2025-12-31-accounts

PCC of St Matthew’s Cainscross

Trustee’s report and accounts for the period 1[st] January 2025 to 31[st] December 2025

Charity number 1206348

PCC of St Matthew’s Cainscross

Registered charity number 1206348

Church Road, Cainscross, Stroud GL5 4JE

Trustees during the period:

Reverend James Turk (Chair) Margaret Stephenson (stood down 6th April 2025)

Almuta Aldridge (stood down 6th April 2025)

Patricia Palmer

Barrie Voyce

Joyce Robbins

Rob Cotterill

Myn Cotterill

Elaine Venning

Patsy Williams (elected 6[th] April 2025)

Linda Woodward (elected 6[th] April 2025)

Jane Petersen (elected 6[th] April 2025)

Trustees are re-appointed annually at the Annual Parish Church Meeting, normally held between April and June. The church is part of the Stroud Ministry Team consisting of nine church buildings and six PCC’s across Stroud.

Objectives and Activities:

The objectives of the charity are to represent the love of Jesus to the community in Cainscross, and care for the church building and graveyard. The activities consist of regular services, including those held at the primary school linked to St Matthew’s, or by the school in the church premises. Baptisms, weddings and funerals are held here, and the graveyard and garden of remembrance are well used by the local community. The hall is occupied during school terms time by a playgroup, and is frequently used in the evenings by other community groups.

There are also several care homes in the near vicinity, and we o�er communion services in several of these homes on a regular basis.

Rector’s report:

Ministry. I remain deeply grateful for the faith, commitment, and generosity of so many across our churches.

Sta�ing and Leadership

A key moment this year was the appointment of the Revd Coral Francis as Team Vicar in July 2025. Coral has already begun to shape her ministry among us, and I am thankful for the gifts and presence she brings to the team.

We have also been blessed to secure grant funding to support our central administration. This funding was originally for two roles: Team Coordinator and Team Administrator. Securing funding for these roles was a priority I identified at the end of last year. Together with the team, we made a commitment to ease the financial burden on our parishes in this area, and I am pleased that we have been able to follow that through.

Following Jodie’s resignation in October, Sarah has stepped into the Team Coordinator role and is currently holding together both areas of work. I am very grateful for her willingness and capacity to do this in what is an interim season.

These roles are not simply administrative; they are vital to enabling ministry across the team. They support our clergy, sustain our systems, and help us respond well to the many opportunities and demands we face.

I also want to express my sincere thanks to Barrie Voyce, our Children, Youth and Families O�icer. Barrie o�ers strong and thoughtful leadership in this vital area of our life together. He brings wisdom and insight to the Core Leadership Team, of which he is a valued member, and o�ers gentle but perceptive challenge to ensure that our work with children, young people, and families remains central to our life and mission.

This is especially evident in our work with schools, though it is by no means limited to that. During our recent Team Coaching Day in January, Barrie’s contribution helped keep this vital ministry clearly in focus for us all.

Finances and Giving

I want to begin by expressing my sincere thanks to all who give so generously to the life of our churches, both in time and in money. Your generosity enables ministry, sustains our buildings, and makes possible the worship and mission we share together. It is deeply appreciated.

Finances have always been a challenge in the life of the Church, and that remains true for us today. We are currently seeing a decline in regular giving across the team. This reflects a wider pattern across the Church, where many long-standing and faithful givers are ageing and, in time, passing on, and are not yet being replaced by new patterns of giving from those coming among us.

but a question of how we understand our part in the life and mission of the Church. Christian giving is not simply about meeting budgets; it is part of our discipleship and response to God’s generosity towards us. Giving is one of the ways we participate in God’s work among us. If we

are to sustain and grow the ministry we believe we are called to, we will need to rediscover and encourage a culture of generous, faithful giving across all our congregations.

week—the cost of a decent co�ee in town—that would generate over £18,000 a year for a single church. This is within reach. But it will require all of us to reflect prayerfully and respond with intention.

If current trends continue, we will need to make di�icult decisions about what we can sustain.

churches—our treasurers and those who support them. Much of this work is unseen, often complex, and carries a significant weight of responsibility. You enable the ministry of the church in very real and practical ways, and we are deeply grateful. You know who you are—thank you.

Buildings and Support to PCCs

Across the team, we have a number of building maintenance projects either underway or scheduled. These buildings are a gift and a responsibility, and caring for them can feel complex and demanding.

I want to recognise the deep love and care that so many have for our places of worship. Each one is unique, and I count it a privilege to spend time in every one of them each month.

We have inherited these buildings from previous generations. They are not just structures, but places where prayer has been o�ered, lives have been shaped, and the presence of God has been known. Caring for them requires not only financial resources, but also a significant investment of time and energy. We recognise this, and we are deeply grateful for all that is given in their care.

