2024-12-31-accounts

Annual Report 2025 Hingham Parochial Church Council

Report for the APCM, 13 April 2025 For the year ending 31[st] December 2024

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The Parish of Hingham Meeting of Parishioners and Annual Parochial Church Meeting Sunday 13 April 2025 at 11am

AGENDA – Meeting of Parishioners

Please note; All residents of the Parish of Hingham, together with non-residents on the Church Electoral Roll, are welcome to vote on Item 2. Voting on all other items is restricted to those whose names are on the Church Electoral Roll.

1. Opening Prayer

1. Appointment of clerk to the meeting

2. Apologies.

3. Election of Churchwardens. (Priest in Charge).

4. Minutes of the Meeting of Parishioners for the Election of Churchwardens held on 2 June 2024

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AGENDA – Annual Parochial Church Meeting

1. Minutes of the Annual Parochial Church meeting held on 2 June 2024

2. Matters Arising from the minutes

3. Reports

• 3.1 Electoral Roll (Electoral Roll Officer)

• 3.2 Annual Report (Churchwarden)

• 3.3 Financial statement and Accounts (Treasurer)

4. Elections

• 4.1 Election of Deanery Synod representatives

• 4.2 Election of PCC members for 3 years

• 4.3 Election of Electoral Roll Officer

5. Appointment of Independent Examiner for the Financial Year 2025

6. Priest in Charge remarks

7. Any other business

8. Closing prayer

Please send apologies to Caroline Money, PCC Secretary, by email to; [e-mail]

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Annual Report and Financial Statements for the Parochial Church Council for the year ending 31 December 2024

Index

	Page
1. Background information	4
2. Introduction by Revd Tori Venmore-Rowland	4
3. Churchwarden’s Report	6
4. Occasional Offices Report	6
5. Parochial Church Council Report	6
6. Electoral Roll Report	7
7. Deanery Synod Report	7
8. Safeguarding Report	7
9. Fabric Report	7
10.Ministry in Music Report	7
11. Charities report	8 & 9
11.1. Heritage Fund Charity
11.2. Thurrold and Payne & Common Allotment Ecclesiastical Charity
12.Church Groups	9 & 10
12.1 Flower Arrangers
12.2 Men’s Breakfast Group
12.3 Messy Church
12.4 Home Group
12.5 ReminiSING and AmazSING groups
13.Treasurer’s Report	11
14.Financial Statement	12

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Annual Report and Financial Statements for Hingham Parochial Church Council for the year ending 31 December 2023

1. Background

Priest in charge; Revd Victoria Venmore-Rowland (Licensed on 24 September 2024)

St Andrew’s Church serves the town of Hingham, by promoting the Christian message through its services and links with the community. There are two regular weekly services, as below and a monthly Messy Church;

Sunday 10am Wednesday 9.30am. There is a Sunday 8am, BCP Holy Communion, on the first and third Sunday.

The Hingham Parish is part of the High Oak, Hingham, Scoulton with Woodrising Benefice. During 2024, our parish joined the Thetford and Rocklands Deanery. We will be joining with The Shellrock Group to form a new Benefice and we continue to work together e.g. one service rota for the new Benefice area, one Benefice newsletter, one combined Lent course.

St Andrew’s Hingham Charity (Charity Number 267241). Members of the PCC are Trustees of this charity. The annual returns were submitted on time.

Bankers; Barclays Bank

Independent Examiner; Sarah Drewery

2. Introduction

Dear Friends,

It is a real joy to be writing my first report for our Annual Parochial Church Meeting. Having been licensed on 24th September, I want to begin by expressing my heartfelt thanks for the warmth of the welcome you have given not only to me but also to my family. Moving into a new role and a new community can be daunting, but from the very beginning, we have felt at home here, and for that, I am truly grateful.

I know that the vacancy before my arrival was a challenging time, and last year’s report reflected the sadness of being without an incumbent. That makes it an even greater privilege and delight to be here now, serving this united benefice of twelve churches and sharing in the life of this community. From my very first days, I have been struck by the faithfulness, dedication, and deep love for Christ that runs through our congregations.

