St Canice's Church Year Ended 31 December 2023 TRUSTEES, ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023 The Trustees presenl the annual report and statement of receipts and payments and assels and liabilities for Sl. Canice's Church for the year ended 31 December 2023. Objectives and Activities The charitable purpose of St. Canice's Church is the advancement of religion. The principal funclion is to support the advancemenl of Ihe Christian ieligion 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 is fundamcntal to thc practical dclivcry of the tenets of Christianity. As a result of activity in pursuit of the advancement of the Christian religion, the Parish has custody of a large body of records, materials. and artefacts of significance to the cultural heritage, the mainlenance of which is undertaken by the Parish as a secondary charitable purpose. Achievements and Performance 2023 was St Canice's first year since 2020 without any restrictions associated with the COVID pandemic. We were pleascd to notc Ihgt the numbers of people returning to church continued lo increase, as did the numbers of children attending Sunday School (JAMI. In September 2023, JAM moved to weekly from the fortnightly offering the previous year. We also introduced a Daybreak service once a month. targeted at young families. From 18th October. Midweek Holy Communion was reintroduced, designed to be wheelchair accessible and dementia friendly. 11 is difficult to offer regular opportunities to be together as a church family when we do not have a usable church hall. However, we held a number of successful events, including a Beetle Drive {Janu8ryl, a Reindeer Drive {December). and a Coronation lunGh (May), thanks lo the support of the local Orange Lodge who kindly lenl us their hall. We also enjoyed our annual parish bus outing in September, and a guided tour of Derry's walls in November. In October, we completed the lebratiOn of our 200th anniversary of Ihe church building with the interment of a time capsulè in lh9 church grounds, to be opened in fifty years, and the display of a Memory Cloth with parishioners, names embroidered on it. In terms of outreach to the wider community, we hosted a well-attended event on Saturday 22nd April examining the Enagh Lough crash during the Second World War. We also held a hugely Successful Pets, Service in October, attended by a significant number of well-behaved dogs, a firsl in the village. A series of Christmas events and carol services allowed us to present over 100 children's presents and £500 to the Salvation Army. The Select Vestvs business coniinued to be dominated by the planning for a new pansh centre to replace the parish hall which was badly damaged in the 2017 flood. In February, the Rector madp A presentation to parishioners about the current position. and continued to update them throughout the year. Significant progress was made during 2023. The asset of the field was sold in DeGeniber, with legal completion happening by January 2024. The parish, wilh Diocesan support, undertook enabling works that allowed us to protect our planning permission that had been due lo expire in January 2024. This was the single biggest risk to the project's success. We submitted a grant application to the Church of Ireland's Representative Church Body in Dublin. and also secured the offerofa loan from Community Flnance Ireland. We worked closely wilh Diocesan Committees lo lake the project forward.
St Canice's Church Year Ended 31 December 2023 Trustees Report 2023 contlnued... Parishioners committed to contribute to the church's Building Fund when it was launched in June 2021. By the end of 2023, the Select Vestry was pleased that parishioners had largely adhered lo their pledges, while noting that some contributors had died or left the parish. Nevertheless. the Building Fund remained on largel for 2023. An important contributor to the Building Fund is the income received from the parish thrift shop "New Beginnings. which opened in December 2019. As well as bringing much- needed addilional income for the church's Building Fund (£48,470 in 2023). the shop has proved to be an important part of St Canice's ministry in the local community- Its success is due to a team of committed volunteerg, and the quality of donations received from across the community. The Select Vestry decided in Dember 2023 to share grants of £500 each to other charities.. Foyle Search and Rescue, Sl Vincent de Paul, Londonderry Orphans, Society. the Methodisl City Mission, and the Bishops, Appeal. In this year, the parish also donated to the Bishops. Appeal for the Middle East, the Bishops, Appeal for Libya. an(J Ihe Earl Haig Fund. The parish prioritised recruiting a Youth Worker, a pr)sl to be shared wilh the local Presbyterian Church as a means of re-engaging young people. We were delighted in July 2022 to receive a grant of£10,000 from the National Lottery Community Fund. In conjunction with the Presbyterian Church, St Canice's has worked hard to identify a suilable candidate. Although we were unsuccessful in appointing in 2023, we continue to try to fill this important post. Public Benefft The expression of the precepts of the Christian religion through engagement with the general public, and in particular with the disadvantaged. the sick, the elderly and the young is a public benefit. This can be measured and evidenced through increased social integration and pastoral care delivered al the point of need. I he direct benetit of participation Church life includes the enjoyment of public worship and the giving and receiving of pastoral ministry. improved understanding of thp vAliJg.8 rp.IAting to e.ivic engagement, community cohesion and providing a bridge between diverse groups as well as improved educational oulcoiiies tlirougli Iliv Cliurbli'b Iviiriiblry vf teaGhing. The beneficiaries are the general public. The public valuation of the benefits can be evidenced through attendance al public worship, participation in Church governance. willingness to support through contribulions and the continuing witness of the Church. Thc widcr benefit to thc public will outweigh any detriment arising in the course of Christian outreach. Any private benefit arising out of the fulfilment of our Christian minislry or lo lay staff is essential to the fulfilment of the purpose of the advancement of religion. No Trustee receives remuneration. reward. nr nthp.r private benefit for CSArrying out their Trustee responsibility- Tlie direct b¥iiglil¥ nuwiriy fivivi tndinlenance of a tKKly or records. materials an(J artefacts Include Ihe provision of archive records, public enjoyment of cultural and hisloric buildinos and artefacts such as church plate, furnishings, and materials as well as an overall improved appreciation of longslanding Christian heritage. This is dcmonstralcd through on-going provision of access to record¥ and the u3e made of these records in, for example, research and genealogy, through conservation efforts in respect of records, property and artefacts and the subsequent and continued requests for access and use of our materials by wider society. There is no harm arising from the purpose. The beneficiaries are the general public. No private benefit is received by trustees fulfilling their trustee responsibilities in respect of these reGords, buildiiigs, or arlelabt>, but iii Ihe Gouf5e of Gon5ervalion and lo make these acce55ible to the public, the engagement of professional staff and services is essential but incidentsl to the fulfilment of the purpose. Compliance with Public Benefit The Parish has given caretul consideration lo the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland's guidance on public benefit to ensure that the activities entered into dljring Ihp. yp.2r h2vp hp.Ipg.d trt 2p.hip.vè. the Parish's objectives and activities. as 11 as providing public benefit.
