The Friends of St Bartholomew’s Church, Orford
Annual General Meeting 2025 and
Financial Statements 2023-2024
The 3rd Annual General Meeting of the Friends of St. Bartholomew’s Church, Orford
will be held on
Thursday 31[st] July 2025 at 6.00pm
at High House, High Street, Orford IP12 2NW
The Friends of St. Bartholomew’s Church, Orford. Charity Registration Number: 1194884. Registered address: 3 Quay Street, Orford, Woodbridge, Suffolk IP12 2NU
Email: stbartholomewsfriends@gmail.com Website: stbartholomewsfriends.org
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Foreword by the Chair of Trustees
I am pleased to introduce the third Annual Report and Accounts of The Friends of St. Bartholomew’s Church, Orford.
In our formative period, June 2021 to September 2022, a key priority was to establish us as a new Charity and create base from which to grow. We publicised the Charity, welcomed our first Friends and, through subscriptions, events and generous donations, raised sufficient funds to start making grants for St. Bartholomew’s church within our charitable remit.
Our second year, October 2022 to September 2023, was a period of consolidation, in which we continued to raise awareness of the Charity, attract new Friends and raise funds. We opened an ongoing dialogue with the PCC on future projects and priorities to enhance the church and its facilities, and support maintenance and repair. We made our first major grant towards the cost of a new combined heating and lighting system, and installation was completed in late 2022.
In our third year, October 2023 to September 2024, with income from events, membership and donations accruing, we had hoped that progress would be made on projects that the Charity could support. However, for reasons set out later in this report, the PCC was not in a position to initiate any substantial enhancements to the church. We were, however, able to make a grant to the PCC for urgent repairs to the church roof.
Under the Charity’s Constitution, the Vicar for the time being of St. Bartholomew’s Church is an exofficio Trustee of the Charity. We note that The Revd. Giles Tulk left his appointment as Vicar on 2[nd] April 2024 to move to ‘pastures new’ in Shropshire. We thank him for his work with the Charity in its formative years and wish him well in his new appointment. At the time of writing, May 2025, the post in Orford remains vacant but the PCC hopes to appoint a successor in the near future and we look forward to welcoming the new incumbent as a Trustee.
I would like to thank my fellow Trustees for all their help and hard work in the past year. I also thank our Friends for their continuing support, individuals who have made generous gifts to the Charity and those who have supported our events.
Richard Murley
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Notice of Annual General Meeting
Notice is hereby given that the 3[rd] Annual General Meeting (AGM) of The Friends of St. Bartholomew’s Church, Orford will be held on
Thursday 31[st] July 2025
at 6.00pm at High House, High Street, Orford IP12 2NW
Agenda
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Welcome address by the Chair of Trustees
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Apologies for absence
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Minutes of the 2[nd] AGM held on 23[rd] July 2024
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Trustees’ Report for the period October 2023 to September 2024
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Financial Statements of the charity for the period October 2023 to September 2024
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Election of Trustees*
Under the Constitution of the Charity, one third of the elected Trustees are due to retire from office at the 3[rd] AGM and are eligible for re-election. Those retiring are Richard Murley and Frances Barnwell. They are willing to continue to serve and therefore stand for re-election at the AGM.
- Any other business
- Note: We welcome applications from people who would be interested in becoming Trustees of the Charity. In particular, we seek a Trustee who would act as Treasurer and also be willing to help, as all Trustees do, in the practical organisation and laying on events. Those interested should contact the Secretary, Sally Walton, in the first instance please.
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The Friends of St Bartholomew’s Church, Orford
2nd Annual General Meeting held on 23[rd] July 2024 at 6.25pm at 3 Quay Street, Orford, Woodbridge, Suffolk IP12 2NU
MINUTES
Present: Richard Murley (Chair), Sally Walton (Secretary), Elizabeth Pritchett, Frances Barnwell, Caroline Gill, Laura Gillespie (Trustees). Jonathan Howard, Miggs Howard, Judith Shallow, Penelope Murley, Suki Pearce, Elizabeth Spinney, Chris Gill, John Farr, Jacki Maslin, Nigel Maslin, Mary Goldin, Veronica Bevan, Paula Kerr, John Bevan, Mike Shallow, James Grogono, Charles Clark, Pascale Clark, Colin Barry, Robert Pritchett, Philippa Watkins.