Of course, stepping into a new season of ministry comes with challenges, as does adjusting to change after a time of vacancy. But in the short time I have been here, I have seen how this benefice has weathered transitions with grace and faith. I trust that as we continue to walk together, God will lead us in ways beyond our imagining.

Growing Together

One of the great joys of these past months has been witnessing the ways in which our churches work together, both within the town and across the benefice. In particular, I want

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to recognise the wonderful efforts of St. Andrew’s, which has been actively engaging in shared ministry with the other churches in Hingham. This spirit of collaboration is something I hope we can continue to build on as we move forward.

I have also been encouraged by the strengthening links with our local school. The opportunity to engage with young people, to share the message of Christ’s love, and to support the work of education in our community is a privilege.

Similarly, I have been warmly welcomed into a local care home, where there has long been a faithful ministry of presence and pastoral care. It has been a joy to step into this work and to be part of something that is so deeply valued in our community.

Clothed in Love

At my licensing, the reading chosen was Colossians 3:12–17, which speaks of being clothed with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. These words continue to resonate deeply as I reflect on my first months among you. I have seen these virtues lived out in so many ways—through the care shown to one another, the commitment to service, and the love that underpins all we do as a church.

My prayer is that we continue to embody this passage, bearing with one another, forgiving as the Lord forgives, and above all, putting on love, which binds everything together in perfect unity.

Looking Ahead

There is much to be thankful for, and much to look forward to. As we seek God’s guidance for the year ahead, I am excited to see how we can continue growing in faith, deepening our relationships, and reaching out with Christ’s love to those around us.

Hingham, in particular, has some exciting plans with the community in the coming year— initiatives that will engage people and remind them that we are their church.

We are also blessed with strong pastoral ministry, reflected in the life events we host. Already, we have seen a good number of weddings and funerals, and I look forward to my first Christening here soon.

We also hope that our merger with the Shellrock Benefice will soon be properly completed. As you know, change within the Church of England is never a swift process! However, we have already seen increased closeness and greater collaboration, and I hope this continues to bear fruit. There are real advantages to sharing knowledge and expertise across a group of churches, and when we come together, it is a marvellous thing.

A Call to Participation

As we look ahead, I would encourage each of us to reflect on how we can play our part in the life of our church—whether through prayer, practical service, or simply by extending a warm welcome to those on the fringes. The Body of Christ flourishes when each member finds their place in God’s work.

Gratitude and Thanks

Finally, I want to offer my sincere thanks to our churchwardens, PCC members, ministry teams, volunteers, and all who serve in seen and unseen ways. Your faithfulness, dedication, and generosity make all that we do possible.

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A Final Blessing

May we continue to walk in faith, clothed in Christ’s love, seeking his wisdom, and strengthened by his Spirit in all that we do.

With every blessing,

Tori

Revd Tori Venmore-Rowland

3. Churchwarden’s Report

2024 was an exciting time at St Andrew’s as we finally welcomed a new Vicar! Tori Venmore-Rowland joined us a long search for a new incumbent. She was installed in September by Bishop Ian in a packed church where we were reminded of our duties to support and encourage her in her new ministry. Tori’s ministry has got off to a ‘flying start’ with a very busy Christmas schedule. The process of finding a new priest was long and not without difficulty, but we are thankful that we have emerged from that process with a wonderful new vicar who is already making new links with the local community.

We could not have reached this point without the hard work of many members of St Andrew’s and other churches across both benefices. We are particularly grateful to the members of the ministry team who have ensured that we maintained services with very little interruption. We are also extremely thankful for Caroline who has worked as benefice administrator to maintain order.

Having completed the toilets, the PCC has now started work on the next phase of the facilities project. This will see the ringing floor return to its original level in the tower after a refurbishment of the floor which, along with other works, will allow the Tower Room to be refurbished and provide a warm and inviting space for church and community events. Our community projects have expanded with a new “Soup for the Soul” lunchtime event. We have also glad to hear more music in the church with a new community Choir called AmazSing.

