Registered Charity Number 1134777

Annual Report and Financial Statements of the Parochial Church Council for the Year Ended

31 December 2014

Incumbent:

The Revd Julian Francis

The Vicarage

Westbourne Road

Birmingham

B15 3TH

Bank:

Santander

Bootle

Merseyside

L30 4GB

Annual Report of the Parochial Church Council

What are the Parochial Church Council’s Tasks?

The PCC cooperates with the Incumbent in the whole mission of the Church. As part of the synodical structure of the Church of England, the PCC makes known and puts into effect any decision made by the Diocesan or Deanery Synods and gives advice to these Synods on any matters the PCC considers appropriate. The PCC is responsible for the financial affairs of the Church; the PCC draws up a budget and has the responsibility with the Incumbent of appointing, paying and dismissing paid officers of the Parish. The PCC is responsible for the care, maintenance, preservation and insurance of the fabric of the Parish church. The PCC is also responsible for the care and maintenance of the churchyard.

Vicar’s report

The year 2014 into 2015 began with the arrival of our new nave altar in April 2014. Across the year, its use on two Sundays in each month has become embedded within our liturgical pattern. In the worshipping, praying life of St George’s, there have been some highlights within the ebb and flow of the Sundays and the seasons. In the season of Trinity 2014, we trialled ‘Trinity Prayer’ on Wednesday evenings at six o’clock, saying the Common Worship Evening Office in the Lady Chapel with dedicated space for prayer for the parish and the needs of the world. This was very successful and gave birth to a complementary venture, ‘Lunchtime Prayer’, in Epiphany and Lent in 2015. This was a form of Morning Prayer from the Book of Common Prayer with discussion of successive readings from Mark’s gospel. These initiatives have been a welcome addition. In May 2015 we are also starting a trial of having a said communion service according to Common Worship on the Tuesdays when parish lunch takes place, thus once a month on the second Tuesday at 11.30am. Our hope is that these weekday opportunities for prayer and worship will be accessible to the daytime office and student community, as well as to those of us who have daytime availability as members of St George’s.

As a complement to the more formal occasions of Remembrance, All Saints and All Souls, Christmas and Easter, it has been gratifying to have had three very rewarding all-age Sunday services for the Nativity with St George’s Primary School in December 2014, the Celebration of Baptism in January 2015 and the Christingle Service in February 2015. These services require extra planning, preparation and coordination and we are very grateful to Lorraine, Aly and Suganthi and all their assistants for all their input. They are also a very important part of our outreach to young families, and in so far as we invite recent baptism families as well as Junior Church families to all these occasions, we are all the time attempting to broaden both the reach and appeal of our worship. It was a particular delight therefore to welcome sixty four people to the Crib Service this last Christmas Eve, 27 children and 37 adults. This should encourage us to continue to offer a significant number of family-accessible occasions through the year. With this in mind, I would also like to thank all our Junior Church leaders for their tireless efforts in providing stimulating activities for the children who come each Sunday. In particular we thank Kirsty and Heather Butler for their very consistent, generous and creative contributions in Junior Church right through the year. We are also very grateful to St George’s Primary School for their strong commitment to our partnership in working for

children. We thank Shirley Atkar and Bruce Warland, as Head and Deputy Head, for their continuing support and engagement with us as church and school working for the community.

Our worship would not be the same, of course, without its musical accompaniment. We have witnessed another year of outstanding leadership of music at St George’s from our musical director Phil Ypres Smith. We thank him and the Choir and the Dragon Consort for their consistent, dedicated and joyful commitment to the enhancement of many different types of worship. In connection with regular nave altar worship, we thank everyone for their flexibility and forebearance in meeting the associated acoustic challenges.

