2025-12-31-accounts

The Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin, Petworth

The Annual Parish Meetings Report on the Year 2025 Wednesday 13[th] May 2026

St. Mary the Virgin, Petworth

Agenda for the Annual Meeting of Parishioners Wednesday 13th May 2026

1. Minutes of the annual meeting of Parishioners held on the 21st May 2025

2. The Election of Church Wardens

The Annual Parochial Church Meeting 2026

1. Apologies for absence

2. The minutes of the meeting held on 21st May 2025

3. Election of Deanery Synod Members.

4. Election of Lay Members to the Parochial Church Council

5. PCC report

6. Electoral role report

7. Financial report

8. Fabric report

9. Reports – Parish Clerk, Deanery Synod, Choir, Bellringers, Safeguarding, Parish Magazine, Coffee Mornings, Mother and Toddlers, PACT, Junior Church, Petworth C of E Primary School.

10. Father Mark’s comments

11. Appointment of independent examiner

12. Any other business – as previously notified to the Secretary.

St. Mary the Virgin, Petworth

Minutes of the Annual Meeting of Parishioners Wednesday 21[st] May 2025

1. Minutes of the annual meeting of Parishioners held on the 8th May 2024 were signed as correct.

2. The Election of Church Wardens:

Eileen Lintill was proposed by Nicholas Wheeler and Seconded by Derek Rudge. Derek Rudge was proposed by Lewis Parr and Seconded by Alan Sutton.

Father Mark fulsomely thanked Derek, and Eileen who had agreed to re stand.

The Annual Parochial Church Meeting 2025

1. Apologies for absence – Liz Jones, Di Parr, Vic Constable. Twenty Four people attended the meeting.

2. The minutes of the meeting held on 8[th] May 2024 were signed as correct

1. Election took place of three members to the Parish Church Council: Alan Sutton, proposed by Jackie Smith and seconded by Di Parr Matthew Cooke, proposed by Jackie Smith and seconded by Di Parr Paul Hawtrey, proposed by Eileen Lintill and seconded by Derek Rudge Father Mark thanked all PCC members for the many jobs that they do. He commented that there is an award of St. Richard, but he can only put forward one or two people, and there are too many who work so hard for the Church Community.

2. There were no questions regarding the PCC reports.

3. There were 76 members on the Electoral role.

4. Financial report – Eileen Lintill spoke to the Financial Report, she again pointed out that she is not an accountant or treasurer but has tried to keep track of monies. Tulip still act as our Book Keepers. At the yearend there was £53k which is ours to spend, but the rest is ring fenced. The accounts show there was £21k above expenditure, however it was pointed

out that 13k was from bequests, and we had reduced our Parish share from £66,785359 to £15k. Heating and lighting was the biggest expenditure. It was vital to increase our income this year to keep afloat. Our thanks to Alan Copus for auditing the accounts. Nick Wheeler proposed and Alan Sutton seconded the approval of the accounts.

1. Eileen Lintill also spoke to the Fabric report. She said that it was all as shown in the report, except the replacing of a window in the tower was also done. The Quinquennial had taken place. We need to clear foliage against the church building, and also have the gates painted. Eileen had negotiated with Chichester District Council who will do the work. It was recommended that redecoration would be preferable, but recognised that it would be too expensive. All the ceiling lights had been renewed and our thanks go to the Friends of St. Mary’s for funding them. They are also funding the renewal of the Chancel lights.

2. Reports – Deanery Synod, Choir, Bellringers, Safeguarding, Parish Magazine, Mother and Toddlers, PACT, Petworth C of E Primary School. There were no questions regarding the reports. Jean Huggett was thanked for keeping the Magazine going despite being in hospital. Jackie Smith was thanked for running the Toddler Group and representing us on PACT. Eileen Lintill said that there were still one or two needing to do the Safe Guarding training. All those involved were thanked.

3. Father Mark’s again expressed his thanks. He gave thanks for the witness of the URC over the many years. We are pleased that the PACT coffee morning is able to continue and take place here. He commented how good it is to see the large range of the Community use of the church. We have many visitors dropping in when seeing Petworth House. Vic Constable was thanked for doing the weekly sheet up until recently.

