“Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread.” _St Paul’s First Letter to the Christians in Corinth 10:17_ We are many, God's great diversity, _Sam_ **yet we are one in Christ.** _Hargreaves_ The Parochial Church Council of St Peter’s Walworth Charity Number 1194616 Annual Report and Financial Statement Year Ending 31[st] December 2022 2 The Parochial Church Council of St Peter’s Walworth Charity Number 1194616 ## **Contents:** - **Charity Information - Page 3** - **Rector’s/Chair’s Report- Page 6** - **St Peter’s Church of England Primary School Report-Page 8** - **Churchwardens’ Report: Page 9** - **Proceedings of the Parochial Church Council-Page 9** - **Revised Church Electoral Roll for 2023- Page 12** - **Treasurer’s 2022 Finance Report – Page 12** - **Independent Examiner Report- Page 16** - **Deanery Synod Report 2022-23- Page 17** - **St Peter’s Bell Ringing Report-Page 17** - **St Peter’s Music Report- Page 18** - **Server’s Report-19** - **InSpire-The Crypt at St Peter’s Report-Page 19** 3 The Parochial Church Council of St Peter’s Walworth Charity Number 1194616 ## **CHARITY INFORMATION:** ## **PCC Trustees:** Reverend Andrew Denis Paul Mumby, Rector and Chair of the PCC Reverend Canon Alan James Wild, Assistant Priest (Non-stipendiary) Reverend Delorine Eloise Green, Curate Juvinia Lucinda Max-Peters, Churchwarden Kehinde Ayabo Tuki, Churchwarden (Kenny) Alexander David Metcalfe (Treasurer), Catherine Elizabeth Attride (Secretary), Siriol Davies, Deanery Synod Representative and Vice-chair of the PCC Theophilia Shaw, Deanery Synod Representative Stuart Murrell, Member of the Diocesan Synod and Ex-officio member of the Deanery Synod Beryl Jacqueline Anstee, Joy Diali, Adeola Adetoro Ahmed, (Toro) Donna Maria Grant, Steven William Charles Rogers Danielle Louise Jean Simpson. ## **Bankers:** Barclays Bank PLC ## **Independent Examiner:** Anthony Harbinson 3 Corrina Park Belfast BT17 0HA 4 The Parochial Church Council of St Peter’s Walworth Charity Number 1194616 The Parochial Church Council of the Ecclesiastical Parish of the St Peter’s Walworth (the ‘PCC’) present their annual report for the year ended 31st December 2022 under the Charities Act 2011, together with the financial statements for the year, and confirm that the latter comply with the requirements of the Act, the Trust Deed and the Charities Statement of Recommended Practice (FRS 102). ## : **Structure Governance and Management** ## **Organisation** The Parochial Church Council of St Peter’s Walworth (PCC) registered as a charity with the Charity Commission in England & Wales in May 2021. The registered charity number is 1194616. The church is governed by the Parochial Church Council. Members of the council are Ex Officio: All Licensed Clergy of the Parish (3), Churchwardens (2) elected for the year at the annual Vestry meeting, Members of the Deanery Synod (2) elected for the triennium by the Annual Church Council Meeting, Members of the Diocesan Synod (1) Elected Members: Eight other members proposed and elected by the Annual Parochial Church Meeting. The PCC has appointed a Treasurer and Secretary from its number. The Treasurer for 2022 was Mr. Alexander David Metcalf and the Secretary, Mrs. Catherine Elizabeth Attride. The Rector is the Chairman of the PCC and Siriol Davies was appointed as Vice Chair. The PCC reserves the right to co-opt members who might have a particular contribution to make. The PCC meets every two to three months and delegates some business to Ministry, Finance, Building Management sub-committees. The Standing Committee of the PCC comprises the Rector, Treasurer, Secretary and Churchwardens, and meets as necessary. 5 The Parochial Church Council of St Peter’s Walworth Charity Number 1194616 ## **Risk Policy** The PCC has examined the major strategic, business and operational risks which the charity faces and confirm that systems have been established to enable regular reports to be produced so that the necessary steps can be taken to lessen these risks. ## **Objectives and activities** The objects of the PCC are the furtherance of the mission and ministry of the Church of England in the Parish of St Peter’s Walworth including the parish school, St Peters. The PCC has paid due regard to guidance issued by the Charities Commission in deciding what activities the charity should undertake. ## **Achievements and performance** Please refer to the Rector’s report ## **Statement of Trustees’ Responsibilities** The trustees are responsible for preparing the Trustees’ report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom generally accepted Accounting Policies). The law applicable to charities in England & Wales requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of the affairs of the charity and of the incoming resources and application of resources of the charity for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to: - Select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently. 6 The Parochial Church Council of St Peter’s Walworth Charity Number 1194616 - Observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP. - Make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent. - State whether applicable accounting standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements. - Prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that charity will continue in business. The Parochial Church Council of St Peter’s Walworth Charity Number 1194616 The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011, the Charity (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 and the provisions of the constitution. They are also responsible for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. ## **Rector’s Report** I think all of us will agree that it’s been hard to keep track of time recently! In lockdown, it seemed to go slow for some of us and for some of us there just wasn’t enough time in the day to cope with extra demands. Since lockdown, I keep having to add two years onto every guess I make about how long ago something happened! But thanks be to God, this Lent, Holy Week and Easter has felt a lot like church used to – including a standing room only Easter Day Mass with five baptisms: **Alleluia!** However, this is against a backdrop of life being very difficult for most of us as individuals, families and organisations with the **cost of living** being higher than I think any of us have ever known in our lives. It certainly feels like we have seen more and more people in need in day to day parish ministry. 