In July 2014, the PCC set new targets for our mission within the locality; to develop our work with schools, and to develop relationships with local partner churches, including our sister churches of the United Methodist Church (UMC) and the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church (EOTC) who worship at St George’s regularly. A new initiative of Fellowship Lunches among local churches began at St George’s in October 2014 and regular meetings are now taking place between ourselves and EOTC. These are small but really important steps in building trust, confidence and relationships across denominational, theological and cultural differences and in the quest to realise visible unity within the body of Christ in Birmingham. It is my sincere hope that we will continue to develop bonds of fellowship in the months and years to come. In respect of our work with schools, the PCC launched an initiative, ‘Serving our Schools’, with an open meeting on January 17th 2015. This has led to some exciting initiatives already, including our collaboration with St George’s Primary School through Eve Kirby and others in the launch of a school ‘youth club’ on Monday evenings. And we can look forward to further developments into 2015. We enjoy interaction with five different schools and we are keen to expand what we can do together. Another exciting venture has been the lunchtime concerts organised by Zoe Challenor and Phil Ypres Smith. These began in 2015 and followed on from two ‘Concerts for Ebola’ arranged at short notice by Zoe and Sara Clethero in support of Medecins sans Frontiers in December 2014. We look forward to how this important community initiative will develop into the future especially in connection with involvement from our schools.

The PCC report records the activities of the council across the year. In this report I would like to draw attention to the Funding 15 process initiated by the PCC, and led by Peter Millward. Through Funding 15 we have all been encouraged to review our regular giving towards the mission of St George’s. And we thank Peter and the group which has worked with him for bringing this matter before us sensitively and respectfully and keeping us focussed on it. We also thank everyone who gives so generously to St George’s. And if you haven’t yet responded to the appeal can I encourage you to do so. It is a sound financial base that allows us to undertake new mission initiatives and sustain our existing outreach. The PCC also owes special thanks to Carol Couse and Jane Darnton for the work they have been doing on our heritage lottery fund application for monies to undertake essential stonework and roof repairs. We will soon be having a fundraising evening towards this project in June 2015 followed by participation in an autumn auction with Biddle and Webb on October 17th 2015 also to raise funds. Do please support these events which Judy Dyke and Jane Darnton have worked hard to set up as they are an important part of our demonstration of commitment to the project. We also thank Biddle and Webb for the very generous terms on which we are benefitting from their assistance. As mentioned elsewhere, the PCC has received a report from the recent Quinquennial Inspection conducted by Chris Thomas our architect in September 2014. (This reviews the state of repair of the church building and furnishings every five years). In the coming months the PCC will be addressing how we undertake necessary repairs and improvements. And in this significant process, and the day to day upkeep of church, we thank

Carol Couse and the Fabric and Environment Committee for all their generous, tireless work on our behalf. Looking ahead, the PCC has been pleased to support a long process of planning towards a significant World War One event over the weekend of September 19th and 20th 2015. This will be a commemoration of Edgbaston’s involvement in World War One with a particular focus on the family of Sir Oliver Lodge, who lived at Mariemont, the house that once stood opposite church across Westbourne Crescent, whose son Raymond was killed in September 1915. We thank Jane Darnton for all her work and research towards this weekend which is due to include seminars and displays on Saturday 19th September as well as the church service at 10.30am on the Sunday. It is also planned for there to be the dedication of a Peace Garden at the Sunday Service which Junior Church has been working towards with collaboration from St George’s Primary School. We trust that this weekend will give us good opportunity to look back with deep thanks and look forward in hope.

Over the year, we have been very fortunate to have benefitted from the leadership of Marion and John as churchwardens, and we thank them both for their willing and thoughtful service in this significant role. As Marion is standing down at this APCM, we thank her in particular for the very generous service she has rendered. She has been a great support to the many functions that make for the smooth running of church, to the church office and to me as vicar. We appreciate particularly her sustained commitment to the role across a difficult period of family illness. We thank her for all she has given, and continues to give, to St George’s. In June 2014 we were delighted that Jenny Uff was accepted for Reader training. Already she is half way through the training and we wish her very well as she undertakes the required studies. It was a pleasure to welcome Susan Booth as PCC Secretary in September 2014. This allowed David Hill to retire after his generous years of service. We thank David very much for all of his input in the role at PCC meetings and APCMs, and for all the administration of PCC affairs that ensures the smooth conduct of parish matters. Between January and June of 2014 a significant interregnum existed in the church office. This was brought to an end when Mrs Marcia Cannings was appointed as Parish Administrator. Marcia started work on July 1st and it has a pleasure to welcome her into the St George’s community and we thank her for all of her dedicated work on our behalf. We also thank Carol Austin, Marion Clarke and Julie Abrahams for very generously covering in the office while an appointment was awaited and for their continuing assistance with different office functions.