I want to assure all PCCs that you are not alone in this work. The Core Leadership Team is committed to supporting you as you navigate these processes, and there is strong support available from the Diocese. We are here to help you access that support and to walk alongside you in these projects.

Worship and Community Life

It has been encouraging to see new people joining us in regular worship, as well as at our major festivals. This is a quiet but real sign of hope.

I am very proud that Sunday worship takes place in every parish each week. This is only possible because of the commitment, dedication, and leadership of our Local Ministry Teams. Without them, we simply could not sustain weekly worship across all our parishes. Thank you.

None of this happens without the extraordinary contribution of our volunteers. From welcoming a stranger at the door, to leading worship, to serving behind the scenes in countless ways—your faithfulness is the backbone of our ministry. Quite simply, we could not do this without you. Thank you.

I also want to express my sincere thanks to all those who serve on our PCCs. I greatly value the relationships we share and the way we work together in leading our churches. These roles carry both responsibility and complexity, often behind the scenes, and I am deeply grateful for all that you give.

I genuinely enjoy working with you—it is never dull in Stroud!

Our Scale and Calling

Stroud Team Ministry is the largest ministry in the deanery, serving a population of around 27,000 people across our parishes. This is both a privilege and a significant responsibility.

Alongside parish ministry, my role also carries responsibilities beyond our immediate church communities. These include serving as Chaplain to Marah, Chaplain to the Stroud Sea Cadets, Chair of Churches Together in Stroud, Co-Area Dean, and as a member of General Synod.These are not separate from our parish life, but flow out of it. They are part of how we serve the people of Stroud and play our part in the wider church. Part of my role is also to tell the story of Stroud Team Ministry at Deanery and Diocesan levels, ensuring that our context, experience, and voice are heard.

I remain committed to being present in our parishes, and it continues to be a privilege to share in the life and worship of each of our churches.

I am also grateful to serve alongside a strong and committed clergy team. Simon will o�er his own report as Pioneer Minister, and Coral as Team Vicar. We are also supported by Matthew, our Associate Priest, who exercises his priestly ministry in the workplace through his significant role in the NHS, particularly in mental health support. It is a real gift to serve alongside such a team, and I am deeply thankful for them.

We have 14 schools within our care. While it is not possible to maintain a regular presence in all of them, we have continued to build strong and meaningful relationships across many of our schools, and this remains a vital part of our mission.Our partnership with The Door, particularly through the Illuminate Project, continues to be an important area of outreach. We look forward to discerning what the next stage of that partnership might be.

Deanery and the Future

Looking ahead, the Deanery Strategic Plan will be increasingly important for all our parishes. A revised plan will be shared in the coming weeks, and PCCs will need to engage with it carefully.

This is not simply a procedural exercise. Engagement with the Deanery Strategic Plan will be essential as we seek grant funding and discern how best to shape sustainable ministry for the future. For this reason, having Deanery Synod representatives in place is more important than ever. More broadly, active engagement with the wider deanery will be key for all our parishes. This is something we in Stroud Team Ministry already understand well—sharing resources, wisdom, and support is not a weakness but a strength.

We are living through a time of change, challenge, and opportunity. There are real pressures, but there are also clear signs of life and growth.

My prayer is that we continue to grow not only in what we do, but in who we are: a people rooted in Christ, committed to one another, and open to the work of the Holy Spirit among us. With my thanks and prayers for you all,

Rev James Turk, Rector for the Stroud Team Ministry.

March 2026

Financial review

Income in 2025 dropped slightly to £35,724 (2024: £38,806). Planned giving, fundraising events, interest and parochial fee income all dropped, but other giving, gift aid recovered and hall lettings increased.

During the year the tarmac area outside the West Door was re-surfaced and architect’s fees were incurred on preliminary assessments for roof repairs, which happened in 2026.

unrestricted funds: the legacy which funded the major repairs is unrestricted funds, so this is approximately £10k of spend on major repairs and a further £6k of deficit on ordinary activities. The Parish share pledge has been reduced for 2026 to £10,000, from the £16,000 pledged in 2025.

A drop in the investment values of the restricted endowments brough the total result for the year to a deficit of £18,513.

Reserves policy:

The church has unrestricted reserves of £108,871, of which £111,452 are funds received from the sale of the legacy property. These funds are informally marked for significant repairs or investment activity, not for everyday running costs. The PCC aims to keep unrestricted reserves at around three months of normal running costs, and therefore we hope to increase our income this year, having reduced our parish share pledge to rebuild unrestricted reserves.

10% of hall lettings income is designated for maintenance of the hall. This income exceed repairs and maintenance in 2025, but in early 2026 works to repair the window frames were carried out.

The accounts have been independently examined by G J Carr during March 2026.

