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2025-01-01-accounts

Vine Church Wynyard Charity Report 2024

Aim and Purposes

Vine Church Board of Trustees (BOT) has the responsibility of co-operating with the church leaders, the Reverends Mark and Emily Hudghton, in promoting in the area of Wynyard the whole mission of the Church, pastoral, evangelistic, social and ecumenical.

Objectives and Activities

The BOT is committed to enabling as many people as possible to worship at our church and to become part of the community at Vine Church.

Prior to the establishing of Vine Church, there was no church of any denomination present in Wynyard, and with the huge growth of population over the last 20 years a church was sorely needed. The church officially launched with in person services and meetings in September 2021, so the church has been running now for approximately three years.

The church leadership team maintains an overview of worship throughout the BMO area and makes suggestions on how our services can involve the many groups that live within our area. Our services and worship put faith into practice through prayer, scripture, and sacrament.

When planning our activities for the year, the church leaders and the BOT have considered the Commission’s guidance on public benefit and, in particular, the specific guidance on charities for the advancement of religion. In particular, we try to enable ordinary people to live out their faith as part of our parish community through:

Structure, Governance and Management

Vine Church Wynyard has existed legally since August 2020. It is a Bishop’s Mission Order church which is located within Stockton Country Parish, according to the House of Bishops' Code of Practice on Part 7 of the Mission and Pastoral Measure 2011 dealing with BMOs (GS 2109). An official Bishop’s Visitor was appointed by the Bishop of Durham in accordance with this measure, to provide Diocesan oversight to the church.

In place of a PCC, the church has a Board of Trustees (BOT) which provides governance and is answerable to the Charity Commission. Much of the day-to-day running of the church and some decisions are delegated by the BOT to the church’s leadership team, including the church leaders Reverends Emily and Mark Hudghton. For the first year, the BOT met every other month, but now meets three times a year. Each new BOT member is invited to join by the church leaders, and safely recruited.

The initial funding for Vine Church comes from the Church of England’s central Strategic Development Fund. They have provided funding for staff members for the first five years, plus some set up costs, although the staff funding decreases year on year as the church itself moves towards sustainability. This is restricted funding.

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Achievements and Performance

Worship and Prayer

The church is keen to offer a range of services over the course of the year that our community find both beneficial and spiritually fulfilling. The area has a large population of young families, which is a demographic often not well served by the Church of England. For this reason, as well as considering that the church meets in the school, much of the church’s activity is centred around engaging the young families in Wynyard. However, all are welcome to attend our regular services and we do have a number of church members who represent other demographics.

Not being a parish, the church does not have an electoral roll. However, the church community numbers around 100, with Sunday attendance around 30-40 each week, including a high proportion of children.

As well as our regular services, we enable our community to celebrate and thank God at the milestones of the journey through life. Through baptism we thank God for the gift of life, in marriage public vows are exchanged with God’s blessing and through funeral services friends and family express their grief and give thanks for the life which is now complete in this world and to commend the person into God's keeping. As a new church which does not have a building the clergy conduct only a few marriages and funerals, but have baptised the children of two families this year.

The Church’s weekly discipleship groups - ‘Vine Groups’ - enable individuals to deepen their friendships within the church, their prayer life and their understanding of scripture.

Mission and Evangelism

Sharing the good news of Jesus Christ and the love of God with others is a demonstration of our faith. Over the last year, the church has done this in a number of ways, and several new people and families have joined the church as a result.

We hold community events and services for the major Christian festivals of Easter and Christmas, as well as at other times, such as the beginning of the school year. Wynyard is a place where many people experience significant isolation - there are few ways to meet neighbours and friends due to lack of community meeting spaces. The church therefore aims to provide events where people and families can connect and make friends, in order to tackle some of the isolation people feel. These community events and services are very well attended, with 102 attending at Easter and 214 at the Christmas services.

Alpha, an ‘introduction to Christianity’ course, runs regularly at the church with around 10 participants each time. This has been pivotal for a number of people in the church, as they have either discovered or rediscovered their faith, and become more connected to the church community.

Engagement with Children & Young People

The church supports and engages with children and young people in a variety of ways. Investment in a full-time Children and Families Pastor has significantly aided this area of church life.

The church has an extremely strong link with the Church of England School in which its Sunday services are held - Wynyard Primary School. Revd Emily Hudghton is the Deputy Chair of Governors for the school, and the clergy and Children & Families Pastor lead weekly Collective Worship, as well as seasonal school services at the end of each term, and contribute to the RE curriculum through leading lessons.