One of the delights of the year was to have a vicarage welcome party on October 12th 2014 to which over twenty newcomers to St George’s were invited. It is always rewarding when new folk come and join us and we have been very fortunate in this regard in the past year. At the same time we are very conscious of those we have lost. From the regular congregations, three members have died across the year, John Challenor, Margaret Andrews and Philip Cox. In each case their funerals afforded memorable occasions to give thanks for their lives and witness and for the privilege of their friendship and fellowship at St George’s. We thank God for them sincerely and think especially of Sara, Zoe, Anne and Jo and all family members in their personal loss. As I write this I am conscious again of the great privilege it is to share in the worshipping, missional and fellowship life of St George’s. Thank you for your partnership in the gospel.

Reverend Julian Francis Vicar of St George’s Church, Edgbaston

Reports of Elected Officers

Report from the Electoral Roll Officer

At the beginning of 2014, there were 105 names on roll, of which 11 were resident in the parish. During the year, 3 were deleted due to deaths or re-location and 3 were added. At the beginning of 2015, there are 105 names on roll, of which 10 are resident in the parish.

Jenny Astley (Electoral Roll Officer)

Report of the Secretary to the PCC

The usual business of each PCC meeting has been to hear financial statements, to receive reports from PCC committees and other church groups and activities, and make any necessary decisions arising from these. Each meeting has been preceded by a meeting of the Standing Committee (Vicar, churchwardens, PCC vice-chairman, Treasurer, PCC secretary). It is the Standing Committee that agrees the agenda for each PCC meeting. Members of the PCC are ex officio or elected by the Annual Parochial Church Meeting. The members of the current PCC (2014-2015) are as follows (with retirement dates in brackets):Vicar: The Revd Julian FrancisChurchwardens: Marion Clarke, John HatchRepresentatives on Deanery Synod: Philip Couse (2017) (Vice Chairman), Ian French (2017), John Hatch (2017), Caroline Shaw (2017), Elected members: Doreen Beevers (2017), Andy Butler (2015), Carol Couse (2017), Maggi Cull (2016), Anne Game(2017), Simon Kirby (2015) Aly Merrifield (2015), Justin Pinkess (2016), John Russell (2016) (Treasurer), Charles Williams (2015), Pat World (2017), Phil Ypres-Smith (2016). Co-opted members: Susan Booth

The PCC met six times in 2014, with an average attendance of 12 members. As, in other years, 2014 has been a busy year for the PCC, as testified by the issues, activities and events documented below by the many PCC Committees and Church Groups, all of which are overseen by the PCC. Of particular note this year has been the recruitment and appointment of a new Church Administrator in July, also a new PCC Secretary. David Hill, after four years (this time) as PCC secretary managed to retire from the post when Susan Booth was appointed at the July meeting. David Hill was thanked for his many years of service in this capacity.

Copies of the agenda and minutes of each PCC meeting are displayed in the church porch. They are also available on the St George’s website. Susan Booth – Secretary to the PCC

Reports of the Committees (* indicates non-PCC member on membership of committees)

Finance Committee

The financial statements and reports can be found commencing on page 13

Education and Worship Committee The Revd Julian Francis (chair), Jim Berrow,   Julie Berrow,  David Hill,  Aly Merrifield,  Simon Kirby, Caroline Shaw,  Phil Ypres-Smith,  Jenny Uff

We were saddened to hear of the death, on 12th November 2014, of Margaret Andrews, our much valued past Lay Reader and former member of the committee.

During the year Jim Berrow has stepped down, and Julie Berrow and Jenny Uff (now a Reader in training) have joined. The Committee met 4 times in 2014.  We have been monitoring how we use the Nave Altar, and making various adjustments. We now use it mainly on the 2nd Sunday (with Dragon Consort) and 4th Sunday, (with Choir)   alternately with the High Altar, and Mattins on the 5th Sunday. We have much appreciated all the thoughtful preparation for  All-Age Services of the Word, such as Celebration of Baptism on 11th January . There have been some combined evening services, such as Compline by Candlelight, with the other Edgborne Group churches. We enjoyed the United Methodist Church sharing in our evening, Ash Wednesday Eucharist too.