1. Welcome address
Mr Murley welcomed everyone to the meeting. He spoke of the year 1[st] October 2022 to 30[th] September 2023 as a period of consolidation. The Friends of St. Bartholomew’s Church charity (“the Friends”) work with the Parochial Church Council (PCC) on projects to support the Church, but undertaking new substantive projects had been held back because of a formal objection made to the combined heating and lighting installations in the Church. This was resolved in 2024, but with remaining uncertainty for the PCC on the cost consequences. Further, The Rev. Giles Tulk had moved to another diocese, and a successor was not yet in post. These factors could delay any new major projects, possibly until 2025. In the meantime, the Friends had made small grants to the PCC and supported repair of the church roof, and continued fundraising and promotional activity. Mr Murley sincerely thanked all Friends for their support and giving to the charity, and the Trustees for their work.
2. Apologies for absence
Fiona Gerard (Trustee)
3. Minutes of the 1[st] AGM held on 13[th] April 2023
The Minutes had been circulated to all Friends and were agreed by all present as a correct record of the meeting.
4. Trustees’ Report for the period 1[st] October 2022 to 30[th] September 2023
A Report had been circulated to all Friends and was accepted by all present. No questions were asked.
5. Financial Statements of the Charity for the period 1[st] October 2022 to 30[th ] September 2023
These had been circulated to all Friends. Net income as at 30[th] September 2023 was £6,918 and cash assets were £16,508; these are being held for future projects. Small grants at a total of £1,501 had been made to the PCC. The Financial Statements were accepted by all present; no questions were asked.
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6. Election of Trustees
One third of the elected Trustees were due to retire from office at the 2nd AGM and were eligible for re-election. Fiona Gerard and Elizabeth Pritchett retired and were willing to continue to serve. They were re-elected by the those present.
7. Proposal to amend the Quorum for General Meetings
Mr Murley explained that, although the AGM of 2023 had unanimously agreed to amend the clause relating to the Quorum for general meetings in the Constitution, there had been a technical hitch in processing the amendment. It was, therefore, necessary to repeat the resolution.
Those present approved a Resolution:
To amend Clause 11.5 (b) of the Constitution, by deleting the first sentence of Clause 11.5 (b) and replacing it with the following:
(b) The quorum shall be double the number of Trustee members present plus one, not being less than five in total.
8. Other business
There being no further business, the meeting was closed at 6.45pm.
Signed
Chairman: R A Murley
Date: 31[st] July 2025
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Report of the Trustees and Unaudited Financial Statements for the period 1[st] October 2023 to 30[th] September 2024
1. Reference and administration details
The Friends of St. Bartholomew’s Church, Orford, 3 Quay Street, Orford, Woodbridge, Suffolk IP12 2NU
Charity Registration No. 1194884
2. Charity Trustees
The Charity Trustees during the period of this Report were:
Frances Barnwell, Fiona Gerard, Laura Gillespie, Richard Murley (Chair of Trustees), Elizabeth Pritchett. Ex officio : The Vicar for the time being of St. Bartholomew’s Church. Vacant from 3[rd] April 2024 (previously The Revd. Giles Tulk).
Ex officio : The Secretary for the time being of St Bartholomew’s Church, being Caroline Gill. One Trustee nominated by the Parochial Church Council, being Sally Walton.
3. Structure, governance and management
The Friends of St. Bartholomew’s Church, Orford (“the Charity”) is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation founded on 22[nd] June 2021, the date of its registration by the Charity Commission for England and Wales. The Charity is governed by its Constitution.
A committee formed of the Trustees exercises the powers of, and manages the affairs of, the Charity. They meet at least four times a year. There are an agenda and minutes for all meetings.
The Constitution provides for three to seven elected Trustees, the Vicar for the time being of St. Bartholomew’s Church ex officio, the Secretary for the time being of St. Bartholomew’s Church ex officio, and one Trustee nominated by the Parochial Church Council (“PCC”).