Father Mark then said a huge thank you to Fr Richard Hoyal, and Muriel. Father Richard had supported him for the last 13 years, and he is very much missed. However, it was the right time for him and Muriel to move. He again thanked everyone for all the work they do.

1. Alan Copus was appointed as the of independent examiner.

2. Any other business – as previously notified to the Secretary.

REPORTS

The Secretary’s PCC report

During the year the PCC met on six occasions to oversee the worship, mission, finances and administration of the parish.

Our ecumenical Petworth Festival Service once again opened the Music Festival and, as ever, was well supported. In July Bishop Martin led a Confirmation Service at St Mary’s, and it was a joy to welcome five candidates for Baptism and Confirmation.

The PCC regularly reviewed parish finances, stewardship, Parish Share and fundraising, together with the ongoing challenge of maintaining such a large and historic church building. Discussions included the Parish Magazine, advertising income, hire charges and ways of encouraging wider community support for St Mary’s. The PCC also monitored important fabric matters including roof repairs, churchyard maintenance, health and safety matters and the continuing work regarding the bells. Safeguarding remained a standing item at every meeting. PCC members continued safeguarding training and worked with the new Diocesan Dashboard system to ensure policies and procedures remained up to date. During the year the PCC approved several policies including Health and Safety, Safe Lone Working, Recruitment of Ex-Offenders and the parish Dog Policy. PACT activities, Family Support Work, Deanery Synod, church music and pastoral care continued to form an important part of PCC discussions and parish life also Lent groups and fundraising.

A number of successful fundraising and community events took place during the year including the Rectory BBQ, Quiz Night, monthly Coffee Mornings and the Town Christmas Cracker event. The PCC planed a Pilgrimage to Walsingham and a group of parishioners made a pilgrimage there during the summer.

Father Mark has continued to lead Thursday assemblies at Petworth Church of England Primary School, with regular school services taking place in church. At the end of the summer term Year 6 pupils will once again receive Bibles from the parish church. Father Mark also continued to lead monthly services at Rotherlea, whilst Father Datchler took over the Cottage Hospital services.

In September, for the Patronal Festival, a group from the congregation walked to the Virgin Mary Spring before returning to church for Evensong. Later that month the annual Remembrance Service took place at the Boys’ Grave in Horsham Cemetery with pupils from Petworth Primary School taking part. On Christmas Eve the church was full for the Christingle and Nativity Service as children processed with candles and Christingles. During Holy Week and Easter many gathered for the Passover Supper and the beautifully decorated Easter celebrations in church.

The church continued to play an important role in the wider life of the town through concerts, festivals, school visits and community events. We remain grateful for the support of the many volunteers and organisations who help make St Mary’s such a welcoming place for worship, music and community life.

In April Father Mark announced, with sadness, that he would be retiring on health grounds. The PCC wishes to record its deep gratitude for his faithful ministry and leadership over the past eleven years, and also to Margaret for all her support and encouragement within the life of the parish.

Parish Report to Annual Parish Meeting

2025 proved to be a quiet year as far as occasional services were concerned.

We had just 2 Baptisms, 3 weddings, 10 funerals and 2 Thanksgiving Services. In addition, there were 5 candidates who were confirmed.

We remember those who passed away during the year, Angela Fortune, Dorothe Haverhals, John Hall, Allan Grimwood, Joyce Rendall, Robert Longmore, Fiona Ellis, Michael Adsett, Peter Jerrome, Shirley Morgan, Stella Temple and Ann Boxall.

Fondly remembered members of our community – may they and all the faithful departed Rest in Peace.

Two members of the Congregation Emma and Judy finished their training as Lay Ministers of communion

Fabric report 2025-2026

The key events have been

Roof

Persistent rain towards the end of the year saw an ingress of water through the ceiling above the gallery. After a number of visits Mark Temple was able to stop the leaks.

The gulleys have been cleaned out.

Churchyard

Following a visit from CDC it was agreed they would cut back foliage from church walls and paint the gates.This was done but will need to be revisited as there is still some ivy growing up the walls.

