This text was generated using OCR and may contain errors. Check the original PDF to see the document submitted to the regulator.

St Martin of Tours Parish Church, West Coker

Registered Charity Number: 1184593

Annual Report

Year ending 31[st] December 2022

Administrative Information

St Martin of Tours Parish Church is situated in Church St, West Coker. It is part of the Diocese of Bath & Wells, within the Church of England. The correspondence address is 1 Manor Farmhouse, Gooseacre Lane, West Coker, Yeovil, Somerset, BA22 9BA

The Parochial Church Council is a charity registered with the Charity Commission.

PCC Members who have served since 27[th] April 2022 until the date this report was approved are:-

Incumbent & Chairperson Rev. Colin Simpson

Vice Chair Mrs Valerie Barker

Wardens Mrs Susan Bonning Mrs Patricia Ricketts

Representatives on the Yeovil Deanery Synod

Mrs Valerie Barker – Deanery Lay Chair Mrs Jacqueline Gormer

Elected Members

Mrs Judy Beaty

Mrs Lotty Boersma (in the absence of Mrs Sylvia Bruce) Mrs Caroline Collins Mr Michael Collins Mrs Rita Coward Mrs Barbara Hampshire

Co-opted Member – Secretary

Mrs Sandie Simpson

Structure, Governance and Management

The method of appointment of PCC members is set out in the Church Representation Rules. All Church attendees are encouraged to register on the Electoral Roll and stand for election to the PCC.

Report on Fabric of the Parish Church and Review of the Year - 2022 - Church Wardens

There were 44 members on the Electoral Roll. Sadly, we have lost a few but look as if we will gain a few new members this coming year. The average weekly attendance counted during October was 22, which is an increase. Numbers attending services are indeed slowly increasing which is pleasing. During the year we have had four baptisms, four funerals and one wedding. Holy Communion Services have been led by Revd. Simpson and Revd. Turrell. Other services were led by a lay team of Pat Ricketts, Sue Bonning, Val Barker, Alan Gormer, Jacky Gormer and Chris Varley. We are lucky to have such a dedicated team. People seem to enjoy a variety of service leaders.

Harvest Festival was well supported and catered for over 40 people. There was a Christingle Service on 13th December when our Village School attended, 32 children and 12 adults. It was particularly good to have our Remembrance Sunday Service supported this year by our local branches of Scouts and Guides and over 70 adults and 25 children attended. Our Carol Service on December 11th was also well attended with 71 adults and 3 children. Services were held to mark Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee and everyone enjoyed the Songs of Praise and poetry evening, followed by refreshments and fellowship. There was also a Requiem Eucharist to honour the death of our late Queen.

School Collective Worship has been reinstated and they meet on a regular basis in our church where parents and parishioners are invited to join in. A School Leavers Service also took place and prayer books were presented to those Year 6 pupils leaving.

Looking back, we appear to have had a busy and active year! The PCC have met regularly. A new Church Notice board was finally installed on 8th February – this having been discussed and sanctioned before Covid struck! There were two Lent Lunches organised, the money raised going to the Alzheimer’s charity, Brace, based at Southmead Hospital. The money raised from the successful Winter Warmers went to the Roof Fund. Both events were well supported and provided a lovely opportunity for friends to meet up. Sue Bonning and her helpers Pat and Ann put on a highly successful Plant Sale in May. Always popular within the village, it raised yet more funds for our roof appeal. The PCC decided to ask for help to keep our churchyard tidy. We had two ‘Churchyard Mornings’ in April and October, where people from the village turned up with equipment to mow, strim and tidy! We must also thank Sue, George, Mick and John Fosdick who keep the grass cut on a regular basis, thus saving the church purse much needed funds as Colin Vowels is no longer doing this. In November Stephen and Christine Turrell put on an excellent Quiz Night at The Hall. Always sold out, it was much enjoyed by all and we look forward in anticipation to the next!