St Canice's Church Year Ended 31 December 2023 Trustees Report 2023 continued... Financial Review Our total income in the year was £151,484 (2022.- £176,91 S) and this consisted of £72,758 (2022.. £77,806} in our General Fund (Unrestricted Funds), £74,417 (2022: £92,785} in our Restricted Fund and £4,309 (2022: £6,324) income from Endowments. Total expenditure for the year was £123,460 {2022: £92,860) of which £85,621 (2022: £84,363) was from General Funds (Unrestricted Funds), and £33.530 {2022- £4,697) was from Restricted Funds and £4.30g (2022.. £3.800) was from Endowment Funds. Trustees. policy on holding reserves It is the policy of the Trustees, thal unrestricted funds which have not been designated for a specific use should be maintained at a level eouivalent to Ihree month's expenditures. The Trustees consider that reserves at this level will ensure that in the event of a significant drop in inGome, they will be able lo continue with current activities while consideration is given to ways in which additional funds may be raised. Going Concern The Trustees have reviewe(i the bu(igets for the year ahead and are satisfied that there are adequate funds in place lo ensure that the Parish can continue its activities and the financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2023 can be signed off as a going concern. Structure, Governance and Management Governing Document and Constitution of the Charity Chapter111 of the Constitution of the Church of Ireland governs Parishes and Parochial Organisation. The Selecl Vestry members are the Charity Trustees. Recruitment and Appolntment of Select Vestry (Trustees) All members of the Churcli of Irelarid wliu vver tlie dge of 18 and are either resident within the parish or live elsewhere but have been accustomed members of the congregation for al 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 - -tand for election to thc vclcct vcstry. Meetings of the gcncral vestry are held at least once a year. The Select Veslry is elected as part of this General Vestry meeting. The Select Vestry hold their positions for a period of one year. SeleGI Vestry members may be re- elected annually and there 18 nn limil nn Ihp. numhp.r of terms which may be served. The general vestry meeting took place on 23 April 2023. Pay and remuneration Payments totalling £5,285 {2022'. £5,092) were paid to the incumbent member of clergy who served in the parish during the year for daily running cxpcnscs. Organisational Structure The Select Vestry a body af pp.nplp. elec.ted under the ConstitLltion of the Church of Ireland responsible for Ihe day-to-day management of the parish. The Select Vestry consists of the member of Ihe clergy ('the inGutnbent"> servin9 in the parish. along wilh 16 olher memt)er>. Tl)e Sel¥LI Ve¥try ib iebPQnSible for making decisions on matters of general concern and imporlance to the parish including deciding how parish funds are to be applied. It meets at times fixed by Ihe members. In 2023, the Select Vestry met seven times during the year. Their work was supported by a number of Sub-committees including a Finance Committee, a Hall Project Group, a Fundraising Committee. and a Parish Development Group. Statement of Trustees, Responsibilities The Trustees are responsible for prepaiing the Tiustees. Report and the statenient of receipts aiid payments and statement of assets and liabilities in accordance wilh applicable law and regulations.
it Canice's Church Year Ended 31 December 2023 The law applicable to chartties in Northem Ireland with Income of less than £250,000 requires the tFUStees to prepare a statement of receipts and payments and a statement of assels and liabilities for each financial year. The Trustees are responsible for keeping accounting reco5 Ihat are sufficient to show and explain the Parish's transactions and disclose WFth reasonable accuracy at any time the assets and liabilFiies of the Parish. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the Parish and henGe for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detedion of fraud and other ittegulartties. Signed on behalf of the Trustees Rev. Canon P Hoey Trustee Date: Mr. E Moore Trustee Date: