2025-12-31-annual-report

Rossorry Parish Church Trustees’ Annual Report For the year ended 31 December 2025

The trustees present the annual report and accounts for Rossorry Parish for the year ended 31 December 2025.

Reference and Administration Details

The reference and administration details of the charity are as shown on page 3.

Objectives and Activities

Objectives

The charitable purpose of the Church of Ireland is the advancement of religion. The principal function of Rossorry Parish Church 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 has custody of property and of records, materials and artefacts of significance to the cultural and religious heritage and maintenance ofwhich[is] undertaken by the select vestry of the parish.

Safeguarding

Rossorry Parish adheres to Safeguarding Trust, the Church of Ireland Child Protection Policy. It also follows Church of Ireland guidance to ensure compliance with General Data Protection Regulations.

As part of our Safeguarding Trust two applications have been made to Access NI for a new Sunday School teacher and staff member. In the autumn of 2026, all Sunday School teachers will be due to renew their training. In the Parishes last audit (2024) for Safeguarding and the Parish Panel and Select Vestry were highly commended for their vigilance in all matters of Safeguarding.

Achievements and Performance

As a Parish Church with a clear Anglican identity, Rossorry Parish aims to be the spiritual home of all our parishioners regardless of age. To achieve this, we offer a variety of services of worship and activities.

Following the Church Ireland census of 2024, we see that our Sunday morning service attendance is holding well at an average of 130. This is supported by a Mid-Week service of Holy Communion and Healing Prayer which has an average congregation of 22. The

Rector, in ministry, is well supported by a Diocesan Reader and a Parish Reader who both regularly support the leading of worship each-week. Both of these Readers are currently studying for the Ordained Local Ministry through The Church of Ireland Theological Institute. Pastorally the Parish is also supported by a Diocesan Pastoral Assistant who has a list of the sick and elderly ensuring that they are visited once a quarter. As part of our pastoral service the Ministry Team presided over 8 Baptisms and 24 funerals.

The Parish family and wider community, along with divine worship, benefit from the use of the Parochial Hall. This includes our own Sunday School, Youth & Adult Organisations, along with a number of community-based groups. The Parish Sunday School is growing with 35 children on our registers. They operate under a team-teaching model and as part of their programme, each year, preparation for a diocesan Sunday School competition.

The parish supports those in need both locally and further afield through its donations to missions and charities. The parish has made a number of charitable donations to our local Food Bank which the Parish continues to support through weekly collections, this initiative on a permanent basis. We also support our local primary schools to support needy families.

The Rector, who is Chairman of the Select Vestry, is also active on the Board of Governors of Jones Memorial Primary School and a Northern Irish charity, Water Drops, which enables water programmes in East Africa (principally Kenya). He is also the District Lead Volunteer for Fermanagh District, Scouting NI. The Select Vestry are aware of these positions. Other Trustees of the Parish also have interests in other Trusteeships, a register of which is kept by the Honorary Secretary.

The Parish have long planned for a new Parish Centre. This project stalled a number of times for various reasons, not least the Pandemic. The Select Vestry have, however, actively pursued this objective in September of 2025 work began on the building. As this project progresses the Select Vestry has appointed a Grants Committee and a Fundraising Committee in the hope of securing the final funds required to complete the project. In the opening of these premises and the consolidation of office space, meeting room, and chapel we hope to grow all aspects of ‘community’ within our own parish and the wider community.

Rossorry is privileged to have a magnificent parish Church as place of worship within a beautiful setting. The upkeep of this building and its environs is a key priority of the Select Vestry.

The parish enjoys very good community relations with its neighbouring churches and has a strong standing link with the local Graan Passionist Monastery and its clergy.

The activities outlined above demonstrate how Rossorry Parish continues to implement its charitable purposes (i.e. the advancement of religion) and meets the public benefit. Benefit to members of the public include contributing to spiritual well-being and reinforcement of Christian values.

Public Benefit Statement

The Parish’s 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 to achieve the Parish’s objectives as well as providing public benefit.

The Trustees of the parish confirm that they have complied with their duty under section 4(b) of the Charities Act (Northern Ireland) 2008 to have regard to the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland’s guidance on public benefit and that the public benefit requirement has informed the activities of the charity in the year ended 31 December 2024.

Financial Review

Financial Performance

The financial performance was in line with the Trustees’ expectations. The parish remains in a sound financial position at the year end. The results for the year are set out in detail on page 7 of the accounts.

Reserves Policy

The trustees have a Reserves Policy of holding four months running costs and one month’s salary and in 2025 holding a further £10,000 to cover any costs following the quinquennial inspection,

Structure, Governance and Management

Governing Document and Constitution of the Charity

Chapter III 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 Select Vestry

All members of the Church of Ireland who are over the age of eighteen 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 members 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 of office which may be served.

Pay and remuneration

The stipend of the Incumbent of the parish (the Rector) is paid in accordance with figures approved by the Clogher Diocese and the General Synod of the Church of Ireland.

Organisational structure

The Select Vestry is responsible for the day-to-day management of the parish. The Select Vestry consists of the clergy serving in the parish, the church wardens, the glebe wardens and generally not more than twelve other members of the General Vestry.

The Select Vestry is chaired by the incumbent 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 church wardens.

In 2024 the Select Vestry appointed a sub committee for Health & Safety, they are endeavouring to develop best practices in the management of our building and policies, and we commend them for their work so far.

In 2024/25 the Select Vestry met ten times, and the average attendance was 80%.

Following a vacancy of something over two years, the Select Vestry are delighted to have made the appointment of a new Office Administrator/ Financial Officer, In January 2025. The added portion of this role of Financial Officer is to enable and support the work of the Honorary Treasurer (a voluntary position) which is increasing in its time commitment and deserves the attention of an employee.

Statement of Trustees’ Responsibilities

The trustees are responsible for preparing the Trustees’ Annual Report and the Financial Statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

The law applicable to charities in Northern Ireland requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the incoming resources and application of resources of the charity for that period.

In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to:

• e select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;

• e observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP (FRS 102);

• e make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;

• e state whether applicable accounting standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements;

• ¢ prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in operation.

The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the parish's transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the parish and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act (Northern Ireland) 2008, the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2008 and the provisions of the Constitution of the Church of Ireland. 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.

Statement as to disclosure to our Independent Examiners

In so far as the trustees are aware at the time of approving our Trustees' Annual Report:

• e there is no relevant information of which the parish's independent examiner is unaware;

• e the trustees have taken all steps that they ought to have taken to make themselves aware of any relevant information and to establish that the parish's independent examiner is aware of that information.

Independent Examiners

Cavanagh Kelly, Chartered Accountants, have indicated their willingness to continue in office and a resolution concerning their reappointment will be proposed at the Select Vestry Meeting.

This report was approved by the Select Vestry on 23rd March 2026 and signed on its behalf by:

Mirs Lorraine Simpson (Honorary Secretary)