Both sets of gates have been painted which improves the look as you walk into the churchyard.

Boiler

Having worked well for a period the boiler broke down during a cold spell over the new year. It took a while to source a new part which delayed repair. To prevent this happening again a reserve part was ordered and is now held by the Churchwarden.

Eileen Lintill Churchwarden

COFFEE MORNINGS

Monthly Coffee Mornings continue on the 2nd Saturday of each month from 10.00 am to 12.00 noon with refreshments, a sales table and a raffle. They bring in a minimum of at least £150, sometimes far more and, although ‘a drop in the ocean’ add to Church funds. Apart from that, there is a good social aspect which brings the community together as many who come are not church goers.

As usual my grateful thanks go to those who come to help every month. Jackie Smith, Sue Thomas and Jill Easton keep us well supplied with coffee and biscuits, Marjorie Etherington and Derek Rudge do a great job looking after the raffle. With her knowledge of selling, Anne Simmons is indispensable on the sales table. Andrew Howard or Lewis Parr erect the banner outside the church the previous week, and Andrew also helps by putting up and taking down the tables. The event wouldn’t function without any of them.

Thank you all for your continuing support, for donating items for the sales table and the raffle, and for coming to buy. Jean Huggett

PARISH MAGAZINE

It has been many years since the cost of producing the magazine was looked at and, due to current printing and associated costs, the PCC increased the price from 1st January 2026. The magazine has risen from 50p to £1 a copy, the yearly cost from £5 to £10, and postal rates from £15 to £20. The cost of advertising has also been increased. It was a difficult decision for the PCC to make but, an essential one. At the time of writing it seems these increases have been accepted, support for the magazine has continued, and this has been much appreciated.

Once again, I have to thank everyone who has supported me during the year. When I set off the print run I’m very grateful to those who fill the copier with paper when they unlock and lock the church. This helps to speed up the printing time. The magazines are then put into bags by Andrew and Judy Howard ready for collection from church. They also send off the postal ones and leave others for sale at the Newsagents. Austens are now selling the magazine, Liz Jones delivers to them each month. Lewis Parr has also been a great help in sorting out any computer or printer problems. Thank you all so much, I do enjoy producing the magazine, and it’s only with your help and support I’m able to continue.

Carole Field looks after the advertisements and has managed to obtain several new ones this year. Those who deliver the magazines do a great job which is often challenging with the changeable and severe weather we’ve experienced recently! My grateful thanks to them all.

Lastly, but certainly not the least, I have to thank Fr Mark for all the help he has given me during the eleven years he has been our Rector. His support, especially during 2024 when I had my fall, has been invaluable. I’ve often struggled to find the right picture for the cover and he has never failed to come up with a suitable one, as well as helping when I’ve had a problem with the computer or printer. I’m going to miss him, and all the help he has given me.

Do keep sending your articles in and, to all my regular contributors, many thanks. During the past year I’ve received some from new sources which I’m always pleased to have. If you know of anything of interest, please contact me so I can follow it up or, if you have an article, send it to me.

Jean Huggett

Bellringers’ Report 2026 The good news is that a parishioner has come forward wishing to learn how to ring. The bad news is that even with this new ringer the parish still only has three resident ringers and, including myself, four. An ideal number for a ring of eight bells would be ten ringers. I repeat my request of previous years that members of the congregation should encourage potential ringers to come forward and give ringing a try. No great strength is required, and nor do potential ringers need to read music. All parishioners need do is refer the potential recruit to me. Ringers do not have to be members of the congregation, although a commitment to ringing for services is desirable. The lack of ringers means that we have only been able to ring for two or three services in the past year, as well as for weddings, when we can call upon ringers from other parishes to help out. We have maintained practice nights at Petworth on average about one a month. On these occasions we welcome ringers from Tillington and Fittleworth. The fourth bell is still out of action because part of the ringing mechanism (in effect a bolt) needs replacement. It continues to be a source of great frustration to the ringers that when a ringer from Fittleworth has agreed to carry out this repair without charge, the diocesan authorities have shillyshallied in giving permission for this to go ahead. The Fittleworth ringer in question has kindly carried out some maintenance work on them which did not require diocesan permission, but he still cannot attend to the repair of the “four”. It is now well over two years since the problem with the bell was spotted on a routine inspection of them all. I am informed they are otherwise in good order. It had been hoped that a peal might be organized during 2025 to celebrate the centenary of the founding and hanging of the bells, but with a bell missing this has had to be abandoned. Andrew Brooke

