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Parish of Ballyphilip and Ardquin (NIC 102622)
eee TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT AND STATEMENTS OF RECEIPTS AND OF PAYMENTS AND OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31.12.2025
REFERENCES AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS
CHARITY DETAILS Charity name Charity registration number Contact address
Parish of Ballyphilip and Ardquin NIC 102622 Church Street Portaferry BT22 1LS
TRUSTEES
Rev. Canon Gillian Withers, B.Ed. (chair) Michael Beckett Eveleigh Brownlow, MBE Angus Graham Leonard Lawson, BEM (from 01.06.2025) Elaine McFeeters Lorna Peacock (until 24.10.2025) Lyndsay Reid (from 01.06.2025) Nancy Sheridan Cecilia Stephens
Rosemarie Armstrong-Woodroffe Elizabeth Browne (until 01.07.2025) Rhoda Dorndorf John Johnston Elaine McBratney (from 01.06.2025) Diane McWhinney Mark Rebbeck Marion Reid (from 01.06.2025) Kathleen Smyth Vivienne Young
PRINCIPAL OFFICE BEARERS
Rector Parish secretary Honorary treasurer Rector’s church wardens e StJames, Ballyphilip e The Abbacy, Ardquin People’s church wardens e StJames, Ballyphilip e@ The Abbacy, Ardquin Glebe wardens e Rector’s glebe warden e People’s glebe warden
Rev. Canon Gillian Withers, B.Ed. Elaine McFeeters John Johnston
Elizabeth Browne (until 01.07.2025) Cecilia Stephens
Elaine McFeeters Mark Rebbeck
Rhoda Dorndorf (until 01.06.2025) Vivienne Young
INDEPENDENT EXAMINER
Guardian Chartered Accountants 2 William Street Newtownards BT23 4AH
BANKERS
Danske Bank Donegall Square West Belfast BT1 6JS
Parish of Ballyphilip and Ardquin (NIC 102622) Annual report, 2025
TRUSTEES’ ? ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31.12.2025
The trustees present the annual report and statements of receipts and payments and of assets and liabilities for the Parish of Ballyphilip and Ardquin for the year ended 31.12.2025.
FOREWORD
The trustees first wish to express their condolences and those of the parish to the families of parishioners who have died during the past year:
Roger Beatty Sheena Birch Alex Browne Roger Matthews Moore Palmer
Secondly, the trustees wish to thank Elizabeth Browne, Tommy Leebody, and Lorna Peacockfor their many years of dedicated service to the parish and parishioners. We wish them well for the future.
The trustees also wish to thank the Dorinda, Lady Dunleath Trust, the Esmé Mitchell Trust, Kirkistown Castle and Summerfield PROBUS Clubs, Portaferry Credit Union, Portaferry Judo Club, and the Representative Church Body for funding towards the costs of repairing the tower of St James’s Church.
The trustees further wish to thank Sarah and Mark Alcorn, Councillor Joseph Boyle, Mrs Eveleigh Brownlow, Bertie, Martin, and Raymond Ellison, Leonard Lawson, Nick and Cecilia Stephens, Rev. Canon Gill Withers, and Mrs Vivienne Young for the support they have given the parish during the past year.
Finally, the trustees wish to express their gratitude to Michael Beckett for his dedicated work as the parish’s representative at the diocesan synod; Jennifer Bryce, Elizabeth Lyttle, and Zara Quinn for playing the organ at services; Rhoda Dorndorf for her work as rector’s glebe warden and latterly as licensee of the parish centre; and Mr and Mrs Oliver Savage and Mr and Mrs Roderick Savage for allowing parishioners to use their lane for parking during services at the Abbacy.
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 support the advancement of the Christian religion by promoting, through the work of the parish 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 activity 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 which are of significance to the cultural and religious heritage of the Upper Ards. The maintenance of the property, records, materials, and artefacts is undertaken by the select vestry of the Parish of Ballyphilip and Ardquin.
