messy Church has been re-introduced on the first Saturday of each month and is proving to be very successful. In July the session was held at the Alveley Summer Festival with the story of Noah. This introduced Messy Church to a much wider audience.
A Youth Club provision is planned.
The Open the Book sessions at Alveley Primary School have also continued and are very well received by Alveley School.
Home groups: small groups held in a few parishioner’s homes, draw adults to explore the Christian faith and lead them to learn more from Bible study and discussion.
Men’s outreach: “Breakfast in the Old Chapel” a meal and an outside speaker to present men with the message of Christ outside the church will resume in 2025.
Alveley Old Chapel: a church-owned and governed establishment in the redundant Methodist Chapel is popular within the village. Coffee, tea, cakes and light lunches are available on two days a week and there is a lovely garden to sit in on sunny days.
MM continued as manager of the AOC tea rooms in 2024. However, during 2024 it became obvious that the Old Chapel income was insufficient to cover the costs of an official manager. MM is due to stand down in early 2025 and the “management” of the facility will be shared between a number of willing volunteers.
A relaunch is planned for May 2025 with the facility to be known as the Old Chapel Community Centre with a greater emphasis to be put on hiring out for private functions as well as maintaining the two day a week Tea Rooms.
AOC is supported financially by a bequest fund and St Mary’s Church. A system of joint accounting with church has been established so that the Treasurer can easily oversee finances.
The AOC Management Committee consists of: Anne Simms, Penny Jenkins, LP, MM, Jackie Hampson and Reverend Jon Aldwinckle. We are very grateful to the team of volunteers who work so hard for its success.
Other village organisations - Chapel Crafters and the Be Cafe have used this as a venue as well. The PCC has held its meetings here and the Parish Administrator has used the office facilities. AOC is also available for private hire.
This has become a wonderful use of a redundant building, and we continue to be grateful for the generous legacy which enabled the Chapel to be purchased by the church, thus providing the whole community with hospitality and fellowship and a continuity of life for a much-loved building. Plaques recording the legacy and giving the mission statement are on display.
New Life Nepal : We continued our support of New Life House - the charitable trust in Dhangadhi, Far West Nepal, along with supporters in Thame, Tupsley, and another parish in Hereford diocese.
In June 2024 a new company was established designating New Life Orphanage as a hostel. This will not have the same regulatory difficulties as previously experienced. The hostel is now called Sitkar Hostel.
We receive regular news and updates at PCC meetings. Penny Jenkins has continued to maintain our contact with the Trust, and we thank her for this, although the main management is based in Thame.
Church Attendance: The Electoral Roll is currently 83, entitling us to 3 Deanery Synod representatives. Church services averaged around 50. We continue to work with and share events at St Andrew’s, Quatt.
Parish Retreat : A weekend away is being planned for November 2025. Approximately 30 parishioners have booked in.
Bell Ringers: The bell ringers are an active group who practice on a Thursday evening. They ring on some Sundays and at special services/events.
Fundraising and Social Events: We are very grateful to those in the congregation who have arranged to make their offering by Standing Order thereby ensuring a regular income from these sources which has helped enormously in ensuring regular income.
Additional fundraising events during 2024 were:
Pancake Morning including Pancake Races with families who attended – it was half term so the school did not attend as a whole.
Christmas Tree Festival 2024– this was an extremely successful event that brought many different organisations from the village together and also brought many villagers and friends through the Church for the festival and refreshments. It was open longer from Friday through to Monday which seemed to work well.
Harvest Lunch – this was a Bring and Share style and was well attended.
Many members of the congregation and PCC have continued to help with ongoing practical tasks of maintenance and caring and we would again like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who plays a part in our church life. Without everyone’s efforts in countless ways, our church would not be the spiritual, caring and loving community it is, seeking to make God’s kingdom here in Alveley. Thank you so much to you all for all that you do.
David & Jackie Hampson May 2025
St Mary's Financial Review for Year Ended 31/12/24
Financial Review
Total receipts on unrestricted funds amounted to £74,183, of which £51,707 related to unrestricted voluntary donations. There were no restricted donations received. The freehold property, Alveley Old Chapel, continues to be used primarily as a tea room.
The planned giving through banker's orders increased during 2024 by 12%. Total income, excluding legacy and gift aid, is almost unchanged compared to last year, with decreases in income from Alveley Old Chapel and PCC fees balanced out by increases in voluntary income and fund-raising. Recovered Gift Aid amounted to £8,294 as a result of one claim made during 2024, after two claims totalling £18,536 in 2023.
£62,058 was spent from unrestricted funds to provide the Christian ministry from St Mary's Church, including the £40,000 contribution to the diocesan parish share, unchanged from 2023, that largely provides the stipends and housing for the clergy. Overall unrestricted costs represented a decrease of 7% compared to 2023, primarily due to the higher costs in 2023 as a result of an investment of c£8k in an improved sound system within the church.
The net result for the year was an excess of payments over receipts of £8,550 on unrestricted funds, an increase of over £3k compared to the excess of payments over receipts of £5,370 in 2023. The balances carried forward at 31st December 2024 on unrestricted funds totalled £126,983, of which £3,053 relates to the Chapel bank accounts and cash floats.