St Mary's Choir and Organ Report 2026

The Organ Appeal Fund is still quite healthy but further donations are always welcome - for contingency reserves above all. The St Mary’s pianos and harmonium are in good order, the Bluthner having been reconditioned by the festival in advance of its use this coming summer.

St Mary’s choir has continued loyally over the past year, an anthem being performed most weeks, as well as during the busier periods of Holy Week, Easter and Christmas, and occasionally at weddings and funerals. The quite well augmented choir for the festival service sang the unaccompanied ‘View

me, Lord’ by Richard Lloyd. St Mary’s carol service took place once again just before Christmas, and a bigger choir than last year (over 20 singers) was mustered. Sarah assisted at the organ, enabling Matthew to conduct four manageable choir carol arrangements. We had some strong singers in all voice parts, and the soprano descants were ably supported by Iona Harrison on cornet. However, looking to the future, we ideally need to recruit some younger voices, so that the descants can ring out for many years to come.

We would, as ever, encourage others to join our small but friendly band (either as full time or occasional members). Aside from being a form of stewardship, there are many proven health benefits - physical, mental and social - to be gained by joining a choir. The ability to read music and sing in tune is useful though not essential, as full training is provided. However an enthusiasm for singing and an empathy for the purpose of music within the liturgy is far more important. Why not come along for a trial rehearsal on a Thursday evening? We rehearse at 6 30 for just under an hour so there is no need to rush your supper to get there.

My sincere thanks to Sarah for her invaluable assistance once again, to the choir for their loyalty, and to Fr Mark for his support and encouragement over the past eleven years.

Matthew Cooke

Director of Music

Safeguarding Report 2025-2026

There has been one safeguarding issue raised from a member of the public but on referral to the Safeguarding team it was confirmed that it wasn’t a safeguarding concern.

DBS checks are up to date.

All organisations hiring the church for festivals, concerts or such have been asked if they have safeguarding policies which they have to supply before booking is confirmed. This is a diocesan requirement. Progress is being made on the Safeguarding dashboard. Eileen Lintill

Safeguarding Officer

Petworth Deanery Synod Report 2026

St. Mary’s Petworth has continued to be well represented in the Synod’s leadership team, with Father Mark Rural Dean, Judy the Deanery Secretary, and Andrew the acting Treasurer. Our third representative is Jill Lyon. Sadly, the decline in synod lay membership continues, which is a shame because a great deal of valuable information is disseminated, for onward transmission to parishes, through a wide range of speakers.

In September 2025 we met here at St. Mary’s to hear the Venerable Philip Jones, retired Archdeacon of Hastings, speak about the work of The Friends of Chichester Cathedral. We then heard the Venerable Tom Carpenter, newly appointed Archdeacon of Chichester, speak of his journey in faith from rejection for ministry by the Bishop of Durham to his new post in Chichester, and in particular his experience as Vicar of Southport, when those three little girls were murdered.

In March we met at Kirdford for a most informative address by Srah Adams, CEO of Chichester Foodbank, who spoke about their highly important work, describing three typical scenarios where they become involve, sudden unemployment, domestic abuse, and loss of home. They work to strict criteria of need and assistance that can be given. Andrew Howard May 2026

PACT

been lower. Many, who went to the URC say the extra distance is a problem especially Lombard Street with uneven paving, some being disabled or have difficulty walking. Although we may not have quite as many people the atmosphere is friendly and relaxed, and we still have our regulars. Unfortunately, the couple who would normally bring eggs and home baking had a car accident some weeks ago and are unable to come. They have been missed.

