2024-12-31-accounts

TAR 2024

St Michael and All Angels, Ocklynge, Eastbourne Trustees’ Annual Report for 2024

Our aims and purposes as a charity

The PCC has the responsibility of co-operating with the incumbent, the Revd Ben Sleep, in:

• The promotion of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ according to the doctrines and practices of the Church of England

• Promoting in the parish the whole mission of the church, pastoral, social, evangelistic and, ecumenical

• Helping people to know Jesus better and making Him better known

• Practical support and care for people in the parish, from the youngest to the oldest, irrespective of level of need or ability to pay

• Providing financial support to those in need and to other organisations with similar objectives

What we planned to do to achieve our charitable objectives

When planning our activities for the year, our incumbent and the PCC have considered the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit and, in particular, the specific guidance on ‘charities for the advancement of religion’.

The PCC has complied with the duty under section 5 of the Safeguarding and Clergy Discipline Measure 2016, fully recognising its duty to have due regard to House of Bishops' guidance on safeguarding children and vulnerable adults.

For 2024, the following list outlines our objectives and activities to fulfil our aims:

• Enabling as many people as possible to worship at our church

• Enabling as many people as possible to become part of our parish community

• Teaching, baptising and nurturing new and existing believers

• Maintaining an overview of worship throughout the parish

• Considering how services can involve the many different groups that live within the parish

• Putting faith into practice, through prayer and scripture, music and sacrament

• Offering worship and prayer, and learning about the Gospel, in small group situations

• Assisting people from all walks of life to develop their knowledge of, and trust in, Jesus

• Provision of pastoral care for people living in the parish

• Providing assistance to the poor and needy of the parish

• Giving grants to missionary organisations

• Maintaining the fabric of the church building as a historic centre and focus of life in the parish

• Providing a safe and supportive environment for the young people in our parish

• Supporting families, and particularly young families

1

TAR 2024

What we achieved and how we affected beneficiaries’ lives

Attendance at worship

The church family welcomes visitors from within as well as outside the parish boundary. Visitors attend by personal choice and, it is our great pleasure to welcome anyone from all walks of life to take part in the life of the church. We contend that voluntary attendance to worship the Lord Jesus Christ is a major demonstration of the public benefit of our activities.

The worshipping community of St Michael and All Angels Church currently stands at 366 and continues to grow. Sunday attendance has increased steadily throughout the year, and by the end of 2024 averaged around 140-150 people each week. Attendance at the midweek service is regularly around 25.

We look to encourage the deepening of faith for all ages, and alongside our services there is an extensive programme for young people from Crèche (0-3) and Seekers (4-7) to Voyagers (711) and Odyssey (11-18). We are also seeing some of the young people who attend the Arrows Youth Club on a Friday evening now coming along to church on a Sunday morning.

Christmas is a very special time of celebration where many sections of the community come together to join in the services. The church was very busy, including ‘Mega Messy Christmas’, with 350 people joining us from the wider community, a Christingle Service, Family Nativity, Teddy Bear Service, a full-to-bursting Carol Service on Christmas Eve, and a Family Christmas Morning Service. We also welcomed children from a local school who gave two performances of their Infant Nativity.

At Easter, we saw record numbers of families attending ‘Messy Easter’, and there was strong attendance at the Good Friday Observance in the morning, and at the evening Commemoration for Good Friday. On Easter Sunday we welcomed a large congregation, including a lot of visitors coming to share the occasion with their extended families.

A service of Evening Worship was relaunched in October, taking place fortnightly at 7pm, and particularly welcoming a younger demographic, as well as including the teenagers from the Pursuit youth group.

We have continued to see a huge growth in the number of children and young people coming to church Sunday by Sunday, with a weekly average of about 45 across the age-range, and a total of 81 under-sixteens attending the church. The Children’s and Youth ministries are supported by a growing range of activities throughout the week, including a daytime parenttoddler group, an evening Youth Club ( Arrows ), and a monthly Messy Church which is wellsupported by the local community.

During the year there have also been two church funerals and one memorial service.

Teaching, baptising and nurturing new and existing believers

A greater number of the church family have been involved in leading various aspects of worship, offering great encouragement to all those involved, and we continue to extend the

2

TAR 2024

opportunities for the exercise of ministry and gifts within the wider life of our St Michael’s community.

