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2025-12-31-accounts

The Parochial Church Council Of The Ecclesiastical Parish Of Eastchurch with Leysdown and Harty Known as Parish of Eastchurch with Leysdown and Harty

Annual Report and Financial Statements Year Ended 31st December 2025

Year Ended 31st December 2025

Parish of Eastchurch with Leysdown and Harty

Legal and Administrative Information

Reference

The Ecclesiastical Parish is in the Deanery of Sittingbourne, Diocese of Canterbury, and in the Church of England. The PCC is registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales.

Charity Number 1208369
Registered Address The Rectory
Warden Road
Eastchurch
ME12 4EJ
Churches in Parish All Saints Church St Thomas the Apostle
High Street Harty Ferry Road
Eastchurch Harty
ME12 4BN ME12 4BQ
Churchyard in Parish St Clement’s Churchyard
Leysdown Road
Leysdown-on-Sea
ME12 4AB
(NB: Church was demolished in 1987)
Websites www.allsaintseastchurch.org www.sthomasharty.org
Bankers NatWest Bank PLC Barclays Bank UK PLC
250 Bishopsgate 1 Churchill Place
London London
EC2M 4AA E14 5HP
Independent Examiner Sarah Crispin ACA
Stewardship
1 Lamb’s Passage
London
EC1Y 8AB

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Year Ended 31st December 2025

Parish of Eastchurch with Leysdown and Harty

Annual Report

The Parochial Church Council (PCC) presents its annual report for the year ended 31st December 2025, together with the independently examined accounts for the year.

STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT

The structure, governance and management of the Parish of Eastchurch with Leysdown and Harty is determined by the rules of the Church of England, in particular the Church Representation Rules (2020). Governance is provided by the Parish Priest, Churchwardens and the Parochial Church Council (‘PCC’).

Membership of the PCC

The PCC is a corporate body established by the Church of England. The PCC operates under the Parochial Church Council Powers Measure (1956) as amended. Members of the PCC are elected or co-opted by the Annual Parochial Church Meeting in accordance with the Church Representation Rules (2020) or are ex-officio.

Parish Preist Interregnum
Churchwardens All Saints Eastchurch Jayne Yvete Gutheil [Safeguarding Ofcer and Secretary]
Vacant
St Thomas Harty Susan Hopper [Vice-Chair; actng Chairperson]
Amber Hopper
Elected Members Jillian Gray (elected untl 2027)
Peter Kearnes (elected untl 2027)
Barbara Worth (elected untl 2027)
William Joseph Fowler (elected untl 2027) [Parish Administrator]

Aim and purposes of the PCC

The primary aim of the PCC is the promotion of the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to the doctrines and practices of the Church of England. It shall be the duty of the minister and the PCC to consult together on matters of general concern and importance to the parish.

The purposes of the PCC shall include:

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Year Ended 31st December 2025

Parish of Eastchurch with Leysdown and Harty

OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES

The PCC is dedicated to advancing the complete mission of the Church within the parish, encompassing pastoral care, evangelism, social outreach, and ecumenical engagement, while also fostering connections with the broader community. In planning the activities, the PCC has applied the guidance on public benefit issued by the Charity Commission. Additionally, the PCC is tasked with sourcing resources to maintain our historic buildings.

Regular worship services are held weekly at Eastchurch and monthly at Harty, with additional services scheduled for Christmas, Easter, and notable occasions like Remembrance Sunday. Both churches serve for Life Events (formally Occasional Offices) and are routinely open to visitors during daylight hours.

There are various fundraising events in the Parish, including the Flower Festival and Christmas Tree Festival, which are organised to support the Parish’s activities and maintenance efforts. These events not only raise funds but also bring the community together in celebration and solidarity. All Saints church hosts a weekly Coffee Morning, providing a space for members of the community to come together and socialise.

With regard to the PCC's obligations to safeguard children and vulnerable adults, the members of the PCC confirm that they have complied with their duties under section 5 of the Safeguarding and Clergy Discipline Measure 2016.