Advent Calendars were given to every child in the school and we would like to thank Chris and Lottie for undertaking this again.

We would also like to mention David Neal who works hard to maintain the clock and look after the church bells. It is always a blessing when a team can be got together to ring.

Little has been done on the fabric of the church this year. However, the churchyard wall on the north side of the church collapsed during the awful weather of November/December and fell into an adjoining garden. Quotes have been collected and we hope this will soon be rectified. The paving slabs outside of the main door have been painted with non-slip paint to make them safer when it rains.

A new initiative has begun in our village school. A Parent and Toddler Group has started every Tuesday, under the auspices of the church, which meets in the school hall. This is called Acorns and aims to provide a network of friendship. It has had a good start and is well supported.

We have been heartened by comments of new people visiting our church, who have said how warm and welcoming we all are.

The PCC wishes to express their thanks to all those who have helped in anyway with work in or around the church and also by supporting our fund raising causes.

Sue Bonning and Mick Collins 10[th] April 2023

Report on the Proceedings of the Church Council - 2022 – Secretary

Fortunately, with the opening up of society after the Covid pandemic, we have been able to meet in person this year. The PCC met in January, March, May, July and October. Our September meeting was postponed until October due to the death of our Queen. Our meetings have been well attended and have a good supportive atmosphere. We have covered topics as varied as fundraising, trees, re-ordering and Safeguarding.

We would like to thank Sue Bonning for offering us Teal House for our meetings. So much warmer than church!

Sandie Simpson 15[th] April 2023

Report on Finances of the Parish Church –2022 – Treasurer

2022 was a quiet one financially for St Martin of Tours, but also a worrying one – we have two occasions where we have not met our financial commitments with regard to bank balance in our current account. One for our monthly insurance direct debit in December (this resulted in two payments coming out of our bank account in January 2023, and one for our Parish Share Direct Debit payment in August – this payment has not been paid.

Our Parish Share was £15,726.72, which is a 14.52 %increase from 2021; we actually paid £14,416.16 to the D.B.F. (we missed one month payment of £1,310.56 as there were not enough funds in the account).

We made our fourth payment of £12,000 to pay off the loan to East Coker PCC for the 2022 instalment. We continue to raise funds where we can through events such as the Winter Warmer Lunch in February (£349.00) and regular

donations throughout the year. We have approximately just under £600 to raise before the end of the year (2023) to completely pay off this loan to East Coker PCC in December 2023.

We have not made any request for gift aid Tax refund for 2020 ,2021 and 2022 to date, which went into our General Fund. Alan Gomer has made a claim for Gift Aid for the above mentioned years this year (2023), so not included in the 2022 accounts.

The running expenses for the church was £1,711.34, which includes electricity (£766.87), alter supplies (£308.46), annual servicing for fire extinguishers, Lightning conductor, organ tuning (£441.38). We received an Energy Grant from the Diocese of Bath & Wells of £400.

The proceeds from the sale of the Old School Room have been invested in a CCLA deposit account which is accessible. The balance remains £ 57,390. Interest received during 2022 amounted to £382.36. We further received £ 69.95 of interest on our “General Reserves Account” of £ 10,500 with CCLA.

Our fund-raising activities amounted to £3,084, which was raised with such events as Plant Sale, Lent Lunches, Snowdrop day and Church Quiz. Our Giving for 2022 totalled £1,274 – DEC Ukraine, Brace, RBL and Somerset Churches. With fundraising and donations we banked £5,669.00 into the Church Roof account.

Our plate receipts for 2022 are approximately £15k, which if we continue with the same plate receipts for 2023 will not be enough to cover our Parish Share, Annual Insurance, Annual running Costs etc. for 2023!

At the end of the year (2022) the balance in our General bank account was £1,567.96 and in our Roof Fund bank account £9,535.98 . The Roof Fund account is dedicated to the repayment of the East Coker loan. Our total monies in our various accounts amounts to £96,078.24.