Reserves Policy
It is PCC policy to maintain a balance on unrestricted funds which equates to at least three months of 'usual' unrestricted payments. Currently there is nobody salaried in the church accounts, and, from March 2025, there is no longer a manager at the Chapel. We also maintain a higher reserves figure to cover anything urgent that may come up on the church's quinquennial review, which looks at the condition of the buildings, as suggested by the Church of England guidance on reserves.
Anne Simms
Treasurer May-25
ST MARY THE VIRGIN ALVELEY PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL Reg18tered Charlty Number 1185217 REPORT AND ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024
ST MARY THE VIRGIN ALVELEY PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL CONTENTS Pag6 Legal and Admh16tratlve InfonatIon Indopondwt Examlnorfs Rewt Stat8rnent of Rec8lpts and PayméTrtB Statement of Awts and UablIleS Notes to the Acc(wnls
8T MARY THE VIRGIN ALVELEY PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION MINISTER . Rev J( Aldwind(18 CHURCH TREA8URER Anne &rrKn8 CHARrfY NUMBER 1185217 PRINCIPAL ADDRESS Si M8ry's Church Afv818y Vi118g8 Shropshlrè WV15 8ND BANKER8 B8rd8ys Bank PLC Lei¢6sler Leicestershlre LE87 2BB INDEPENDENT EXAMINER David Price FCCA WalLaGe Cro(Afe Chartered Accountonts College House Sl Leonards Close Bridanorth Shropshiro WV16 4EJ
INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF ST MARY THE VIRGIN. ALVELEY PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL IPCCI I report on accounts of Ihe charTrty lor Ihe year ended 31* December 2024. which are a1Ched. RoSPgGII¥o responsSbllltles ol tho Members and Examln•r As the Chafity's Iruslees, who 8re members of Iho PCC you are r8sponslble for the prepar811on of the accounts.. you consider that Ihe audit requirement of section 144121 of the Ch8riles Act 2011llhe Act) does nol 8pply. 11 is my responsibillly lo slate, on tho basis ol procedures spgcilied in the General Dlffj¢iions given by Ihe Chadty Commlssloners under Section 14515llbl of the Acl. whether particular ma116rs havg come lo my att8ntlon. Ba•ls of Independent Examln8r'8 Roport My examination was cafried out in accordance with the General Direclions given by the Charity CommissK)nors. An exarninalion includes a revbew of the accounling records kept by Ihe Charity 8nd a comp8ri50n of the 8ccounls presented with those records. 1181s0 includes consider8lion of 8ny unusual item5 or disclosures in the accounts. and seeking explanations from you 8$ Iru$iee$ conceTning any such matters. The procedures undertskon do not providè all lh8 evidencè Ihal would be requlred In an audii and. consequeniiy I do not expre85 an audit oplnlon on the vlew glven In Ihe ac¢ounl5. Indopgndgnt Examlnef s Statement In nnectn wtlh my examination, no matter has lo come lo my attention (8) Which giv¢s me reasonable cause lo belleve that In any material respect the requir8menls: To keèp accounllng record$ accordance wilh S8¢iion 130 of Ihe 2011 Acl To prepare accounts which accord with the a¢¢ounling recorés and lo comply with th• accounting requlremenls under the 2011 have nol been mel., or (b) To which, In my opinion. attenlion should be drawn in order lo enable a proper understanding of the accounts lo be reached. D Price FCCA Wallace Crooke Chartered Accountants College Houso Sl Leonards CKise Biidgnorth Shropshire WV164EJ D81e: 1$.,..(r).2pl5.