The Committee has discussed services for major festivals and seasons and produced service booklets for them.  Three concurrent Lent courses are running.   There was a modified Evening Prayer on Wednesdays during Trinity 2014, and a Thursday Lunchtime Prayer from January to Easter in 2015.

The Home Fellowship Group for Bible Study has continued. Junior Church is flourishing, though with variable numbers. We thank all those who work so enthusiastically with the children. There are plans for Messy Church.

 World War 1 Commemorations will take place in September 2015.

Caroline Shaw

Fabric and Environment Committee

Carol Couse (Chair), John Austin*, Keith Herbert *, David Hill, John Russell, Jane Darnton*, The Revd Julian Francis

It was disappointing to receive the news on 17th June that we were not successful in our first-round submission for Heritage Lottery Funding. There is always the possibility to try again and learn from our first attempt. HLF has made some suggestions for improving our application and we shall continue to seek expert advice. The most important part of the application is the heritage aspect and we need to involve and encourage all those who use the church building to express their views and reinforce their commitment to share in the life of St George’s and to secure its future.

We do need to keep this goal in mind; the problem we have with the deteriorating stonework and the penetrating rainfall will not go away by itself. Our 5 yearly Quinquennial Inspection report was completed in September and makes for very depressing reading. The growing list of external masonry repairs since the last Inspection Report seems daunting but should be considered only in the context of St George’ mission over the next 20-30 years.

In the meantime, we try valiantly to keep the roof clear of fallen leaves and debris to enable rainwater to run away quickly and not build up behind blockages. This is not an easy task given the design of some of the earliest sections of the church roof. We regularly find blockages which cause water to penetrate the exterior stonework and work its way into the interior of the church. Maintenance of the roof is not helped by the very real fact that the only way up to the problem area is through a very unsafe small opening in the ceiling of the North Gallery. Employing a specialist access firm with the necessary equipment is the only way we have at the moment to get people up on to the roof to keep it clear and the trick is to get them on site before problems develop.

We also continue to have trouble with the electrical installation of the church and lose power on a regular basis despite having various firms in to try to solve the problem. Hopefully, the cause of this very disruptive irritation can be found soon.

Faculty was granted by the DAC for the purchase of two bespoke churchyard benches and these were installed at the end of August. This now completes all the works which the PCC has considered for the improvement of the churchyard but maintenance of the grounds and trees will continue to be a priority matter for the Fabric and Environment Committee.It was noted late in the year that the choir stall cushions were in a pretty deplorable state and the PCC authorised the purchase of new bespoke cushions for the two front stalls and the priest’s and reader’s chairs.

Carol Couse

Mission Partnership Committee

Jenny Astley*, Pat Bullock* and The Revd Julian Francis

The Mission Partnership Committee meets two or three times a year to organise support for the church’s mission locally, nationally and worldwide.At their last meeting on 2nd October 2014, a list of recipients for the parish Mission Tithe was proposed for approval by the PCC. Distribution was to be between Anglican Mission, Churches’ Mission and a range of charities.

Karis Neighbour Scheme was chosen as the Christmas charity for 2014, with supporting speakers arranged for Light up the World and the Office Carols in order to bring the description of Karis’s work up-to-date for our congregations.

From the charity list for 2013 Shelter, Water Aid and the Birmingham Settlement were removed for the coming year.

St George’s School was to be given a higher status on the list. Added to the list were: 1) ‘Feed the Minds’, a charity to provide education and support for women in the most

impoverished parts of the world;2) St John’s Eye Hospital in Jerusalem, providing eye-care and nurse training. It also runs

clinics in Gaza, these being the only eye-care centres for Palestinians.

For future reference Generation Ladywood, which brings music into the lives of children, and Al Ahli Arab Hospital, mission project of the Anglican Diocese of Jerusalem, are to be considered.

