The Friends of St Bartholomew's Church, Orford Annual General Meeting 2026 and Financial Statements 2024-2025 The 4th Annual General Meeting of the Friends of St. Bartholomew'5 Church, Orford will be held on Wednesday I" July 2026 at 6.00pm at 3 Quay Street, Orford IP12 2NU The Friends of St. Bartholomew's Church, Orford. Charity Registration Number- 1194884. Registered address.. 3 Quay Street, Orford, Woodbridge, Suffolk IP12 2NU Email.. stbartholomewsfriends mail.com Website: stbartholomewsfriends.org
Foreword by the Chair of Trustees l am pleased to introduce the fourth Annual Report and Accounts of The Friends of St. Bartholomes Church, Orford. Following our inception in 2021, we are now an established charity in Orford with a consistent membership, a round of annual events that have become part of Orford's calendar, and an important source of support for St. Bartholomew's Church. Throughout 2024125, we have continued our usual activities. We were delighted to welcome The Revd. Mandy Reynolds as the new Team Rector and Rural Dean of the Wilford Peninsula benefice, and to appoint her as an ex-officio Trustee of our charity. During the year, we also welcomed Kim Puttock, who is PCC Secretary and Electoral Roll Officer, as a Trustee. Kim succeeded Caroline Gill as both PCC Secretary and the PCC'S nominee to the Friends Trustees in April 2025. We warmly thank Caroline for her work with the Friends, not only as a bridge between the PCC and the Trustees, but also for her generous and tireless help with our events and activities. We were also delighted that Helen Goody agreed to become a Trustee- her appointment will be ratified in 2025126. As explained in last year's Annual Report, the PCC w35 not in a position to initiate any new, substantial enhancements to the church during the interregnum period that spanned much of 2024 and 2025. However, since Revd. Mandy's installation, we have been pleased to re-open discussion with her and the PCC about future projects, and look fOnard to progress from 2026 in agreed priority areas. We were, however, able to make grants to the PCC for refurbishment of the bell ropes and stays, and repair of the sound system amplifiers. I would like to thank my fellow Trustees for all their help and hard work in the past year. l also thank our Friends for their continuing 5UPPOrt, individuals who have made generous gifts to the Charity and those who have supported our events. ichard
Notice of Annual General Meeting th Notice is hereby given that the 4 Annual General Meeting (AGMI of The Friends of St. BartholOmeS Church, Orford will be held on Wednesday I" July 2026 at 6.(10pm at 3 Quay Street, Orford IP2 2NU Agenda l. Welcome address by the Chair of Trustees 2. Apologies for absence 3. Minutes of the 3 AGM held on 31" July 2025 4. Trustees, Report for the period October 2024 to September 2025 Financial Statements of the charity for the period October 2024 to September 2025 6. Election of Trustees Under the Constitution of the Charity, one third of the elected Trustees are due to retire from office at the 4, AGM and are eligible for re-election. Those retiring are Laura Gillespie and Sally Walton. They are willing to continue to serve and therefore stand for re-election at the AGM. 7. Any other business Note.. We welcome application5 from people who would be interested in becoming Trustees of the Charity. In parhcular, 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.