Trustees are elected at the Annual General Meeting (“AGM”) of the Members of the Charity in accordance with Clause 13 of the Constitution. At every AGM subsequent to the first AGM, one third of the elected Trustees shall retire from office, those to retire being those who have been longest in office since their last appointment or reappointment. Elected Trustees are recruited through advertisements in local free-of-charge community magazines delivered by their publishers to every household in Orford and five other local villages.
4. Objects
The Objects of the Charity are to maintain, repair, restore, and preserve the church of St. Bartholomew’s Church, Orford, its monuments, fixtures, fittings, ornaments, organs, other chattels and its churchyard for the benefit of the public.
5. Activities and Performance
Under the Constitution, the Charity has the power to undertake any activities which are calculated to further the Objects or would be conducive or incidental to doing so.
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In the Charity’s third year, October 2023 to September 2024, we sought to continue and build on the Trustees’ priorities established in the first year. These are to make the charity known in Orford and beyond, recruit Members, organise events to raise funds, and provide funding support for St. Bartholomew’s Church within the Objects. Activities are summarised as follows.
a. Publicity and promotion
In February 2024, we updated and re-published our promotional leaflet. This continues to be used to raise awareness of the Charity and recruit new members. The leaflet is available in print and online, with printed versions placed in church and at the Charity’s events, which are attended by members and non-members alike.
We continued to update the Charity’s website on a regular basis, and maintained its link to the church’s entry in the A Church Near You website.
b. Membership
Membership of the Charity is open to anyone who is interested in furthering its purposes. Members may be individuals or corporate bodies. Those who become Members are known as Friends and are asked to give an annual subscription.
Friends may subscribe any amount they wish to, but, in 2024, we introduced the suggested amounts of £25 a year for individuals and £50 a year for couples, with options for annual or monthly payments (as had been decided by the Trustees in 2023). Preferential pricing for members compared to nonmembers for events also came into effect in 2024.
Efforts to recruit new Friends continued in 2023/24 through promotion as at 5a. above.
c. Raising funds
In addition to subscriptions from members and occasional donations, fundraising through events is key. Based on experience in the Charity’s first two years, funds are raised through a number of core events each year, with the option to arrange other events if needed for specific projects. In line with this, the following core events were held, and were well-supported by members guests.
December 2023 Refreshments stall at Orford’s annual Bazaar in the church. March 2024 Quiz Evening with supper and a raffle in the Town Hall. May 2024 Orford Open Gardens
Open Gardens is an annual event that was held every two years directly in aid of the church before the Charity was formed. In 2022/23, it was agreed with the PCC that every other year (‘odd’ years, e.g. 2023), proceeds from ticket sales would go direct to the church and other proceeds, e.g. from refreshment and plant stalls, would go to the Charity. In ‘even’ years, e.g. 2024, all proceeds would accrue to the Charity. A raffle was introduced in 2023 to increase giving.
During the year, the Trustees outlined plans to hold a musical evening in church in November 2024 with an early music group, Hexachordia, and a cheese and wine tasting evening early in 2025.
The Trustees are grateful to all the volunteers who helped with events.
- d. Projects and grants
As the PCC is responsible for the church and its assets, it is the most likely recipient of funds from the Charity for projects within the Objects. The Trustees’ Grants Policy establishes that the Charity makes
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grants for projects at up to 50% of the total project cost where the cost is over £500, and up to 100% for projects less than this amount (“small grants”).
In 2023/24, no new substantial projects for improvements to the church were initiated by the PCC owing mainly to uncertainties relating to (a) the formal objection made to the heating and lighting system that had been installed in the church in 2022 and (b) the timing of appointment of a successor to The Revd Giles Tulk, who left Orford in April 2024 to take up a post in Shropshire.
However, the 2023 Quinquennial Review had identified repair works to the church roof as a high priority; the roof felt was perishing and failure to repair it could cause other structural problems. After investigations, the PCC obtained a quote for the work, including scaffolding. The Trustees agreed to support the costs and made a grant of £3,864.50 towards the total, within the Charity’s policy as above.
Despite the uncertainties noted above, dialogue continued with the PCC in 2023/24 about potential future projects, including repairs to external drainage and the internal audio system, which were considered priorities. These were followed up in 2024/25.
6. Financial review
The Charity’s financial year is 1st October to 30[th] September. This Report sets out the financial statements for the year 1[st] October 2023 to 30[th] September 2024.
