The Parish of St John the Evangelist, Corby Glen Annual Report and Financial Statements of Corby Glen Parochial Church Council for the year ended 31 December 2025 Rural Dean: The Revd Stephen Buckman Priest in charge.. The Revd Helen Roulston (from 7 April 20261 Churchwarden5: Mr Mick Franklin and Ms Sue Glover ndependent Examiner: Anne Davies, MAAT, Bsc Glenhill, Corby Glen, NG33 4NY The Parochial Church Council of the Ecclesiastical Parish of St John the Evangelist, Corby Glen, in the Diocese of Lincoln, is registered with the Charities Commission Registered Charity.. 1209424
Annual Report of Corby Glen Parochial Church Council for the year ended 31 December 2025 Aim and Purpose The Parochial Church Council IPCCI of St John the Evangelist, Corby Glen, together with the incumbent or lin vacancy) the Rural Dean, has the responsibility for promoting, in the ecclesiastical parish, the whole mission of the Church - pastoral, spiritual, evangelistic, social and ecumenical. A key element of this mission is providing and maintaining a building for worship and for religious ceremonies such as marriages and funerals for the people of Corby Glen and beyond - the Grade I listed Church of St John the Evangelist with unique, internationally significant medieval wallpaintings- and maintaining the associated public churchyard for burials. Our Christian mission is also fulfilled through community outreach and services, working with local schools and other community groups Objectives and Activities The PCC is committed to enabling as many people as possible to worship at our Church, and to become part of our parish family. When plannin8 our activities, the PCC has considered the Charity Commission's guidance on public benefit, and in particular the specific guidance on charities for the advancement of religion. Our services and worship put faith into practice through prayer and scripture, music and sacrament. We try to enable ordinary people to live out their faith as part of our parish family, and support other churches across the benefice and deanery, through: Regular opportunities for worship and prayer,. Provision of pastoral care for people living in the parish; Mission and outreach work; and Playing our part in the work of Beltisloe Local Mission Partnership, Beltisloe Deanery and Lincoln Diocese. To support this, it is vital that we maintain and preserve the fabric of the church building, and update its facilities to meet 2 Ist-century needs. To that end, since 2017 we have been working actively with the church architect Mark Goodwill-Hodgson, the Diocesan Advisory Committee and various external experts and consultants to plan for improved access and flexibility of use throughout the building, to install toilet and servery facilities, and to ensure a comfortable and welcoming environment for all. Achievements and Performance Worship and Prayer In February 2025, the parish entered a second year of vacancy. However, with the strong support of the Rural Dean, Revd Stephen Buckman, the deanery Curate, Revd Isaac Frisby, visiting priests with Permission to Officiate IPTOI, and our two Authorised Lay Ministers IALMS), Sue Glover and Louise Small, the church was able to offer services of Holy Communion or Morning Worship every Sunday.