The future events include the Festival Service when the speaker will be Sir Alex Beard Chief Executive of the Royal opera House, and Kid’s Club at the Herbert Shiner Centre week beginning 27[th] July. The next PACT Lecture will be on 9[th] October at Wisborough Green.

Family Support Work

It was greatly appreciated that the collection taken in Church for the Mothering Sunday service went to FSW.

Since loosing Kirsty our local support worker when she moved, the Monday drop-ins have not taken place. Our present practitioner, Michelle covers a larger area and found it difficult to continue with the Monday sessions, especially with the lower attendance recently.

We now have a collecting box for used domestic in cartridges, which hopefully will help raise funds for FSW.

Electoral Roll

Our present list was compiled in April 2025. Sadly, four people have died since then and there are now 69 names on the Electoral Roll. This number was given to the Diocese when they requested our number before we held our AGM.

Parents and Toddlers

Our group is not formal, we wish to provide a relaxed and friendly atmosphere and welcome families into St Mary’s, where they can meet others especially if they are new to Petworth. We not only have mothers we have grandparents and even nannies. We provide snacks and there are crafts activities where children and their adults can make things together. We have decided this year we will not be meeting during the Festival for safety reasons. Staging is a problem, additional chairs and electrical cables.

Junior Church Report 2026 Over the past year we have continued to celebrate the Jubilate on the first Sunday of each Month. We keep displays in our Junior Church corner throughout the year. At the major festivals of the church calendar to offer opportunities for children and families to engage with the life of the church.

New this year was the Diocesan family camp which was attended by a large group of the Parr family. It was a fantastic weekend.

Harvest

We celebrated Harvest with an all-age service that was warmly received. The church was beautifully decorated, and donations of food were collected and passed on to local charities supporting those in need.

All Saints

Our All-Saints service provided a reflective space for remembering loved ones and giving thanks for the saints who inspire our faith. The time of quiet remembrance and candle-lighting continues to be an important moment of pastoral care for the parish.

Advent & Christmas During Advent and Christmas, we continued to welcome families through our seasonal services and outreach. At the

Crib/Christingle Service, we prepared and handed out around 90 goody bags, each containing activities and resources to help families engage with the Christmas story at home. These were very well received and helped us connect with a wide range of families. Easter

We held an Easter Fun Morning, attended by 11 children, which included crafts, games, and a simple retelling of the Easter story. Each child received a gift bag containing activities and a child-friendly version of the Easter story. On Easter Sunday, we continued our tradition of giving out around 100 Easter eggs to children and visitors, helping to create a joyful and welcoming atmosphere. Junior Church continues to run faithfully, though numbers remain small with a core part being my grandchildren and Henry with occasional additional children at festival services and special events.

I remain deeply grateful for the opportunity over the years and for the joy of serving the children of our church family. Di Parr

Petworth Church of England School

We continue to value deeply the close links between St Mary’s Church and Petworth Church of England Primary School. The school remains an important part of the life of our parish and we are grateful for the commitment and dedication of our Church Governors.

We currently have three Foundation Governors from St Mary’s who devote a great deal of time and care to supporting the school and its Christian ethos. Fr Mark leads a weekly assembly and regularly celebrates the Eucharist with the school, helping to strengthen the relationship between

church and school worship. Our other Church Governors are also deeply involved in school life, generously giving their time to support reading sessions and other activities with the children. Through these visits and regular contact, valuable relationships continue to grow between the school, the church, and the wider community. In the accompanying photograph we see Eileen with some of the children during one of the school’s visits to St Mary’s Church. It is always a joy to welcome the children into church and to share together in worship, learning, and fellowship.

COMMUNITY USE OF THE CHURCH

St Mary’s Church continues to play an important part in the wider life of the community and remains a place of welcome not only for worship, but also for visitors, music, culture, and local events. Throughout the year many people

come into the church while exploring Petworth and visiting Petworth

House. Visitors frequently comment on the beauty, peace, and prayerful atmosphere of the building, and many take time to sit quietly, light a candle, or learn more about the history of the parish church.