St P*iThe AlbYl•y Churth Coun Forth•Y••r Ènd•d 31 D•¢•mb•r2Q24 2013 I lund Tot•1 Furkls R•t•lpts Vthiht•ry r•¢dpts 3Q205 498 J.878 &294 2,716 51.591 30,20S 8,498 1,994 8.294 2.716 51.707 27,009 728 , C&lectSons 116 Glft recovtrnd ArtIe$ Iw 8tn¢rniin6 fvnd5 1&536 Ok8 58,235 116 In4wvn•ntlncom• Churth 8thlties Othw Income Sale5 l.B17 7,118 1.118 10.493 7,118 aif. 13.587 13.M7 14,081 Toi•l r•¢•lpts fA391 13.792 74.219 .028 pyffjts Parfsh shlre CITh runnin8 txpenstS Church DJnn1tv5 Ch•pd Nnn5TKq expen 1.136 24020 1.136 20.020 20.675 1,196 28.617 18.945 20,675 61,156 20,675 81.BJl 9)2 88.758 613 Cosi olyrwitlr4fvnth Totll ¥•ym•nts 62.058 10,675 82,733 89.371 Ei¢•ss olr•ulp15 over payrrMts 1,66? Fund5 I0•rd •t l J•ny•ry 2024 124,741 10,792 49.657 185,1 I,533 Tr•Thst•fs Intheyr Fwrfli ¢•rrW Igrw4rd •131 D¢¢ember 10?4 123.074 49.703 176.686 185.190 afi IthT
StTre Mln l•y hmchlal Chwth Cwwll Jiir ytsl FrKth• Ymr Ehd•d 31 D•E•mb•r 2024 BuMdlr45 69.622 69,622 69.622 45JOI 10967 56,768 98.516 101,294 ii,oiy 119.307 CJF •(cnts 897 49.703 3909 110.380 Cyrmrt u11111 ljhv ¢redllL vrt.: 3.316 3316 k* wets 49.703 107.064 IiS.S68 Totsl ass•ts1oss curr•M 141I1rt1•5 123,0?4 176,685 185,1 Churth Itoof l•) FIts¢ Fund Ibl St Mary5 Illnk bequtrtl Idl 372 89D 48,395 373 9>5 41.395 45 49,657 46 49.703 Sunday5thwl l¢1 The Qld ChaFel 856 9,936 10,792 13,792 lJ,792 3.053 20.675 124.741 123,074 TfA•l 185,19D 74,229 83,733 176,686 Th ftnJndalsuwnontsww• •ppro¥•d tyihe Board olTnJst••s on 4 I behlll by., 101 and w•r• s18Md OD Its J Aldwrinckle- Chair
8T MARY THE VIRGIN ALVELEY PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024 A¢counllng Poll¢l 8a•h ol pr•p•r•llon The financlal statements of the Parochlal Church Cwncll have btsen prep8recl In aCcanCe the Church Accountlng Regulations 2006 and the Charities Acl 2011. The fin8nd81 slatements have been prepared under the recelpts and payynants bas18. Flx•d A•B•l• Tangible flxed a88ats cM8181 of the freehotd prem1888 at Awey Old Chapel. are belng held at hl8l¢xlG cosL T•x•tlon The th8rtty18 exernpt from Lgx Its tharllablo activllos. R••trlc*•d Fund• Restrkl8d funds ¢8n only bo usod frx particular re8trlct•d purposes wlthSn Ihe 8¢(3 ol the ¢h8rty, ROSOn8 8rf88 when spec1 by the donor or funds •ro r81s8d for partlcul8r le8Cted purposes. The Church Rcol Fund r8presgnts 8¢cumulated donauons m81nten8n¢e of the church rool. f Mthich funds may only be pOsed. The Fabrfc Fund represents accumulated donauons for malnlengnce of tha church labr(c. for thlch lund$ may onty be purposed. St Marye8 (Unk 8•qu8st). The bequest w88 left lo the Vlcar and Churthwardens ol Sl Mary's AfveEay, for uge by the bc81 churth. Fund8 are lo be used for Ihat wry)0se onty. Unr••trlcl•d Fund• eley Old Chapal repr88onts Ihe a¢¢umulaled Sncorn8 and exp8ndllur8 of Afvebey Ohj Ch8pel. Thes& are hèkl In a $eparale bank acrAyJnl, but the Parochial Church Coundl18 the accountab18 b (them. The Sunday School lund reSentS awJmuIed deaan8 for the Sunday School.
INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF ST MARY THE VIRGIN. ALVELEY PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL IPCCI I report on Bcwunls of Ihe charity for the year ended 314 December 2024. which are a1Ched. Re8p•ctlv• reiponJlbllltl•8 of th• Mgmbgr• and Examlnor As the Charity's truslees, who are members of Ihe PCC you ara r8srMMsibl8 for Ihe preparation of the accounts-, you conslder th81 Ihe audit requirement of section 144I2} ol the Ch8riles Act 2011llhe Act) does nol apply. 11 is my r05ponsibilily lo stale. on Ihg basis of procedures specified in the General Dlreclions given by the Ch8dty Commissioners under Section 145151{bl of the Act, whether particular mallèrs have comg lo my attenllon. BaBls of Indèpondont Examlngr's Report My examinalion WB5 carried ovl in accordance with the General Direelions given by Ihe Charity Commi5sionors. An examination Includes 8 review of the accounting records kept by the ChBrity and a Comparison of Ihe accounis presented with those records. 11 also indudes consideralion of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts. and seeking explanations from you as Iru8lee$ concerning any such m8llers. The procedures undertsken do not providè all Ihe evidènce that would be requlred In an audll and. ¢onsequ•nlly I do not expre85 an audrt oplnlon on the vlew glven In Ihe account5. Indepèndent ExamIne¥ Statement In conn8Ctlon wkh my examinatlon, no matter has lo come to my attention (81 Whlch glves me re880nable cause lo b8118ve that In any m8leAal respect the requirgmenl5: To keep accounllng Tecords In accordance with Sectlon 130 01 the 2011 Act To prepare accounts which 8ccord with the accounting recorés and lo comply with the 8ccounling requlremenls under Ihe 2011 A¢1 have nol been mel., or (b) To which. in my opinion. allenuon should be drawn in order lo enable a proper undefslanding ol Ihe accounts lo b8 re8ched. D Pfice FCCA Wallace Cfooke Chartered Accountants College HoLbse Sl Leonards Close Bridgnorth Shropshira WV164EJ Dale..