Seapatrick Parlsh Trustees. Annual Report for the year ended 31 December 2023 The Trustees present the annual report and financial statements for Seapatrick Parish for the year ended 31 December 2023. Refrrence and Administmtive Informotlon Charity Name: Banbridge/Seapatrick/HolyTrinity and St. Patrick's/Down and Dromore /Church of Ireland (otherwise referred to as "Seapatrick Pari5h"I Charity Registration Number: NIC101230 Contact Address: Church Square BANBRIDGE BT32 4AA Charfty Trustees Venerable Roderic West- until September 2023 Alison Adams {Mrs) David Adams Oonagh Alway (Ms) Robert Barr Doreen Cherry {Mrsl Bill Gault- from April 2023 Freda Gilchrist IMrs)- from April 2023 Chris Gilmore - until April 2023 Roly Harwood John Heasley Paul Humphries Claire Jones Ims) Michael Mccarter Cathy Morton (Miss) Peter Morton Diane Ruddock (Mrsl Nigel Smyth Basil Stewart Darrell Stewart Ruth Taylor (Ms) Anna Williams (Rev'd) Principol Offlce-beorers Rector: Venerable Roderic West Secretary: Mrs Alison Adam5 Treasurer: Basil Stewart Banke Ulster Bank, Bridge Street, Banbridge, BT32 3JT
Seapatrick Parish Trustees, Annual Report for the year ended 31 December 2023 Strurture, Governance and Manogement Govemlng Document The Parish is administered in accordance with The Constitution of The Church of Ireland published by The General Synod of The Church of Ireland. Recrultment and Appolntment of Trustees All members of the Church of Ireland who are 18 years or over and are either resident or have been accustomed members of the congregation for at least three months, and have subscribed to parish funds in such a way that they can ask for a receipt, may re8lSter as members of the general vestry of the parish, allowing them to attend and vote at meetings of the general vestry and to stand for election to the select vestry. A meeting of the general vestry, known as the Easter vestry, is held each year not earlier than twenty-seven days before, and not later than twenty days after, Easter Day. The general vestry meeting may not be held within the period from the Sunday next before Easter IPalm Sunday) to Easter Day (inclusivel. At that meeting the Rector appoints a Rectorfs Churchwarden for Holy Trinity and a Rectorfs Churchwarden for St Patrick's; he also appoints a Rectorfs Glebewarden. The general vestry elect a People's Churchwarden for Holy Trinity, a People's Churchwarden for St Patrick's and a People's Glebewarden. The general vestry also elect twelve members to serve on the select vestry, with the Rector, Churchwardens, Glebewardens and Curate Assistant. All members of select vestry are appointed as the charity trustees. The select vestry. chaired by the Rector, is responsible for making decisions on matters of Beneral concern and importance to the parish including deciding how parish funds are to be applied. Trustees do not receive remuneration, reward or other private benefit for carrying out their Trustee responsibility. Objertives & Artivities The charitable purpose of the Church of Ireland is the advancement of religion. The principal function of Seapatrick Parish is to support the advancement of the Christian religion by promoting, through the work of Seapatrick Parish, the whole mission of the Church, pastoral, evangelistic, Social and ecumenical. Being open to and engaging with society as a whole and offerin8 SUPPOrt for those needing help are fundamental to the practical delivery of the benefits of Christianity. As a result of activity in the pursUIt of the advancement of the Christian religion, Seapatrick Parish has custody of property and of records, materials and artefacts of significance to the cultural and religious heritage and maintenance of which is undertaken by the select vestry of Seapatrick Parish.
Seapatrlck Parish Trustees. Annual Report for the year ended 31 Dernber 2023 Objertlves & Activities {contlnuedJ In setting our objectives and planning our activities for the year the Select Vestry have given careful consideration to The Charity Commission for Northern Ireland's Public Benefit Requirement statutory guidance to ensure that the activities have helped to achieve the charitls purpose and to provide a benefit to the beneficiaries. Beneficiaries of both the primary and secondary charitable purposes are the general public and no harm flows from its purposes. Any private benefit arising out of the fulfilment of our Christian ministry or to lay staff is essential to the fulfilment to the purpose of the advancement of religion, but is purely incidental to the purposes of our work. Achlevements & Perfonnance Our mission statement; 'Growing in God's Love and Sharing it with Others, underpins all that the Parish 5eek5 to be and to do. We want to be a place where people come to faith and grow in faith as we show and share God's love to all those in the surrounding community - *eking to be the Church at the heart of Banbridge and Seapatrick. We offer a range of Services on Sundays, throughout the week and over the course of the year, some following traditional format and others are of a more contemporary Style. All are welcome to attend our services. We also provide weekly, monthly and annual programmes and activ¢ties for people of all ages. These include, Sunday Space/School, Creche, Inspire- Youth Fellowship, Ready, Steady, Go! _ Kids Club, Drop- In for those of secondary school age, Parents & Toddlers, Rhyme & Bounce, Tots Get-Together, Who Let the Dads Out? Connect Groups, Choir, CAP Lifeski115, Scouts and Gutdes, Men's Football, Bowling Club, Knitting and Crochet Group, Mothers, Union, Ladies, Guild. We also run Alpha Courses and other prayer and outreach initiatives. We have an annual Fete in June, a Community BBQ and Fun Evening in September and a Candle- light Carol Service in December. We continue to invest resources and staff time into community engagement programmes, including establishing a Christians Against Poverty Centre, a Baby Basics initiative and a number of community- based youth initiatives. These programmes and activities provide an opportunity for people to come together, enjoy each otherfs company and relax in a friendly environment, to develop and enrich friendships, to build community and a sense of belonging. They provide opportunities for people to come to faith, grow in faith and be encouraged to live out their faith in daily life through the power of the Holy Spirit. We also provide pastoral care and support to people of all ages and at all seasons of life, especially in times of illness, bereavement, challenge or distress. Mission and outreach are central to our life and existence. We engage with a wide range of people through a variety of activities in order to reveal God's love through teaching and in caring and practical ways.