The Friends of St Bartholomew's Church, Orford 3rd Annual General Meeting held on 31 July 2025 at 6.20pm at High House, Orford. Woodbridge. Suffolk IP12 2NW MINUTES Present: Richard Murley (Chairl, Sally Walton Isecretaryl, Frances Barnwell, Fiona Gerard, Laura Gillespie ITrusteesl, Penny Murley, GLJY Marshall, Chris Gerard, Chris Gill, Caroline Gill, Ros Plummer, John Eastgate, John Grayburn, Diana Grayburn, Nigel Maslin, Jacki Maslin, Geoffrey Smeed, Anne Smeed, James Grogono, Nick Salisbury, Judy Salisbury, Caroline Goulder, Peter de Vile, Andrew Curtis, Theresa Curtis, Christine 8romley-Martin, Ben Johnston, Sue Johnston, Liz Feibusch, Colin Barry, Nick Gold. l. Welcome address Mr Murley welcomed everyone to the meeting. He spoke of the income raised during the year being reported on to end September 2024, £23,800, and said that has now increased to £29,000. Since the year end, the main event has been Open Gardens which had 570 visitors and raised over £5,000. He explained that funds from ticket sales at this event, now held annually, went alternately directly to the Church and to the Friends. The recent event was a Church event. In future years any amount over £2,000 will come to the Friends. Since the Revd Giles Tulk left the parish there has been an interregnum and there have been no major projects. The Friends have helped to fund roof repairs and are likely to help fund urgent work to the drains in the near future. Mr Murley thanked all the Friends for their continuing support to maintaining the Church as an asset for the Orford community, and the Trustees for their work. In particular he thanked Caroline Gill, who has relinquished her Trustee role as PCC representative. 2. Apologles for absence Elizabeth Pritchett (Trusteel, Kim Puttock ITru5teel. nd 3. Minutes of the 2 AGM held on 23 July 2024 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 perlod 1° October 2023 to 30 September 2024 The 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 I" Ortober 2023 to 30, September 2024 These had been circulated to all Friends. Net income as at 30, September 2024 was £7,354 and cash
assets were £23,862. These were being held for future projects. Grants at a total of £3,865 had been made to the PCC. The Financial Statements were accepted by all present; no questions were asked. 6. New Trustees The Chairman welcomed Kim Puttock as the new PCC Representative lex-officiol and the Reverend Mandy Reynolds lex-officiol. 7. Elertion of Trustees Richard Murley and Frances 8arnwell retired from office and were willing to continue to serve. They were re-elected by those present. 8. Other busines5 There being no other business the meetinE was closed at 6.45 pm. Signed Innan: R Amurley Date.. I" July 2026
Report of the Trustees and Unaudited Financial Statements th for the period I" October 2024 to 30 September 2025 l. 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.. Elected Trustees.. Frances Barnwell, Fiona Gerard, Laura Gillespie, Richard Murley Ichair of Trustees), Elizabeth Pritchett. Note.. Helen Goody to be formally appointed in 2025126. Ex officio: The Vicar for the time being of St. Bartholomew's Church. Vacant from 3 April 2024 to 8, January 2026. The Revd. Mandy Reynolds appointed on 9, January 2026. Ex officio.. The Secretary for the time being of St 8artholomew's Church, being Caroline Gill to 19, April 2025 and Kim Puttock from 20, April 2025, the latter formally appointed a Trustee on 30, May 2025. One Trustee nominated by the Parochiol Church Council: Kim Puttock. 3. Structure• governance and management The Friends of St. Bartholomew's Church, Orford I'the Charity") is a Charitable Incorporated OrEanisation founded on 22. lune 2021, the date of its registration by the Charity Commission for England and Wales. The Charity is governed by its ConstitLJtion. 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 meeting5. 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 I'PCC'I. Trustees are elected at the Annual General Meeting I'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 commLJnity magazines delivered by their publishers to every household in Orford and five other local villages. 4. Objects The Objerts 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.
