2025-12-31-accounts

LAY CHAIRMAN’S REPORT

2025 began cold and wet, slowing the ongoing external fabric and restoration works, paid for with the combination of Heritage Lottery, Headley Trust, Marshall Charity and Lincoln Diocese grant funding. But by the end of June the Church-Castle-Community project was completed successfully, on time and within budget. Roof repairs, chimney rebuilding, new lead flashing, new cast iron rainwater goods, new drainage installations, stonework replacement & repairs, lime pointing, new north side window glazing, internal woodwork repairs in the vestry. We had also delivered four well attended history talks, published a walking trail guide, provided training sessions, made and uploaded a 8-minute-long heritage film, completed an accessibility audit, carried out consultations and completed a feasibility study focussing on a stage 2 project. We concluded with an evening celebration event with a capacity congregation/audience and a range of speakers.

The restoration of the old Gas House, by the church gates, was completed in early 2025 thanks to Government and ELDC grants. During the year the building was formally registered with Land Registry after a long and complex process. The Gas House hosts an OId Bolingbroke Community heritage exhibition and a John of Gaunt/Henry lV history exhibition. Its centrepiece being the original church funeral bier, lovingly restored by the late Bryan Leggott and brought back into the community by Bryan’s daughter Bridgette. Thanks, also go the Ashby Woodcarvers, which, using reclaimed Yew wood from the churchyard, provided a top-class range of turned bowls, wooden fruits and other items all donated freely and sold in the Gas House to contribute to church funds.

Over the course of 2025, 5,000 + visitors have been welcomed in the Gas house and over 12,000 through the church itself. Visitor book comments in both the Church and Gas House show great positivity and enthusiasm with large interest shown in the exhibitions provided in both buildings. Our visitors’ numbers provide much needed income via our two contactless card machines as well as cash into our church collections box. Guided tours for small interest groups have continued and these also donate into our funds.

The church hosted some 12 religious services over 2025, including a Pets Service, Remembrance, Advent, Christmas Eve, the traditional Carol Service, a Harvest Service and a special “Wedding Celebration”, sitting alongside our Brides of Bolingbroke community weekend. Attendance at our services varied from a low 7 to a full capacity 140 at the traditional Carol Service when the church was magnificently decorated in a baubles theme by the church crafters group and other community members. Services usually attract a congregation of about 25-30. The attendance figures are up compared to some years ago and the decline in attendance reversed, at least for the time being.

Various events were held over the year in the church - a Gilbert & Sullivan concert, 2 pop up pub events, an easter egg hunt and cake and coffee mornings. The annual Harvest Supper was delivered in the Village Hall, and the Church Fete was held at The Laurels, with thanks to Nikki and Bryan Daish. All events brought in much needed funding which was primarily targeted towards our organ restoration project. We took part in the annual Churches Festival (Wolds and Coast) in September, alongside other participating

churches. We included a DIY churchyard memorials tour with visitors showing special interest in the grave of Susannah Flinders, mother of the famous explorer Mathew Flinders. The Gas House was open, and visitors were able to watch our heritage video and our churchyard wildlife film. Thanks to all for supporting so enthusiastically.

Our teams of churchyard mowers, churchyard working group, church cleaners and flower arrangers, church locking/unlocking volunteers, pop up pup organising group, church crafters, the bell ringers and ringing captain all continued to forge ahead with sterling work and commitment, without which the church, churchyard and Gas House could simply not function, becoming the community and visitor assets they are now.

Visitor Counters: Both the church and Gas House have counters at both entrances and record activity in and out. The increase in the church visits is remarkable, from an estimated 800-1000 a year in the very early 2020’s to 4,200 in 2022 (post covid) and remarkable 12,209 in 2025, an almost three-fold increase over 3 years and a ten-fold increase in the last 5 years. The Gas House recorded 5,851 visits since it’s opening early in 2025.

The pinnacle of 2025 was our success in winning the ‘English Best Church Award’ and overall, UK wide ‘Best Church’. The awards (from the National Churches Trust) were presented at the Victoria and Albert Museum’s on the evening of 21[st] October and following the Churches Trust national conference held during the day which we attended. We received £1,500 in prize monies along with certificates and plaques. The win has raised our profile significantly, nationally, regionally and locally.

