“Friends of St Edmund’s Church”

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The “Friends” do sterling work, fundraising for the upkeep of our historic Norman church building. If you would like to join “The Friends of St Edmund’s” and support them, please contact the Secretary here to ask for more information and to obtain a membership form

NB- THIS YEARS ANNUAL OPEN WEEKEND WILL TAKE PLACE ON 26TH-28TH AUGUST.

WATCH OUT FOR ANNOUNCEMENTS.

FRIENDS OF ST EDMUND’S AGM 2017-ALL MEMBERS ARE INVITED

See below for the Agenda for this year and the minutes for the AGM 2016- Paper copies will be displayed in St Edmund’s and may be collected from there if wished.

Email- doreen.gazey@btinternet.com

Dear Member/s

You are cordially invited to the Annual General Meeting of the St Edmund’s Church Building Trust to be held on Wednesday 17th May 2017, 7.30 pm at St Edmund’s Church, Church Road, Wootton.

Please advise if you are unable to attend.

Yours sincerely

Doreen Gazey

Secretary, Friends of St Edmund’s

 

AGENDA

1.            Welcome and apologies for absence  

  1. Minutes of the last Annual General Meeting -these will be displayed in both churches for prior inspection.
  2. Acceptance of the minutes as a true record.
  3. Matters arising.
  4. Chairman’s Report
  5. Secretary’s Report
  6. Presentation of Accounts
  7. Adoption of Accounts
  8. Appointment of an Independent Examiner
  9. Election of Committee Members

Following the Annual General Meeting a general discussion may take place.

 

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 2016

WEDNESDAY 18th MAY 2016

7.00 pm at

St Edmund’s Church, Wootton

 

PRESENT

CHAIRMAN David Bennison

TREASURER David Poore

SECRETARY- Doreen Gazey

Mary Peters, Margaret Harris, Yvonne Gilbert, Vivienne Loveless

APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Revd Veronica Brown, Anne and Ian Scovell, Lynn Peppit, Rosemary Thomas, Rosemary Price, Anthea Leslie, Nicky Broadsmith, Kay Mcarthy, Sue Robson, Linda and Richard Marlow, Ruth Boulton, Dawn Simmonds, Margaret Frost

 

  1. WELCOME AND APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
    The Chairman welcomed all those present. He stated that he had two items of business not on the agenda.
    A list of apologies was read out, including a message from Rev Veronica Brown
    The first extra item- The Chairman paid tribute to our former Chairman, David Simmonds who had died in July 2015. Gratitude was expressed for the dedication and service, which had kept St Edmund’s and the Trust going. He had understood the importance of the church and community working together.   He had been a founder member of the Trust and had approached every role he undertook with integrity and commitment.
    AGREED That the Secretary should write to Mrs Simmonds expressing the appreciation of the membership for all that her husband David Simmonds had done.
    ALL AGREED
  2. MINUTES OF THE LAST ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING –copies had previously been supplied to members and displayed in the churches.
  3. ACCEPTANCE OF THE MINUTES AS A TRUE RECORD.
    The Chairman asked those present if it was their wish the minutes be accepted as a true record
    ALL AGREED
  4. MATTERS ARISING. The Secretary reminded those present that Mr Tim Genower had offered to fund a facsimile reprint of his father Revd Genower’s history of St Edmund’s. A final decision had been delayed owing to concern expressed about the sales. Mr Genower had decided to fund the print of 250 copies and had suggested that the books could go on sale at the Open Weekend at a reduced price for the weekend only.
  5. CHAIRMAN’S REPORT– the chairman reported briefly about the most recent project work on the electricity supply to a standard sufficient to ensure a Safety Certificate. Roof repairs would be required in the near future/
  6. SECRETARY’S REPORT
    FRIENDS OF ST EDMUND’S- SECRETARY’S REPORT 2015-2016

During the last year the Management Committee of the Friends of St Edmund’s has met three times. Topics discussed have been –

  • Appointment of two new Trustees
  • Appointment of officers of the Committee, David Bennison was elected as Chairman following the death of David Simmonds
  • Appointment of new committee members
  • Times of meetings.
  • Projects, completion of exterior repairs, agreement to fund necessary electrical work. Consideration of future projects.
  • The Open Weekend 2016
  • Other means of Fundraising –Events, greeting cards. Reprints of the History of St. Edmund’s ( the best means of promoting this is still under consideration.)
  • Finances.
  • Publicity.
  • Arrangements for the AGM.
  • The Annual Newsletter.
  • The 20th Anniversary of the founding of the Trust.
  • Donations received

CORRESPONDENCE

  • To Pauline Kirby re her resignation
  • To the Secretary PCC re request for funding, work on the electrical system
  • Thank you letters to donors

FUNDRAISING

Sale of cards, notepads, mugs etc.

EVENTS –

  • Open Weekend 2015. This was a successful event. Help is always appreciated.

For the Open Weekend 2016 we will as usual need help with stewarding, delivery of flyers etc. Donations of refreshment items will be appreciated.

The Secretary concluded with grateful thanks to David Simmonds for his support over the years and to the members for their generosity and support.

Questions were invited. There were no questions.