Finances continue to be tight and we continue to look at ways to improve church finances and increase our contribution towards the Benefice’s Parish Share. With an upcoming quinquennial inspection there are likely to be more building works that require our attention. However, I am confident that St Andrew’s is in better shape than it has been for many years to further our ministry in the town and will continue to grow in all areas.

Dr Richard Till, Churchwarden

4. Occasional Offices Report

During 2024, St Andrew’s Church had 1 Baptism, 4 Weddings and 8 Funerals.

Caroline Money, PCC Secretary

5. Parochial Church Council (PCC) report

The PCC met on 6 occasions in 2024 with 94% attendance. The usual reports were given on Finance, Standing Committee, Facilities Project, fundraising, service planning and the Interregnum.

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The PCC agreed the Church Fees for 2024, reviewed the Safeguarding Policy and Plan, the Data Privacy Policy, the Social Media Policy and the Maintenance Plan. Caroline Money, PCC Secretary

6. Electoral Roll Report

The Electoral Roll has been renewed this year and everyone wishing to be entered on the new roll has had to apply for enrolment.

We have 20 males and 30 females making 50 in total. Of these 38 are resident in Hingham and 12 are non residents, but have habitually attended public worship in the parish of Hingham during the preceding six months.

If anyone wishes to be entered on the roll, please give me a call or send a text and I will provide them with an application form.

New members can be added to the Electoral Roll throughout the year. Should you wish to be included please contact the Electoral Roll Officer via email; [e-mail] Elaine Skelly, Electoral Roll Officer

7. Deanery Synod Report

The Benefice has moved Deanery and is now part of the Thetford and Rockland Deanery. Deanery Synod meetings are held quarterly, and as well as summaries of many activites happening across the deanery, we heard interesting talks on the role of the Sanctuary Church project working to create safe spaces for refugees within our churches, as well as how the Cost of Living Crisis is affecting families across the county.

Richard Till, Deanery Synod Representative

8. Safeguarding Report

Hingham PCC agreed a Safeguarding Policy and has a Parish Safeguarding Plan which is available on request. Unfortunately the PCC were unable to appoint a Parish Safeguarding Officer during 2024. However during the reporting period no significant safeguarding concerns were raised and, therefore, no incidents have been escalated to the Diocesan Safeguarding Team.

Caroline Money, PCC Secretary

9. Fabric Report

The organ and fire extinguishers had their annual service. The guttering was inspected, cleared and repaired during the year. The terrier was reviewed and updated during the year.

Caroline Money, PCC Secretary

10. Ministry in Music Report

“Oh give thanks to the Lord, call on His Name. Make known His deeds among the peoples. Sing to Him, sing praises to Him, tell of all His wonderful works.” Ps104RSV

Musicians We are fortunate to have the contribution of some very talented musicians at St. Andrew’s. We are fortunate that Susan Goode and Dr Richard Till often play the piano at

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services and are grateful for the singers that regularly lead congregational singing from the front.

Informal Choir The group was formed in October 2008 to contribute music on an occasional basis to services and widen participation. This year the choir contributed three items including John Rutter’s ‘Nativity Carol’ to the Community Carol Service. We are keen to augment our numbers.

Services We have a good balance of traditional hymns and contemporary worship songs in our main service.

Organ Voluntaries . I contribute devotional organ music before the main service suitable for the period in the Church’s liturgical year, and an organ voluntary afterwards drawn from a very wide repertory ranging from music from the 1600s to contemporary.

Organ Twenty years after the last organ restoration we needed to ask Holmes and Swift to undertake some repairs to the organ for natural deterioration caused by age to the instrument’s mechanical actions, and to strengthen and straighten soft metal pipes of the swell cornopean. The work was satisfactorily completed and paid for from the organ fund. We are also grateful to Chris Turner for the wonderful work he does in providing the optimum sound amplification for the singers and readers.

