Trustees’ Annuai Report for the year ended 31°* December 2025
The trustees present the annual report and statements of Receipts and Payments and Assets and Liabilities for Parish of Christ Church Kilmore for the year ended 31% December 2025 Objectives and Activities The principle objective of the Parish of Christ Church Kilmore is to support the advancement of the Christian religion, and the benefits thereof, through all its various activities and ministries. Broadly speaking these fall under the following five main categories: evangelical, ecumenical, pastoral, social and charitable. Practically this means that we engage with society as a whole, on a crosscommunity basis, offering both spiritual and practical support to individuals and families as they have need.
As a result of its activities and pursuant with its mission, the Parish Church of Christ Church Kilmore has custody of property, land and buildings, fabric and furnishings, records and registers, materials and artefacts of significant cultural, historical and religious value, the maintenance of which is undertaken by the Select Vestry of the Parish of Christ Church Kilmore.
Achievements, Performance & Public Benefit Christ Church Kilmore together with Inch Parish Church form a grouped parish under the leadership of the Priest in Charge Revd. Dr. Claire Aylward who was installed on the 10° of October 2025. As a grouped parish we seek to pursue the mission of the Church: evangelical, ecumenical, pastoral, social and charitable under the aegis of the Church of Ireland. We provide weekly and occasional services of Morning Prayer, Holy Communion, Baptisms, Weddings and Funerals and adjunct pastoral support including, the visitation of the sick, the elderly, the infirm and the bereaved. Additionally, each Church runs its own Sunday school.
As a joint parish we are invoived in the broader community and as part of our mission seek to work alongside all other Civic, Charitable, School and Church organisations addressing local needs and on occasion, worshipping together. Within our ecumenical work, we host an annual Community Carol Service where we work with several local denominations, and we participate in an annual ecumenical service for the World Day of Prayer.
The Priest-in-charge serves on the Board of Governors of one local school where she is the Governor with responsibility for Staff Wellbeing and Health. This school is also supported by leading assemblies when invited to do so. We raise funds and donate monies from our own resources to local and international charities. We collect toys and gifts at Christmas to be distributed to families in need in the local community.
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As a joint Parish and on a completely voluntary basis, we Operate the Kilmore & Inch Food Bank, which supplies emergency food parcels to both individuals and families. The Food Bank works closely with the following organisations: St Vincent de Paul (SVP) and Social Services, all of whom refer clients to us. Additionally the Foodbank supplies Christmas hampers to ensure families and individuals have access to both essentials and a few luxuries each Christmas. Financial Review e The Parish unrestricted main account (No 1 Account) showed a surplus of Income over Expenditure of £2,733.54 before transfers at the 315* December 2025, A transfer of £498.63 was made from the Graveyard account to clear a surplus on that account and a transfer of £14.60 was made to the priorities fund to clear a small deficit.
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e The Church was carrying excess funds at the bank which were providing a poor return and after reviewing our short to medium needs £64,000 was invested with the Northern Ireland central Fund for Charities to provide a better return. The current market value of this Investment is £69,489.40.
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e The Church Repair and Renewal Fund had a balance of £10,938.00 at 31° December 2025 comparable to that off £11,653.34 as of 315 December 2024.
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® The sound system was upgraded a few years ago, the cost to be borne by the church with a commitment that the Eliza Robinson Endowment fund would reimburse the church over several years.
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e Kilmore Parish Church with Inch Parish Church were the partnership churches for the Christians Against Poverty (CAP) Mid-Down Debt Centre. On termination of this partnership in August 2025, the monies held in the Debt Centre account were transferred to the account of the Kilmore Parish Church in consultation with CAP.
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Trustees’ Annual Report for the year ended 315t December 2025 (continued)
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It was agreed with CAP that the funds would be held by the group until CAP NI advised if they should be transferred directly to CAP or to such other debt centre as directed by CAP following termination of the partnership.