During this year, the ALMS were pleased to receive the help of primary-school teacher Sophie Warner and her young family, to make the Morning Worship services more welcoming and inclusive for all ages. The Wednesday morning service of Holy Communion was usually led by the Rural Dean or Revd Peter Lister. We are grateful to them both for enabling this important, quietly reflective and prayerful said service for the whole benefice to continue during the long vacancy. In February 2025, Mick Franklin and Louise Small were trained and licensed as Lay Ministers of Holy Communion, joining Sue Glover in this key role. The church continues to be open daily for visitors and private prayer, an opportunity regularly used by individuals across the village, who comment on the sense of peace and welcome they feel as they enter the building. For music, we have continued to welcorne the organ playing of Vicky Buckman, with Martin Fuggle helping on occasion for pastoral and other services. When an organist is not available, we are able to play recorded accompaniments through the church's sound system, and in Services of the Word we have experimented with unaccompanied unison singing of Taizé chant5 or Simple plainsong canticles led by Revd Isaac Frisby or the ALMS. Margaret Lyon organises a rota of readers for the lectionary readings at Sunday services. Intercessions are usually led by an ALM. Flowers beautify the church and enhance our worship in a visual way. Jill Walsingham organises a team of volunteer arrangers and others who wish to Support them by donations for flower5, often in memory of loved one5. Mission, outreach and fundraising During Holy Week 2025, Revd Peter Lister led the Triduum, the solemn three-day service commemorating the events leading up to the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, at our church for the benefit of rural parishe5 across Beltisloe Local Mission Partnership. He also presided at our Easter Sunday and Christmas Day Family Holy Communion services (attended by 42 and 24 individuals respectively, including several children at each). During Lent 2026, with the support of Revd Isaac Frisby. a fortnightly session of Lectio Divino, an ancient system of meditating on Scripture, was held in a private home, attracting participants from several villages. Special services for the two schools in our village, Corby Glen Community Primary School and the Charles Read Academy, were led by the Rural Dean at Easter. Harvest, Remembrance Day and Christma5, enabling us to continue thi5 Vital ministry to young people and their families. The church is alway5 packed (well over 100 attendees) on these occasions, sometimes requiring two 'sittings' to accommodate all the students. A special mention must be made of the generosity of both schools at harvest time, which resulted in grocery donations weighing nearly 200kg for Bourne Food Bank. Messy Church sessions were organised around the major church festivals, with families and friends enjoying themed 5torie5, crafts, music, puppets, prayers and refreshments. Our
thanks go to Ann Warren and Louise Small and thelr team of volunteers for their continuing work in this area. At the request of Corby Glen Parish Council. Mick Franklin Ichurchwardenl and Sue Glover IALMI organised and led commemorations around the Beacon and War Memorlal on the village green for the 70th anniversary of end of World War11 (both VE Day and VJ Day), and (with the support of Royal Navy veteran Adam Clink} Remembrance Sunday. These occaslons are always well supported by the wider community. ServSces for Corby Glen Sheep Falr Sunday and a celebration of the Harvest (key occaslons in our rural setttn8) were or8anlsed by the ALMS; the Harvest Festival collection of £67 was donated by the PCC to Bourne Food Bank. Efforts are being made to encourage new people- churchgoers and non-churchgoers alike- to join our activities whenever posslble. For example, on Sheep Falr Sundayi 5 October 2025, a Cake Stall organised by such a group raised £488 for church funds. A proposed fundralsing Harvest Supper sadly had to be cancelled because of the closeness of Sheep Fair celebratlons. A revlsed tlming for the Harvest Festlval and Supper wlll therefore be consldered for 2026. A hlghll8ht of the year for many of us was the lay-led Village Carol Servlce, whSch Involved groups from across the community In organlslng very effecttve publiclty, decoratln8 the church wlth Advent greenery, supporttn8 the sin8ln81 readln8 the lessons, and provlding delicious refreshments afterwards. The church was packed, and the offerlng sUIted in a £500 donatlon to the Salvation Army'5 Chrlstmas Appeal. Foodbank contributions continue to be left In the church porch and are taken to the Trussell Trust depot In Bourne. We have an active team of bell-rlnger5 working out of St John'5 a5 well as three other local towers. Though few In number- a core of five members- we have advertlsed and encouraged new people to loln us and learn to ring. This has brought along slx new people who are currently exploring the conslderable challenges Involved,. we are giving them tlme and tultton In the hope that they will become permanent members of our group and enable us to rin8 for servlces and other vlllage events. We are currently plannln8 a vlllage féte In the 8rounds of the Old Rettory to take place in July 2026 with the hope of repeatlng the success of our prevlous venture a couple of year5 ago. Already several individuals from the new estates in Corby Glen have asked if they mlght be part of the organisin8 team. As Is common In rural parlshes, many church members also have roles In other vlllage activities and or8anisations, such as managlng the Church Street Rooms, community choirs, local history society, publishing a monthly magazine for local vlllages, running websites for community groups, art club, flower arranglng... Thls embeddedness exemplifies a key element of our falth In actlon.