Transport Rota I would like to thank all the generous drivers who assist getting me to church on Sunday mornings. Thank you.

Peter O!Connor, Organist

11. Charities report

11.1 Heritage Fund Charity No; 1071172

Heritage Fund was formed many years ago to raise funds solely for the repair and maintenance of the fabric of St. Andrew’s church. Unfortunately, we have now taken the decision to stop doing our usual Cake Stalls in the Market Place but we will still be going ahead with one-off events like our Coffee Morning, Barbecue and maybe some other events.

In the last year we have contributed £2,600 towards maintenance and repairs; the next project we are raising funds for is the repair of the bell-ringing chamber floor – around £98,000.

We always welcome new members and new ideas for fund raising. If you would like to help us in any way do please contact the Acting Chairman on 01953 850 369 or email [e-mail]

Peter Trett Acting Chairman

11.2 Thurrold and Payne & Common Allotment Ecclesiastical Charity (Charity No.

244918)

The Thurrold and Payne Charity provides open space for use as allotment gardens and uses income generated from rents to help the poor of the parish of Hingham.

All of the allotment plots were let during 2024.

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Total income and expenditure (financial year end 31/09/2024); Income £1,653.00 Expenditure £1,559.97

Charitable grants totalling £1000 were made during the financial year 2023-2024.

During 2024, the main costs from the maintenance fund were for the following;

The purchase of stock fencing and posts (£160.54) Hedging (£37.00) Site mower repair and service (£98.47)

Summary of conservation work undertaken in 2024;

The neighbouring farmer had complained the previous year that one of our tenants had been piling rubbish on to our shared boundary to the north of plot North 20 and that this was spilling over on to his wildlife conservation field verge. We therefore agreed to remove the accumulated waste; larger logs and wood were moved to a new conservation area that we created at the back of allotment plot North 18, thereby making a wood pile. All the surplus rubbish was removed from North 20 and excess twiggy prunings burned. The bank was re-landscaped, a new stock fence erected along the boundary between North 20 and the farmer’s field, and a single row of hawthorn planted to make a new hedge.

During early 2024, both plots North 18 (East and West) became vacant. We cleared the back of both plots, re-landscaped the bank, built a wood pile from the larger logs reclaimed from allotment plot North 20, erected a new stock fence to the north and planted a very wide mixed native hedge, thereby creating another wildlife conservation area.

Matthew Smoker, Secretary/Treasurer

12. Church Groups

12.1 Flower Arrangers

The new area and revamped flower cupboard has been great, and lovely to work from. The flowers always look lovely, the church was especially good at Christmas. The welcome pedestal is still done on an ad hoc basis by a volunteer as no one came forward to include a welcome pedestal on a regular basis. Funds are virtually nil, a few pence only, the flowers continue to be donated by the individual flowers arrangers, and oasis is bought when needed. Flowers do enhance the church and the volunteer arrangers continue to provide an amazing display.

Stephanie Hesse, Flower Arrangers

12.2 Men’s Breakfast Group

Held on the first Saturday of each month, we meet at 8:00 a.m., for around an hour. An excellent breakfast is provided by Lincoln’s, so we can concentrate on putting the world to rights. In their new premises, we have been able to accommodate even larger numbers, now regularly reaching 20 or more, so everyone is welcome. Our sincere thanks go to Jo and Dan, and wish them every success.

Rodney Hall

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12.3 Messy Church

Janet Allinson and I have continued to run and plan Messy church throughout the year, handing over to Tori at the beginning of 2025. We have been fortunate to have had the help of many regular adults from church and I wish to say a grateful thank you to all

those involved as well as those supportive carers who have come with their children each month. Numbers have gone up and down but definitely now seem to be on the up now. All families seem to enjoy themselves and take part fully in the activities on offer. The children are encouraged to help in the food preparation as well as eating it! The Advent Activities morning was well received with mums and dads turning out on a wet morning.

