THE PARISH OF THE WOODFORD VALLEY WITH ARCHERS GATE
comprising
All Saints’ Woodford St Andrew’s Durnford St Michael’s Wilsford
and Archers Gate and Kings Gate in Amesbury civil parish
in the Diocese of Salisbury
ANNUAL REPORT and
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
of the
PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL
For the year ended 31 December 2024
Vicar:
The Reverend Dr Michael Perry The Vicarage Middle Woodford Salisbury SP4 6NR
Professional Advisers
Bankers: HSBC, 19 Minster Street, Salisbury SP1 1TE Lloyds Bank, 38 Blue Boar Row, Salisbury SP1 1DA Investment Manager: CCLA, 80 Cheapside, London EC2V 6DZ Independent Examiner: AJ Radice FCA, Guelder Cottage, Hanging Langford, Salisbury SP3 4NW.
Registered Charity No. 1195656
The Parish of the Woodford Valley with Archers Gate Annual Report for the year ended 31[st] December 2024
Parochial Church Council (PCC)
| ial Church Council (PCC) | |
|---|---|
| Ex-ofcio: Incumbent: The Reverend Dr Michael Perry (Chairman) Licensed Lay Minister: Sylvia Parret (Vice Chairman) Churchwardens: All Saints’ Woodford: Giles Fletcher Helen Coombe St Andrew’s Durnford: Julia Gallop Peter Curts St Michael’s Wilsford: Vacant Representatves to Deanery Synod: Margaret Knight Elected Jeremy Coombe (dep. Ch’warden) Anthony Edwards Vanessa Hawkings Helen Hosier James Iles Elizabeth Le Sueur Luke March Suzanne Waters Antony Wells (Treasurer) |
Note |
| 1,3 1 1 1 1 1 2,4 1 1 |
Note: 1. Member of the PCC Standing Committee; 2. PCC Safeguarding Officer; 3. Member of Diocesan Synod; 4. Electoral Roll Officer
Other Ofce Holders
Rev’d Patricia Powell Honorary Associate Priest Lay Ministers Sylvia Parrett Hugh Keatinge Lay Pastoral Assistants: Suzanne Waters Lay Worship Leaders: Suzanne Waters Sidesmen St Andrew’s: Luke March, Ian Stevens, Suzanne Waters, Antony Wells St Michael’s: Jennie Chapman, Sarah Coate, Simon Folkes, Angie Langley, Peter Moss, Ian Reid, Liz Le Seur All Saints’: Jean Coates, James Iles, Rae Owen, Mary Wilson
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Parishioners and Other Supporters of the Churches in the Woodford Valley
At 31 December 2024 there were 116 (2024: 118) parishioners on the Electoral Roll.
The Church has a worshipping community of 83 (2023: 87). The total number of people who worshipped with us at Easter was 188 (2023: 238) whilst at Christmas it was 325 (2023: 363).
Regular donors to the parish total 56 (2023: 53) persons which includes those donations received at the church services and donations through Parish Giving or by other means to the parish.
Objectves
The Woodford Valley with Archers Gate PCC is responsible for co-operating with the incumbent in promoting the whole mission of the Church, pastoral, evangelistic, social and ecumenical in this ecclesiastical parish. It also has responsibility for the maintenance of the churches within the parish. As part of the Diocese of Salisbury, the Church of England and the worldwide Anglican Communion, the PCC also has a responsibility to promote the mission of the Church locally, nationally and internationally.
Within this context the PCC aims to be a resource allowing all people who live in the parish to develop faith in Jesus, and to promote and increase Christ-centred community within the Woodford Valley and the new housing estates within our parish.
Events and Actons During the Year
Throughout 2024, our parish continued to be active in worship, mission, and practical matters. While we faced challenges, including illness and administrative delays, we also saw growth and development in our spiritual life, community engagement, and church governance. Deanery and Missional Pathway
Early in the year, the deanery explored involvement in a "missional pathway" initiative, and training was undertaken and thought put in by the Vicar and his clergy colleagues as to how this would function. However, later in the year, we learned that our deanery was not selected to participate. While this was disappointing, as a parish we remain committed to engaging in mission both locally and across the diocese.
Clergy Sabbatcal and Health Challenges
A sabbatical was planned for Mike, our Vicar, but unfortunately, he was unwell for five weeks in May and June with Covid. Despite this setback, he was able to use some of his remaining sabbatical time to contribute to A Rocha UK.
Building Work
Significant effort was invested in building maintenance and repair, particularly by our Churchwardens:
-
The north churchyard cob wall at All Saints was finally repaired, thanks to Helen Coombe’s dedicated oversight, despite delays in diocesan planning approvals.