7 The Parochial Church Council of St Peter’s Walworth Charity Number 1194616 **InSpire,** the charity in our crypt, have also been facing significant challenges. The PCC have been keen to support where possible, including arranging for late payment of rent before lockdown when approached by InSpire. We have also given a freeze in rent over a number of years, (meaning a real-terms rent reduction when inflation is taken into account). We continue to take a flexible approach, including when InSpire have missed agreed payments towards shared utility bills. We are currently in conversations with InSpire about how to take things forward, and there is more detail in the Church Council report. Church volunteers have helped out with cooking for Friday evening Youth Club (which moved into the Crypt from 2InSpire) which has been much appreciated by the young people and Youth Club staff. It’s been a time of **change and uncertainty** in our nation. A St Peter’s example of this is that in May 2022, Prince Charles and Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak visited St Peter’s Church as part of a Prince’s Trust visit to Walworth. It was a real honour to be able to host the people who’d found work through the Prince’s Trust after long periods of unemployment, and to welcome The Prince and the Chancellor. None of us could have imagined that by the autumn, Prince Charles would be King, and that Rishi Sunak would be the third prime minister of the year. Our faith in God, is of course, one of those rocks which doesn’t change; and it is a faith which The King spoke about in his first address to the nation, also being clear that his spiritual home, like ours and his late mother’s, is the Church of England. Let’s commit to praying for our national life together: for stability, for peace and for the good of all people. The death of **Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II** really was an extraordinary time. The Queen was a mother, grandmother, great grandmother, and aunt to her family. But of course, she was also the longest reigning monarch our nation has ever known, to give just one of the superlatives from her long and faithful reign. First and foremost, though, she was a faithful Christian: our sister in Christ. She was a great evangelist, who shared her faith in God beautifully and clearly in her Christmas broadcasts in particular. I wonder if she might eventually be remembered as Elizabeth the Confessor. We marked The Queen’s passing with great prayer and care at St Peter’s in worship, the muffled ringing of the church bells, our book of remembrance, and our prayers. May Queen Elizabeth rest in peace: God save The King. I am excited about our 200[th] Anniversary **Building Appeal** ! We have made steps towards planning for fundraising and members of the Building Committee have met with the diocesan historic buildings adviser to scope the scale of the project and begin to identify funding possibilities. In the meantime, we have worked with the Walworth Society and we managed to get Cleaner: Greener: Safer Funding to do significant work on the rear of church which will make the area much safer by reducing anti-social behaviour and will restore some of the original beautiful features of our fine church building in the process: thanks be to God! It has also been a joy to see Liverpool Grove transformed into a beautiful new piazza-style space with more greenery and wildlife, lovely seating which is already proving to be a blessing to the local community, and an over-all high-quality street-scape! One person attending a funeral in church said, ‘It feels like being in Trafalgar Square!’ On a pastoral, and church family note, it has certainly been a year of **loss and grieving** as we have lost an unusual number of people within the church and parish communities, including both sisters and brothers who were old and full of years and also those who have died suddenly or young. One of the great acts of 8 The Parochial Church Council of St Peter’s Walworth Charity Number 1194616 mercy is to bury our departed loved ones with dignity and prayer, and I am proud of how the St Peter’s team has carried this responsibility and privilege with huge love, care, dignity and a real St Peter’s style. Since Advent we have been hearing the Word of God in a fresh translation from a Black woman who is am an Anglican priest, Bible scholar, womanist theologian (basically, she’s a Black feminist), teacher of trainee priests: the Reverend Professor Wilda C. Gafney. Professor Gafney’s **Women’s Lectionary** seeks to bring out the women in the biblical narrative who are often ‘lost in translation’ in traditional translations which are almost exclusively carried out by men. The translation also seeks to help us to remember that God is beyond gender, and indeed that all people are made in the image of God regardless of gender. I know that hearing the Bible in this new translation, and indeed having readings which sometimes differ from the usual Sunday lectionary (the pattern of which parts of the Bible we read each Sunday) in order to bring out the Bible stories of women has been very ‘moving’ for some of us, and (as Mother Sandra also helpfully drew out for us recently) for some of us has been a bit uncomfortable or strange. What is clear, is that Professor Gafney helps us to enter deeper into the mystery of God who is beyond all human categories. And in a church family where many of us will find ourselves feeling unrepresented in traditional translations, I hope that the unsettling will prove fruitful, and lead us into a conversation about how we hear the Bible on Sunday mornings in a way which will best help us to understand that above all, God is not more closely identified with men than women, for instance. I am looking forward to hearing what we all think about this when we have some congregational conversations about this after Pentecost. This is linked closely to our ethos of **inclusion, justice, equity and belonging** for each one of us, for all people, here at St Peter’s. I have been thinking a lot about the idea of belonging in particular in terms of our Sunday morning worship especially. We are all different: and we are all made in the image and likeness of God. So God is no more like you than God is like me; and no more like me than God is like you. That means we need grace: grace to understand that things in church need to help you and me in our difference to know that we belong here. I might be loud, you might be quiet. You might arrive late for Mass, I might arrive early. I might like traditional music in church, you might like modern music in church. You might come to church with a big family of young and old children, I might come on my own. I might love sitting still quietly, you might love moving around and greeting people as you meet and see them. And yet: we are all one in Christ. It is