Home Groups continue to play a very important part in the life of the church. All members of the congregation are encouraged to join a Home Group and several groups are meeting regularly. In addition to bible study, discussion and prayer, these groups provide important support and friendship to their members.

Evangelism and outreach

Throughout the year we have offered a wide range of events which reach into the wider community of the parish and beyond. ‘Messy Church’ is held on a Saturday afternoon every month, aimed at children and their families as a potential gateway into Sunday Worship, and always followed by excellent refreshments for children and parents alike, and with a regular attendance of around 60-80. At Easter and Christmas we now hold Mega Messy Church. The bumper attendance at each one is testament to their popularity and to the success of advertising and promotion on social media. We see many families returning again and again, often bringing along friends and extended family members. Other events have included a Light Party on 31[st] October, as an alternative to Hallowe’en, which is proving to be very popular, and events for youth such as ‘MuckyFest’, including a barbecue and live music, visits to Laser Quest and Lloyds Lanes Bowling, and a very successful trip to The Big Church Day Out, with members of Odyssey and Arrows performing as Cheeky Pandas. Once a month we also hold a very popular Who Let The Dads Out ? event on a Saturday morning for dads, father-figures and their young children. The bacon rolls are very popular! A ‘Crafts and Laughs’ group meets weekly, offering fellowship and coffee alongside crafting of many kinds, with craft sales for charities held twice a year; the ‘Walk and Talk’ group gathers weekly, providing further outreach opportunities in beautiful local settings.

The Summer Ball raised £2688 for our mission partner, Peru People (see p.4 below), and was a very successful event which drew in over 100 guests, many of whom were not members of St Michael’s.

The Alpha Course, customarily held at St Michael’s in the first months of the calendar year, was once again a huge success. Supported by the Vicar, the course was guided by members of our lay leadership team, and has brought new Christians into the church.

Other outreach activities have included the PARCHE Annual Service and Tea-Party, a Picnic in the Park, Summer Fun Day, Newcomers’ Lunch and the Autumn Harvest Lunch. ‘Tea-on-theHill’, which is aimed at more mature members of the local community, continues in a new slot following mid-week BCP Communion on Thursdays. The Wednesday night football session remains highly popular too!

Provision of the church building for people to enjoy

Our church continues to be appreciated by our parishioners and many others, as a space where life events are celebrated with joy and thanksgiving.

The main focus this year has been to explore ways in which the church building can be used for events in addition to services, and we have continued to develop our relationships with

3

TAR 2024

schools in the parish, hosting concerts, nativity performances, end-of-year services, and GCSE examinations. An ongoing programme of renovation of the church fabric and improvements to the facilities continue to enhance general accessibility and overall safety (see below).

St Michael and All Angels’ Church exists through the very generous giving of its members, and we have, with God’s help, succeeded in paying our pledged Parish Share in 2024. The Church Family have been very generous throughout the year, taking forward God’s work and meeting our expenses and commitments.

Provision of tangible support to the poor and needy

On a weekly basis we collect tinned and packaged goods for distribution by Family Support Work, who help needy families within the Eastbourne Deanery. An extra effort was made at our Harvest Festival to collect a large amount of food and other necessities for distribution. In Advent we also held a Toy Service at which donations suitable for Christmas presents were also given to Family Support Work.

St Michael’s continues to give 10% of general income to those charities which we support, including Family Support Work. The Mission Giving Group continues to support several charities - one international charity:

• Peru People (registered charity no. 1138049)

and 3 local charities:

• Family Support Work (registered charity no. 285337)

• Matthew 25 Mission (registered charity no. 1163389)

• Beachy Head Chaplaincy Team (registered charity no. 1098885)

Other charitable involvement

There are many charities and organisations in Eastbourne which are actively supported by members of our congregation:

• Family Support Work provides help and encouragement to needy families in Eastbourne, and is actively backed by the congregation through the donation of foodstuffs, other necessities and also financially.

• Eastbourne Foodbank is supported by members of congregation who volunteer regularly to help with this vital network.

• District General Hospital Chaplaincy shows the caring and loving face of Jesus to patients and staff at the hospital, which is in our parish, through the work of the Chaplaincy Team. Members of the congregation who are part of that team talk and listen to patients and administer Communion when required.