ACHIEVEMENTS, PERFORMANCE, AND PUBLIC BENEFIT
ADVANCEMENT OF THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION
The parish has promoted the Church’s mission by:
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e Holding an act of public worship every week during the past year. e Donating £4,974 to Christian missions and secular charities. e Supporting the Portaferry Food Bank and Place2B, an inter-denominational youth club, and opening the Ballyphilip Parish Centre for community activities and family gatherings.
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e Working with the other denominations in the town on public evangelisation during the Portaferry Gala week and ecumenical services during the week of Christian Unity and at Advent.
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Parish of Ballyphilip and Ardquin (NIC 102622) Annual report, 2025
PROPERTY AND HERITAGE MANAGEMENT
Properties, records, materials, and artefacts for which the parish is responsible have been maintained in accordance with current legislation and diocesan guidance.
COMPLIANCE
The parish holds appropriate copyright licences from CCLI and PPL/PRS. Health and safety policies follow guidance from Ards and North Down Borough Council. Safeguarding and data protection policies are in accordance with Church of Ireland directives. A review of these policies will be carried out during 2026.
PUBLIC BENEFIT
The select vestry has carefully considered the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland’s guidance on public benefit to ensure that activities which were entered into during the year have helped to achieve the parish’s objectives and activities, as well as providing public benefit.
FINANCIAL REVIEW
OVERVIEW
On 01.01.2025 the parish had -£58,587 in unrestricted funds, £70,022 in restricted funds, and £1,328,166 in endowment funds, giving a final balance of £1,339,600. Receipts during the year amounted to £72,517 in unrestricted funds and £22,780 in restricted funds, giving total receipts of £95,297. Payments during the year, excluding transfers between funds, were £96,893 in unrestricted funds and £4,710 in restricted funds, giving total payments of £101,603.
After transfers between funds and revaluation of parish investments, the final balances carried forward on 31.12.2025 were -£62,670 in unrestricted funds, £63,342 in restricted funds, and £1,370,424 in endowment funds. The parish has no outstanding liabilities and so the final balance is £1,371,096, of which -£16,252 is cash in hand or in the bank, £410,424 in investments, and £960,000 in property.
POLICY ON RESERVES
The parish has two bank accounts: a current account for day-to-day receipts and payments and a savings account, which holds a maximum of £12,000 as a reserve for up to three months of normal expenditure. The balance is maintained by transferring £700 each month from the current account to the savings account.
MATTERS OF CONCERN
The parish’s income from donations, etc. does not cover the running costs (stipend, diocesan assessment, utilities, etc.). Although investment assets might be liquidated to raise cash and clear the overdraft, the resulting loss of income will lead to a greater shortfall between income and running costs. For long-term survival, the parish must increase revenue and lessen its running costs.
The parish is appointing Russell & Company, Solicitors as trustees to hold the parish’s investments in place of the late Rodney McWhinney and the late James Quinn.
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 31.12.2025 can be signed off as a going concern.
STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE, AND MANAGEMENT
GOVERNING DOCUMENT
Chapter III of the Church of Ireland constitution governs parishes and parochial organisation. The members of the select vestry are the charity trustees.
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Parish of Ballyphilip and Ardquin (NIC 102622) Annual report, 2025
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RECRUITMENT AND APPOINTMENT OF TRUSTEES (SELECT VESTRY)
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 ™~s Parish of Greyabbey and Kircubbin pays the rector a stipend and allowances in accordance with diocesan instructions. The Parish of Ballyphilip and Ardquin meets forty percent of the cost.
ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE
The select vestry is responsible for the day-to-day management of the parish and consists of the rector, 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 the clergy who are resident in the parish are ex officio members of the select vestry.
The select vestry is chaired by the rector or other member of the clergy officiating in 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. The Select Vestry met eight times during the year: the average attendance was sixty percent.
STATEMENT OF TRUSTEES’ RESPONSIBILITIES
The trustees are responsible for preparing the trustees’ report and statements of receipts and payments and 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 £250,000 requires 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:
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