impossible for me to say **thank you** to everyone who works to make sure St Peter’s flourishes as such a healthy and joyful parish church, reaching so many people across our community: and perhaps it’s not even right for me to say thank you, given that we all do what we do for the glory of God and in the service of Jesus of Nazareth, our great high priest. So I will only say a personal thank you, on behalf of us all, to Father Alan, whose dedication, passion, care and gift of so much time, really is a unique blessing to us all in church, in school, and in our parish community: alleluia! At Southwark Cathedral’s Black History Month Mass, Bishop Rosemarie (the Bishop of Croydon) read a very powerful poem, which I brought back to St Peter’s. It is written by Sam Hargreaves and I think (although we could add things to reflect our family of faith here in Walworth) it can really help us to think about what it means to be **the Body of Christ** : a group of people who are **diverse** and different, and totally **equal** in God’s sight. It goes like this: 9 The Parochial Church Council of St Peter's Walworth Charity Number 1194616 io We are many, God's great diversity, **yet we are one in Christ.** Different faces, different races, **yet we are one in Christ.** **yet we are one in Christ.** Those with abundance, those with need, those who are generous or wrestle with greed, **yet we are one in Christ.** Butchers, bakers, website makers, bankers, tailors, teachers, sailors, **yet we are one in Christ.** Fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers, single, married, broken, carried, **yet we are one in Christ.** The happy, the clappy, the barely out of nappies, the ancient, the modern, the famous, the forgotten, **yet we are one in Christ.** Some hopeful, some hopeless, some cope well, some cope less. Some sure and some doubt, some whisper, some shout, Elbows, tummies, knees and noses, kidneys, femurs, teeth and toeses. Some unmentionable, some protected, some accepted, some rejected, **yet we are one in Christ.** A broken body, torn apart, mars God's image, breaks God's heart. And yet our Father knows how the end will be, when all his kids will sing in harmony, the bride will dazzle, her branches bloom, so add your voice to hymn the tune that **we are one in Christ.** I can’t say this loudly enough: **you belong here. Whoever you are.** I belong here, whoever I am. There are still things we need to do to make it really feel like that for all of us. And certainly, we need to work hard in our world to make sure we also know that we belong wherever we go, in a society which is full of inequality and injustice which needs challenging every step of the way. Finally, I want to encourage each one of us to **go deeper in our discipleship** : in church, in our jobs and our roles, and in our world. Please think and pray about what God is calling you to do so that we can make God’s reign on earth better known. Is God calling you to do something new in church? Or to be more and more open about our faith in God at home, at work, in school? Or to step in a role in the politics of our world? God needs you and me to play our full role in the world for God’s justice, truth, love and mercy to be known. So although there are big challenges in our world and in our community today, let us be people of faith, hope and love. Let us rise up like eagles in our world, ready to change the world to fit The Parochial Church Council of St Peter’s Walworth Charity Number 1194616 God’s priorities. Let us remember that we are an Easter people and “Alleluia” is our song! Father Andrew, **Rector of St Peter,** ## **St Peter’s Church of England Primary School Report** St Peter’s School is an essential part of parish life for our church and community. We are very blessed to have a really dedicated team of staff across the school who give so, so much to our children and families to give them the best education possible. We are pleased that the normal round of collective worship in school and in church is now back in place since lockdown, with clergy leading Key Stage 2 Mass each fortnight, and leading whole-school worship at least once a term. Is God calling you to volunteer in St Peter’s School by coming into school or church to listen to children read? This year we appointed Melissa Caramba-Coker as a new Church Council foundation school governor and Melissa has already got on with playing her part in school governance and life. Before Easter the school received an Ofsted inspection, and we await the formal judgement of His Majesty’s Inspector to be made public. ## **Churchwardens’ Report: Juvinia Max-Peters & Kenny TukiAdenubi** It’s so good to see more members of the congregation returning to church following the covid pandemic and wonderful to once again be able to meet in fellowship with one another after the Parish Mass. My colleague, Juvinia, is standing down as Churchwarden and I wish to record my personal thanks for her service and commitment to the role of Churchwarden. I now look forward to serving with the newly elected Churchwarden for my final year of office. **Fabric, Goods and Ornaments of the Church** I will be meeting with the Archdeacon on May 10[th] for the Annual Church Inspection. St Peter’s Registers will be inspected along with evidence of the statutory safety and maintenance checks including gas, lightning conductors, fire extinguishers and the church insurance documentation. All the documents are currently in order. - There were no Faculty Applications for works during the past year. - Plans are on-going for a major “Building Appeal” to mark our 200[th] Anniversary of St Peter’s Church, to carry out major repairs to the building. - During the year we were able to purchase four new flags due to the amazing generosity of individual members of the congregation: The Flag of St Peter, the Black Pride Flag, the Union Flag and the Diocese of Southwark Flag. A huge thank you to all concerned. We are fortunate to have a very small group of volunteers who clean and tidy our church including cleaning the silver and the candlesticks and cleaning and ironing the church laundry. We are 12 The Parochial Church Council of St Peter’s Walworth Charity Number 1194616 most grateful for all their hard work which goes on behind the scenes week after week. If anyone wishes to help with cleaning, small maintenance jobs, helping to clear the gutters, etc please speak to us (Churchwardens) or a member of the Clergy Team - Thank you. Although the Rector and the Churchwardens have a particular responsibility for the church building, every member of St. Peter’s has a duty of care to look after and keep the church clean tidy for the praise and glory