• Beachy Head Chaplaincy is a vital ministry offering skilled crisis intervention to anyone who needs it. Several members of St Michael’s are members of the team offering 24hour/7-days-a-week cover on Beachy Head, and Rev Ben Sleep is also Chaplain to the BHC team.

• Support for vulnerable and marginalised people in our town - members of the church family work for the charity Matthew 25 , which we actively support.

4

TAR 2024

Management of risks and their mitigation

The PCC has an ongoing task of reviewing the major risks which impact the work of the church in the parish. The steps taken to mitigate such risks are outlined below.

Safeguarding

With regard to Safeguarding, the PCC has complied with Section 5 of the Safeguarding and Clergy Discipline Measure 2016 (duty to have due regard to the House of Bishops’ Guidance on Safeguarding Children and Vulnerable Adults).

General Health and Safety

• Health and safety within the church building:

• The Church Architect, Tim Wells, completed our Quinquennial Inspection in October 2024, and we are working in close collaboration with him to address some of the pressing issues with the renovation and refurbishment of some of the stonework and leaded windows.

• Heating: the gas boiler has been replaced with a more modern and efficient appliance, along with convector fan heaters which help to distribute the heat more effectively throughout the church building. The installation of new pipework and upgraded electrics has also improved overall safety.

• Outside lighting on the south side of the church and onto the car park, and around the Hub and outdoor pathways, has been improved and upgraded.

• Fire safety protocols, fire extinguisher maintenance and PAT testing have continued to be undertaken in accordance with best practice.

• We have continued to oversee general maintenance of the church fabric and grounds, including major clearing of guttering and gullies

• Electrical safety certificates for the church and Hub have been supplied to our insurers, EIG

• A general survey of slip and trip hazards around the site has been carried out

Growth and Mission

• We are continuing to find laity and volunteers with the appropriate skills, time and commitment to support church growth and ministry.

• We support growth through the innovative use of available space on the church site. The PCC seeks to manage potential risks and uncertainties by regularly reviewing its Mission Action Plan and its plans for the use of the church buildings. We aim to maintain our properties to a high standard and to carry out the recommendations of the Quinquennial Inspection Report as required.

Income and Finances

• We plan for the funding of unexpected costs associated with the maintenance of the church buildings, including electrics and heating as mentioned above, and ongoing fabric repairs to address water ingress and damp problems.

• As the church congregation continues to grow, so does the need for additional income both to underpin the work of mission and the expansion of ministries and outreach, and also to fund the costs associated with the maintenance of the site as a whole. The church leadership continues to act responsibly to manage all resources at the church’s

5

TAR 2024

disposal. These include, for example, generating additional income from letting the Hub (our church hall) as well as offering the church itself for community events and other hirers, when appropriate.

• We are deeply encouraged by the growth in committed stewardship from the church membership, as well as more general charitable giving from the church family as a whole.

Structure, governance and management of the charity

The Parochial Church Council (PCC) is registered with the Charity Commission as required by the Charities Act 2011. Its governing document is the Parochial Church Councils (Powers) Measure 1956.

During the year, the following served as members of the Parochial Church Council: Ex-Officio members

Ex-Ofcio members
Incumbent:	The Revd Benjamin Sleep	Chairman
Curate:	The Revd James Lashwood
Elected Members	Jane Pendry	Churchwarden
	Nicholas Manning	Churchwarden
	David Bishop	untl_4/9/24_
	Rachael Bishop	untl_4/12/24_
	Avis Bourdon	Treasurer
	David Brown
	Audrey Bushnell
	Andrew Clements	Deanery Synod
	Ann Croghan
	Hazel Delamere
	Martyn Delamere
	Charlote Moore
	Harriet Tait	untl 2/5/24
	Colin Wood
	Marilyn Wood
Co-Opted Members	Stephanie Wooldridge	PCC Secretary
	Hollin Preston	from 4/9/24

Membership of the PCC is determined under the Church Representation Rules and consists of certain ex-officio members (the incumbent/priest-in-charge, curate, the churchwardens and members of the Deanery, Diocesan or General Synods), and 12 members of the church who are elected at the Annual Parochial Church Meeting (APCM). Members are warmly encouraged to stand for election to the PCC and we try to ensure a balance of skills and experience where possible.