Church Fabric A lot of practical work goes on behind the scenes to maintain and enhance our beautiful and historic church building for the benefit of all. This continues the long tradition of church buildings evolving over the centuries to meet the needs of succeeding generations. We would like to thank all who have generously given their time and expertise as well as making financial donations. During 2025, besides the annual checks on the roof alarm, sound system, PAT testing, and organ tuning, the following work was completed.. The churchyard gates, lamp-post and boiler shed were professionally repainted and renovated in the autumn of 2025. The church roof lead has been repaired recently; several troublesome leaks should now be cured. Some repairs to worn-out wiring and the fan heaters have had to be made. Development Project Since 2017 the PCC has been actively working with the church architect, Mark Goodwill- Hodgson, on plans for the redevelopment of the church building to make it fit for purpose for the 21st century. The first part of the plan - the replacement of a failing 50-year-old boiler with a modern, efficient boiler system that has the potential to be converted to burn bio-fuel, plus necessary inf rastructure for water, power and broadband- came to fruition in 2023 when the old boiler broke down completely. In 2024 and 2025 the new boiler has enabled the church to continue to be heated using a conservation grade regime (background ID°C, raised gently to 14-16°C for events) using 28% less oil per year land a parallel reduction in costs), and resulting in a 29% reduction in net C02 emissions from 2023 to 2024 and 2025 as calculated by the Cof E energy footprint tool. Further extensive consultations with the church architect, the DAC, external experts and heritage bodie5 are continuing with the aim to install toilet facilities and a servery, update the power and lighting systems, improve access for all and open up the body of the Church. Thanks to a substantial legacy from a late and much missed parishioner and a generous contribution towards the cost of installing a toilet from the local Methodist Church when it closed, we will be able to move forward with the development plan in the knowledge that, once approved, we are in a financial position to complete the implementation. Statistics and the chLJrch electoral roll The usual Sunday attendance in 2025 wa5 12 adults and I child. The average weeklv attendance in October 2025 was 28, including 6 children, and the worshipping community 102 across all ages. 2025 saw one baptism, one wedding and seven funerals conducted at Corby Glen Church. There were 52 on the church electoral roll when it was renewed in early 2025. In 2026 the number still stands at 52.
Deanery Synod Two members of the PCC are part of Beltisloe Deanery Synod. This provides the PCC with a link with the churches around us, and also with Lincoln Diocese as a whole. Deanery Synod meetings are held in Corby Glen Church because of its central geographic location - an example of its growing role as a hub church for the wider area. During 2025, all the rural churches in Beltisloe Local Mission Partnership ILMPI entered vacancy, resulting in a near-impossible workload for the Rural Dean as the only stipendiary minister for 30+ villages as well as his own, growing parish, the market town of Bourne. Thi5 situation is slowly being resolved by the Deanery and Diocese, with four parishes in the south of the deanery coming under the Oversight Ministry of a neighbouring Society priest within Beltisloe Deanery,. in 2026 they will become part of the Diocese's Richborough LMP. In the spring of 2025, Lincoln Diocese gave Corby Glen Grouplsix parishes) and Ringstone-in- Aveland Group (five pari5hesl the go-ahead to advertise for a new incurnbent. The post is to be held initially in plurality. The first round of advertising unfortunately failed to attract a suitable candidate, but the second round, from September with interviews in November, resulted in an appointment being made. Revd Helen Roulston will be licensed to the post on 7 April 2026 at a joint service at St John the Baptist Church, Morton, the hub church for the Ringstone Group. We are looklng forward to working Wlth Revd Helen and our sister churche5 in the two benefices. Financial Review The attached financial statements f rom the independent