The Chairman then mentioned the second item of business not on the agenda. He expressed appreciation to the Secretary for her hard work and dedication over the years, which had contributed to the success of the Trust. He requested that this should be minuted.

  1. PRESENTATION OF ACCOUNTS
    The Treasurer presented his accounts for the year ending May 2016 copies of which were supplied to those present.POINTS RAISED
    The most recent project- improvements to the electricity system was now complete. The cost was £2090. After payment for the work the sum remaining in the Trust account was about £5000.
    The programme of works specified at the 2010 Quinquennial was now complete. A further programme had been specified in the 2015 Quinquennial. The roof required repairs, the cost was not as yet known.
  2. ADOPTION OF ACCOUNTS

PROPOSED   David Bennison

SECONDED   Viv Loveless
That the accounts for 2015-2016 should be accepted.

ALL AGREED

APPOINTMENT OF AN INDEPENDENT EXAMINER
PROPOSED David Poore

SECONDED Doreen Gazey

That Peter Robinson should be appointed as the Independent Examiner

NOTE The examiner should not be a member of the Trust. Mr Robinson was Treasurer for St Mildred’s, Whippingham and was known to the Committee. the income of the Trust was below the point at which an Accountant was required.

  1. ELECTION OF COMMITTEE MEMBERS

The Constitution specified that Committee members should serve for 3 years and then retire or be re-elected. David Bennison and Margaret Harris were due to retire in 2016. Both of these being willing to stand they were declared elected to the Committee .

PROPOSED   David Bennison

SECONDED   Doreen Gazey

That Erica Hall and John Terry both of whom had put their names forward should be elected to the Committee

ALL AGREED

There being no other business the Chairman declared meeting closed at 7.30pm.

Refreshments were served and an informal discussion followed.

 POINTS RAISED

Possible projects were work on the roof, removal of unsightly pointing from the exterior walls, removal of moss on the roof tiles. Since moss absorbed a great deal of water, which could freeze in the winter this could help prevent frost damage.

The Chairman pointed out that the steady programme of work over the 20 years since the foundation of the Trust amounted to a stitch in time. Unless anything more was required this meant a relatively inexpensive programme could keep St Edmund’s in good repair. The possibility of a lightning strike was mentioned, as St Edmund’s did not possess lightning conductor. It would be worth checking the terms of the insurance policy.

 

Celebration Cake

Celebration Cake for our 20th Anniversary

STOP PRESS

New -In autumn 2016 we received the results of the latest Quinquennial ( or 5 yearly inspection ). The report flagged as urgent the necessity for roof repairs. Tiles needed to be replaced and moss to be cleared away. Moss absorbs water, which when it freezes cause damage to the tiles , thus causing leaks.In addition guttering needed to be cleared and repairs made.

We are pleased to announce that work is now complete. Most of it will not be noticeable unless you walk round to the rear of St Edmund’s but is nonetheless vital.

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WORK IN PROGRESS

Grateful thanks to all whose support has made this possible.Watch out for details of Fundraising events.

 

NB if you wish to help with fundraising or to learn more about the Trust please contact the Secretary.see above

THE FRIENDS OF ST. EDMUND’S-

How it all started

THE ST EDMUND’S CHURCH BUILDING TRUST

A brief survey

Due to changes within the Church of England there was in the mid 1990s, a threat to close some churches. Wootton , having two buildings serving the same Parish was vulnerable.

St. Edmund’s Church building could not be expanded, so that the sister church of St. Mark’s would become the main worship centre, and St. Edmund’s would be made redundant and closed.

Because of this possibility, the Archdeacon of the time, the Revd. Tony Turner suggested that we set up the St Edmund’s Church Building Trust , a charitable Trust to help maintain the building and keep this valuable spiritual and historical heritage for the village.

In the event of the church being declared redundant under the Pastoral measures Act the Trust would have legal rights regarding the use of the building.

The Trust was launched at our first Annual Open Weekend, August Bank Holiday 1996. A Friends section was initiated whereby members of the public could join and produce support and funding for the Trust, with a Management Committee as controlling agents.

The Trust Deed was produced in July 1997 with the legal expertise of Tony Turner and  Peter Smith. David Poore became the Founder Trustee with Parish Councillors, Mrs Maureen Stolworthy and Mrs Roma Hames as co Trustees.

During the years since then the Trust has been able to fund approximately £46, 000 worth of repairs and renovation. Most of the funds have been raised through the generosity of our members and sympathisers.

PROJECTS HAVE INCLUDED

  • plastering and repainting of interior
  • Fitting security window grills
  • repair and rehanging of the bell.
  • Construction of a new vestry staircase to the organ loft.
  • re-plastering and painting of the vestry
  • repair of two of the set of four lancet windows in the chancel. The leading had decayed and the glass was bowing , creating holes through which the wind blew, often down the necks of worshippers. The other pair were last repaired in the 1970 s following a spate of vandalism.
  • Repair and reconstruction of two buttresses.
  • repairs to exterior stonework.
  • The North Churchyard Wall-Mr Tony Redfern kindly donated his labour to repair this wall which was in a poor state

TO JOIN THE FRIENDS OF ST EDMUND’S PLEASE DOWNLOAD THE FORM BELOW, FILL IT OUT AND SEND TO THE ADDRESS GIVEN

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