of God. **Acknowledgements** : The Church Wardens wish to express their heartfelt thanks to Father Andrew, St Peter’s Rector, and Father Alan, Assistant Priest, for their leadership, guidance, pastoral care and hard work throughout the year. Thanks be to God for our Clergy. On behalf of Juvinia and myself, it has been a privilege and a pleasure to serve St. Peter’s Church and this congregation during the past year as your Churchwardens. **Kenny Tuki-Adenubi** ## **Report on the Proceedings of the Parochial Church Council** The Church Council (PCC) is a dedicated group of volunteers who meet together to discuss, plan and make decisions to ensure that St Peter’s remains an open and prayerful church for many years to come! There are currently five vacancies on the PCC for Lay Members (Members of the Congregation). We also need a Church Council Secretary, who takes the minutes of the meetings, helps plan the agenda and does certain jobs through the year to help the Church Council run smoothly. Is God calling you to be our next Church Council Secretary? Is God calling you to serve as a member on the PCC? If you are interested please speak to a member of the Clergy Team, or a PCC for further details. Nominees for election to the PCC must be 16 years of age or over, communicant members here at St. Peter’s and have been on the Church Electoral Roll for the past six months. PCC Members are Trustees and as such are required to be registered with the Charity Commission. Registration and Declaration Forms will be provided for newly elected PCC members. Meetings are usually held on a Tuesday or Wednesday evening, either in Church or in the crypt of the Church, starting at 6.30pm and finishing around 9pm or at 7pm and finishing around 9.30pm, approximately every two months. Meetings are chaired by either the Father Andrew, our Rector, or by Siriol Davies, our Lay Vice-chair of the PCC. The next meeting is planned for Tuesday, 23[rd] May at 6pm in Church. Throughout the year the PCC continued to keep a close eye on church finances, under the expert guidance of Alex Metcalfe, our PCC Treasurer. The new Parish Giving Scheme is making a great 13 The Parochial Church Council of St Peter’s Walworth Charity Number 1194616 difference making it possible for us now to make one-off or regular offerings to our Church with automatic Gift Aid. We can access this through the QR code by the door as we come in, and of course we are also able to give through the card readers, or using cash. The Weekly Giving Envelope Scheme is also still available. To find out more on how to give to St. Peter’s please see Beryl Anstee, St Peter’s Stewardship Officer and Gift Aid Secretary. A huge “Thank you” to everyone who gives towards our mission and ministry and the maintenance of our church, especially through these very difficult financial times. Gift Aid makes a huge difference to St. Peter’s income. If you are a UK tax payer it means the church is able to claim 25p in every £1 that you donate for free!! We just need to give our permission to do so: please speak to Beryl for details and Gift Aid Forms. The PCC has been delighted to receive Council funding for benches in the Monkey Garden (although due to rising costs, we have had to use some church funds to make sure we complete this project) and major work on the rear of our beautiful church which will cut down on anti-social and dangerous behaviour as well as restoring some of the beautiful original features of the building. We have been so grateful to Notting Hill Genesis Housing Association who funded Party in the Park in full and also Walworth’s Got Talent! As members will see from our Treasurer’s report from Alex, and the InSpire report from Father Alan, things have been very difficult for InSpire, the charity in the crypt. This has been a huge challenge in many ways. Father Andrew and Alex have discussed these problems with the PCC to get the Church Council’s views, and then had lots of meetings and conversations with the Chair and Vice-Chair of trustees for InSpire. The Church Council has taken an understanding approach to rent, erring on the side of generosity: Firstly, even before lockdown, we gave InSpire extra time to pay monthly rent when asked for extra time due to cash-flow problems. Secondly, there has been a rent-freeze in place for a very long time (even with rises inflation and rent costs generally). Thirdly, during the period when InSpire had to be closed due to lockdown, the Church Council came to a very reduced figure as a proportion of the full rent, in line with what other similar organisations and landlords had come to; there is still a large sum of rent unpaid which we are in conversation with InSpire about, and in particular we have said that we are happy to come to a long-term payment plan to keep payments affordable. This last point remains unfinalized with the Trustees of InSpire. You will also see that InSpire have sadly fallen behind with agreed payments towards agreed shared utility bills; again, we have tried to take an approach of keeping dialogue open and taking as understanding and flexible an approach as possible. We are very mindful that we are stewards of the church’s resources, our resources, and of the sacrificial giving we all make under God towards the continuing life and mission of St Peter’s Church for the 14 The Parochial Church Council of St Peter’s Walworth Charity Number 1194616 church family and the whole community. We are also balancing this with wanting to support the work of InSpire where we can. At PCC meetings we share examples of Blessings and ‘Blue Skies’ that have happened in church and community life, and there is always so much to be thankful for: from our worship and fellowship together, to individual events, and weekly church life. A tremendous amount of work goes on behind the scenes and we see that impact in the worship, community and ethos at St Peter’s. Thanks be to God! The PCC also wish to extend their grateful thanks to Kev and Judith, our organists, for the wonderful music that they continue to provide. Music is such a fundamental part of our worship here at St. Peter’s, and we have continued to learn new music and have new singers and musicians from the congregation involved in leading music. Kev usually plays on the 1st, 2nd and 5th Sundays of the month and Judith the 3rd and 4th Sundays. We are extremely fortunate and grateful to have such talented musicians and a wonderful singing congregation. Thanks be to God! Safeguarding is fundamental to our life at St Peter’s. It is on every Church Council meeting agenda, and each year we have substantial item on Safeguarding including training and revision led by Father Andrew. The PCC adopts