examiner detail the PCC'S income vs. expenditure over the course of 2025. Key points to note.. Compared with 2024, planned giving and collections at services are down substantially- the PCC will need to consider a giving campaign (the previous one was back in 20181. Gift aid for 2025 is yet to be recovered from HMRC, via the Small DonatTons Scheme and for the tax-efficient planned giving. The income from investments has increased substanttally, both unrestricted and restricted, helping to make up most of the shortfall from other income sources. The largest regular expenditure for the PCC is the Covenant Pledge toward5 the cost of stipendiary ministry in Lincoln Diocese. In 2025, the PCC contributed a Covenant Pledge of £20,000. The total planned pledge for 2026 is £18,000. Church running costs are down slightly compared with 2024. Legacies In late 2025 the PCC received the final legacy payment from the estate of Mrs Stella Surkitt, whose will stipulated that two-ninths of the legacy was for the Fabric Fund, two-ninths for the Churchyard Fund, and five-ninths unrestricted, for the General Fund. In January 2025. money from this legacy wa5 invested with CCLA through the CBF Church of England Deposit Fund Ifor the General Fund) and their Investment Fund units (for the Churchyard Fund). A further tranche has been added to the General Fund dep051t fund (March 20261. Money for the Churchyard Fund paid for the renovation of the church gate, lamp-post and boiler shed. Fabric Fund money is earmarked for the Development Project, and is held in readine5S to be used whenever the faculty is granted. The Covenant Pledge for
2025 and 2026 is being funded from the unrestricted part of the legacy; the PCC sees locally based stipendiary ministry as essential to fulfil the mission of the Church and therefore makes it a priority. Reserves Policy The PCC has resolved to maintain a balance on the General lunrestrictedl Fund which equates to at least six months, unrestricted payments (approximately £16,000 in 20261 in case of emergency. The reserves are comfortably in excess of that. Safeguard i ng The PCC has complied with the duty under section 5 of the S3feguardin8 and Clergy Discipline Measure 2016 (duty to comply with the House of Bishops, guidance on safeguarding children and vulnerable adults). The benefice shares a Parish Safeguarding Officer IPSOI, Faith R055. The Diocese of Lincoln's safeguarding webpages Iwww.lincoln.anglican.org/parish-support/safe8uarding/l contain vital links and information including contact details for the Diocesan Safe8uarding Team. AII PCC members land others) are encouraged and supported to undertake the online CofE safeguarding training courses "Basic A wareness" "Foundations" and 'Raising Awareness of Domestic Abuse" In addition, the churchwardens and ALMS have completed the 'Leadership" course run by the Safeguarding Team at Lincoln Diocese. AII ALMS have up-to.date Enhanced Criminal Record Certificates organised by the Diocesan Safeguarding Team. The Parish Safeguarding Officer organises DBS checks for volunteers with Me55y Church, Safeguarding matters are always on the agenda for PCC meetings and the APCM. Thankfully, there have been no significant Safeguarding issues within the parish since the last APCM. Structure, Governance and Management The method of appointment of PCC members is Set out in the Church Representation Rules. The Council comprises the Incumbent, the Churchwardens, those elected to the Deanery Synod, and other members who are elected at the Annual Parochial Church Meeting, by those on the Electoral Roll. Members of the congregation are always encouraged to join the Electoral Roll, and to consider standing for election to the PCC. PCC members are responsible for making decisions on all matters of general concern and importance in the parish, and for all h'nancial matters. The full PCC met seven times during 2025. Administrative Information The Church of St John the Evangelist is located at Church Street, Corby Glen, NG33 4NJ. The correspondence address is= l Ferndale Close, Corby Glen, NG33 4NZ. The PCC is a body corporate IPCC Power5 Measure 1956, and the Church Representation Rules 20221. The Parochial Church Council of the Ecclesiastical Parish of St John the Evangelist, Corby Glen, in the Diocese of Lincoln, is registered with the Charities Commission IRegistered Charity: 12094241.