Quoting from the awards evening:

“The judges praised St Peter & St Paul, for its outstanding example of what a small rural church can achieve through energy, imagination, and community spirit. In a village of just 350 people, volunteers have transformed their beautiful historic church into a thriving hub of local life. The team’s creativity is remarkable - from pet services and pop-up pubs to concerts, talks, and heritage events linked with the nearby castle - all helping to bring new people in and make the church “hugely relevant again.” The judges admired how the community came together to care for both the building and the people it serves, combining heritage restoration with genuine outreach. They particularly noted the church’s ethos of self-reliance - a group of twenty to thirty supporters determined not to wait for others to act, but to take the future into their own hands. In the words of one panel member, it “has it all — history, heritage, community, and heart” — a model of how a small rural church can be enterprising, inclusive, and deeply rooted in local life.”

In my thanks, I responded:

“The Awards shine a light on what's possible when communities dare to act. These buildings are not just churches but fantastic community assets that cannot be lost. We've shown that the future of historic parish churches lies in hands of local people. We realised some years ago that the cavalry was not coming over the hill and so we acted. Our precious building looks ahead to the next 600 years. We face a national heritage crisis in terms of our Parish Churches. We need new investment and vision. Here in Old Bolingbroke, we are trying to do just that, make the building relevant again, vibrant, outward facing, open and welcome to all. Start with a vision and not just a,“we need to fix the roof!”

With especial thanks to all our PCC members and all who support and work with us through the Friends of St Peter and Str Paul and the Old Bolingbroke Community.

Web site: https://oldbolingbroke.church/ Email: [e-mail] Facebook: https://oldbolingbroke.church/facebook/

Steve Lumb (Lay Chairman) 31-03-26

TREASURER’S REPORT

Church operating finances are in a reasonable state, however expenses have increased and will increase even more this year:

Expenses:

1. Utility costs were £1,294.48 this year, an increase of £677 over last year due to the addition of the Gas House electrical charges. We are taking measures to bring down the running costs with the installation of additional lighting controls.

2. This past year saw work continuing on the Gas House renovation project. The ELDC funded works were completed (a total of £114,000) and an additional £8,118 was contributed by the PCC. Additional work is on-going, with an additional grant of £4,000 obtained from the ELDC to install a secondary door and improvements to lighting controls.

3. The National Lottery Heritage Fund project concluded in late Spring. In 2025 we spent a total of £211,555, all of which was covered by grant funding. We also received a grant from the Diocese of Lincoln of £10,082 for exterior stonework repairs. The PCC also spent an additional £3,000 for urgent stonework repairs not covered by other grants.

4. The Rectory account had expenses of £25,000, which was used as a contingency funding for cash flow for the construction projects. Some of this was used for capital expenditures (stonework and electrical work). £5,000 was put into the General Account to cover normal operating costs, while the remainder was put into the Fabric Fund in anticipation of Organ restoration costs to be paid this year.

5. Our Parish contribution to Lincoln Diocese remained at £2750 per year and the Marden Hill Group fees at £150. This year the contribution to Lincoln Diocese will increase to £3,000.

6. Fees for the two Card Donation Stations were £268 against total receipts of £4,005 (6.7%).

Income:

On the positive side, 2025 saw continued community support for fundraising activities:

1. The Friends of St Peter & St Paul raised £8,322 through events and donations, of which £6,118 was raised specifically for the Organ Restoration Fund from events such as

the very successful Pop up Pubs and the Harvest Festival Supper & Auction and private donations.

1. Collections at special services and events raised £1,432 for various Charities.

2. The investment funds consist of the Rectory Fund: £330,000 , the Ramsden Fund: £5,017 , and the Bosanquet Fund: £3,242 . Additionally, £5,629 has been added to the Churchyard Fund through acquisition of the capital of the Marjorie Needham Bequest.

Accounts: Balances at year end 31 December 2025

General Account: £11,036

The balance of the General account is up from last year, due primarily to the transfer of contingency funds required to cover anticipated higher operating costs.