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e An application was made in the Autumn of 2024 to the Church of Ireland's Priorities Fund for £1,500.00 to runa community outreach event. The full sum was awarded to be used to fund the Lego Festival held on the weekend of June 14th and 15th 2025.
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© A Rejuvenation Grant is awarded by the Diocese of Down and Dromore to assist small parishes within the Diocese who have experienced a challenging season to:
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© renew their focus on ministry and evangelistic outreach, © gather internal resources to live out their calling to ministry and outreach, © enter a new season of ministry fruitfulness, and © become a more active witness in their local community.
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This funding is being used by the parish to support regular ministry and outreach activities such as children’s and youth, Alpha Courses etc.
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® There were a significant number of transactions with restricted funds being monies given through the church for other purposes such as the provision of a local foodbank, Poppy Appeals and Bishops Appeals for Gaza and Sudan.
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@ The work on the Rectory identified in the vacancy report was completed and funds held by the RCB from the sale of the old Rectory were drawn down to cover these costs.
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@ The Parish is bound by the Church of Ireland ‘Duty of Prudence’ for church trustees to ensure that the parish is and remains solvent and by annual accounting principles to remain a going concern. Our aim has been to keep sufficient free reserves to provide, as per good practice guidelines for charities, cover for 6 months in relation to known liabilities. Our present reserves meet this requirement.
Going Concern
The trustees have reviewed the budgets for the year ahead and are satisfied that there are adequate funds in place to ensure that the Parish can continue its activities and the financial statements for the year ended 2025 can be signed off as a going concern.
Structure, Governance and Management
Governing Document and Constitution of the Charity
Chapter Ill of the Constitution of the Church of Ireland governs Parishes and Parochial Organisation. The Select Vestry members are the Charity Trustees
Recruitment and Appointment of Seiect Vestry (Trustees)
All members of the Church of Ireland who are over the age of 18 and are either resident within the parish or live elsewhere but have been accustomed members of the congregation for at least three months, may register 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. Meetings of the General Vestry are held at least once a year. The Select Vestry is elected as part of this General Vestry meeting. The Select Vestry will hold their positions for a period of one year. Select Vestry members may be re-elected annually and there is no limit on the number of terms which may be served.
Pay and remuneration
The Parish is jointly responsible, with Inch Parish Church for payment of the stipend, office and locomotory allowances to the incumbent and the incumbent received the stipend and ailowances as prescribed by the Diocese.
Organisational Structure
The select vestry is responsible for the day-to-day management of the parish. The select vestry consists of the incumbent, the churchwardens, the glebe wardens and generally not more than twelve other members of the general vestry elected at the General Vestry.
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Trustees’ Annuai Report for the year ended 315t December 2025 (continued)
The select vestry is chaired by the incumbent of the parish. Select vestry members are responsible for making decisions on matters of general concern and importance to the parish including deciding how parish funds are to be applied.
The select vestry meets at times fixed by the members or by the diocesan synod. Special meetings may be convened at any time by the chairperson or the churchwardens.
Compliance with Public Benefit
The Parish has given careful consideration to the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland’s guidance on public benefit to ensure that the actives entered into during the year have helped to achieve the Parish’s objectives and activities, as well as providing public benefit.
Statement of Trustees' Responsibilities
The trustees are responsible for preparing the Trustees’ Report and the statement of receipts and payments and statement of assets and liabilities in accordance with applicable law and regulations.
The law applicable to charities in Northern Ireland with Income of less than £250,000 requires the trustees to prepare a statement of receipts and payments and a statement of assets and liabilities for each financial year.
The trustees are responsible for keeping accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the Parish’s transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the assets and liabilities of the Parish. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the Parish and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
Signed on Behalf of the Trustees
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Priest in Charge Revd. Dr. Claire Aylward ( .o', 2 kk
Honorary Secretary Mr. Geoffrey Norris — Z. i Z < __ GA. ov. 2 lon _
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