The MinistryTeam and Church Officers Rural Dean The Revd Stephen Buckman The Revd Helen Roulston (from 7 April 20261 Ms Sue Glover Ireauthorised November 20241 Mrs Louise Small lauthorised November 20241 Priest in charge Authorised Lay Ministers Churchwardens Mr Mick Franklin Ms Sue Glover Hon. PCC Secretary Mrs Sue Woodman Hon. Joint Treasurers Mrs Jan Larter (died in post, 4 February 20261 Mrs Elizabeth Par50ns Mrs Sally Franklin (from 24 February 20261 Electoral Roll Officer Mrs Phillipa Lane Corby Glen Parochial Church Council This section lists the PCC members who served f rom l January 2025 until the date this report was approved. The Rural Dean, Churchwardens and Deanery Synod representatives are ex-officio members of the PCC. Rural Dean The Revd Stephen Buckrnan BA (Honsl Mr Michael Franklin Ms Sue Glover Churchwardens Deanery Synod Representatives Mrs Phillipa Lane Ms Sue Glover Elected PCC Members Mr Vincent Hedley Lewis Mr David Hinsley (to 12 May 2025,. did not seek re-election) Mrs Jan Larter Idled 4 February 20261 Mrs Margaret Lyon Mrs Elizabeth Parsons Mr Jon Wakerley Mrs Sophie Warner (from 12 May 20251 Mr Nigel Warren Mr5 Sue Woodman Co-opted PCC Members Mrs Louise Small (from 16 September 20251 Mrs Sally Franklin (from 24 February 20261 Finance Independent Examiner Anne Davie5, MAAT, BSC Bank account Santander, 09-01-55, 04126709 Account name.. Corby Glen Parochial Church Council The financial statements and independent examiner's report for 2025 are reproduced on the following pages.
The Parochial Church Council of the Ecclesiastical Parish of St John The Evangelist, Corby Glen, In the Diocese of Lincoln Reglstered Charity: 1209424 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS For the year ended 31st December 2025 Examined by: Anne Davie5. MAAT, Bsc Glenhill, Corby Glen, NG33 4NY
The Parochlal Church Councll of the Eccle51a5tlcal Parlsh of St John The Evangellst, Corby Glen. In the Dlo¢ese of Lln¢oln Registered Charity: 1209424 Flnancial Statements tor the year ended 31st December 2025 Independent Examlner'5 Report to the PCC of St. John's Church. Corby Glen This report on the accounts of the PCC for the year ended 31st December 2025, whlch are set out on pages l & 2 Is In respect of an examlnatlon carried out under the Church Accounting Regulations 2006 and sectlon 145 of the Charltles Act 2011 (the 2011 Act). Res ertSve res onsl xarnlner As a member of the PCC your are responslble for the Pfeparatlon of the accounts, and you conslder that an audlt Is not requlred for thls year under section 144 of the 2011 Act and that an Independent examlnatlonls needed, It Is my responslblllty to., examlne the accounts under sectlon 145 of the 2011 Art, to follow the procedures lald down in the general Dlrectlons glven by the Charlty Commlsslon under sectlon 14515llbl of the 2011 Act. and to state whether partlcular matters have corne to my attentlon. My examination was carrled out In attordance wlth general Dlrectlons given by the Charltv Commlsslon. An examlnatlon Include5 a review of the aecountin8 records kept by the charlty and a ¢omparlson of the accounts presented wlth those records. It also Includes consideratlon of any unusual items or dlsclosures in the accounts and seeklng explanatlons from the trustees concernlng any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evldence that would be required In an audlt, and consequently no opinion Is glven as to whether the accounts present a 'true and fair, vlew and the report Is Ilmlted to those matters set out In the statement below. nde nt mlner's statement In connectlon wlth my examlnatlon, no matter has come to my attentlon, whlch glves me reasonable cause to belleve that In, any materlal respect. the requlrements: - to keep accountlng records In accordance with sectlon 130 of the 2011 Act; and - to prepare accounts whlch accord with the accountlng records and comply wlth the accounting requlrements of the 2011 Att have not been met; or 2 to which, in my opinion, attentlon should be drawn In order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Anne Davies. MAAT. Bsc Glenhill, 4 Musson5 Close Corby Glen Grantham NG33 4NY Date Ilth Aprll 2026