A Safe Church as our Safeguarding policy on the diocese’s recommendation: this is available on-line and there are hard copies available in church and we recently bought two new copies of the hard copy version to make sure they are as up-to-date as possible (though the online version will always be the most up-todate version). PCC Members are also required to complete Church of England on-line safeguarding training. If any members of the congregation wish to do the on-line training here’s the link: https://safeguardingtraining.cofeportal.org/login/index.php. If you do complete the training please let one of St. Peter’s Parish Safeguarding Officers know so that we can update our safeguarding training records. We have just appointed a new Parish Safeguarding Officer. After a robust and open process of Safer Recruitment, the PCC were delighted to be able to appoint Sylvia Rukundo to join Kingsley Ukpedor and bring our PSO team up to two PSOs. This will help us as we plan to re-start our children and youth worship on Sunday mornings. Is God calling you to be part of our Children and Youth Team at St Peter’s? Details of St Peter’s Safeguarding officers are on display in church together with information on what to do if you are concerned about a safeguarding matter (and Sylvia’s details will be added shortly). Alternatively, please speak to a member of the Clergy Team or the Churchwardens or a member of the PCC. We all have a responsibility to keep each other safe. We have had meetings with the diocesan adviser on historic buildings to prepare for our 200th Anniversary Building Appeal. And we are in the process of recruiting a volunteer non-executive project manager to work with the Building Committee and PCC on our 15 The Parochial Church Council of St Peter’s Walworth Charity Number 1194616 appeal and the project itself. We all have a responsibility to ensure this beautiful building is kept in a state of good repair for future generations and, of course, for the Glory of God. The Clergy Team discussed with the Church Council the proposal of using the fresh translation of the Bible found in A Women’s Lectionary for the Whole Church by the Reverend Professor Canon Wilda C Gafney (an African-American Anglican priest, Bible scholar, and university professor) from Advent 2022, with an opportunity to then review this with the congregation at some point after Pentecost). On behalf of the PCC, Father Andrew sought Bishop Christopher’s blessing to do this, given that parts of the lectionary differ from the Church of England Sunday readings. Thank you to those who have given feedback on this so far. The PCC has adopted various policies through the year, including a Privacy Policy now that we have a small cctv camera in church for security. The Church Council has continued to work on becoming as ecofriendly as possible in light of the climate crisis. This includes all the small day-to-day energy-saving we can do, as well as forward planning for us to have as energy-efficient as possible a building. In conclusion, the PCC carried out its duties throughout another challenging year. We are blessed to have a dedicated group of Christian people who give time and energy and wisdom to taking a lead in our common life. Thanks be to God! **Father Andrew, on behalf of the PCC** (We currently have a vacancy for a PCC Secretary) ## **Preparation of the Revised Church Electoral Roll for 2023** A Revision of the Church Electoral Roll was required to be completed prior to the 2023 Annual Parochial Church Meeting on Sunday, 30th April 2023. Stuart Murrell, St. Peter’s Church Electoral Roll Officer, was responsible for carrying out the preparation, and is most grateful to Catherine Attride, Parish Administrator, for her help, support and expertise on completing the Revisions. During the revisions there have been: 2 deletions and 20 additions. The 2023 Revised Church Electoral Roll stands at 221 electors and there is a copy on display at the back of church. For interest, this, firstly, continues an upward trend compared to 2022 and 2021, with 203 electors and 191 electors on St Peter's Electoral Roll respectively. Secondly, with a Church Electoral Roll standing at 221 electors, the Parish of St. Peter, Walworth, will qualify next year for five lay representatives to Deanery Synod. There are presently two vacancies on the Deanery Synod. Is God calling you to serve in this way? The Annual Parochial Church Meeting is asked to accept the 2023 16 The Parochial Church Council of St Peter’s Walworth Charity Number 1194616 Revised Church Electoral Roll as presented with 221 electors. Thank you to everyone who completed a form during the Revision preparations. Please note that additions may be made to the Church Electoral Roll during the rest of the year by contacting Stuart via the office email, office@stpeterswalworth.org who will present applications to the PCC. Stuart Murrell, Church Electoral Roll Officer ## **Treasurer’s Report:** The latest financial year has been dominated by the cost-of-living crisis in the UK, which has also impacted the cost of operating St Peter’s Church and put significant pressure on our congregation. With this backdrop, the continued generosity of our congregation has made all the difference in sustaining the church and its mission. We continue to be blessed by the diligent work of the finance committee, which is made up of Ellie Price, Beryl Anstee, Donna Grant, and Mary O’Neill. Catherine Attride also conscientiously manages the petty cash for St Peter’s. The finance committee works closely with Father Andrew and receives ultimate direction from the PCC in steering St Peter’s finances. 17 The Parochial Church Council of St Peter’s Walworth Charity Number 1194616 Detailed Balance Sheet for St Peter’s, Walworth: Registered Charity Number 1194616 18 The Parochial Church Council of St Peter’s Walworth Charity Number 1194616 ## Statement of Financial Activities For the period from 01 January 2022 to 31 December 2022 The 2022 accounts demonstrate the ongoing financial challenges faced by St Peter’s. Overall, expenditure exceeded income by over £9,000 in 2022. Of particular concern was the reduction in unrestricted funds available for St Peter’s to meet its future expenses, which fell from about £39,000 at the end of 2021 to around £16,000 by the end of 2022. The decline in unrestricted funds is artificially large in the accounts as St Peter’s was due to receive over £14,000 of grant funding from Notting Hill Genesis to support the 2022 Party in the Park. This grant money was gratefully received in February 2023 and has improved the position of our unrestricted funds. St Peter’s also had close to £19,000 of restricted funds by the