The church continues to be well used by a variety of local organisations and musical groups. We are delighted to host concerts and performances as part of both the Petworth Music Festival and the Petworth Literary Festival, which bring many people into the church from across the region and beyond. These events enrich the cultural life of the town and help strengthen the church’s connection with the wider community. We are also grateful for the continuing support and involvement of local

musical groups including the Leconfield Singers, the Chantry Quire, the Fernhurst Choral Society, and the Petworth Town Band, amongst others. Their performances make excellent use of the wonderful acoustic and setting of St Mary’s and are greatly appreciated by audiences and parishioners alike.

In addition to concerts and festivals, the church is regularly used for school visits, civic occasions, exhibitions, community gatherings, and quiet reflection. We are pleased that St Mary’s continues to serve not only as a place of Christian worship, but also as a valued focal point for the whole community.

tulip YrD with Annual Comparison Report St Marys Church Petworth For the year ended 31 December2025 202J 22 Income Cash Colie¢tion5 in Churth 1437 Church Gi￿n&boXeS toffee Momings& Fund Rai5er5 DonationslAPpea15￿1th GiftAid Donatio￿lAppealSW1thty￿ Grft4d In Church GwinyJDonationswithfyftAbd In Church Gr¥in￿D￿naV0ns￿￿ho￿fyq Intorort Income 770 7.142 6,751 3TI 622S 1702 9,489 6.405 10,832 10533 8,783 JO.638 5,878 L531 In7 39 1219 Lega(ie5 Mother&ToddleT 13.COJ 291 OtherRwenuÈ 14270 19,245 24.491 12.931 Parish Magazi(Advertisers Parish Mavir￿ 5ubsuitrtth)n5 Parking StsndingordersvthhGiftAid stsndIngLwder5Y￿QA Weddings& FuneR HklR( Giftid R￿0￿￿ed 670 L325 645 555 867 L140 L050 520 23.072 23,765 27.5 1.875 785 5085 4532 ioii 657 T•t•l IrKOff 97.TTO lo1￿1 86,164 Less Cost of Sales Bellringefs Church SeNce Runningcosts DioceseFeeslarWeddirbg5& FunoTr15 Flower5 270 1065 IJ L787 3398 L503 HospitaltyGrfts&Caterin8 Mawne Printing&CoAS Organist.Choir&Music Co#5 Totsl L0￿c0$tOfsths 1.162 iJ9S 831 14 7543 8.312 &027 8.695 J5.358 14J03 Gross Profit a5.B93 71 Plus Other Income Unreallsed gainlllossl ofi Irryestftws T•tsl Plusotherlncwne 12.9211 12?211 Less Operatin BankFees Expenses 109 IJ9 Bookkeeping&AJditfoos Charitableand PobtiLilthinations 4817 3,742 1975 727 3.0 L3 Chur(h Ground Repair5& mainter￿n(e Church Repaiws& mairten*￿e 131 ioJn 3.555 5.178 9,419 9.939

Signed by Chairman

Signed by Treasurer

Date 13[th] May 2026.

Parochial Church Council of the Ecdesiastical Parish of SL Mary The V￿gin, Petworth Independent Examiner's Report to the Trusteeslmembers of the PCC Report to the Trusteeslmembers of the Parocbial Church Council of the Ecdesiastical Parish of SL Mary The Virgin, Petworth, a charity registered with the Charity Commission with the Registered Number 1188604 I report to the Trustees on my exarnination of the accounts of the above charity {"the Trust") for the year ended 31 December 2025. As the charity's Trustee4 you are resFx)nsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 ('the Act"). I report in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examinatioo I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Conunission under section 145(5)(b) of the ACL I have completed my examination. I confirn] that no matetial matters have come to my attention in connection with the examinthon that gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect: the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Clwities Ac( or . the accounts did not accord with the accounting records. or the accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the forni and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a 'true and fair, view which is not a matter considered &s part of an independent examination. I have no other concerns and have come across no other nmtters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this reprt in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Alan Copus, Bsc (Hons.), ACMA, GCMA 36 Northend Close Petworth West Sussex GU28 9NS Lq Date: 12 May 2026

Meghdoots Authentic Indian Cusine Slnce 1950 (fndla) ss ..q•

•] ", of Th Il