• This Trustees’ Annual Report was approved by the PCC and signed on their behalf by The Revd Benjamin Sleep, Vicar

Signed: The Revd Benjamin Sleep Date: 2[nd] April 2025

6

o St Michael and All Angels Church, Ocklynge, Eastbourne Annual Financial Review for the Year Ending 31[st] December 2024

Incoming unrestricted resources

Our general giving during 2024 was £98,287 an increase of 38% over last year. On top of that we were able to claim gift aid from the HMRC amounting to £25,645.

During the year we have had some amazing general donations (mostly from our congregation) amounting to £15,976

Income from hiring the Hub was £6,475 and car parking was £780.

We also received £1,730 from bank interest, mostly from funds held in the CBF Deposit Account.

Income restricted and Designated resources

During the year we received four grants £10,000 from the Childs Charity Trust, £2,000 and £5,000 for a Children and Family worker and £1,000 for Arrows (our youth group) giving us a total of £18,000.

We received a donation of £5,000 towards replacing the boiler and monthly donations from three individuals amounting to £4,560 towards the cost of employing a Youth Worker. We also managed to obtain an Archdeacons loan of £30,000 towards the cost of our new heating system. This loan will have to be paid back monthly over the next 7 years, but the good thing is there will be no interest charges.

The Summer Ball raised £2,688 for Peru People and the Crafts and Laughs group raised £850 during the year to help Peru People and Family Support Work.

Outgoing unrestricted expenditure

As in the previous year’s our Parish Share has been our biggest expense, we paid £61,716 to the Diocese. The Parish Share pays for clergy’s stipend and pension costs, together with training and very valuable support in many areas including safeguarding, legal help and much more. This is the third year we have paid this amount and the end of our partnership agreement. From 2025 we will have to increase our parish share and work towards our full amount of £81,445.

The second biggest expense in 2024 was the replacement of our church boiler and to fit five new fan convector heaters at a cost of £51,686. We were able to reclaim the VAT through the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme which brought the cost down to £42,256. This was paid for by the Archdeacons loan of £30,000 and a donation of £5,000 and the balance from our Building Repairs restricted funds.

Most of our other costs have risen this year, due mainly to the increase in our growth of our congregation, staffing and inflation. We did make some saving on our utilities bill due to our main gas boiler not working until September.

We continue to give 10% of our general giving away to local and international charities. This year we gave to Family Support Work £3,000. Peru People £3,000, Streetlight Trust £3,000 and £3,000 went to our outreach programme – including Messy Church, Little Whiskers, Tea on the Hill and Who let the Dads Out etc. We also gave £1,000 to Beachy Head Chaplaincy. We also raised money for other charities - the profit from the Ball £2,688 went to Peru People. The Craft and Laugh group raised £280 for Family Support Worker and £507 for Peru People. £600 was also given out from our hardship fund.

Staffing

Up to the end of May we continued to pay St John’s for 10 hours a week admin support costing us £4025. We have continued to employ our youth worker for the whole year at a cost of £14,827.

We have continued to have our curate, the only cost to our church is his council tax, water rates and of course his expenses.

Restricted Funds

Th Hub Improvement – we spent £981 on improving the lighting around the Hub, this used all the money left in this fund.

Church Building Repairs – We spent £14,658 of this fund during the year. £10,240 towards the Architect Fees and plans for reordering the church. We also paid £1,703 for a quinquennial inspection, repairs to the disabled toilet ceiling £945 and repairs to the lighting £1,224. The small balance of £546 was for general architect fees.

Children and Youth worker – we received two grants amounting to £7,000 – this money will pay for an employee to be appointed in early 2025.

Youth Mission Grant - we received a grant from the Diocese of which £816 has been spent on books and equipment for our teenagers.

Balances

At the end of 2024 we had in our unrestricted general fund £39,764, in our designated 10% giving fund £2,936 and in our restricted fund £38,672.

At the end of the year our balances were:-

Metro Current Account, £21,162 CAF Current Account £16,962 CBF Deposit Fund. £43,248

Giving us a grand total of £81,372. Our balance sheet shows total net assets, less liabilities, of £52,904 after allowing for the requirement to repay the Archdeacon’s loan over the next seven years.