close of 2022, with nearly half of the restricted funds allocated towards the upkeep of the building. Though the finances remain challenging, I am optimistic that we can collectively build a more resilient position for St Peter’s in the years ahead. There have been ongoing discussions in 2022 with the InSpire management and Board in terms of their ability to remain at St Peter’s. There is an exceptional history between InSpire and St Peter’s, as well as such potential for jointly delivering value to the Walworth community. At the same time, the arrangement needs to be financially sustainable for both St Peter’s and InSpire. As of 31 19 The Parochial Church Council of St Peter’s Walworth Charity Number 1194616 December 2022, InSpire was up to date on all rent payments. St Peter’s and InSpire divide the utility bills based on each organisations’ estimated use. This apportionment is recommended by the building’s architect, Nicholas Weedon. Unfortunately, we finished 2022 with InSpire not paying their share of the October and November electric bill – totalling about £2,800 in outstanding invoices. The cost-of-living crisis has seen a significant spike in the utility bills for all of us. St Peter’s has experienced this same increase in costs and government support for the charity sector is reducing in 2023. It is a concern that the unpaid utility invoices to InSpire have continued to grow in early 2023, adding another £3,800 to InSpire’s unpaid bills. There is a great deal of uncertainty for us to navigate together. But I know the blessings of God, with the generosity and love of the St Peter’s family, will faithfully guide us. Alex Metcalfe, PCC Treasurer ## **Accounting policies** 1. The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Charities Act 2011 using the Receipts and payments basis. 2. The statement of assets has been prepared under the historical cost conversion. 3. Agency collections are funds collected on behalf of another group over which the PCC has no control. ## FUNDS: 1. General funds represent the funds of the PCC that are not subject to any restrictions regarding their use and which are available for application to the general purposes of the PCC. 2. Funds designated for a particular purpose by the PCC are also unrestricted. 3. The accounts include all monetary transactions, assets and liabilities for which the PCC is responsible in law. They do not include the accounts of church groups that owe their main affiliation to another body or those that are informal gatherings of church members. Incoming resources: 1. Collections are recognized when received by or on behalf of the PCC 2. Planned giving and income tax recoverable on Gift Aid donations re recognized only when received by the PCC. 3. Rental income from the letting of church premises is recognized when the rent is received. Dividends are accounted for when 20 The Parochial Church Council of St Peter’s Walworth Charity Number 1194616 received; interest entitlements are accounted for when the interest is received. ## Assets: Consecrated property of any kind is excluded from the accounts by the Charities Act 2011. Moveable church furnishings are listed in the church’s inventory which can be inspected at any reasonable time. 21 The Parochial Church Council of St Peter’s Walworth Charity Number 1194616 ## **Independent Examiner's Report to the members of The Parochial Church Council of Walworth, St Peter’s:** I report on the accounts for the Year Ended 31 December 2022 which are set out on Pages 12 to 15. Respective responsibilities of the Trustees and Independent Examiner As trustees of the charity, the members of the PCC are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. They consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144(2) of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act) and that an independent examination is needed. It is my responsibility to - examine the accounts under section 145 of the 2011 Act; - follow the procedures laid down in the General Directions - given by the Charity Commissioners section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act; and - state whether particular matters have come to my attention. Basis of Independent Examiner's Statement My examination was carried out in accordance with the General Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts and seeking explanations from the management committee concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in a full audit, and consequently I do not express an audit opinion on the accounts. Independent Examiner's Statement I have completed my examination and I have identified matters of concern and no matters have come to my attention: 1. which give me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements - to keep accounting records in accordance with s.130 of the 2011 Act; or - to prepare accounts which accord with these accounting records have not been met; or 2. to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. 22 The Parochial Church Council of St Peter’s Walworth Charity Number 1194616 Anthony Harbinson FCCA BA(Hons) MSc DMS MBA 3 Corrina Park Belfast BT17 0HA 29 October 2023 ## **Deanery Synod Report 2022-23** Deanery Synod has not been having regular meetings since Covid but recently all efforts were concentrated on the very successful Woolwich Area Lay Conference which was held in early April at All Saints Academy where Revd Jonathan Roberts, our Area Dean, is the school chaplain. Toro and Siriol attended workshops on Racial Justice and Environmental Justice and had some great discussions with other churches in the Woolwich Area. Siriol Davies & Theo Shaw Deanery Synod Representatives for St. Peter’s Walworth ## **St Peter’s Walworth Bell Ringing Report 2023 ‘Ringing and reaching out in Christ to the Walworth Community’** St Peter’s bell ringers have continued to go from strength to strength this last year. With a permanent membership expanding to 13, their skills continue to grow too, ranging from confident beginners to well-seasoned ringers who are versatile on a range of methods and successful at quarter and full peals. The reputation of being amongst the friendliest towers in London continues to attract visitors far and wide. Ringers who are keen to challenge themselves, experiencing our lightest and fastest set of eight bells around, often join in with Sunday ringing. This brings added capacity to the teaching session that follows on 1[st] , 2[nd] and 5[th] Sundays. The Wednesday evening advanced practice also continues to attract highly skilled ringers, keen to develop their skills even further. The ever-growing pool of ringing talent means that the tower can fulfil all requests that are made of it. This routinely includes regular Sunday service ringing, Christmas specials, funerals and weddings which are very much within the scope of the tower. But it was the death of Queen Elizabeth II, that gave an unscheduled opportunity to push that repertoire further still. As ringers were scrambled together within a very short notice period, St Peter’s rose to the speedy challenge. Proudly, within two hours of the national announcement, the muffled bells were proclaiming the news to the parish of this historic event. 