+ £ 3,257 )

Fabric Fund: £32,723

The fabric fund saw a significant increase due to fund-raising for the Organ Restoration Fund, which will be spent this Spring. Net increase ( +£16,704 )

Churchyard Fund: £7,350

The revenue from the Ramsden Fund and the Cropley Field have been augmented by the receipt of the Marjorie Needham Bequest . Net increase ( + £5,561 )

Bell Fund: £4,261

The Bell fund also saw an increase. The Bell Ringing Band are self-funding through regular weekly contributions by the band. Net increase ( + £ 1,033 )

Friends of St Peter & St Paul: £18,040

We have been fortunate in the community support provided by the many volunteers, and donations from visitors. Increases include awards (£1,500), revenue from sales of woodturning items, sales of books and card payment donations. Net increase ( + £5,948 )

The Rectory Account: £28,792

The Rectory Account is a contingency which receives regular quarterly funding from the Rectory Investment Fund (see below). This year funds were drawn out to accommodate cash flow fluctuations during the major capital projects, to pay for additional stonework repairs and to help cover increased operating costs. Net decrease ( -£6,195 )

Gas House Project: -£3,118

Additional electrical work has required funding by the PCC beyond that which was covered by the ELDC grant. Work is on-going, the majority of which will be covered by an additional grant of £4,000 from the ELDC. Net increase ( +£8,055 )

National Lottery Heritage Fund: £0

The project was completed and was fully funded by grants.

Total Bank Accounts: Balance 31 December 2025: £ 99,086

Investment assets:

Investment assets:
Funds invested with CBF Funds through the	Lincoln Diocesan Trust and Board of Finance:
1. Rectory Investment Fund: £330,000.00
2. Ramsden Investment Fund 2025 5,016.82
3. Bosanquet Investment Fund 2025:	3,242.06
Total Investment Funds: £ 338,258.88

Other Assets: 4. Cropley Field:(Value not known. Return £250 per annum for Churchyard)

NET CASH ASSETS: Investment funds & bank balances: £ 437,345.24

Reserves Policy and Strategy:

In accordance with Charity Commission requirements, the PCC has established policies for managing reserve funds and income funds in order to be able to execute the charitable aims of the Parochial Church Council of Old Bolingbroke Parish.

The General Account is used for all other normal operational income and expenses. It is occasionally topped up by funds from the Rectory Account at the discretion of the PCC. It is recognised that due to the fragile condition of the church building a large contingency fund is required to meet unforeseen expenses beyond the operational requirements of the PCC. Therefore we have established an un-restricted reserve called the Rectory Account from which we can draw to augment other funds where required, and meet unforeseen fabric repair costs. An Investment Income Fund (Rectory Fund) has been established to generate annual income for this reserve fund.

The policy is that the Churchyard Fund and Bell Fund are to be used for the specific purposes of Churchyard maintenance and Bell ringing equipment and activities. Therefore they are designated. The Churchyard Fund uses funds generated by the Ramsden Income Fund , the annual lease of the Cropley Field and the Needham Bequest . The Bell Fund uses funds donated by the bellringers. The Fabric Fund holds restricted funds which may only be used for the purposes designated by donors or the PCC (such as Organ Restoration and specific fabric renovations).

The Friends of St Peter & St Paul Fund is used for fund-raising activities such as charity dinners, auctions, donations, sales and concerts.

General Account: £ 11,036	General Account: £ 11,036
Friends of St Peter & St Paul:	18,040
The Rectory Account: 28,792
Total unrestricted reserves: £ 57,868
Fabric Fund: £ 32,723
Churchyard Fund: 7,350
Bell Fund: 4,261
Total designated reserves:	£ 44,334
Annual Budget:
The following is an estimate ofregular spendingrequired to operate the Church annually:
Water: £ 85
Electricity: 420
Oil: 400
Boiler servicing: 350
Diocese of Lincoln Covenant:	3,000
Marden Hill Group fees: 150
Insurance (100%) 2,000
Misc. cleaning supplies, candles: 160
Church Repair Society 30 Fire extinguisher service 45
Organ Servicing: 250
Website and Card Machine fees: 500
Churchyard: mowers, green bins 400
Quinquennial (1/5th) : 150
Elect. & lightning rod inspections 500
Misc. 500

Total regular annual expenses: £ 8,940

Summary:

In summary, we find ourselves in a positive financial position, with the means (if carefully managed) to both fulfil our obligations as a Parochial Church Council to the Church and Community, and to ensure the long-term viability of this historic building.