ACHIEVEMENT AND PEFORMANCE

Vice-Chair (acting Chair) Report: Susan Hopper

We are now entering our sixth year without a regular vicar in post. However, the vacancies have finally been advertised. Despite this, the churches have continued to hold Sunday services, weddings, baptisms, and funerals, thanks to the support of Yvette, Joseph, and Amber. I am pleased to report that our congregations have increased.

Both churches have undergone their quinquennial inspections this year. I continue to run the coffee morning at All Saints, which is well attended every Monday from 10:00am to 12:00 noon. I also open the church on Wednesdays from 9:00am to 4:00pm for private prayer.

I am pleased to report that Eastchurch School is now attending the church regularly. I open the church for them and usually attend these services, which are led by the Head Teacher. Some classes have also been visiting with their form teachers to become familiar with the church and how to behave within it.

We continue to pray that the ministerial posts on the Island will be filled soon; for now, it remains a waiting game.

Churchwarden Report – All Saints, Eastchurch: Yvette Gutheil

Over the past year, All Saints has continued to hold regular services, along with baptisms, weddings, and funerals, with steady attendance and new members joining.

The care of the church building and churchyard has remained ongoing. We are grateful to the Community Payback scheme for maintaining the grounds. Work completed this year includes replacing the flooring in the Bell Tower to ensure it is safe. The Livsey Monument will be a focus for the coming year, following an architectural review this year.

This year we said goodbye to Fr Colin Johnson, who served All Saints and St Thomas for many years.

At Christmas, we held a successful Christmas Tree Festival raising £641, with fundraising of a raffle and refreshments. The event included music from Fiato – The Little Band and formed part of the village Christmas light switch-on. We also held our Christingle Service, supported by a donation of oranges from Brambledown Farm Shop, along with Midnight Mass and the Nativity.

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Year Ended 31st December 2025

Parish of Eastchurch with Leysdown and Harty

During the interregnum, services have been supported by visiting clergy, including Rev Richard Brady, Fr Tim Foreman, Rev Nick Carpenter, and Fr Chris Shipley.

Churchwarden Report – St Thomas the Apostle, Harty: Susan Hopper and Amber Hopper

We have managed to keep the church running smoothly. Our quinquennial inspection took place in July. There are several items that require attention, but we will need to secure funding before these can be addressed. Any urgent actions have been remediated.

We have changed the time of our service from 3:00pm to 12:30pm, as the later time had led to reduced attendance, as suggested by Fr Tim Foreman, and it has made a noticeable difference. Fr Tim Foreman now leads most of our services, for which we are very grateful.

Our Christmas Eve service was very well attended, with 127 people present. The Flower Festival was also well attended and supported, raising just over £1,000. We continue to welcome many visitors to the church.

Life Events Report: Joseph Fowler

2024, and eleven baptisms, an increase on last year. Demand for baptisms remains high, but clergy availability continues to make these challenging. Funeral ministry has remained steady, with sixteen funerals, burials and committals across the Parish. We also hosted a service of blessing at Harty, showing the range of occasions for which families continue to turn to our churches. As we look to 2026, we are pleased to see more wedding and baptism families attending services and hope to continue building these relationships as part of our growing church community.

Ecumenical Relationships

The Parish is a member of Churches Together in Sheppey. It is part of group ministry with West Sheppey Parish; this is an established connection that is growing in strength. Within the Parish also resides Eastchurch CofE Primary School and St Clement CofE Primary School, both part of the Diocese of Canterbury Academic Trust (Aquila).

The church is represented by Sue Hoppy within the Parish, acting as a point of contact for the Scout Groups, the Remembrance Service Group, and the Village Hall. She works collaboratively with them to support shared activities and ensures mutual involvement.

Church Electoral Roll

A new electoral roll was started this year; there were 22 members that joined the Church Electoral Roll. Of those members, 14 reside outside the Parish boundary.