23 The Parochial Church Council of St Peter’s Walworth Charity Number 1194616 The bell ringing world reserves it’s most eerie, echoey sound for the death of a sovereign, so it was especially important for St Peter’s to be a part of this ancient tradition in England. Half muffled bells are heard annually over the November Remembrance period each year, but fully muffled bells are only reserved for the death of the king or queen. Fully muffled means that seven of the bells have their clappers fully dampened on both strokes of the bell. The eighth, and largest, tenor bell, is only muffled on one side, so that a loud toll is heard on the back stroke of the bell, sending the most sombre sound possible over the rooftops of the parish. The last time bells would have been heard fully muffled was in 1952 at the death of King George V. During the national mourning period for the late Queen, the tenor bell was tolled 96 times on the first full day after the announcement. Controlling the heaviest bell, and pausing each time requires considerable handling technique. To ‘pull it off’ without any mishaps, was accomplished by one of our own ringers. Together with Max’s tolling and the whole band’s ringing, all expectations associated with the death of monarch were achieved with aplomb and worthy of particular mention for congratulations in this report. But it’s not only sad events that they proclaim with special techniques. More recently, the band were assembled for an annual event that was definitely celebratory. Fireworks and fizz are a regular feature of the Easter Tridium at St Peter’s but to be accompanied by late night bell ringing and excellent ‘firing’ – when all bells are struck at the same time – is a fun sound, often associated with New Year and other party occasions _. S_ o it was entirely appropriate for the bells to proclaim the first mass of the risen Christ. Notifications online in ‘ _Walworth Now and Then’_ gave the parish a heads up. The overwhelming positive feedback in the online written comments, affirm parish wide appreciation of the bells, something which many other towers across London cannot claim to enjoy. With such enthusiasm and warm energy, the tower has also attracted more teaching capacity. Huge thanks must go to Edmund who offers his time and expertise generously to assist me in the steady handling of ropes, people and ringing demands and make St Peter’s a smooth operation. Lastly, thanks must go to the congregation who keep the praise a coming and for their swift arrival into church when the bells call them to pray, worship and celebrate. Kev Mitchell, Tower Captain ## **St. Peter’s Music report: Judith Rust April 2023** 24 The Parochial Church Council of St Peter’s Walworth Charity Number 1194616 It has been very good to see St. Peter’s getting back to normal after the pandemic, and we are gradually seeing more and more people return to church (plus some new people too!). Sunday morning worship at St. Peter’s is a joyful occasion. Praising God together is a truly happy event and the congregational singing very much lifts the spirits. The congregation is indeed the choir at St. Peter’s, and the singing is always very powerful. The congregation is very much part of the music team, and we are very blessed to have a number of people who are willing and able to cantor the psalms and responses. We are hugely thankful to them all for undertaking this important part of the worship, as it enables the music to be more reflective and adds a different texture to the proceedings. Many thanks to our cantors for their commitment. We have also had new psalms with music written by Fr. Andrew, which the cantos have performed well and enjoyed. The music at St. Peter’s varies with the seasons, and supports the changing liturgy. The Mass settings change according to the seasons and the congregation (ably led by the cantors) are very good at responding to the changes in Mass settings, responses etc., as the liturgical seasons require. Mass is always sung on Sunday mornings, and it is a great blessing to have clergy who are musical and are able to sing the Mass well. We are also blessed to have Zoe lead the Agnus Dei every week. St. Peter’s continues to hold extra evening services on Holy Days – sung Mass on Ascension Day, All Souls as well as the other important Holy Days such as Maundy Thursday and Good Friday etc. Although not massively well-attended since the pandemic, the “Faithful” always turn up. Extra services are also held at Christmas and Easter which do attract a good congregation. The annual Memorial service held in November has also returned to full strength after the pandemic. The piano and organ continue to be a joy to play, and are well looked-after, with regular tuning. Both instruments are of good quality and very much add to the music. It is a great privilege to play at St. Peter’s and I thank the clergy, cantors and congregation for their support. ## **Server’s Report - 4[th] April 2023** In the previous year’s report I highlighted the impact that the Pandemic had had on the Serving team in church. Sadly, we are still recovering from the changes this had had and are trying very hard to rebuild the team. As mentioned in last year’s report, I no longer produce a Rota for the team, instead we see who turns up each Sunday and pick a 25 The Parochial Church Council of St Peter’s Walworth Charity Number 1194616 team from them. Not ideal, but it saves an enormous amount of time as far as rota preparation is concerned, and the frustration of not being informed at all when someone cannot serve. Where I used to have difficulty fitting everyone on to the Rota so that each person was getting the same number of opportunities to serve, this most certainly doesn’t happen any more. New members are always encouraged, but it is important to remember that this is a commitment, and continuity and timekeeping have to be observed. Again a special mention goes out to Steve Rogers, as current Head Server, whose commitment and reliability is an important element in the successful running of the team. Finally I would like to thank, on behalf of St. Peter’s, all those who give their time to serve at the Altar here. As