Finance and Fabric Committees

Our parishes are funded by the generosity of our parishioners and  each requires around £1,000 per week to support our Parish Priest, cover routine running costs and maintain our church buildings and grounds.    As with any other endeavour there is a continuing need to increase our income and ensure value for money in our expenditure in order to keep up with ever increasing costs, particularly relating to energy costs and  maintenance of our  church building and grounds (St Patricks Church is grade 2 listed and this increases maintenance costs and the time taken).

We thank all those who are able to give to the parishes in many different ways.

How to Give Financially

If you would like to give financially, you can give by:

    • Standing Order

      • Each parish has its own standing order form which can be downloaded from here:
      • Please complete the downloaded form for your parish and hand it in at the Church, or Parish Office
      • You can use online banking to set up a standing order using the account details on the above form if you prefer but please complete and return the Gift Aid Declaration part of the form  before doing so if you are eligible to do so (see below).

    • Online donation.

      • Follow the relevant link below to donate online (or click on the donate button on the home page).

Donate to St Patricks

Donate to St Marys

      • It is possible to make a Gift Aid Declaration when giving on line.

    • Card machines in the church

      • Debit/credit card readers are available close to the doors into/out of both churches.
      • It is possible to make a Gift Aid Declaration when using these machines

    • Offertory cash donations

      • Offertory collection boxes are available at weekend masses.
      • It is possible to Gift Aid your cash donations if you place it in a completed Gift Aid envelope available on the table as you enter the church.

Gift Aid

Most of our income comes from offertory giving and donations. Over half of this is given under the government’s Gift Aid scheme. which forms an extremely important part of our income.  ‘Gift Aid’ boosts our income by 25p in every pound at no cost to the Parish or its parishioners.   ‘Gift Aid’ can be applied to all contributions whether by bank standing order, online payments, card payments or as part of a loose collection, all that is needed is a signed declaration.

Gift Aid Declaration (St Patricks)

Gift Aid Declaration (St Marys)

… and a record of what has been contributed (maintained by the treasurer/Gift Aid Secretary).  For more information on Gift Aid please contact:

  • For St Patricks – The Treasurer: Vic Steadman,
  • For St Marys – The Gift Aid Secretary: Paul Gosling, or
  • The Parish Administrator, Teresa Gosling

The Parish Finance Committees

Extracts from the Diocesan Parish Administration Manual

Canon Law requires every parish to have a Finance Committee. The role of the Committee is to advise and support the parish priest in the administration of the parish. The Committee’s role is advisory, it cannot assume control or act independently of the parish priest. The members must also be fully aware of the confidentiality required by them. The Committee has no executive powers and all correspondence with the Diocese should be authorised through the parish priest.

Guidelines for the operation of a parish Finance Committee are as follows:

a. Membership

The committee should consist of all parish clergy together with at least three lay people appointed by the parish priest. The parish Treasurer and Gift Aid Secretary would normally be members. In general, a mix of members with property, legal and financial skills between them is desirable. …..

b. Meetings

Meetings should be held at least two times a year to discuss parish financial matters. Minutes should be recorded in writing, retained for a minimum of six years and should be made available for audit. … Decisions can be reached by simple majority of those present providing the parish priest agrees. However, in instances where the priest overrules the majority opinion, a copy of the relevant minute note should be sent to the Diocesan Financial Administrator. ….

c. Role

The Finance Committee should set and monitor an annual budget for the parish and oversee the work of the parish treasurer. The Committee must be consulted by the parish priest over any exceptional expenditure, i.e. expenditure not regular or routine. This includes expenditure over £5,000 (excluding VAT) for any purpose, project or linked projects, or any expenditure on listed buildings, or buildings within a conservation area, both of which require prior approval from the Trustees. In the event of exceptional projected expenditure, the Finance Committee should be vigilant to ensure that the parishioners are consulted insofar as this is practicable, and that the advice they give will represent what they have discerned as the general will of the parish.

Membership

The current members of the 2 Parish Finance Committees are:

St Patricks St Marys
Fr Michael Fr Michael
Vic Steadman, Treasurer and bookkeeper Brian Clark, Treasurer and bookkeeper
Pete Ross Paul Gosling, Gift Aid Secretary
Enoch Agyepong Teresa Gosling

Finance Reports

Canon and charity law require both parishes to publish annual financial reports to their donors and benefactors.  The following reports cover the period 1 Jan 24 to 31 Dec 24 (the calendar year).