PARISH OF BALLYPHILIP AND ARDQUIN Annual report and statement of accounts for the year ended 31.12.2022 REFERENCES AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS Charity name Parish of Ballyphilip and Ardquin Charity registration number NIC 102622 Contact address Church Street, Portaferryi BT22 ILS TRUSTEES AND OFFICE BEARERS TRUSTEES (SELECT VESTRY) Rev. Canon Gill Withers B.Ed. {Chairl Michael Beckett Elizabeth Browne Eveleigh Brownlow MBE Rhoda Dorndorf John Johnston Elaine McFeeters Lorna Peacock James Quinn Mark Rebbeck Nancy Sheridan Kathleen Smyth Cecilia Stephens Vivienne Youn8 Rev. Jennifer Montgomery lex officiol PRINCIPAL OFFICE BEARERS Rettor Rev. Canon Gill Withers B.Ed. Assistin8 minister Rev. Jennifer Montgomery Lay readers Kan McAlpine Rosemarie Armstrong-woodroffe Honorary secretary Elaine McFeeters Honorary treasurer John Johnston Rettorfs churchwardens St James's. Ballyphilip Kathleen Smyth (until 31.03.20221 Elizabeth Browne (since 01.04.2022) Cecilia Stephens The Abbacy. Ardquin People's churchwardens St James's, Ballyphilip The Abbacy. Ardquin Elaine McFeeters Mark Rebbeck
Parish of 8allyphilip and Ardquin Tnjstees, annual report for the year ended 31.12.2022 Glebe wardens Rectorfs glebe warden Vacant {until 31.03.2022) Rhoda Dorndorf (since 01.04.2022) Vacant (until 31.03.20221 Irivienne Young (since 01.04.2022) People's glebe warden OTHER OFFICE BEARERS Parochial nominator Elizabeth Browne Supplemental parochial nominator Vacant Diocesan synods person Michael Beckett Supplemental diocesan synods person Vacant Free will offerings recorder John Johnston Organists Jennifer Bryce Winifred Irvine Elizabeth Lyttle BEM Choir coordinator Sarah Alcorn B.Sc. (until 30.06.20221 Vacant (since 01.07.20221 Health and safety officer Vacant (until 31.03.20221 Rhoda Domdorf (since 01.04.20221 Caretaker Thomas Leebody Independent examiner Guardian Chartered Accountants 2 William street Newtownards BT23 4AH Bankers Danske Bank Donegall Square West Belfast BTI 6JS
Parish of Ballyphilip and Ardquin Trustee annual report for the year ended 31.12.2022 TRUSTEES, ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31.12.2022 The trustees present the annual report and the statements of receipts and payments and of assets and liabilities for the Parish of Ballyphilip and Ardquin for the year ending 31.12.2022. The trustees first wish to record their gratitude to Kathleen Smyth and Sarah Alcorn who have stepped down after many years of dedicated service to the parish and the community as churchwarden and choir co-ordinator and to thank the following for their generosity to the parish-. Mrs Sian Wells for a donation in memory of her father. Lt Col. Fred Beringer, late RE. Eveleigh Brownlow, Martin Ellison, and Cecilia and Nick Stephens for donations in kind towards the upkeep of St James's and the Abbacy. The Upper Ards Historical Society for a donation to the restoration of St James's. Mr and Mrs Oliver Sava8e and Mr and Mrs Rowland Savage for allowing worshippers to park on their property when services are being held in the Abbaci. OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES The charitable purpose of the Church of Ireland is the advancement of religion. The principal function of the Parish of Ballyphilip and Ardquin is to 5UPPOrt the advancement of the Christian religion by promotin& through the work of St James's. Ballyphilip and the Abbacy. Ardquin the whole mission of the Church, pastoral, evangelistic, social and ecumenical. Being open to and engaging with society as a whole and offering support for those needing help are fundamental to the practical delivery of the benefits of Christianity. As a result of artivity in the pursuit of the advancement of the Christian religion, the Parish of Ballyphilip and Ardquin has Custody of property and of records, materials and artefacts si8nificant to the cultural and reli8lOUS heritage ofthe parish and the Upper Ards. The maintenance of these items is undertaken by the selett vestry of the Parish of Ballyphilip and Ardquin. ACHIEVEMENTS, PERFORMANCE, AND PUBLIC BENEFIT ADVANCEMENT OF RELIGION PASTORAL Acriviry At least one act of public worship has taken place in the parish each week throughout the year. Services of Holy Communion and Morning Prayer were held in St James's whenever the weather permitted.. at other times. they were held in the Parish Centre. The heating system in the Parish Centre failed in November and since then all services have been held inthe