I would like to record huge thanks to Alan Gormer for guiding me, his help has been and is invaluable.

Barbs Hampshire 4th April 2023

Appointment of the Independent Examiner

Report on the proceedings of the Deanery Synod – Deanery Synod Member

This month marks the end of the 2020 -2023 Deanery Synod Triennial. New parish representatives are currently being elected, and the first meeting of the new triennial will take place in June.

Synod has met three times in the last year. In June 2022 the headteachers of Tintinhull VC Primary School and Chilthorne Domer VC Primary School spoke movingly about their experience of COVID 19, and how it was still affecting children. In October, parish representatives shared their mission plans with one another in a facilitated discussion, which continued for some considerable time. The February meeting was addressed by Farhad Chermahini, who told us about his Pioneer work in the Birchfield area of St Michael’s parish, and of how he is building relationships there.

Val Barker 6[th] April 2023

Report on the list of Church Members – Electoral Roll Officer - 2022

There are currently 44 on the Electoral Roll, having lost a couple this year. However I think it likely that perhaps four will not renew their membership when that time comes, but I’m confident that we have four people now attending who would like to become members.

Caroline Collins 4[th] April 23

Report on Safeguarding – Safeguarding Officer – 2022

Safeguarding is part of everyone’s responsibility associated with our Benefice of Churches. ‘Safeguarding’ should be on every PCC meeting’s agenda. As a Benefice we must continue to do all we can to ensure we are providing a safe, inclusive and nurturing environment for all children and vulnerable adults within our church communities.

It was agreed that a new, shorter policy should be written, entitled The Coker Ridge Benefice Safeguarding Policy. It is currently in the process of being approved and adopted by the Benefice

The Acorns stay and play fun and social group for babies, toddlers and grown-ups takes place in West Coker CEVC Primary School. This presents as a safe environment under the governance of the School. The Acorn Leaders, Val Barker, Doreen Frosdick, Claire Swarbrick and Katherine Thomas all hold up to date Safeguarding Foundation Certificates. I also hold the Disclosure and Barring Service certificate.

The weekly CRB Newsletter always states my role as Safeguarding Officer with my contact number should any issues occur that people feel they need to report or speak about. As an addition to this, I have asked Sue Phillips [Hardington Mandeville] as discussed at a recent West Coker PCC meeting, to have her name and telephone number included in the weekly CRB Newsletter too. Sue is a trained nurse, an excellent listener, knows a lot of local folk and can relate well to bereavement.

Each church in our Benefice has a new, laminated A4 ‘Promoting a Safer Church’ poster, including Sue Phillips name and telephone number. These posters need to be clearly displayed. 4th April 2023

Zambia Companion Link – 2022

The Zambia Companion Link has once again been very quiet during the past year. The main reason has been the change of personnel at the cathedral in Ndola and at St Peter, Twapia. We had good contacts with Fr. Leonard Tembo during his time as priest and Dean but once he moved to a teaching post, contact was lost. Bishop Derek Kamukwamba retired so we could not contact him for news. We asked our Zambia Link Coordinator at Diocesan level if she could help. We eventually managed to get the name of a person to contact and now, I am able to exchange emails with Mwazi Banda, who is a member of the St. Veronica Guild and the Vice secretary at parish level. She tells me that St Peter are not having any elections this year and will maintain the old executive.

Currently, at the Diocese of Bath and Wells, there is a vacancy for the post of Zambia Programme Coordinator. They are looking for a committed person to support and develop the link relationship with the Dioceses of Zambia. The successful applicant will be a key contact between Zambia and Bath and Wells and be an advocate of the link, encouraging new parish and school links.

Rector’s Report to Annual Parochial Church Meetings 2023

From the 2022 registers:

Baptisms	6
Weddings	9
Funerals	24

Where did 2022 go?