The Parochial Church Councll of the Ecdesiastl¢al Parlsh of St John The Evangellsk Cth Glen, In the Dlocese of Llncoln Reglstered Charlty: 1209424 Flnanclal sL*ements for the yèar ended 31st December 2025 2025 2024 INCOME ivin Tax efflclent planned glvln8 Other planned glvlng Collettlons at servlces All other glvln8 and voluntary recelpts, Includlng special appeals Gift Aid recovered Le8acies recelved Grants Actlvltl s f tin Fundralsln8 actvltles18ross proceeds) me from Investments Dlvldends, Interest, Income from property Ch h actlvltles Fees retalned by PCC Tradlng actlvltles18ross proceeds) Other Incomln resources Other recelpts I Income not already Ilsted Totsl Income / recelpts EXPENDITURE £ 4.012 £ £ 1,416 £ 545 £ £ 9.383 £ £ 3,750 £ 1,489 £ £ 3,840 £ £ 2.510 £ £ 1,362 £ £ 31,119 £ 24,858 £ 80,727 £ 64.582 £ 1,133 £ 3,239 £ 3,245 £ £ 2,117 £ 3,376 £ 98 £ £ 3,263 £ 188 £ £ 47,645 £ 28.103 £102,672 £ 67,832 In Costs of fundralslng actlvltles Church actlvltles Mlsslon glvlng and donatlons Dlocesan parlsh share contrlbutlon Salaries,wages and honoraria Clergy and staff expenses Church 787 E £ 20,000 500 £ £ 18,000 Mi55ion and evangellsm costs Church runnlng expenses Ilncludln8 Governance) Church utllity bllls Costs of trading Ital ex endlture Malor repalrs to church bulldlng Malor repalrs to church hall/other PCC property Includln8 redecoratlon New bulldin8 work to the church, church hall, clergy houslng or other PCC property 121 £ 1,001 £ 1,216 446 E 9,365 E 719 £ 2,335 £ £ 8,544 £ £ 2,297 £ £ 7.033 £ £ 15.982 Other payment l expenditure not already listed Totsl expendlture / payments Net Surplus foi the year £ 31.749 £ 7,479 £ 31,201 £ 17,917 £36,520 £121,386
The Paroch141 Church Councll of the Eccleslastlcal Parlsh of St John The Evan8ellst. Corby Glen. In the Dlocese of Llncoln Reglstered Charlty: 1209424 Flnan¢ial statement5 for the year ended 31st December 2025 2025 2024 Incorne and Expendlture A¢¢ount Balance brought forward Net movement on Income and expenditure account Balance carrled forward 271,590 36,520 308.110 150,204 121,386 271,590 Balance on Fund Accounts: General Development Churchyard Fabric Sunday school Bell tower Totsl Funds 106,650 5.200 108.902 85,258 1.533 567 308,110 140,755 5,200 49,516 74,377 1,175 567 271,591 Represented bv: Santander Current account CCLA- Corby Glen Church fabrlc Fund CCLA- Corby Glen Sunday School (Holman) Fund CCLA- Corby Glen Churchyard IMu55onl Fund CCLA- Corby Glen Churchyard Isurklttl Fund CCLA- Corby Glen General Isurklttl Fund M&G- Corby Church Fabrlc (Holrnanl Trust M&G- Corby Sunday School IHolmanl Bequest Sum Up Account Cash In hand 138,475 950 350 487 50,000 loo,000 17,300 350 122 76 308,110 252.031 950 350 487 17,3(KJ 350 122 171,590 otes to the accou Market Market Capital value @ value @ invested 31.12.2025 31,12.2024 Details of investments and deposlts held bv I LDT8F Llmlted. Noof Shares Corby Glen Church Fabric fund Corby Glen Sunday School fund Corby Glen Churchyard fund Corby Glen General fund - dep051t fund only 2091 453 2326.79 nla 18,250 700 50.487 100.000 169,437 40,056 4.373 51.811 loo,000 196.240 37,494 8,627 4,000 50.121 Unrealised gain on cost Approved bythe PCC On...klAf>sIw.............................. Signed.......... Elizabeth Parsons, JolntTreasurer 26,803 Signed........... Sally Franklin. JointTreasurer Slgned............ Mlchael Franklin- PCC Chair / Churchwarden