Bruce Trewin Treasurer April 2026

Registered Charity Number 1211569

828

a) (n i tsr 41 +XJ *¢ ioroo Iri nQ)O ￿￿)(D (v) (r cr c 0(gZ C_ry?

(vjcy￿888N8- offioo (YJ (¥ Ééé J J 3 lal,111156é aUOeL)U._

ilj al O ￿ ITJ Xllj 8 ¢0 ￿LU>￿￿c OWLU r d¥. K>LU &a&oZ aaffj tn rn E E a ¢11 ID ix uwo&8(gJU)oooo&ium£L>(oO(coo&aai/JOa￿oao￿lj)o )u) cy IC) IA In In N Thi (N cc c c c c ccc ¢p 221 J(f)￿000Zz cfjoffj0ooo0￿¢￿ooom0O0oOco IrJoa>Joooooa>oooovQOVO<YQ VJ oc £ZfJL)¢JUUto0CCU¢J￿￿U￿ufJu￿uc9 W E 10 In 4nU)U) in In in In Ln tn C•liw In (y (B cThl CBU)(k LLLLS55<<55??<<wOzzooo fll C f￿￿*3)0￿￿[￿(M(rJO￿￿XQTJO￿OeQ(YCOa

888108% )2aiA zoooooooooo 0)fO￿l0¢y

%88: Jw£Ql cL￿￿tr) fn (Q giè (L IL IL ) (yooooooooaioov)oo OONU)fQ)Q)OOQOQQIOIDvOv¢or x*o>wioooO￿0o￿N0Y OV)(D ffjcOJ c c c c c c 5.,5 .315.11: $ooLLooO EO2)00ÈÈ2_ (u C CL£ (n u)- 11 J (JCJ" JU In C ￿z (Ofn In In In tn U) Inin

¢) l&!ia!1S1 <<5??74£<￿(n(rJOO0Oz0a <NnOCOOQ40 Zjll

c* LLQII u LL (L

88& C+•4 (VJ * (D ID p C* al£ 5I0È0 CLC LN iN In In In J J JJ J JJJ£2JQ£ J <T Lr cr fl <OOz

88 o***

(Oa(o(nu8(oz ) ￿ 10 IQ 10 Inin In 1111111 ¢0 (¥J (N O OP￿￿0000000o otsooooooooo 88=8 40 C C c c cccc c- c c ccc c c DKS7JK¥7J7JDuv£ yJ. EDEn￿￿0￿JUJ￿w0. -'&&oltDQUi7Otr In Ln Inin ininin In

o o o o o) a> <??<Ozzzzoo

0%888888- trjro to tJ> O ioo É {*) J (D (J

•) E (o(n(ni(J In In Ir)￿In ￿ ¢1 ￿ f&u) In 10 In In In In In In C ¢0 COI thl oy• Ck Ck (yXiDi¥)Ininin f4¢ry(4OOOC•400000vvvryffjOOOOOIfrIP)m QJ 4) Q> ia!!i!i!1111!! 8oozoooooo 808¢r1￿￿c400O￿Oxty8 0000(0￿￿(￿O Iri wi L (A a) ILI In a) In In in In 10 Lr) Ln LO In CJ (Y Cyry C•4 c4 ￿ Ininin In In In In In￿ N Thi VJ (o C C C c r c c(YCYI¥ryIYggC4 uvj )r*￿0¢0¢￿01nLyjTri

oooooN￿O0000 80￿80￿￿00￿￿0￿￿0088#¢￿¥)88Sg Itiai ¢¥) 00￿) ui 4r) CL£kQ> ag 8 & JI￿ ck2 2 JV u> O cn vl Ii O U L)**￿ (nw c(nu) fjJtr> c è OU)U) ffj(i 2 i i c 8 O o oCJ(Y o '!sljj21: 8U) o o¢n 8 Ln Lnit)u)i0iniDit)Inin4n￿￿￿￿￿wJ￿￿￿￿1n￿￿lntOlr)ln￿)InInInIn CY &&&&&&& £L rL £L ¢D ¢D ¢D ££EeEEE2ÈeiÈÈoo¥¥g¥gg% (nU)￿￿￿)ly)u)uJU)￿(nOOOOOOOOOOOO0zZO0o0O0O In (Dr￿{0(0a)ITrV4o)I7>0VvlDlQ¢0￿Ly)t0v￿ry<¥Ovlts￿cYCY¢￿[wlt>