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Year Ended 31st December 2025

Parish of Eastchurch with Leysdown and Harty

FINCANCIAL REVIEW

Joseph Fowler – Parish Administrator

The year 2025 has been one of consolidation and continued progress for the Parish. We are pleased to report another year of financial stability, ending with a surplus of £1,315 and total funds carried forward of £40,141.

across charitable activities, higher fees from life events, stronger souvenir and candle sales, and a marked increase in donations. Planned giving, online donations, and one-off gifts all played a valuable part. We also received £7,300 in restricted grant funding for key projects, alongside continued effective use of Gift Aid, which helps us maximise eligible donations.

Expenditure for the year was £29,305, up from £20,609, reflecting both inflation and the essential costs of caring for our historic buildings. Repairs and maintenance were a major focus again this year, with more than £7,400 spent across the parish, alongside rising insurance and utility bills. Church activities, including parish share and honoria costs, remained steady and proportionate, while the costs of fundraising aligned with previous years. These expenses reflect the practical realities of maintaining two church buildings and supporting ministry throughout the parish.

payment and will receive its second payment of £440 when the sign is installed, and the Clock Project now holds a positive balance of £3,000 to support future restoration work with thanks to the Auston Trust Fund. The Livesey Monument Project advanced with the commissioning and completion of the conservation report. The Harty Fabric Fund was fully utilised for necessary maintenance and is now closed. These projects highlight our parish’s commitment to protecting its heritage and ensuring our buildings remain safe and welcoming.

At year-end, unrestricted reserves were £37,941, comfortably above the PCC’s minimum reserves policy of £7,000. This provides reassurance as we prepare for future expenditure, especially with both quinquennial inspections due to drive building priorities in the coming year. Looking ahead to 2026, we expect to continue focusing on major fabric needs, securing further grant funding, managing rising running costs, and expanding our giving streams.

We remain deeply grateful for the generosity of those who support our parish, whether through regular giving, donations at services, attendance at fundraising events, or the time they offer as volunteers. Their contributions ensure that our churches can continue their mission and ministry, and we look forward with hope and confidence as we enter another year.

Approval of Annual Report

This report was approved by the trustees and signed on their behalf by:

Signed ~~…………………………………………~~ Susan Hopper (May 21, 2026 11:16:51 GMT+1) Susan Hopper …………… Name Susan Hopper Role Vice-Chair of PCC; Acting Chairperson May 21, 2026 Date ………………………………………………………

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Year Ended 31st December 2025

Parish of Eastchurch with Leysdown and Harty

Financial Statement for Year Ended 31st December 2025 Receipts and Payments Account

Unrestricted Restricted Designated Total Total
Funds Funds Funds 2025 2024
£ £ £ £ £
Receipts
Charitable Activities 12,008 0 0 12,008 9,806
Donations & Legacies 8,786 7,300 0 16,086 8,877
Generating Funds Activities 2,525 0 0 2,525 3,217
Total receipts 23,320 7,300 0 30,620 21,899
Payments
Church Activities 5,443 0 0 5,443 2,160
Church Running Expenses 18,407 3,441 0 21,848 16,600
Cost of Generating Funds 2,014 0 0 2,014 1,848
Total payments 25,864 3,441 0 29,305 20,609
Net Incoming / Outgoing (before transfers) (2,544) 3,859 0 1,315 1,290
Fund Transfers In 0 660 0 660 0
Fund Transfers Out 660 0 0 660 0
Net Movement of Funds (3,204) 4,519 0 1,315 1,290
Total Funds Brought Forward 41,145 (2319) 0 38,826 37,536
Total Funds Carried Forward 37,941 2,200 0 40,141 38,826

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Year Ended 31st December 2025