St George’s involvement with Malawi Link has been highlighted by an email from Richard Tucker regarding our link with South Lunzu. We are happy to keep up this link.

Jenny Astley

Social Committee

Carol Couse (Chair), Jenny Astley*, Pat Bullock *, Pat World

As usual, we began the year with the Breaking Bread for Breakfast for the 8:00 am worshippers followed by the Souper Sunday Lunch for the 10.30 am congregation. Both of these events have become very popular and we found the earlier event extending so long into the preparations for the later event that we are considering having them on different days in future.

It was St George’s turn to host the Churches Together annual Pancake Party this year and we decided to make it more of an event than in previous years. We thought serving up a selection of our famous soups to warm up a very chilly evening might be a good idea. Of course, we served the usual pancakes for dessert and another church added a fun quiz to round out the evening.

We had earlier decided to make it a fund raising evening and invited a representative of Water Aid to talk about the work of the charity. We succeeded in raising over £700 in gift aided donations and a raffle. All in all, we considered the evening a welcome change and were very pleased with the result and the goodwill it generated.

Sadly, the St George’s Day picnic had to be cancelled because of its close proximity to Easter and the schools holiday which meant that St George’s Primary would not be able to take any part in the music and entertainment which has become such a focus for the day.

We hosted another Bring and Buy sale in September and, again, raised a goodly amount for church funds.

Harvest Lunch was another successful event. Because we were so oversubscribed last year which created a lot of problems, we decided to limit numbers to 50 this year. This worked really well and meant that everyone enjoyed the day more without overcrowding and with plenty of food to go around. We organized a splendid raffle which was very well supported.

Our special Christmas Raffle of Champagne and Chocolates was also very popular and our gift tea towels are still selling well.

Although we are such a small committee and are not meant to be a fund raising arm of the church, we are very pleased to report that with all the various events we planned during the year, we were able to raise over £1,200 for the church.

Carol Couse

Reports of Church Activities

Bible Reading Fellowship 

The number of people who receive BRF notes is gradually decreasing.  Seven people receive Guidelines and eight take Daylight.  I would be pleased to order more copies if people request them.    

Eve Kirby

Caroline’s Table

 The PCC has kindly invited me a write a report about ‘Caroline’s Table’, as named by Carol Couse’s splendid notice board. Inspired by the Social Committee’s ‘Bring and Buy sale, and also by finance appeals to keep St George’s Church standing, I have been holding regular mini sales since last spring. Offerings include oat cookies, fudge, cards, Easter chicks and bags, plants and allotment produce. Plus tea towel sales.

Mrs Anne Kenrick has regularly produced seedlings and lavender bags etc, and many ideas. Grateful thanks also to other people who have provided items, and to those who have included an extra donation. I am grateful to the coffee makers for saving me grounds and tea bags for my blueberries, and to those who give me their compostable kitchen waste – most valuable! I am surprised to be able to hand in £50 every few weeks.  The total is now over £1,000, thanks to your generous buying and giving!

Caroline Shaw

The Children’s Society

St George’s continues to give financial support the vital work of the society, which has several projects running in the city.

January is our box opening month and this Year we raised £663.19 thanks to the generosity of our box holders.

In February we hosted a Christingle service which made £90 and I visited Year 1 at St George’s Primary school to teach them about the work of The Children’s Society and make Christingles.

Pat Bullock

Christian Aid

Our main supportive effort is Christian Aid Week and in May 2014 we raised the final total of £4767.75 [including Gift Aid, for which we are very grateful]. Thanks are due to the legion of collectors, givers, cooks, quizzers and calculators who made this possible. We are a star church for the Birmingham area in achieving our consistently good annual totals.

The total accumulates from the house-to-house collection in our usual roads and the holding of our two extra events. In 2015 there is a multi-church evening quiz on 8th May and the soup lunch, on offer to regulars of the luncheon club and all the extra guests who can manage to be with us on 12th May. This year, Christian Aid week is May 10th – 16th 2015.

The church is on the list of emergency responders for emergency appeals from Christian Aid and this year gave to the refugees in Syria.