I suppose it is a product of coming out of lockdown and trying to understand what the new normal is for our churches, that makes me feel as though the past year has simply flown by, as Joni Mitchell sings in the Circle Game:

“And the seasons they go round and round

And the painted ponies go up and down

We're captive on the carousel of time

We can't return we can only look

Behind from where we came

And go round and round and round

In the circle game”

But looking ‘behind from where we came’ the benefice has had another good year. We began it with Simon Keyes helping us to look at who we are and how we might engage with our communities and end it looking at all the interactions we have had and the plans we have for the future. Your Benefice Council continues to meet and guide us through the changes and chances of this present age, and we have rejuvenated the worship and evangelism groups with interesting effects.

Our outreach through our Christmas Card showed immediate results in increases of those attending our already successful ministry to our communities over Christmas, and the East Chinnock village questionnaire is being emulated across the parishes, helping us to understand what our communities want from us. We have the old parish rooms in East Chinnock as a benefice resource and at least one toilet approved by the DAC, two other parishes are developing their plans to make their churches brighter, more accessible, warm and with toilets – so watch this space.

Our Children’s ministry has suffered a blow with the retirement of our Children’s and Families Work Leader, Deborah Wootton, but some of her initiatives continue in others’ hands as Acorns Preschool goes from strength to strength and the children of both East and West Coker Schools gather for collective worship in church, marking the changing seasons and learning about Our Lord Jesus.

I am consistently amazed and grateful for the enormous amount of work which goes on ‘behind the scenes’ but enables us to be there when our communities need us. You may think that you only polish the brass, or arrange the flowers, cut the grass or fix the gate or give a listening ear to people’s problems. You may write the minutes, say some prayers, buy the Christmas tree, chair or attend some meetings, listen to or give talks and sermons, lead worship, pay in the cash from the collection or one of hundreds of other things that go on, unseen, but have enabled us to minister to those who celebrate and those who mourn.

Your ministries have enabled us to mark both the Platinum Jubilee and the death of our late, much missed, Queen Elizabeth II, you have stood alongside people from our villages as they have celebrated the birth of children, marriages and relationships, anniversaries and as they mourn their loved ones. Sometimes only a few of us gather to study or to pray, at other times many hundreds but the church of God is always there, in you, and I thank you all for it.

Our new Bishop, Michael, has warned us that the next few years will be tough for all, and many difficult decisions will have to be made. Your contributions both practical and financial have been amazing and the Yeovil Deanery remains the one with the highest proportion of parish share paid in the diocese, that is down to your efforts and generosity, but we cannot take our eye off the ball. 2023 will bring its own challenges, each of us will need to review what we do and see what may be left behind and what else may be done.

Being your rector remains the most challenging but also the most joyful thing I have had the opportunity to work at, and I thank you for another year of support, love and prayer. Here’s to the next.

Colin March 2023.

Election of Church Councillors (6)

Approved by the PCC …………………………… and signed on their behalf by Rev. C.G. Simpson

Chairperson …………………………………………. Rev. C. G. Simpson

THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF ST MARTIN OF TOURS, WEST COKER. ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2022 REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER 1185493 Acorn Accounting for Busine55 Limited Suite A 17 The Park Yeovil Somerset 8A20 IDN

THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCII OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF ST MARTIN OF TOURS. WEST COKER. (Registered Charity No.1185493) RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2022 2022 2021 RECEIPTS Planned giving- General Fund Planned giving Tax Efficient Planned giving Planned Giving- Restricted Fund Planned giving Tax Efficient Planned giving 8,366 6,325 6,887 5,419 400 2,680 1,800 Collections, donations and other giving Bath & Wells Energy grant Parish council grant- grass cutting Donations- General Fund Donations- Restricted Fund 400 1,000 695 130 997 3.522 Income tax recovered Annual fete and events General Fund Restricted Fund 576 5,258 2,198 Parochlal fees Other receipts Investment Income Bank interest and dividends received General Fund Restricted Fund 3,315 270 3,506 191 63 427 12 68 TOTAL REIpTs 27,683 26,822 PAYMENTS Oonation5 and grants to charities and mission giving Parish share 1,295 14.416 423 13,732 Church running expenses Light and heat Organ tuning and music costs Other church expenses Repairs and maintenance Churchyard maintenance Support costs Administration (incl staff costsl Bank charges- restrirted fund Coker Ridge Benefice- administration costs Salaries and wages Accountancv 767 265 309 373 399 598 198 222 450 1841 116 27 1.214 31 800 2,030 150 Governance costs- Quinquennial Survev 725