-
Plans for repairing the lower gate wall moved forward slowly due to delays within the DAC system. This work is expected to take place in 2025, ensuring a structurally sound yet visually consistent wall.
-
At St Andrew’s, essential repairs were carried out on the stonework, preserving the integrity of the church.
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Spiritual Courses
Lent: We followed the Bible Society’s "Bible Series," which explored key biblical themes and their relevance to contemporary life.
Advent: We studied Brian McLaren’s book The Great Spiritual Migration, prompting valuable discussions about our engagement with modern society. This has led to a reassessment of some of the language used in our services.
Worship Services
Choral Evensong was a highlight of our worship in 2024, drawing both singers and congregants. Thanks go to Peter Barrie, our organist for this service in 2024, and all those involved in making these services a success.
Holy Week and Easter: Our Palm Sunday donkey procession, featuring Biscuit the donkey, was once again a memorable event. Holy Week services were well attended, and this year we introduced a reflective Taizé service.
New Worship Initiatives : We continued to experiment with a reflective third-Sunday afternoon service, eventually settling on a format using Iona Community liturgy and diverse musical traditions.
Christmas Services: Attendance at our Christingle Service was lower than expected, leading us to consider new approaches for 2025, possibly in collaboration with the school. We did however have large numbers of people at our Carol Service, the Christmas Eve crib service at All Saints, our new 9.00pm Christmas Eve service at Wilsford and our two Christmas Day services at Great Durnford and Middle Woodford.
Events and Fundraising
Fundraising remained an important part of parish life, with successful events including:
A Burns Night dinner, Open Gardens event, Tennis Tournament, Bridge Lunch and Peter Bailey Memorial Concert as well as talks in the Village Hall
These events not only raised funds but also strengthened community bonds.
Church School
The Vicar and Foundation Governors remained actively involved in governance, ensuring the continued promotion of the school’s Christian ethos.
-
Baptism and Confirmation : In June, we held an open-air Baptism and Confirmation Service, where: Two children were baptised, four children were admitted to communion, and three pupils were confirmed
-
Leadership Transition: We bid farewell to Mrs Rachel Carson, our longstanding Head Teacher, and welcomed Mrs Donna Young, previously the Deputy Head, as her successor after a thorough selection process.
-
Joining a Multi Academy Trust (MAT): The school decided to join the Pickwick MAT, a network of primary schools in Dorset and Wiltshire. While being a Stand-Alone Academy was beneficial in the past, current educational challenges made this transition necessary. The school’s Christian ethos will be preserved and enriched through this collaboration.
Looking Ahead
As we move into 2025, we aim to continue strengthening our spiritual life, community engagement, and church infrastructure. We are especially looking forward to further developments in our worship, mission, and work with the school.
We give thanks for all who have contributed their time, energy, and faith to our parish over the past year. May we continue to grow together in faith and service in the year ahead.
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Financial Report
ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31[ST] DECEMBER 2024
A full detail of the Financial Activities and Balance Sheet can be found on pages 7-11.
For the first time since I took over the Treasurer responsibility, the Parish has registered a deficit – in FY 2024 in the amount of £9,469. While in general terms this is the product of the continuing escalation of our costs, some comments on specific items making up this result are relevant.
The net proceeds of the various fund raising bought in an impressive £6,370. Once again, the Valley was able to put on a wide range of events for the community from which the parish benefitted, including a concert, bridge lunch, gardens opening, tennis competition and Village Hall talk. A vote of congratulations and enormous thanks for those who organised and delivered such a range of high quality and entertaining events.
Although modest in amount, we were able to generate a small amount of income (£397) from placing a part of our cash reserves on deposit.
Our largest single expense, the ‘Share’ and other levies paid to the diocese, increased by 4.5% in 2024. Such continuing increases are considered no longer affordable by the parish.
Repairs and Maintenance increased to £12,084 for the year. In addition to the day-to-day maintenance of our historic churches, this reflects the expenditure on a programme of essential repairs to the church buildings and churchyards. A part of these costs has been applied to those Designated Funds available for such expenditure.
Under its new management the Bridge church magazine once again generated a substantial revenue from donations and advertising which more than covered the increased cost of its publication. The editors of the Bridge have generously agreed to allow the surplus of £1,199 to be transferred to General Fund.
The net result for the year was a total deficit across the General, Designated and Endowment Funds of £9,469. Following transfers between General Fund and Designated Funds this has brought an overall decline in the level of General Fund and Designated Funds of £5,998 and £4,026 respectively with a £554 increase to the Endowment Funds.
The finances of the parish are under pressure. Given the increase in our costs and limited opportunity to increase revenues, the overall outlook is for continuing deficit, or at best breakeven, before applying the costs of the major projects of maintenance of our churches and churchyards. In this light the PCC has resolved to limit the payment of the diocesan share to £60,000/year. The parish is preparing an appeal to cover the cost of major maintenance as well as some priority upgrades to our churches and churchyards.