Avis Bourdon (Treasurer)

• This Annual Financial Review was audited by the Independent Examiner, approved by the PCC and signed on their behalf by The Revd Benjamin Sleep, Vicar

Signed:

Date: 2[nd] April 2025

Note5totheAnTrualFlnan¢lalReport2024 1.Th8finan¢lalstaiementoftbe Pcchavo baen preparedln a¢cordancewlthth•ChaFityAd2011 and currenlchurth AccDUlltl￿ Reg￿￿tIOnS. u&nglhe Recelptsand Pa￿￿$ baslc. Z Thefdl¢wlnga5sets are reCo￿lSed but not¥4lued Intheat¢rnentof Asse15 and Llabllftles. MovablechurthfumlshlnKheld bythe¢hurrhwarden$on 5peelaltrusttorthe PCC, l¢h requirea tacultyfordlsposaL IAnaLylsollOtal Unr•strfct8d Totsi Déslgnated R•strf¢ted Endowed AIIFund5 AIIFund5 Funds Funds Funds Total Genéral Funds Notes Planned gMnglexcL laX￿lunds) planned giwnglnotsx refunds) one￿ff and adhoc donatlons SpeclalAppeais GiftAld recovered Legacles Grants 70.074 20.427 14.418 57,475 14.380 47.808 .680 14,478 20.427 15.976 LS60 23.081 1564 18.000 30.000 197.468 Archdeacons loan 30.OKI 157.998 Oonatlons and iogacle5 11.910 148.821 Feesforweddlngs &lunerals 132 132 Chafftabie act￿￿tIeS craft sale, quiz car parkin8 RDonVhallhlringlees Summei8all iliiirE 850 850 1,577 850 780 8.475 1,1 9365 6,475 4B37 3JJ9 10573 11.953 ol￿rI￿alln80Cl1yrt]8S Bank& C8Fdeposlt Inte￿$[ Investments 1,730 1.730 1,730 536 Otherreceipis TotaireceNed on alllurKIs I69.￿5 598 27.560 211,283 159.994 £4560 d0naiioniohelppayforyouthworkerand£&Q￿t￿￿¥rdSthe newboller 3.AgrantoT£wuoowasrecefvedlTornlheChllds ChaFItyTrusL ThTogrants of£2.OIJOand £5.IJOQloro Chlidren and FamliywoTkerand£lOOOfrom MlsslongrartlorA Thèse 3ee0untswe￿ approvedatthe PGC meetiniheldonthe 12th FebNary2025 and $18ned bythe Re¥d.8onSIo•P

12 February 2025 Noles to tho Annual Flnanclal Report 2024 8. Analy$13 of total pald.. Unrestrlcted Genefallslgnated Fund Funds Total Ail Funds 2024 Total All Funds 2023 Restrlcted ndowed Fundls Fundlj Notes Cost of tundraisin C05t ot ralsln lunds Chafiiable (Yonations lio% giwngi Charity donations lolherl Parish share ro Chichester Diocese Salarie5 and honoraria Incl Nl Clergy and other people's expenses Ouiieach childrens l youth minislry Cosis ol church semces Music150undllT Phoiocopying 1160 1.160 1.160 1.160 10,000 4,237 61,716 18,852 9.077 3.651 4.833 3,199 7.155 650 4.562 2.930 5.339 442 1.109 1.109 10,282 10.000 4.237 61,716 14,292 9,077. 651 3,000 238 3.199 934 650 4.562 61.716 11.710 4.595 2,591 3.132 6,221 619 7.109 4,004 3.766 5,392 4.970 6,117 Other regular church runnln$ costs Church malntenance & iedecoraiio Groun05 Maintenance church repairs In5uiance RepayingArchdeacons Loan Bank Fee5 Charltable costs Hall maintenance & redecoration 442 37.839 6373 19,658 57.497 6,373 1,080 55 55 153.614 13.1 2.132 2,403 35,034 856 201.648 2,988 2.403 132,153 2,595 1.187 Church hall funnin Tradln O$t$ Other a menls Total pald on all fvnds costs Ioimerl 5.391 159,309 13,000 35.890 208.193 137,044 7. Charltable donatlons Irom our IO% genefal giwllg iTrtlude £3,OOOto FSW, 3.OCQto Pefu People. E3,LKIO to Stfeeiii4htTfust, E3.000 iochurch ouireactt and £ll)00 to 8eachy Head Chaplalncy 8. £3779 an(J £6221 palo Irom Chlld CharityTrust Grant É816paid Ifom the Youth Mission Fund