Jane Darnton - Christian Aid Organiser

Edgbaston Deanery Synod meetings 2014

The  members  of  the  Deanery  Synod  are  Julian  Francis,  John  Hatch,  Ian  French,  and  Caroline  Shaw.   There  were  meetings,  at  different  venues  ,  in  June  and  November  2014,  and February  2015.  After refreshments,  the  meetings  open  with an  act  of  worship. There  have been  some  very  interesting  talks,  including  ‘Issues  on  Poverty’  ,  the  Diocesan  ‘People  and  Places – Growing  Younger  Strategy’,  Chaplaincies,  and  presentations  on  the  various  courses  run  by  different  churches 

Caroline Shaw - Deanery Synod Representative

Junior Church

Children’s Ministry: Scripture Union remains a valuable resource to date, with some leaders also linking Junior Church with liturgy during worship in church.

Scripture Union is a strong baseline to work from and has a defined structure that suits the 10:30 Sunday Worship timings.Aly Merrifield and Suganthi Daniel continue to assist Reverend Julian with the planning and preparation of All Age Services, providing a much needed link with Junior church families; they also, when possible, try to attend Education and Worship Committee meetings.

Leaders: Our current team of leaders are : Aly, Suganthi, Judy, Lorraine, Eve, Louise, Heather and Kirsty. More volunteers would be most welcome.

Thank you to all leaders again this year; in particular Kirsty and Heather Butler for their increased involvement and contribution to Junior Church sessions.Kirsty was able to offer valuable feedback from her attendance at a Children’s Ministry training course in March – part of the Dioceses ‘Growing Younger’ Transforming Church initiative, more of this is to be discussed at the next Junior Church meeting.

Thank you to Lorraine Graham too for organising last year’s Nativity and liaising with St Georges Primary School.

As well as enthusiasm, care, attention and commitment to our children at St Georges our leaders all have relevant occupations and credentials that bring variety and interest to the sessions ( as well as being parents/ grandparents/aunts etc!) – which we are grateful for and value each persons contribution.

Junior Church meetings: Junior Church leaders meet twice a year officially, however for All Age services, special services such as Harvest or links with school or special projects – we find it essential to increase meetings as and when necessary.

Attendance: Attendance continues to fluctuate; family attendance at All Age services has increased due to families being contacted via letter or email from the church office in good time, ahead of the services.

Junior church welcomed 19 children on Easter Sunday, our thanks go to Rev Julian and Jane for inviting families to their lovely garden for their annual Easter Egg Hunt – the children absolutely loved it and for the grown- ups it allowed for some much needed extended fellowship time & a jolly good catch up!

We had good attendance at the Crib service and a small number at Good Friday All Age service, all were able to play a part in the service on these occasions.

Forthcoming events and projects: Junior Church meeting to be held in May, Agenda to include:

‘Growing Younger’ feedback & planning going forwardSummer outing/picnicMessy Church

Junior Church would like to give thanks to the encouragement and commitment that Reverend Julian and our church family gives us, and also to the wonderful children that attend, we are privileged every Sunday to experience God’s love through their eyes and shared fellowship with each other.

A Merrifield - Junior Church Co-Ordinator

Joined-up Reading

The group, which continues to meet on a Monday evening once a month, usually attracts about seven people.  Most of us are from St. George's, some, however, are from St. Agatha's, St. Augustine's.  We read a book and discuss it. Books read during the last year include: 

"How to be a bad Christian" by Tomlinson."Our Church" by Roger Scruton."People of the book" by Geraldine BrookesMusic at Midnight John Drury, the biography of George Herbert. Pippa's Progress    Simon Parke  (a modern-day Pilgrim's Progress.)   Young British and Muslim by Philip Lewis with a foreword by Jon Snow In the Beginning (concerning the King James Bible) by Alister McGrath.

Eve Kirby

Prayer and Share

A small group meet every few weeks to follow a pattern of shared prayer, six times in 2014. After a reading to give a focus, we pray together in silence, then, as far as participants wish to, share what we have felt or been concerned about. The meetings are open to all, and are included in the weekly pew sheets, besides direct invitations to any who may wish to try it.