THE PAROCHIAI CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF ST MARTIN OF TOURS, WEST COKEIL IRegislered Charity No.1185493) RECEIIryS AND PAYMET[s ACCOUNT (Continued) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2022 2022 2021 Other Insurance New notice board for churchyard Other expenses 1.131 1.201 606 94 87 Loan repayments 12,OCiI 12,000 TOTAL PAYMENTS 32,913 33,142 NET IEXPENDITUREI CASH FUNDS AS AT I JANUARY 2022 15.2301 84,224 16,3201 90,544 CASH FUNDSAS AT 31 DECEMBER 2022 78,994 84,224

THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF ST MARTIN OF TOURS, WEST COKER. (Registered Charity No. 1185493) STATEMEiwf OF ASSETS & LIABILITIES AS AT 31 DECEMBER 2022 CASH FUNDS 2022 Total 2021 Total Bank Current Account CBF Deposit Account Bank Current Account- roof fund OSR Trust Fund CBF Deposit Account Cash in Hand 1,568 10,500 9.536 57,390 2,086 10,500 14,248 57.390 At 31 DECEMBER 2022 78,994 84,224 CBF INCOME SHARES DODGE CHURCHYARD 2022 7.049 18071 Balance brought forward Investment loss Balance carried forward 6,242 LOAN FROM EAST COKER PCC 2022 Total 2021 Total Balance carried forward I2,0) 24,000

THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF ST MARTIN OF TOURS, WEST COKEIL NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2022 I. ACCOUNTING POLICIES The accounts have been prepared on a RecEipts and Payments basis in line with the Statement of Recommended Practice Accounting and Reporting by Charities Act 2011 and SORPS 2008 Regulations. Certificate of Approval I approve these accounts and confirm that they include a complete record of all relevant income and associated expcnses and that I have made available all records and information for their compilation. Signed.. Date: B Hampshire (Mrs) Treasurer

THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF ST MARTIN OF TOURS, WEST COKE INDEPENDEN[ EXAMINER'S REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2022 I report on the accounts of the The Parochial Church Council of the EcclesiastiC21 Parish of St Martin of TOUTS, West Coker. for the year ended 31 December 2U22 which are set out on the attached pases. Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner The charilfs trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The charitys twstees consider that an audit is not required for the year under section 144(21 of the Charities Act 2011 {the 2011 Art) and that an independent examination is needed. It is my responsibility to: examine the accounts under section 14? of the 2011 Act; follow the procedures laid down in the seneral directions given by the CTharity Commission under sertion 145{51(b) of the 2011 Art- slate whether parti¢ular matters have come to my attention. Ba8is of independent examinerf8 report My examination was carried out in accordance with the 8eneral directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting Tecords kept by the tharity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seekin8 explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a'true and fair vieW and the report is limited to those matters sel out in the statement below. Independent examinerf8 Statement In connection with my examinatioTh no rnatter has come to my attention: (11 which gives me reasonable Cause to be]ieve that in any material respect the requirements: to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the 2011 Act," and lo prepare accounts which accord with the attountins records and comply with the accountin8 requirements of the 2011 Act have not been met,. or (21 to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to eTble a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. HM Lambshead ICPA ACORN ACCOUNTING FOR BUSINESS LIMITED Suite A 17ThePark YEOVIL Somerset BA20 IDN 28 October 2024

2022-12-31-accounts