I’ve said many times before, Serving is a very valuable ministry, should always be taken seriously, and is an important part of our worship here, and we are extremely fortunate that we have so many who are committed to that. ## Fr. Alan ## **InSpire: the Crypt at St Peter’s: Church Trustee Report** Like many organisations the Pandemic has impacted InSpire greatly. Although we did and are managing to deliver services very well, the reality is that we are significantly down on our room hire reservations, which means that the level of income we were enjoying, mainly through room hire for meetings etc., many of the hirers, like us in church, have discovered ZOOM as the preferred option for meetings, which can be held remotely. This has severely reduced InSpire’s financial situation and raises questions as to InSpire’s continued tenancy in the Crypt due to premises overheads now exceeding that income by a considerable amount. Nigel Scott Dickeson – Chief Executive – has detailed this in his last Board Report which I have included, and I urge everyone to read it. It is worth mentioning that the uncertainty, as far as InSpire’s continued tenancy is concerned, is most certainly at the heart of this document. Below is the Chief Executive’s Report for the February Board Meeting: ## **“Finance Report** Following the Finance Group meeting on 8[th] February alongside the review of December’s Q3 Management Accounts and the cash forecast to March 2023 plus a few months beyond, it was decided that InSpire’s tenancy at The Crypt is looking unsustainable. If the tenancy continues - based on the current and proposed rate of rent payments and shared utilities - InSpire will be insolvent by May 2023 as forecast annual room hire income (£45,000) which covers the majority of premises overheads, remains insufficient and unlikely to 26 The Parochial Church Council of St Peter’s Walworth Charity Number 1194616 increase. These calculations are set out on the attached breakeven summary and have been verified by our independent accountant. In addition, a ‘full cost recovery’ calculation has also been arranged which has extracted all the specific associated room hire transactional costs and that also identifies a specific shortfall of £24,873. The vast majority of our grant funding only covers ‘restricted’ direct project costs and in fact, those restricted funds will already be covering rent and utilities which is in breach of trust with the funders concerned, as all unrestricted funds will by then be exhausted. The increased rent and utilities payments since November are being withheld pending a decision from Leathersellers’ Foundation to release their £10,000 grant due to their reticence regarding security of tenure and the ability of InSpire to remain as a going concern. The 2023-24 cash flow forecast shows an unrecoverable deficit of £13,494 by May based on the increased levels of rent and shared utilities which will necessitate a financial action plan to avoid the charity’s closure. ## **Operational activity** Our ‘2InSpire’ Youth Club performed their Drama Group’s Showcase event on 21st December which was attended by 52 guests all served with sponsored refreshments. Performances were given by members of the group including singing and acting scenarios. Many thanks to the trustees who attended which was greatly appreciated. All the Club’s sessions continue to be well attended, providing a weekly programme of Craft Club on Tuesday evenings, Drama Club on Wednesday evenings and Friday Youth Club which is split into two sessions for ages 11-14 and 15-18. All those attending on Friday evenings - usually 60+ - continue to receive a free hot meal with ingredients donated through Felix Project. Our ‘Into Work’ Programme has just been awarded a Service Level Agreement valued at £10,000 p.a. from Notting Hill Genesis to mentor a number of prospective apprentices and job placement candidates who are interested with progressing a career path in construction or design work. The target is to support 20 young people annually aged between 18-25 and this will assist the numbers required through the Henry Smith Charity funding objectives. The Parenting Support Programme continues to deal with a number of housing challenges, including one parent with four young children whose home has been riddled with damp for over a year which has required the intervention of the Council’s Chief Executive. Two more young parents and their families have been rehoused into private rented accommodation and have been supported by the Smallwood Trust bursary scheme to assist with fixtures and fittings. There has also been an increased level of rent arrears to deal with where the Council have been far too eager to issue a court 27 The Parochial Church Council of St Peter’s Walworth Charity Number 1194616 summons. One of these cases involved a care leaver where the Council was her corporate parent, but they were completely unaware of the circumstances, so we had to intervene at Director level. Fortunately Smallwood Trust will be providing an extra £10,000 additional ‘hardship fund’ grant to assist with the growing demand for financial assistance due to the cost of living crisis. ## **Premises** As previously mentioned, the continuous pressures on cash flow and budgeting are due to reduced levels of room hire income and associated premises overheads, so the search for an alternative base had become necessary. Pembroke House are now involved in discussions with their CEO and Facilities Manager about a proposed relocation of office premises and as an alternative for our youth group’s activities. The deficits caused through a combination of room hire cost ratios and the impact on the charity’s income against the ever-increasing operational overheads. Our calculations demonstrate that it is now completely unviable for InSpire to act as room hire provider as a major part of the tenancy, especially when our main charitable objectives subsequently become at risk. In addition, the original rent agreement is vastly outdated from 2014-15 and the level of shared utilities and service charges in relation to occupancy is no longer tenable for InSpire, especially since the introduction of virtual meetings introduced during Covid. Nigel Scott Dickeson – Chief Executive, February 2023” Although there are many positives regarding the positive impact of the charity’s community services, it does not bode well for InSpire’s future at St Peter’s, and we, the Church, and it’s worth mentioning that a number of us from church are on the Board, most certainly need to help resolve this situation to ensure that InSpire continues to serve the Parish and wider community as it has done since 2003. Father Alan 28