Antony Wells Treasurer
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Independent Examiner’s Report to the PCC of Woodford Valley with Archers Gate.
I report on the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 December 2024, which are set out on pages 7-10.
Respectve Responsibilites of Trustee and Examiner
The charity’s trustees are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements. The charity’s trustees 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 financial statements under section 145 of the 2011 Act;
-
follow the procedures laid down in the general directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act; and
-
state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
This report, including my statement, has been prepared for and only for the charity’s trustee as a body. My work has been undertaken so that I might state to the charity’s trustee those matters I am required to state to them in an independent examiner’s report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, I do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the charity and the charity’s trustee as a body for my examination work, for this report, or for the statements I have made.
Basis of Independent Examiner’s Report
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 financial statements presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the financial statements and seeking explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the financial statements present a ‘true and fair view’ and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below.
Independent Examiner’s Statement
In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention:
-
which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements:
-
to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the 2011 Act; and
-
to prepare financial statements which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the 2011 Act
have not been met; or
- to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the financial statements to be reached.
A J Radice, FCA.
2025
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES | |||||||||||||||||
| YEAR ENDED 31st DECEMBER 2024 | |||||||||||||||||
| General Fund |
Designated Funds |
Endowment Funds |
Total £ |
2023 | |||||||||||||
| Fund | Funds |
Funds | |||||||||||||||
| REVENUES | £ | £ | £ | £ | |||||||||||||
| Donations | |||||||||||||||||
| Planned Giving | 37,624 7,981 15,656 14,642 6,370 8,684 1,530 1,750 397 - |
5,722 | 37,624 7,981 15,656 14,642 6,370 8,684 1,530 1,750 397 5,722 |
39,831 | |||||||||||||
| Collections and Boxes | 6,955 | ||||||||||||||||
| Bequests and Other Gifts | 28,439 | ||||||||||||||||
| Gift Aid Reclaim | 13,411 | ||||||||||||||||
| Fund-raisingEvents | 6,750 | ||||||||||||||||
| Fees | 7,330 | ||||||||||||||||
| Investment Income | 1,454 | ||||||||||||||||
| Grants etc | 750 | ||||||||||||||||
| Deposit Interest | - | ||||||||||||||||
| Bridge Church Magazine | 4,865 | ||||||||||||||||
| Total IncomingResources | 94,633 | 5,722 | 100,355 | 109,784 | |||||||||||||
| RESOURCES EXPENDED | |||||||||||||||||
| Diocese Parish Share and Fees | 62,893 4,160 2,245 1,150 |
62,893 4,160 2,245 1,150 |
60,204 3520 3,178 1,274 |
||||||||||||||
| Parish Administrator Salary | |||||||||||||||||
| Parish Ofce & Travel exps | |||||||||||||||||
| Church Supplies & Others | |||||||||||||||||
| Organist fee | 2,976 | 2,976 3,825 12,084 6,264 1,937 6,814 4,523 2,170 |
2,460 2,747 4,654 12,559 702 6,659 2,724 732 |
||||||||||||||
| Utilities | 3,825 | ||||||||||||||||
| Repairs & Maintenance | 12,084 | ||||||||||||||||
| Churchyard Maintenance | 6,264 | ||||||||||||||||
| Legal & Professonal Fees | 1,937 | ||||||||||||||||
| Insurance | 6,814 | ||||||||||||||||
| Bridge Church Magazine | 4,523 | ||||||||||||||||
| CharityDonations | 2,170 | ||||||||||||||||
| Total Resources Expended | 106,518 | 4,523 | - | 111,041 | 101,414 | ||||||||||||
| Net Resource Turnover -gain/(loss) | 11,885 - |
1,199 | - | 10,686 - 1,217 |
8,370 | ||||||||||||
| Proft/(Loss)on Investments | 663 | - | 554 | 4,607 | |||||||||||||
| Net Movement of funds | 11,222 - |
1,199 | 554 | 9,469 - 121,137 |
12,977 | ||||||||||||
| Total funds brought forward | 63,192 | 33,463 | 24,482 | 108,160 | |||||||||||||
| Total Funds carrried forward | 51,970 | 34,662 | 25,036 | 111,668 | £121,137 |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BALANCE SHEET AT 31 DECEMBER 2024 | ||||||||||||
| 2023 | ||||||||||||
| £ | £ | £ | £ | |||||||||
| Fixed Assets | ||||||||||||
| Investments at Market Value | 54,397 | 53,181 | ||||||||||
| Current Assets | ||||||||||||
| Cash at Banks | ||||||||||||
| General Account | 26,881 | 66,486 | ||||||||||