Parish of Eastchurch with Leysdown and Harty

Statement of assets and liabilities

Statement of assets and liabilites
Unrestricted Restricted Designated Total Total
Funds Funds Funds 2025 2024
£ £ £ £ £
Cash Assets
Eastchurch: General_(Unrestricted)_ 19,690 0 0 19,690 19,453
Harty: General_(Unrestricted)_ 18,251 0 0 18,251 21,692
Eastchurch: Sign Project_(Restricted)_ 0 (440) 0 (440) (2940)
Eastchurch: Clock Project_(Restricted)_ 0 3,000 0 3,000 0
Eastchurch: Monument Project_(Restricted)_ 0 (360) 0 (360) 0
Harty: Fabric Fund_(Restricted)_ 0 0 0 0 621
Total Bank Accounts 37,941 2,200 0 40,141 38,826
Liabilities and Creditors
Eastchurch (General): Utility Bills 193 0 0 193
Eastchurch (General): CDBF Fees 157 0 0 157
Harty (General): Jams 512 0 0 512
Total Liabilities and Creditors 862 0 0 862
Debtors
Eastchurch (General): Gift Aid Recovered 689 0 0 689
Eastchurch (General): Outstanding Life Events 484 0 0 484
Eastchurch (General): Fees in Vacancy 254 0 0 254
Harty (General): Fees in Vacancy 127 0 0 127
Harty (General): Gift Aid Recovered 95 0 0 95
Total Debtors 1,649 0 0 1,649

Approval of Financial Statements

This report was approved by the trustees and signed on their behalf by:

Signed ~~………………………………………~~ Susan Hopper (May 21, 2026 11:16:51 GMT+1) Susan Hopper ………………

Name Susan Hopper Role Vice-Chair of PCC; Acting Chairperson May 21, 2026 Date ………………………………………………………

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Year Ended 31st December 2025

Parish of Eastchurch with Leysdown and Harty

Notes on Financial Statement

1. BASIS OF ACCOUNTS PREPARATION

The accounts have been prepared on a receipts and payments basis and comprise a statement that shows the charity's receipts and payments, a statement that summarises the charity's assets and liabilities and related notes. The accountancy profession has determined that only accounts prepared in accordance with applicable accounting standards present a 'true and fair' view and, as these receipts and payments accounts have not (and cannot) been prepared in accordance with accounting standards, these accounts do not present (and are not intended to present) a 'true and fair' view of the charity's financial activities and state of affairs.

2. CASH FUNDS MOVEMENT

2. CASH FUNDS MOVEMENT
Opening
Balance		 Receipts Payments Transfers Closing
Balance
£ £ £ £ £
Represented By
Eastchurch: General (Unrestricted) 19,453 18,799 17,902 (660) 19,690
Harty: General (Unrestricted) 21,692 4,522 7,962 0 18,251
Eastchurch: Sign Project (Restricted) (2,940) 2,500 0 0 (440)
Eastchurch: Clock Project (Restricted) 0 3,000 660 660 3,000
Eastchurch: Monument Project (Restricted) 0 1,800 2,160 0 (360)
Harty: Fabric Fund (Restricted) 621 0 621 0 0
38,826 30,620 29,305 0 40,141

3. FURTHER ANALYSIS OF RECEIPTS

3. FURTHER ANALYSIS OF RECEIPTS
Unrestricted Restricted Designated Total Total
Funds Funds Funds 2025 2024
£ £ £ £ £
Charitable Actvites
Fees retained by PCC: Other Life Events 5,818 0 0 5,818 2,540
Fees retained by PCC: Weddings 4,681 0 0 4,681 4,823
Trading Actvites: Candle for Prayer 176 0 0 176 283
Trading Actvites: Other (inc. souvenirs, guidebook) 1,333 0 0 1,333 2,160
Total Charitable Actvites 12,008 0 0 12,008 9,806

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Year Ended 31st December 2025

Parish of Eastchurch with Leysdown and Harty

Donatons & Legacies
Collecton at Services 2,093 0 0 2,093 3,232
Gif Aid Recovered 1,892 0 0 1,892 2,745
Grants (recurring/one-of) 516 7,300 0 7,816 90
Other giving (inc. online donatons, alms boxes) 1,672 0 0 1,672 1,667
Planned Giving (Envelopes/Standing Orders) 2,613 0 0 2,613 1,143
Total Donatons & Legacies 8,786 7,300 0 16,086 8,877
Generatng Funds Actvites
Cofee Morning 419 0 0 419 595
Fundraising Actvites 2,106 0 0 2,106 2,622
Total Generatng Funds Actvites 2,525 0 0 2,525 3,217
Total Receipts 23,320 7,300 0 30,620 21,899