- 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. In the Charivs third year, October 2024 to September 2025, 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. Publicity and promotion We continued to use our flyer 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. Preferential pricing for members compared to non-members for events 31so came into effect in 2024. Efforts to recruit new Friends continued in 2024125 through promotion as at 5a. above. Raising funds In addition to subscriptions from members and occasional donations, fundraising through event5 IS key. The TrLJStees hold a number of core events each year, with the option to arrange other events if needed, e.g. for specific projects. In line with this, the following core events were held, and were well- supported by members guests. November 2024 Musical evening in St. Bartholomew's Church. The Hexachordia Trio performed 'Puddings and Pies," comprising early music and song, with refreshments for guests. Refreshments stall at Orford's annual Bazaar in the church Cheese and wine tasting evening in Bart's Hall, with British cheeses paired with fine wines. Orford Open Gardens, attended by a record number of visitors. December 2024 January 2025 May 2025 Open Gardens is an annual event that was held every two years directly in aid of the church before the Charity was formed. In 2022123, it was agreed with the PCC that every other year I'odd, years, e.g. 20251 proceeds from ticket sales would go direct to the church and other proceeds, e.g. from refreshment and plant stalls, WOLJld go to the Charity. In 'even' years, e.g. 2026, all proceeds would accrue to the Charity. A raffle was introduced in 2023 to increase giving. During the year, planning started for a Quiz Evening to be held in November 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 grants for projects at up to 50Yo of the total project cost where the cost is over £500, and up to lOO% for projects less than this amount I'small grants"). In 2024125, the Charity made two grants to the PCC, both in January 2025, £1,229 in total. One was for the replacement of the bell ropes, which had become too worn to be viable, and the purchase of a spare set of ash stays that can be used to replace broken stays at any point in future. This grant, at £925, was SO% of the total cost. The other grant was a small grant of £304 that paid for investigation of the audio system in church and replacement of the amplifier. For reasons set out in the last year's Annual Report, no new more substantial projects for improvements to the church were initiated by the PCC in 2024125. However, later in the year after her 'settling-in' period, the Trustees held constructive discussions with Revd. Mandy Reynolds about possible future projects and priorities, and look forward to the initiation of new projects within the next year. 6. Financial review The Charity's financial year is 1st October to 30, September. This Report sets out the financial statements for the year I" October 2024 to 30, September 2025. The main sources of income in the year continued to be events, and membership subscriptions and donations. Income, all of which was unrestricted, was £9,157.27 including Gift Aid recovery. Under expenditure, a total of £1,229 wa5 granted to the PCC las abovel. In the absence of new major projects for the Charity to support, the year ended with net profit of £6,602.64 and a closing balance of £30,464 available for future activities in the Charity's remit. With a year-on-year increase in cash holdings, the Charity opened two bank savings accounts in 2024/25 and transferred £11,000 to each in order to benefit from better interest rates than the current account, while still allowing ready access to funds as and when needed for the church. 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 Trustee5 receive no remuneration or other payment from the Charity. The Charity has a reserves policy that enables it to hold reserves from unrestritted funds for the following purposes: To be able to provide funding to the PCC for unexpected purposes within the Objects. To be able to provide funding for pilot projects, or as "seed funding" to enable an activity to commence. 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.
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 TrLJStees saw no need to establish a reserve amount its initial years but agreed to keep this under review. The most recent review was in 2023124, when it was 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 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: nd 22 April 2026
The Friends of St. Bartholomew's Church, Orford th Recelpts & payments account for the perlod I. October 2024 to 30 September 2025 2024125 2023124 Receipts Unrestricted Restrirted Totsl Unrestrirted Restrirted Total Events Donations & Subscriptions Gift Aid Book sèle in church Legacies Interest Other Total receipts 4.198 3.820 144 910 4,198 3,820 144 910 4,319 4,575 2.055 1.054 4,319 4,575 2,055 1,054 78 78 9,157 9,157 I2,3 12,003 Payments Events General Bank charges Website Grants Total payments Net receiptsllpaymentsl 809 300 71 145 809 300 71 145 1,229 2.554 6,603 587 587 72 125 72 125 3,865 4,649 7,354 1,229 1.229 11,2291 3,865 3.865 13,8651 1,325 7,832 784 11,219 Bank and cash at the start of the period l October 2024 £23,862 Bank and cash at the end of the period 30, September 2025 £30,464 Statement of assets and liabilities at 30 September 2025 £ unrestrlcted Cash assets Current bank account Petty cash Total cash assets £37,067 £37,067 Other assets Sum-up machine Total other asset5 £118 £118 Liabilities £0 These financial statements are accepted on behalf of the Charity on 22, April 2026 by.. Signature.. Full name.. chard A drew Murley Position.. Chair of Trustees Signature.. Full name.. Sally Wa on Position.. Secretary io