| Planned Giving Account | 6 - |
1,472 | ||||||||||
| Deposit Account | 30,397 | - | ||||||||||
| 57,271 | 67,958 | |||||||||||
| Total Assets | £111,668 | £121,138 | ||||||||||
| Represented by | ||||||||||||
| General Fund | ||||||||||||
| At 1 January 2024 | 63,192 | 49,416 | ||||||||||
| Surplus/(Defcit) for the year | 11,223 - |
1,345 | ||||||||||
| Transferred | ||||||||||||
| From Designated Funds | 1,199 | 12,431 | ||||||||||
| To Designated Funds | 4,026 | - | ||||||||||
| 57,194 | 63,192 | |||||||||||
| Designated Funds (see below) | ||||||||||||
| At 1 January 2024 | 33,463 | 36,359 | ||||||||||
| Surplus/(Defcit) for the year | 1,199 | 9,535 | ||||||||||
| Transferred | ||||||||||||
| From General Fund | 4,026 - |
- | ||||||||||
| To General Fund | 1,199 - |
12,431 - |
||||||||||
| 29,437 | 33,463 | |||||||||||
| Endowment Funds | ||||||||||||
| At 1 January 2024 | 24,483 | 22,385 | ||||||||||
| Proft on Investments | 554 | 2,098 | ||||||||||
| 25,037 | 24,483 | |||||||||||
| Total Funds | £111,668 | £121,138 | ||||||||||
| Designated Funds | ||||||||||||
| Bells | 686 | 686 | ||||||||||
| Bridge Magazine | 3,000 | 3,000 | ||||||||||
| All Saints Re-ordering | 2,189 | 2,189 | ||||||||||
| St Andrew's Maintenance | 9,819 | 9,819 | ||||||||||
| Repairs (Thody Legacy) | 9,373 | 10,373 | ||||||||||
| Fabric Repairs | 4,338 | 7,364 | ||||||||||
| Sudan Collecton | 32 | 32 | ||||||||||
| Total | £29,437 | £33,463 |
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WOODFORD VALLEY WITH ARCHERS GATE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL
Notes to Financial Statements for the year ended 31st December 2024
1. Accountng Policies
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Church Accounting Regulations 2006 together with the Statement of Recommended Practice: Accounting and Reporting by charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and the Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) issued on 16 July 2014 and the Charities Act 2011. They have been prepared under the historical cost convention except for investments which are shown at market value at 31 December 2024. The PCC considers that the charity has the ability to continue as a going concern.
Funds
The General Fund represents the fund of the Parochial Church Council which is not subject to any restriction regarding its use. Designated Funds are either from or for specific projects. The capital of Endowment Funds is not available for revenue expenses.
Incoming Resources
All income is recognized when received. Income Tax and Value Added Tax recoverable are not accrued.
Resources Used
All expenditure is accounted for when incurred.
2. Incoming Resources and Resources Used
Full information appears in the detailed accounts, available from the Honorary Treasurer.
3. Staf Costs
| StafCosts | |
|---|---|
| Members of the Parochial Church Council | |
| The Chairman’s reimbursed working expenses | £2,245 |
| Others | |
| Organists’ Fees | £2,976 |
| Administrator’s salary | £4,160 |
4. Investments
The historical cost of investments was £11,668 and the market value at 31 December 2024 was £54,397 (2023 £53,181).
5. Related Trusts
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The Vicar and Churchwardens of Woodford as trustees are the owners of the original site of Woodford Valley Church of England Primary Academy and the curtilage of Woodford Village Cross. They hold a long lease of the school car park.
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6. Risk Management
The Parochial Church Council is responsible for risk management, which is kept under review, and also for safeguarding, health & safety, disabled access and protection of children & vulnerable adults.
7. Contngent Liabilites
There is a contingent liability of £10,000 in respect of architects fees and contractor costs for the rebuilding of the boundary wall at All Saints, Woodford.
8. Funds Analysis
| Investments Endowment Funds General Fund Total Cash at Bank and Deposits General Fund Designated Funds Total Total Funds at 31 December 2024 |
£25,037 £29,360 £27,834 £29,437 |
£54,397 £57,271 £111,668 (2023 £121,138) |
|---|---|---|
9. Designated Funds
At 31 December 2024, the Designated Funds were subject to the following adjustments:
-
The surplus for the year on the Bridge Magazine Designated Fund of £1,200 was released to General Fund.
-
A part of repair costs incurred in the year were charged to Designated Funds
-
£1,000 of St Michael’s church roof repairs charged to Thody Legacy Designated Fund
-
£3,250 of All Saints boundary wall repair costs charged to Fabric Repairs Designated Fund.
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