Zto

oooo 00000000 00000000 000 000 ioo 0000 0000 OLnooLrio￿ry> r ivj ff> rA ( Lrio ￿}0 11 LotfQ771 (fLua2- 2(n uuu (o ) wj ¥f4 ¢4 (Y (Y J J J 1111111 u) u) u) w) u)v) 4n0￿￿o4￿110 88888 8888888888888 00000 44 x QI OJ 0 0 4> t) u t) () )ts) c c c ccc c ccc (YryQOOD4¢M￿￿1X*1Vj￿jO

troo 00 000 000 OO¥iCiTr- LO * C4 (O J) C4*0rri o¢ry u) (o (y c c • (B O ID ID ID c c cc JJJJ IN(YIYN(Y U> U> (Y (N (Y (Y (N £k J J J OJ (n (r) o) ¢J)(r)m￿￿o?- <<<<< rcyry Iii OjOa?vr￿irj￿j c ccccc c LO OJ d5 ffl Lll (L (L tL IL IL uourJouuu Eoooooooo WWLULULUWWW <<(nOO

¢Xu UCOuuuuuL)UUUfJ UUUUUUUUUL) £LL￿CL[L[L￿￿cL noio ￿￿O00r•-0￿EO ooirooo ￿ID￿jOLri (DOO oon * (VJ (y) ¢u.-.C QJcozzz In u) In 00 o o Oozzzz a5 ffj ffl )(VJOpp (Yorr Ilill, o)on (00 O(A OCLQQ e o Ocooouc Luowwwoo )uJ I￿ry 14rCO 10 CO

ooo*ta cri uè cl c c

888 0￿￿0 V¢yo￿O Ln ¢3)000 fDQ 00 ¢44tr40 omo o tDCD oa>( (yP (o c (y (y ooo U)u4us E (DQUiWLLiitii(L ccryty(Yry 323 3 3 3 (N <Y lu 00 o zzz (n (J) ooo LD <5) ou)￿¢0￿￿40 o ()( o>Z7Z>Z>Z> Vryry(y(Nryry ry u)UJ£LQ£LoSY C J J a> o o o) 2<<fJ)(Q￿VjozZ0￿

a￿0￿ oinoNr U>(YOp 00￿j¢ f4 ￿ (Ci ry LLW J LU&L uju)￿￿ oa)U>Ln a)a)00 +•{ON(yry￿rO￿ffj(0 oa>otoro 17) Oi ltir f ln ￿ Ci to a> p (o IXl(y vuJpOzz>>zZ>z>￿z>>z>

0¢0000￿00 88 O¢OOOpOOf 0￿00￿00{￿ NIriN00017iOOpOO- co￿0 vlo ooo 00 00 Ooit 3 3'c Lui8&2u'-.. 8& cr4J 2É: orcr wi(0k>￿Lu>Z UJtso4>outs c c c W(Oitt<o(o( Ity)alWiUIIUWILWC£ Ln (J c UJ UJ 2 2 al- c c ccc c c c_ cc c c c cccc c c cc IN e•4O1¢4 (Y iN C•1 0)*

coo O>C* 8%Q008g- Porti￿￿>

** wOLiafi)ILL g!Éll I, IotL(n￿[n(0uj Wop)(NC4C•JOOOfJ 15 0000 tCT>OffjCOri a>n¢o 11 11 I Ill ctctctoor£ Jiiiiii rLoooofL ¢D ¢15 Q 4> 41 ID O ¢D u) u) In (n fj) fj) V) )OOOOp(¥lry (y(y¢*r￿