Note5totheAnnualFlnan¢lalReport silff costs •.A YouthW￿￿1 2Q23 Wages.satsTieyahd honoraria EmployeiNaiionallnsui•nre Employer pensionconiiothions 13.$99 &387 283 138 14.827 3.670 ststemeni ofAssets ind Liabilitlgs Unrestricr8d General Fund Tor81 Ail Funds 2024 D88ign8ted Funds Restricte Fund18 Endowed Fund18 2023 Noies A888ts: Bsnk Cufrent account I Bank ¢urrent account I CBF Deposir Fun Total bank and depo811 21.162 3.285 15.317 21,162 16,962 43,248 7.915 29.767 40,607 78.289 752 12.925 25,747 38,872 2.184 2,936 39.764 81,372 Wedding lees notyei receive Gill Aid recoverable 1.252 1,252 1,252 1,2S2 2,875 2,875 io Debtors Total gS5ets 41.016 2,936 38.672 82.624 81,164 Gas used since lasi bill Electricity used sinc818 Loan repayment due wit Loan reoaymenl (Jue aft 600 600 200 200 200 4.286 ?4.634 4.2B6 24,634 29,720 29,720 800 Tml n6t888 11,296 2.936 38,672 52.904 80.364 10. Githd r8pi88eni8 don•ibni upiDtMwo ofthewi.WnOlMlastcleimwosJubmitt•d OTh I Ith DecembBI ¢o¥erinidon8tlon810 3aih No¥emD8r. 11.An Interes1 rroefoanof £30,(X)Orep6￿blo0VQrstIenye8rsfr0rn tho Dloces8olCNch8&ter W88 r8kèn out in Au8U8t2024. £1.080w8grep8id In 2024

Avis Bourdon (Treasurer)

• These accounts and notes to the Annual Financial Report were audited by the Independent Examiner, approved by the PCC and signed on their behalf by The Revd Benjamin Sleep, Vicar

Signed: Date: 2[nd] April 2025

• These accounts and Financial Report were approved by those attending the APCM and signed on their behalf by The Revd Benjamin Sleep, Vicar and PCC Chairman

Signed:

Date: 14[th] May 2025

Independent examlner's report to the Members of the Parochlal Church Council (PCC) (the Trustees) of the Ecclesiastical Parish of St Michael and All Angels, Eastbourne I report to the trustees C￿ my examination ofthe accwnts of the PCC of Ihe Parfsh of St Micha•l and All Angels Eastboume Itha Trust) for thè year ènd￿ 31 Dec8mb•r 2023. Res nsibilitses and basis of re ort As the charfty trustees of the Trust you are r6swnsible for the preparation ol the accounts In accordan￿ wth the reqU1￿MentS of the Charities Act 20111'the Act'l as amended by the Charities Act 2022. 1 report in respect of my examination of the Trust's acctyjnts carrièd out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carying out my examination I have followed all the ap￿Ica￿e Dlrections given by the Charity Commission under section 14515llbl of the Act. Inde ndent examlner's statement I have completed my examinatM)n. l ¢x)nfimi that no materlal matters have C￿Me to my attention in i£Jnnection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any Material respect.. a(xuJnting records w8r8 not kept in r&s￿¢t of the Trust a8 required by section 130 of th& Act,. tsr 2. Ihe accounts do not accord wth those records,. or 3. Ihe accounts do no¢ comply with Ihe applicable requirements ¢onceming form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reportsl Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that th8 awunts 9ive a'tnje and fair view which is not a matter conSide￿d as part of an independent examination. I have no CLJncems and have corne across no other matters in connection with the examination to %thich attenb'on should be drawn in this repNt in cffder to enaNe a pro understanding ol the accLJunts to be reached. Signed.. Name.. Andrew Thurston Addre86: 8 Bishops Gale Durham DH14JU D8tg'. 18 March 2024