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There is no Secondary School in Wynyard, and no community meeting space for young people, which sometimes leads to young people in the area not knowing one another as they all disperse across the region to different schools and extracurricular activities. To encourage the community of young people to get to know one another, the church has partnered with another Church of England church in the Diocese in bringing their mobile youth centre - a converted double decker bus - to Wynyard on a monthly basis. This has been a huge success with many young people engaging with the event each month. The church has also established a smaller weekly youth group which has a Christian focus.

Pastoral Care

Pastoral care is a significant aspect of church life, with both clergy and lay people caring for those in need of support, whether it be through mental ill health, big life events such as the birth of a baby or the death of a loved one, or other circumstances. This is a focus of the part-time Discipleship Pastor’s role.

A monthly midweek service takes place in Wynyard Woods Care Home, to support the residents and staff there, which has been both well received and well attended.

Encouraging New Leaders

It is a key aim of the church to encourage, release and equip lay people to lead in ways they may not have previously, building their confidence and skills.

The church has done this through training and recruiting volunteers for the youth bus, for prayer ministry, as well as serving roles such as hospitality and welcome – all of which builds community, skills, self-esteem and confidence.

We would like to thank all the volunteers who work so hard to make our church the lively and vibrant community it is.

Revds Mark and Emily Hudghton have also been responsible for an ordinand (trainee Church of England clergy) who is undertaking a 2 year placement at Vine Church Wynyard. They have strong ongoing links with the Anglican training college Cranmer Hall at Durham University and have contributed to some of the teaching modules the ordinands undertake there.

Deanery Synod

Both clergy currently sit on Deanery Synod. This provides the BOT with an important link between the parish and the wider structures of the church. This year they have been part of conversations around the questions posed to parishes in the deanery about the most effective deployment of stipendiary and non-stipendiary clergy, in order to further the wider mission of the church in the local area.

Ecumenical Relationships

The church is committed to building positive ecumenical relationships in the area, and is part of the large ecumenical Transforming Teesside Together movement, with church members attending ecumenical worship services, and the clergy regularly meeting to collaborate and pray with other church leaders in the area.

Financial Review

2024 is the third complete year of operation in the church after the launch of regular in-person Sunday services in September 2021. The church employs a full time Children and Families Pastor as well as a part time Discipleship Pastor. These employment expenses, totalling £38,860, as well as

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church running costs, were funded in the main by the Strategic Development Fund (SDF) grant received from the Church of England. A small amount of expenses not covered by SDF budgets was met by church funds, as was a small proportion of day-to-day running costs. A member of staff was paid a tax rebate and this money will be reclaimed from HMRC in due course.

The church’s income totalled £69,742.64 supplemented by donations to the church and associated Gift Aid claims.

It is BOT policy to maintain a balance on unrestricted funds which equates to at least three months payments (currently equivalent to £15,000) to cover unexpected situations that may arise from time to time. At the end of 2024 the church bank balance was £49,424.36, which is greater than the amount required in reserve. However, as the church comes towards the end of the SDF funding, some of this will be used as part of the church’s sustainability plan in the future.

Administrative Information

Vine Church Wynyard is a Bishop’s Mission Order church in the Diocese of Durham, part of the Church of England. It meets in Wynyard Primary School. The correspondence address is The Vicarage, 14 Saville Close, Wynyard, TS22 5GL.

The Board of Trustees members who have served from 1st January to 31st December 2024 are:

Revd Emily Hudghton (Chair) Revd Mark Hudghton (Vice Chair) Mr Alistair Bianchi Mrs Beth Miller Dr Lucy Falcus Mr Martin Waller Mrs Katherine Cooper-Young Mr Shaun Richardson Mrs Helen Guy (from 10th June 2024)

Approved by the Board of Trustees on 27th October 2025 and signed on their behalf by the Reverend Emily Hudghton (Chair of Board of Trustees).