40 0 ¢0 occ c c c 0 0 kn (n ro (£1 (n c ZZW In u) 661 JiII} WLU £££££ UJO¢O (N¢Yr r f•ir vooai ¢0* ccc 0 0 4> tL (L J CLIL CL rrczrr Il&$l$ c￿C aooooo UUaUUU oozuuu 00￿￿00 ?m

CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examinerfs report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner's Report Report to the truste Mom￿15 of , fiQocHl4￿ CH CFI COUACIL aF On accounts for the y￿r ended 3151 Jkc¢fv)É-K Charlty no (If any) S•t out on po90• I report lo the Iru51ees on my examination of the accounts of the at)ove nty Tntl fcrf year ended R08ponslbllltles and As the chanty trustees of Trust, you a￿ ￿spOnSible for the preparation bul• of report of accounts in acc￿dan￿ ¥Mth TW4uirements of the Charities Act 2011 Ilhe Acll I report in respect of my examination of the TfUSt'$ 8¢counts carried out under sedion 145 of the 2011 Ad ar¥J in carryiNJ out my examination, I have follo￿ed applicable DireclIor￿ given by Ihe Chanty Commission ur¥Jer seclion 1495llbl of the Act. I have Completed rny examinalion. I confimi that no material matters have come to my attents'on (other than that disclosed below") in ￿nneCtIon with the examinati¢)n gives cause to belie¥e that in. any material Indowndont examlnef s statement accountwKJ records vre not kept in accordance wth sedion 130 of the Act or the accounts do not accord wth the accourtiThJ records I have no concems and have come acxoss no other matteTS in connedion ¥Mth the examination to vthich attention shoLAd be draym in order lo enable a proper u￿lersta￿lir￿J of the accounts lo be react￿d. ' Pkas8 delete the the brackets rfthey do not appty. SIgn￿. Datg: Nam•: "IvtsAA loL6(IfJA Relovant prof￿$lOn01 quallflcatlonlsl or body Ilf any): Addrom: 6AC A Thjr 0￿> Sfius IER October 2018

CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examinerfs report on the accounts Section A Independent Examinerfs Report Roport to the tn￿19081 mefflbgrs ol efiiocHIAL CA COLir4CIL aF On accounts for the y•ar Charlty no Ilf any) Sot out on pag I rep)rt lo trt Irustees rm my examinalM)n of the aCC￿nIS of above (Jwty (Il Tntstl lor tr year erthd Rmponslbllllles and As the charity tr￿lee$ of the Twst. you a￿ responsible for the preparation basls ol roport of the accounts in acwdance ￿1th the requirernents of Chanties A 2011 Adl. I report in respecl of my examination of the Tntsl's accounts ¢arrie(l out KJer sedion 145 of the 2011 Acl and in car￿.n9 out my examination. I ha￿ folloval the ap￿1Cabbe Directions given ty tr* Chaiity Commisslon ur#Jer section 14SIS){b) of tty￿ Act. I have completed my examination. I confim that no material matters ha¥t come to my attention {other than that disclosed below"} in ¢onneclTron V￿th examination gibes me cause to belieNe that in. any material Ind•pond•nt examlnerfs ststement recixds were not kepl Y) aCc<Ydan￿ section 130 of the Act or Ihe accounts do not a¢4xxd I￿1h the accourtirwj records I have no concems a￿1 have come acf055 no other matters In connectlon ith the examinati(x) to attention shoukl be dravm in order lo ena￿e proper uTrJerslaThJirvJ of the accounts lo be reactr￿d. ' Please delete the vAYds in the brackets rfthey do not appty. Slgn•d: Date: Namo: "14) OArlG INJoLÉRrJA Rolevant profgsslonal quallflcatlon(s) Of body (If any): Addvgss: 6ALK sfiLS6 &3 IER Octobgr 2018

Section B Oisclosure Qnly complete Il the exafflinei needs lo h￿hlIght matters of cor}￿rn {see CC32. lThJepernlenl examinalion of charity accounts". d1￿CtionS and guidan￿ for examiners). Glve here brlef datalls of any Itoms that the oxamlnor wlshes to dbclo•o. IER October 2018