Abbacy.The experience has been a testoffaith and notwithstandingthe disruption and inconvenience, fifteen to twenty people of all ages have consistently attended servi5 at Ballyphilip and at Ardquin. EVANGELISM The parish has supported Christian missions and charities with donations totalling £1,725 to the Church of Ireland Bishops, Appeal, Christian Aid Ireland, Eggshell Cambodia, Tearfund, and World Vision as well as distributing gifts from the rectorfs discretionary fund, commonly known as Brown's Charity, to elderly and deserving parishioners and townsfolk at Christmas and Easter or, where appropriate, at othertimes in the year. SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT The parish raised £ICKJ each forthe Air Ambulance Nl through an Easter ballot and colletted £155 for The Royal British Legion during Remembrance, while individual parishioners attively sUPPOrted the recently established
Parish of Ballyphilip and Ardquin Trustee< annual report for the year ended 31.12.2022 food bank and the Parish Centre was used for inter-denominational and cross<ommunity social, cultural, and recreational activities as well a5 for private and family funrtions. ECUMENICAL ACTivirY The parish worked with other denominations on public evangelism during the Portaferry Gala week in July, in holding an ecumenical carol service during Advent, and in providing an opportunity for prayer and reflertion on St Sylvesterfs Day, 31 December. These activities weakened divisions between denominations and opened minds to the Holy Spirit and to Our Saviourfs words. In the same sense of Christian unity, whenever there is a fifth Sunday in a month, parishioners from Ballyphilip and Ardquin join their fellows from Greyabbey and Kircubbin Parish or their neighbours from Portaferry Methodist Church in common worship. At least one united orjointsep4ice takes place every quarter, the location alternatin8 between St James's, Ballyphilip and the Methodist Church or between St James's and either 5t Saviourfs, Greyabbey or Holy Trinity, Kircubbin. The worshippers meet after the service for refreshments and Christian fellowship. HERITAGE AND PROPERTY MANAGEMENT THE AB8ACY Maintenance and repair work has contlnued. A fire safety inspectlon has been carried out. the main door has been repainted, and work will start to clear the 8utters and replace a faulty li8htin8 control panel. STJAMES'S The heating system in St James's, Ballyphilip failed in 2020 and cannot be repaired. Environmental, physical, and fire safety constraints preclude installing a new oil-fired boiler. An under-pew electrical heating 5yStem, similar to that in Holy Trinity. Kircubbin, will be installed as part of the church's restoration programme. In accordance with advice from the parish's insurers, the church and the adjacent graveyard have been closed after autumnal storms brought down masonry from the tower of the church. No decision on reopenin8 the church or 8raveyard will be made until a structural survey of the church has been carried out. BALL YPHILIP PARISH CEAITRE A storm dislodged the cowling of an extraction fan on the roof of the building. Efforts to arrange repair of the cowling and fan are on80ing. The defunrt boiler will be removed and a new one installed during the first quarter of 2023. MARGARET HURST DWELLING The tenant vacated the property in September 2022. The property had become ne8lected during the tenancy, in part because routine inspections were not permissible during lockdowns. Remedial works are being carried out to secure and make the property habitable, pending a decision by the select vestry on its future. COMPLIANCE WITH PUBLIC BENEFIT The trustees have carefully considered the Charitycomrnission for Northern Ireland'sguidance on public benefit to ensure that the artivities which were started during the year have helped to achieve the parish's objectives and activities, as well as providing public benefft. FINANCIAL REVIEW Receipts in 2022 came to 391,18512021. 88,456). while payments amounted to £122.98712021: 82,932}. leaving balance of £268.19812021: 5.5241. The figures for 2022 include £330,030 from the sale of the glebe lands and share) in Shell plc, while those for 2021 include a Substantial legacy. several large one-off donations, and a refund of costs for repairs at the rectory. If these and similar items are excluded from the accounts, the parish's annual income each year was about£60,OCMJ. half of which coming from free will offerings and other donations.