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Financial Statements for the year ending 31.12.2024

Receipts and Payments account

RECEIPTS
Notes
Unrestricted Receipts
Restricted Receipts
Total
SDF Funding
1
45,574.18
45,574.18
Planned Giving
2
12,245.50
12,245.50
Other Giving
3
8,073.77
8,073.77
Gift Aid Recovered
4
3,799.19
3,799.19
Other receipts
5
50.00
50.00
Total Receipts
24,168.46
45,574.18
69,742.64
2024		 RECEIPTS
Notes
Unrestricted Receipts
Restricted Receipts
Total
SDF Funding
1
45,574.18
45,574.18
Planned Giving
2
12,245.50
12,245.50
Other Giving
3
8,073.77
8,073.77
Gift Aid Recovered
4
3,799.19
3,799.19
Other receipts
5
50.00
50.00
Total Receipts
24,168.46
45,574.18
69,742.64
2024		 RECEIPTS
Notes
Unrestricted Receipts
Restricted Receipts
Total
SDF Funding
1
45,574.18
45,574.18
Planned Giving
2
12,245.50
12,245.50
Other Giving
3
8,073.77
8,073.77
Gift Aid Recovered
4
3,799.19
3,799.19
Other receipts
5
50.00
50.00
Total Receipts
24,168.46
45,574.18
69,742.64
2024		 RECEIPTS
Notes
Unrestricted Receipts
Restricted Receipts
Total
SDF Funding
1
45,574.18
45,574.18
Planned Giving
2
12,245.50
12,245.50
Other Giving
3
8,073.77
8,073.77
Gift Aid Recovered
4
3,799.19
3,799.19
Other receipts
5
50.00
50.00
Total Receipts
24,168.46
45,574.18
69,742.64
2024		 RECEIPTS
Notes
Unrestricted Receipts
Restricted Receipts
Total
SDF Funding
1
45,574.18
45,574.18
Planned Giving
2
12,245.50
12,245.50
Other Giving
3
8,073.77
8,073.77
Gift Aid Recovered
4
3,799.19
3,799.19
Other receipts
5
50.00
50.00
Total Receipts
24,168.46
45,574.18
69,742.64
2024		 2023
RECEIPTS Notes Unrestricted Receipts Restricted Receipts Total 2023 Receipts
SDF Funding
Planned Giving
Other Giving
Gift Aid Recovered
Other receipts		 1
2
3
4
5		 12,245.50

8,073.77

3,799.19

50.00		 45,574.18 45,574.18
12,245.50
8,073.77
3,799.19
50.00		 50,695.84
4,743.00
5,695.47
2,562.66
117.67
Total Receipts 24,168.46 45,574.18 69,742.64 63,814.64
PAYMENTS Notes Unrestricted Payments Restricted Payments Total 2023 Payments
SDF funded payments 6 53,297.85 53,297.85 51,327.04
Clergy and Staffing 7 3,191.60 3,191.60 2,577.21
Church Running Costs 8 1,959.23 1,959.23 1,170.20
Other Costs 9 430.00 452.61
Total Payments 5,580.83 **53,297.85 ** 58,878.68 55,527.06
EXCESS RECEIPTS OVER PAYMENTS 10,863.96
Balance b/f 01.01.2024 38,560.40
Balance c/f 31.12.2024 49,424.36

Notes

1 - Funding received from the Church of England Strategic Development Fund (SDF) monitored and administered by the Diocese of Durham.

2 – Regular planned giving through the Parish Giving Scheme (PGS) and Standing Order

3 – One off gifts made to the church, through ChurchSuite (mediated by Stripe) or the Parish Giving Scheme.

4 – Recovered Gift Aid from HMRC.

5 – Refund on an incomplete application for a Church Debit Card with Unity Trust

7 - These include milage and costs pertaining to the Vicarage such as Water Bill and Estate Fees.

8 – Various costs relating to the running of the church, including mobile WIFI, hire costs, church administration software etc.

9 - Mission costs, including Youth Bus hires not claimed against SDF

Independent examiner's report on the accounts

Section A Independent Examiner’s Report

Report to the trustees
On accounts for the year
ended
Set out on pages		 Charity Name
Vine Church Wynyard
31stDecember 2024 Charity no
(if any)		 1193706
(remember to include the page numbers of additional sheets)

I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended DD / MM / YYYY .

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the charity's trustees, you are responsible 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 examination, I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination (other than that disclosed below *) which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

*Please delete the words in the brackets if they do not apply.
Signed: J Elmes Date: 13/10/25
Name: J Elmes
Relevant professional FLAM
qualification(s) or body

Oct 2018

IER

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(if any):

Bowden House, 8a Hunwick Lane, Sunnybrow, Address: Crook, Co. Durham DL15 0LT

Section B Disclosure Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight material matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners).

Oct 2018

IER

2

Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose .

Oct 2018

IER

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