The main sources of income in the year continued to be events and membership subscriptions and donations. Gift Aid recovery increased in the year, amounting to over £2,000. Income, all of which was unrestricted, was £12,002.94 including Gift Aid recovery. Under expenditure, a total of £3,864.50 was granted to the PCC (as above). In the absence of new major projects for the Charity to support, the year ended with net profit of £7,354.58 and a closing balance of £23,862.13, available for future activities in the Charity’s remit.
There were no income or contracts from central Government, local authorities or sources outside the UK. No debts were incurred. The Charity has no trading subsidiaries or staff. All activities were carried out by the Trustees and volunteers. The Trustees receive no remuneration or other payment from the Charity.
The Charity has a reserves policy that enables it to hold reserves from unrestricted funds for the following purposes:
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i. To be able to provide funding to the PCC for unexpected purposes within the Objects.
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ii. To be able to provide funding for pilot projects, or as “seed funding” to enable an activity to commence.
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iii. By exception, to cover planned commitments that unexpectedly cannot be met by annual income, e.g., where the Trustees have committed to support a project but insufficient funds are raised to meet the commitment.
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iv. By exception, to fund short-term deficits in the cash budget, e.g., money may need to be spent before a funding grant is received.
As the Charity has no fixed costs and the financial position could provide for any likely scenario, the Trustees saw no need to establish a reserve amount its initial years but agreed to keep this under review. On review in 2023/24, the Trustees decided set a modest reserve figure of £500. It was considered appropriate to decide a figure for good practice reasons but that, given the positive state
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of the Charity’s finances and development, there was no justification for holding a larger amount for the time being.
An independent examination of the accounts is not required because the Charity’s income falls below the statutory financial threshold for examination.
7. Declaration
The Trustees declare that they have approved the Trustees’ Report above. Signed on behalf of the Trustees:
Signature: Full name: Richard Andrew Murley Position: Chair of Trustees Signature: Full name: Sally Walton Position: Secretary Date: 30[th] May 2025
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The Friends of St. Bartholomew’s Church, Orford
Receipts & payments account for the period 1[st] October 2023 to 30[th] September 2024
| 2023/24 | 2022/23 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Receipts | Unrestricted £ |
Restricted £ |
Total | Unrestricted £ |
Restricted £ |
Total |
| Events | 4,319 | 4,319 | 4,768 | 0 | 4,768 | |
| Donatons & Subscriptons | 4,575 | 4,575 | 4,731 | 0 | 4,731 | |
| Gif Aid | 2,055 | 2,055 | 448 | 0 | 448 | |
| Book sale in church | 1,054 | 1,054 | 0 | |||
| Legacies | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Total receipts | 12,003 | 12,003 | 9,947 | 0 | 9,947 | |
| Payments | ||||||
| Events | 587 | 587 | 1,162 | 0 | 1,162 | |
| General | 0 | 0 | 85 | 0 | 85 | |
| Bank charges | 72 | 72 | 72 | 0 | 72 | |
| Website | 125 | 125 | 209 | 0 | 209 | |
| Grants | 0 | 3,865 | 3,865 | 0 | 1,501 | 1,501 |
| Totalpayments | 784 | 3,865 | 4,649 | 1,528 | 1,501 | 3,029 |
| Net receipts/(payments) | 11,219 | (3,865) | 7,354 | 8,419 | (1,501) | 6,918 |
| Bank and cash at the start | of the period | 1st October 2023 | £16,508 | |||
| Bank and cash at the end of the period 30th September 2024 | £23,862 | |||||
Statement of assets and liabilities at 30[th] September 2024
| £ unrestricted | |
|---|---|
| Cash assets | |
| Current bank account | £23,862 |
| Pety cash | 0 |
| Total cash assets | £23,862 |
| Other assets | |
| Sum-up machine | £118 |
| Total other assets | £118 |
| Liabilites | £0 |
These financial statements are accepted on behalf of the Charity on 30[th] May 2025 by:
| Signature: | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name: | Richard Andrew Murley | Positon: | Chair of Trustees |
| Signature: | |||
| Full name: | Sally Walton | Positon: | Secretary |
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