Jenny Uff

The Parish Magazine

The Parish Magazine continues to carry out its normal function as a medium for parish news, views and records, and to publish articles of church and general interest, circulating among the congregation and old friends who wish to keep in touch, besides library and archive collections and other outside bodies. Not much further progress has been made in increasing the circulation around the local community beyond what was done last year. Eleven issues are published each year, monthly with a double issue in July and August. This year the magazine continued to be free, charging only for postage and relying on advertisement revenue only. I am grateful to the advertisement manager David Allen, whose efforts make this possible. More copies seem to be taken from the rack in church than used to be the case. Thanks are due to a small number of regular and occasional contributors, but there are still are months when I seem to be writing most of the material myself and I would welcome further contributions, and perhaps differing points of view. Once again I am grateful to our printers, Bromsgrove Printing Company.

Justin Pinkess – Editor

Safeguarding Group The Safeguarding Group was set up in response to the CofE decision to implement safeguarding in all parishes in 2013.  This includes a Safeguarding lead for Adults and another for Children.  In our parish the safeguarding group consists of the Vicar, Jane Francis for Children and Pat World for Adults, and the two churchwardens.  Not everyone would be involved in a given situation but those are the people to whom decision making is limited in the parish.  Confidentiality is a primary concern as is the principle of support for anyone in the parish who is in a vulnerable position.  Policies and procedures were developed and have been reviewed this year by JF, Jane F and PW.  These policies are kept in the church office and can be accessed as needed.  Any parishioner can contact the respective Safeguarding lead directly if they have a concern or worry about the safety of someone in the parish.   No Safeguarding work has been undertaken in these areas in the past year.  The bishop has identified clergy in the diocese who can offer advice or support if we need it in a given situation as we are advised to contact them directly.  We are all familiar with the Safeguarding procedures and have attended training in the appropriate area since this process was introduced and will attend updates when they become available.   This principle of Safeguarding is being imbedded into church policies and procedures in other areas.  PW has attended a training at the Cathedral in March on the principles of Safeguarding in Recruitment for volunteer posts in the church.  The process for recruitment, briefly, must consist of the development of a Role Description; completion of an application form including provision of references which must be taken up;  interview for the post if that is needed;  application for a DBS check if appropriate for the role; and the provision of support and supervision as required or need once the person takes up the role.  The priest in charge is responsible for this process, particularly the checking of references and application for DBS checks which is crucial for Safeguarding.  PW has agreed to work with JF to develop Role Descriptions for volunteers as appropriate within the next few months.

Pat World

Sewing Group

In October this year the Sewing Group will be 16 years old although one of our members has never used a sewing needle preferring to use knitting needles. Between us we have been repairing and sewing labels into school wear, everyday repairs from moving buttons and replacing zips, elaborate embroidery to celebrate births, special birthdays and anniversaries and above all we have been enjoying ourselves!

At the end of July 2014 eleven of us made the journey, on a very warm day, to Upton House near Banbury. We spent the morning in the gardens, enjoyed lunch in a shady spot and then toured the house. There was very little embroidery or needlework in the house but there were many lovely things to be enjoyed including the music in the Long Gallery. Carol Austin

PCC Financial Responsibilities

In relation to the financial statements, Charity law requires the PCC to prepare financial statements for each financial year, which give a true and fair view of the state of the PCC’s affairs and of its financial activities for that year. In preparing the financial statements, the PCC are required to:

a) Select suitable accounting policies and apply them consistentlyb) Make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudentc) State whether applicable accounting standards have been followed, subject to any

material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statementsd) Prepare the financial statements on a going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to

assume that the PCC will continue.

The PCC are responsible for keeping proper accounting records, which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time, the financial position of the PCC and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act of 1993. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the PCC and for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

Risk Management

The PCC keep under review the major strategic and operational risks which they face to ensure that systems have been established and all necessary steps have been undertaken to minimise these risks.

Reserves Policy

It is the policy of the PCC to maintain the general fund, which represents its free reserves, at least at a level which approximately equates to between six and eight months unrestricted fund expenditure at current levels. The PCC believes that such a level of reserves is needed to ensure that their ongoing commitments can be met.