Seapatrick Parlsh Trustees, Annual Report for the year ended 31 Dernber 2023 Achievements & Performonce (continued) The Rector issues a monthly letter to every family within the Parish. This letter, together with the Website, social media, provides information to parishioners and others about church life, minstry and mission activity and information about Parish activities and organisations. We've also developed links and partnerships locally, nationally and internationally. This has included giving £2,5W to the Southern Area Hospice, £1,250 to New Wine Ireland, £5,200 to CMSI- Church Missionary Society Ireland, £1,000 to SAMS-South American Mission Society, £1,250 to Fields of Life, £1,000 to Nl Children's Hospice and £l,O(X) to B Positive. Financial Review The Parish's principal source of income is from envelope5 and standing orders. During 2023 we received two legacies totalling £45,000. The Curatage at Bannview Heights was sold in June 2023. The net sale proceeds of £186,000 are invested with RCB. Reserves, both unrestricted and restricted, continue to be in surplus with an adequate level of net current assets for the continuation of operational activities. There are no areas of financial concern noted by Select Vestry. Reserves Pollcv The Select Vestnls policy is to retain a level of free reserves or general reserves which matches its needs at the current time and in the foreseeable future. Free reserves are those unrestricted resenies not invested in fixed assets, which are available for general use.
Seapatrick Parish Trustees, Annual Report for the year ended 31 December 2023 Reserves Poliry (contlnued) The main reason for holding reserves is to ensure that the charity has enough resources to fund its programmes and to hold sufficient resources to meet its commitments. The Trustee5 believe that our reserves policy 15 both responsible and prudent, but have not specified a particular level of reserves to be held. At 31 December 2023 the Parish held unrestricted funds of £293,546 representing more than 9 months expenditure which is in line with what is regarded as an appropriate level. The Parish also held £877,991 of restricted funds which have been provided for the purposes specified in Note 16. Funds held as custodion trustee on behalf of others There are no funds held as custodian trustee on behalf of others. Plan5fvrfuture periods The Select Vestry intend to: carry out significant repairs to the organ in Holy Trinity Church carry out necessary repairs and refurbishments to church property. The Select Vestry continue to support the development of the 'Christians Against Poverty Centre,, the 'Baby Basics, project and 'Who Let the Dads Outy project. The Select Vestry also continues to support the development of initiatives in the parish and the local community, as we seek to be the Church at the heart of Banbridge and Seapatrick.
Seapatrick Parish Trustees. Annual Report for the year ended 31 December 2023 Payments to Charlty Mission and Charity Payments CMSI Kiwoko CMSI - Maridi Bishops Appeal- Turkey & Syria Appeal Bishops Appeal- Libya Appeal Bishops Appeal Middle East Relief Fund Bishop's Ministry Fund D & D Rejuvenation Fund D&D Church Plant Tearfund Christian Aid Christian Pastoral Aid Society Church Army Crosslinks Earl Haig Poppy Appeal Fields of Life Church of Ireland & Methodist Centre in Queens Intercontinental Church Society South Amercian Mission Society Board of Education New Wine Ireland Summer Madness Church Ireland Orphans & Childrens Society Air Ambulance St Johns Ambulance Love for Life Kilbroney Centre Southern Area Hospice Nl Childrens Hospice VIP Club B Positive Banbridge High School 1,200 4,000 2,155 524 500 485 81 1,250 1,250 1,250 400 250 1,000 300 277 1,250 300 100 I,(0 loo 1,250 200 300 850 300 1,000 500 2,500 1,000 150 500 500 250 250 200 200 500 Habitat for Humanity pips Aware Nl Childrens Cancer 28,122
Seapatrlck Parlsh Trustees, Annual Report for the year ended 31 December 2023 Statement of Trustees, Responsibilities The Charities Act (Northern Ireland) 2008 requires charity trustees to ensure that accounting records are kept which are sufficient to show and explain all the charit5 transactions, which disclose with reasonable accuracy the financial position of the charity and enable them to prepare statement of accounts which complies with regulation under the Act. They are a150 responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charitv and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. In preparing those financial statements, the trustees are required to: Select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently: Make judgments and estimates that are reasonable and prudent: State whether applicable accounting standards and ststements of recommended practice have been followed, subject to any departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; and Prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in operational existence. Approved by the charity trustees and signed on their behalf by. TJ B Stewart Treasurer