We seem to have always received positive feedback from parents and carers who have attended. Janet and I have now handed the running of Messy church over to Tori and am sure it will continue to grow

Sue Hall, Messy Church

12.4 Home Group

The group has grown this year with some new members who have added something special to our discussions. We share ideas and study scriptures together in an atmosphere of trust and confidentiality. Grateful thanks to those who have led sessions and we are all aware of how much we have grown together, how much more we have learned about Jesus and how to live in the power of his spirit. We have a prayer time during the evening where we share our concerns about world issues and bring to Jesus those who are on our minds or in our hearts.

John and Jill have been the source of real blessing to us all and helped us design a discipleship course which has been successful, we wish them well as they relocate to Yorkshire. Rod and Sue continue to offer us the use of their home for which we are grateful, knowing that they always supply the best biscuits. There is always room for more, (people not biscuits,) and we encourage any who want to deepen fellowship and pray together to come along. It could be a life changing experience.

Dale Southall, Home Group

12.5 ReminiSING and AmazSING Music Groups

ReminiSING started in October 2024 on a weekly basis. Although this was a reviving group after the abrupt stop due to Covid, the turn out is not the same anymore. As this is a singing group mainly for older adults, some of the previous group members have either passed away, become more fragile, or moved to a new place. We have two loyal members so far, and had 2-3 more joining us a couple of times. However, most of the sessions have only had 2 members. Sadly due to the low numbers, ReminiSING will Not continue in 2025. Nevertheless, there will be a monthly session with the 2 loyal ReminiSING members on a monthly basis . They still like to keep in touch with singing and chatting.

AmazSING started in November on a weekly basis. The numbers are still fairly low. There are 2-3 loyal members who come nearly every week. Every now and again I have some new people joining us, but they come very irregularly. So I never have a full group as such. The most turn out for once was 6, very often I just had 2-4.

Susan Goode, Music Groups

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13. Treasurer ! s Report

In the Financial Statement for the year ending Dec 2024 the total income exceeded the expenses showing a surplus of £4270.00 for the year. We had a positive year and covered all out goings.

The Toilet/ Kitchen Project was finished and financed with grants and donations. We have now moved to an accounts package online which is Quickbooks – Attached are this years financial activities which we have hopefully simplified this for you all. We are now enabled to report monthly and we have also moved to banking online, which gives us more flexibility and transparency.

Also in the revamping we have re organised the funds, which will ensure from now on that our needs our met.

Bridget Foreman PCC Bookkeeper

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St Andrews Church

Financial Activities

January - December 2024

	TOTAL
Income
Donations - Standing orders	10,300.00
Donations and legacies	4,191.96
Parish Giving Scheme	372.90
Sum up Daily dontations	179.42
Total Donations and legacies	4,744.28
Fundraising	982.50
Dog Training	603.50
Paws for Coffee	693.71
Total Fundraising	2,279.71
Gift Aid	2,201.13
Interest Received	1,540.54
Rescricted - Book sales	41.20
Restricted Income - Ringers Floor	7,670.90
Services	6,954.67
Telephone Mast	17,201.76
Toilet Project - Restricted Funds	32,305.87
Total Income	£85,240.06
TOTAL	£85,240.06
Expenditures
Diocese Fees	3,712.00
Fundraising expense	890.11
Heating and Lighting	17,893.95
Insurances	6,860.68
Interest Payable	115.21
Maintenance	4,771.09
Office/General Administrative Expenses	1,590.69
Organist honorarium	2,550.00
Organist/Verger/Tech support Fees	2,500.00
Other Professional Services	1,263.06
Parish Share	18,000.00
Ringers Floor	3,127.56
Toilets and Kitchen - Restricted funds	26,525.10
Total Expenditures	£89,799.45
NET OPERATING INCOME	£ -4,559.39
Other Income
Funerals	7,153.90
Weddings	3,062.00
Total Other Income	£10,215.90
Other Expenditures
Charity Payments	1,386.50
Total Other Expenditures	£1,386.50
NET OTHER INCOME	£8,829.40
NET INCOME/(EXPENDITURE)	£4,270.01

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