St Mark's Church, Dundela, Belfast
Charity Trustees, Annual Report
st
for the Year ended 31 December 2022
Charity Registration Number NIC102090
St Mark's
aKJrily Registrotion Fkniiibep. NICI 02090

St Mark's Parish Church, Dundela
References and administration details
Charity Registration Number NIC102090
Contact Address
St Mark's Parish Office
Heyn Hall
2 Sydenham Avenue
Belfast
BT4 2DR
Charit Trustee5
Dr Sarah Bass
Dr Ann Clark
Mrs Emma Dale
Ms Laura Hillis.. Glebe Warden People
Mr Michael Newman
Mrs Lynn Wilson.. Glebe Warden Clergy
Mrs Lesley Donaldson
Mr Robert McBride
Mrs Joan Atkinson
Mr Don Mcclean
Mr John Campbell
Mis5 Heather McKaig
Princi
al Office-bearers
Clergy (Rector)
Church Hon Secretary
Church Hon Tieasurer
Church Warden Clergy
Church Warden People
Revd Canon Helene T. Steed
Mrs Hannah Nelson
Mrs Lucy Mcllwaine
Mr Michael Newman
Mrs Heather Ellison
Independent Examiner
Mr Mark Eakin
Bankers
Danske Bank
520 Upper Newtownards Road
Belfast. BT4 3HD
Q￿rty Regislralion NLJmber.. NICI 02090

Charity Trustees, Annual Report for the Year ended 3151 of December 2022.
The Charity Trustees present the annual report and statements of Receipts and Payments and Liabilities for St Mark's
Parish Church, Dundela for the year ended 31" December 2022.
Objectives and Artivities
The charitable purpose for the Church of Ireland is the advancement of religion.
As a Church of Ireland parish, the principal function for St Mark's Parish Church, Dundela is to adhere to and promote
the charitable purpose of the Church of Ireland. The mission of our parish is to provide divine worship,. pastoral care;
nurturing of faith,. charitable loutreachl and social activities. and ecumenical involvement in East Belfast. St Mark's
Parish engages with the local community through activities and events.
As part of our objective in pursuit of the advancement of religion, St Mark's Parish has custody of property, records, and
artefacts of significant importance to the cultural and religious heritage. This is maintained by the Select Vestry.
Achievements, Performance and Public Benefit
As a Parish church, with a clear Anglican identity, St Mark's Parish aims to be the spiritual home for all our parishioners
regardless of age. To achieve this, we try to offer a wide variety of services and activities.
During 2022, St Mark's Parish divine worship was at the core of our parish activities, we held more than 183 services.
Our services ranged from the traditional to the contemporary, from the choral to the meditative and hence offers a
wide variety of devotional options. Due to Covid Restrictions easing the majority of services were conducted in the
Church and also through broadcast services live via Facebook. In addition. we have, and offered opportunities to
participate via Zoom.
The public benefit associated with St Mark's Parish, in addition to divine worship, is through the many weekly group
activities that takes place throughout the year. These group5 cater for all ages and many different interests. Singing, our
Open Choir is growing in numbers,. studying Ifaith formation); and social events take place on a regular basis. In
addition, we have Specific outreach ministries.. Mums and Chum5: ministry to pre-school children and their parent5 lor
careers). The group meets weekly during term time in the Heyn Hall for a morning of play, fun and singing. During the
summer months we have offered readings on the lawn as a community activity. As part of our service to the communitv
we hosted a garden party to mark the late Queen Elizabeth 11,5 Platinum Jubilee. This event included planting an orchard
and a concert. Other activities during 2022 included Choir Cubs (children's choir), handbell ensemble and towerbell
ringinE, Art and Chat. Creative Stitching, Cooking classes, Children's Easter Camp and a Youth Fellowship programme.
St Mark's Parish is strongly committed to an open ethos. We do all we can to make sure that our premises are
accessible. Both the Church and the Heyn Hall are disability friendly. We have a very effective district wide
comm unication policy which informs and encourages every home within our parish boundary. approx. 5,000 homes, to
participate in the wide range of religious and social activities held on our premises. We also host local housing and
charitable groups for meeting5 and activities. In 2022 we opened a Warm Hub. enabled people of all ages to rneet in a
heated environment with Coffee and Soup provided at no charge.
St Mark'5 Parish is involved in various fu ndraising activities which are for the benefit of our own charitable ministry, as
well a5 supporting other charities in the local commu nity, and also at national, and international level. Supporting
humanitarian initiatives is a long-standing tradition in the parish. As part of thi5 ministry every year we send approx. 35
Christmas presents I'shoe-boxes'l to children in need. In 2022 funds were raised for the local foodbank The Lorder and
CSMI and the Poppy Appeal.
Cknrity RecJistration bkninber.. NICI 02090

St Mark's Church was designed by the renowned Victorian architect William Butterfield, his only parish church on the
island of Ireland. This makes our Church unique and as custodians of this gem, the Select Vestry is particularly focussed
that it is cared for according to the highest possible heritage praxis. In addition, the Church and Parish have a strong
historical link with the life of the theologian, poet and novelist C. S. Lewis, whose maternal grandfather- Revd Thomas
Hamilton was the first rector of the Parish. To make this cultural and architectural heritage accessible to the public. the
Select Vestry offers open days, guided tours and participates annually in the C. S. Lewis Festival and Heritage Open Days.
The Parish is affiliated with and have a very longstanding cooperation with the Girl Guiding movernent. Rainbows,
Brownies and Guides meet weekly in the Heyn Hall and draw members from all denominations and none.
The Heyn Hall is also regularly used by community organisations, including Root Soup and the L'Arche Commu nity,
Scottish Dancing classes. Resident AGM Meetings ,flexibility exercise classes and birthday parties. Due to lifting of Covid
restrictions in 2022 there was an increased use of the Hall and Church premises with new exercise classes offered, BBC
radio performances and the Drama group play.
Finance
The Charity Trustees consider the financial results for the year ending 31" December 2022 and the financial situation at
that date to be good, this has been helped due to the lifting of Covid Restrictions and successful fundraising activities
such as October 2022 Gift month appeal, Open Garden and Jubilee event.
Management
St Mark's Parish, as a Parish in the Church of Ireland is governed by Chapter three of the Constitution for the Church of
Ireland. Members of the Select Vestry are elected as stated herein. The Select Vestry is responsible for the day-to-dav
management of St Mark's Parish in terms of finance, fabrics and furnishing. The finances are managed by the Hon.
Treasurer in conjunction with the Select Vestry.
Acting in her role as Incumbent and Rector of St Mark's Parish, the Revd Canon H. T. Steed receives a stipend.
locornotory and office allowances in accordance with the figures approved of the General Synod for the Church of
Ireland. No other Trustees receive any remuneration from St Mark's Parish.
St Mark's Parish adhere to the Church of Ireland Safeguarding Trust policy.
Compliance with Public Benefit
The Charity Trustees have given careful consideration to the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland's Guidance on
public benefit to ensure that the activities entered into during the year have helped St Mark's Parish objectives and
activities. as well as providing public benefit.
Signed on behalf of the Trustees, 12, April 2023
evd Canon H. T. Steed
Rector
Mrs Lucy Mcllwaine
Hon. Treasurer
(]K)rity RecJislration Nlniiber: NICI 02090