Parish of Ballyphilip and Ardquin Trustee< annual report for the year ended 31.12.2022 Payments for 2022 include £59,296 for clearin8 the Abbacy Restoration loan, which will save the parish over £7,000 annually in interest and capital repayments. The loan was cleared by drawing £60,000 from the proceeds of the glebe lands sale. The £250,0¢)O which remained from the sale wa5 invested in the RB General Unit Trust INI) and produced an income of £6,367. With over £30,000 raised towards the restoration of St James's. the parish's financial posttion has been stabilised and the parish can consider its long-term future. Having reviewed the budgets for the year ahead, the trustees are Satisfied that there are adequate funds in place to ensure that the parish can continue its activities and that the financial statements can be signed off as a going concern for the year ended 31.12.2022. STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE, AND MANAGEMENT GOVERNING DOCUMENT AND CONSTITUTION Chapter 111 of the Church of Ireland constitution governs parishes and parochial organisation. The members of the selett vestry are the charity trustees. RECRUITMENT AND APPOINTMENT OF SELEcf VESTRY {TRUSTEES) All members of the Church of Ireland who are overthe age of 18 and are either resident within the parish or live elsewhere but have been accustomed members of the congregation for at least the months, may register as members of the general vestry of the parish, allowingthem to attend and vote at meetings of the general vestry and to stand for election to the seleec 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 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 meets forty percent of the stipend and allowances which the rettor receives from the Parish of Greyabbey and Kircubbin. Visiting clergy. lay readers, and organists re1ve a fee for each service they conduct or at which they play. The caretaker is paid weekly in accordance with the National Living Wage. ORGANISATIONAL STRucfuRE The select vestry is responsible for the day-to4ay management of the parish. The select vestry consists of the member ofthe clergy serving in the parish. the churchwardens. the glebe wardens, and generally not more than twelve other members of the general vestry elected at the General Vestry. Retired members of clergy resident in the parish are ex officio members of the selett vestry. The selectvestry is chaired bythe incumbent or other member of the clergy officiatin8 in the parish. Selert 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. In 2022 the Select Vestry met 8 times during the year and the average attendance was 60%. SAFEGUARDING POLICIES The parish's safeguarding, data protection, and copyright policies are compliant with Church of Ireland guidelines. Health and safety policy and documentation followguidance issued by Ards and North Down Borough Council. Advice has been received from the Historic Environment Division of the Department for Communities. Ards and North Down Borough Council, and the Diocese of Down and Dromore on the restoration of St James's. Further advice will be sought from the RCB Library on safeguarding heritage ttems during restoration works.
Parish of Ballyphilip and Ardquin Trustee< annual report for the year ended 31.12.2022 COMPLIANCE WITH PUBLIC BENEFIT The trustees have carefully considered the Charitycommission for Northem Ireland's guidance on public benefit to ensure that the activities which were started 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 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 an income of less than £250,1J)O requi5 the members of 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 adequately 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 to prevent and detect fraud or other irregularities. Signed on behalf of the trustees: . {Rector) . (Hon. Secretary) Date..........