St Matthews Cainscross's Receipts & Payments Account

for the year ended 31 December 2025

----- Start of picture text -----
2025 2024
Incoming resources £ £ £ £ £
Voluntary income:
Planned giving 8,374 - - 8,374 9,845
Collections, donations & other giving 1,990 - 500 2,490 2,347
Income tax recovered 1,918 - - 1,918 1,663
Legacies - - - - -
Activities for generating funds
Magazine/Bookstall sales/Hall Lettings etc 11,535 1,282 - 12,817 10,277
Income from other Properties - - - - -
Annual Fete/events 2,546 - - 2,546 3,659
Investment income:
Interest & dividends 1,954 - 1,287 3,241 5,209
Income from charitable activities:
Parochial fees 4,334 - - 4,334 5,802
Other incoming resources:
Insurance claims - - - - -
Gain on disposal of fixed assets - - - - -
Loans received - - - - -
Other 4 - - 4 4
Total incoming resources 32,655 1,282 1,787 35,724 38,806
Resources expended
Charitable activities:
Donations/Grants to charities - - (1,598) (1,598) (594)
Mission & Evangelism - (51) - (51) (81)
Parish Share (16,000) - - (16,000) (15,000)
Clergy expenses (4,000) - - (4,000) (5,260)
Church running expenses (6,598) (657) (450) (7,705) (6,689)
Churchyard maintenance (128) - - (128) (2,636)
Cost of raising funds (3,565) - - (3,565) (3,078)
Running costs:
Support costs - - - - -
Administration costs (inc. staff costs) (3,045) - - (3,045) (1,614)
Other (5,719) - - (5,719) (5,447)
Governance costs - - - - -
Major expenditure
Repairs to church buildings (10,223) - - (10,223) 767
Repairs to other property - - - - -
Capital purchases/additions - - - - -
Loan repayments - - - - -
Total resources expended (49,278) (708) (2,048) (52,034) (39,632)
Net (outgoing)/ incoming resources (16,623) 574 (261) (16,310) (826)
Transfers between funds - - - - -
Net incoming/(outgoing) resources before gains (16,623) 574 (261) (16,310) (826)
Gains on investment assets - - (2,203) (2,203) 1,017
Net movement in funds (16,623) 574 (2,464) (18,513) 191
Funds brought forward at 1 Jan 2025 125,494 5,604 54,253 185,350 185,159
Funds carried forward at 31 Dec 2025 108,871 6,178 51,789 166,837 185,350
General fund Designated fund Restricted fund
Notes
----- End of picture text -----

*produced using the Diocesan Cashbook v5

Individual fund balances as at 31[st] December 2025;

Code Section Code Description	Code Section Code Description	Code Section Code Description	Balance B/fwd IN OUT Tfr Balance C/fwd	Balance B/fwd IN OUT Tfr Balance C/fwd	Balance B/fwd IN OUT Tfr Balance C/fwd	Balance B/fwd IN OUT Tfr Balance C/fwd	Balance B/fwd IN OUT Tfr Balance C/fwd
Hall		10%of hall lettings,for maintenance of the hall	4,482.36	1,281.65	(657.13)	-	5,106.88
Children		Children's work fund	611.39	-	(51.20)	-	560.19
Strachans		Strachans charity	1,995.62	520.21	(113.00)	-	2,402.83
ars Endowment		Vicars Endowment	1,017.89	285.35	-	-	1,303.24
Organ fund		Organ fund	972.99	133.88	-	-	1,106.87
Vicars sermon		Vicars sermon	1,157.87	55.60	-	-	1,213.47
Poor fund		Poor fund	321.64	74.85	(300.00)	-	96.49
Choir fund		Choir fund	163.59	15.36	-	-	178.95
School fund		School fund	165.22	24.41	(150.00)	-	39.63
Tea fund		Tea fund	106.45	52.17	(100.00)	-	58.62
Orphans Fund		Orphans Fund	1,034.32	70.33	(935.00)	-	169.65
Repairs fund		Repairs fund	306.74	54.47	-	-	361.21
Hibiscus		Grant towards churchyardproject	254.60	-	-	-	254.60
Wildlife		Grant towards wildlife activities in churchyard	250.00	-	-	-	250.00
Warm		Openingthe hall as a warm space	-	-	-	-	-
Energy		Grant for energyadvice	480.00	-	-	-	480.00
Invests		Investment funds	46,025.20	-	(2,203.12)	-	43,822.08
Environment		Unrestricted but designated for environmental improvements	510.00	-	-	-	510.00
Flowers			-	-	-	-	-
Christingle			-	50.00	-	-	50.00
Riverside		Unrestricted one off legacyincome	120,785.44	-	(10,100.04)	766.69	111,452.09
Bibles				450.00	(450.00)	-	-