4. FURTHER ANALYSIS OF PAYMENTS

4. FURTHER ANALYSIS OF PAYMENTS
Unrestricted Restricted Designated Total Total
Funds Funds Funds 2025 2024
£ £ £ £ £
Church Actvites
Clergy, Trustee and Volunteer Expenses 14 0 0 14 41
Mission giving and evangelism costs 5 0 0 5 5
Parish Share 2,975 0 0 2,975 0
Salary, wages and honoraria 2,448 0 0 2,448 2,114
Total Church Actvites 5,443 0 0 5,443 2,160
Church Running Expenses
Church Insurance 7,592 0 0 7,592 7,403
Church Major Repairs & Maintenance 4,581 2,820 0 7,401 2,940
Church running expenses (inc. governance) 4,025 621 0 4,646 3,891
Church utlity bills 2,058 0 0 2,058 2,215
Church website/social media fees 151 0 0 151 151
Total Church Running Expenses 18,407 3,441 0 21,848 16,600
Cost of Generatng Funds
Costs of fundraising actvites 745 0 0 745 735
Costs of trading (inc. candles, souvenirs, guidebook) 1,269 0 0 1,269 1,114
Total Cost of Generatng Funds 2,014 0 0 2,014 1,849
Total Payments 25,864 3,441 0 29,305 20,609

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Year Ended 31st December 2025

Parish of Eastchurch with Leysdown and Harty

Independent Examiner’s Report

TO THE TRUSTEES OF PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIACTIC PARISH OF EASTCHURCH WITH LEYSDOWN AND HARTY

I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Parish of Eastchurch with Leysdown and Harty ('the charity') for the year ended 31 December 2025 on pages seven to ten.

RESPONSIBILITIES AND BASIS OF REPORT

As the trustees of the charity, the members of the PCC are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 ('the 2011 Act’).

I report in respect of my examination of the charity’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act.

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S STATEMENT

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:

  1. accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the 2011 Act; or

  2. the accounts do not accord with the accounting records.

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Sarah Crispin Sarah Crispin (May 21, 2026 16:29:38 GMT+1) Signed ……………………………………………………… Name Sarah Crispin ACA Company Stewardship Services Ltd 1 Lamb’s Passage London EC1Y 8AB May 21, 2026 Date ………………………………………………………

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2025 - Report and Accounts FINAL FOR SIGNING

Final Audit Report

2026-05-21

Created: 2026-05-11 By: Claire Lee (claire.lee@stewardship.org.uk) Status: Signed Transaction ID: CBJCHBCAABAAVwBzZcAHsPZMMb1EpmzQSzP0Za-v6JKN

"2025 - Report and Accounts FINAL FOR SIGNING" History

Document created by Claire Lee (claire.lee@stewardship.org.uk)

2026-05-11 - 15:24:08 GMT

Document emailed to allsaintseastchurch@gmail.com for signature

2026-05-11 - 15:25:44 GMT

Email viewed by allsaintseastchurch@gmail.com

2026-05-21 - 10:16:00 GMT

New document URL requested by allsaintseastchurch@gmail.com

2026-05-21 - 10:16:05 GMT

Document e-signed by Susan Hopper (allsaintseastchurch@gmail.com)

Signature Date: 2026-05-21 - 10:16:51 GMT - Time Source: server - Signature appearance selected: TYPE

Email viewed by Sarah Crispin (sarah.crispin@stewardship.org.uk) 2026-05-21 - 15:28:12 GMT

Document e-signed by Sarah Crispin (sarah.crispin@stewardship.org.uk)

Signature Date: 2026-05-21 - 15:29:38 GMT - Time Source: server - Signature appearance selected: TYPE

Agreement completed.

2026-05-21 - 15:29:38 GMT