St Joan of Arc – Parish Finances 2024
As part of our fundraising drive in 2025, the Finance Committee would like to share with you a summary of the Finance Year 2024 position for complete transparency over the costs of running our Parish.
The ATTACHED REPORT show our surplus income for the year and working cash. We have also outlined our general running costs such as heating, maintenance and our Parish running costs including pastoral costs. These costs are incurred in working with our youth, sick and those in need. In addition, we are required to contribute a levy of 33% of our weekly offertory collection to the Diocese, to support in its running costs. At a high level, we are not running an overdraft, but our day-to-day costs, i.e., those costs we do not have choice over, (heating, lighting, repairs, maintenance and levy) are in excess of 75% of our weekly offertory income. We are relying on specific donations and legacies to fund the majority of our pastoral and Parish working costs, allowing us to be the vibrant Parish we are and remain open to all.
Each week our offertory collection goes towards the running of the Parish and our contribution to the Diocese. Any surplus is directed towards emergency Church repairs, such as the recent heating repairs needed, and other ad hoc costs that every household incurs. However, we have unfortunately some exceptional costs over and above these ad hoc costs that we now must find additional money for, these are as follows:
The Church Roof
As many of you are aware, our Church roof needs urgent repair and restoration. It has served us faithfully for many years but now the nails and battens are failing and need to be replaced as the tiles are in danger of falling and causing injury. We are retaining the tiles but even with this efficiency the roof repair is estimated to cost £300,000 (excl VAT). Due to the urgency, we are presenting a business case to the Diocese for a loan with an agreed repayment plan. However, this loan is based on 2% interest and will be contingent on the repayment plan being met. We currently have £56,642 in the development fund we can allocate towards the roof costs; however, it is not enough and therefore we need your help and support.
St Joan of Arc Stained Glass Window
This window at the entrance to Church brings delight to all visitors, from the children looking at the colours and light as the sun streams through, to those finding inspiration, guidance, or solace in its beauty. Sadly, areas of the window have failed, allowing rain and damp to further deteriorate the structure. This needs urgent repair if it is to be saved. We hope you agree that it should be preserved to provide a beautiful welcome to the Church for many more years. However, due to the additional health and safety requirements needed for this work, the costs are estimated to be in the region of £40,000 (excl VAT).
For you to do
Those with a current standing order
1) Accept our sincere thanks for keeping us going
2) Review your financial position and consider changing the amount. In the current environment reducing the amount may well be appropriate.
Those without a standing order
1) Know you are loved and will be welcomed regardless of anything that has gone on before.
2) If you don’t already have one, complete a standing order form, copies in the porch.
3) and if a taxpayer why not Gift Aid it
Questions
Talk with me or other members of the finance committee outside church or contact me in your own time.
Jim O’Donnell jimandjane.odonnell@btopenworld.com, 01252 782802
Contact: All enquires about Standing Orders, One off donations, Gift Aid or any other contributions should be emailed to Anne Connolly, anne.connolly4321@gmail.com
Standing order –this is the best way of giving to the Parish, it helps to ensure a regular flow of income, and helps the parish finance committee in its planning and budgeting. To set up a standing order, download Standing Order Form. If you are eligible for gift aid please download Gift Aid Form. To amend your existing standing order, please contact your bank. Email this form to Anne Connolly, anne.connolly4321@gmail.com or hand it to Father Simon at Mass.
The Parish account details are:
HSBC
Account: St Joan of Arc
Account Type: Business
Sort code: 40-05-20
Account number: 41077473
Gift Aid PARISH GIFT AID FORM
The Development Fund account for the roof and stained glass window details are:
HSBC
Account: Farnham St Joan of Arc Parish Centre Fund
Account Type: Business
Sort code: 40-05-20
Account number: 31269437
Gift aid PARISH DEVELOPMENT GIFT AID FORM
One-off donation: Please transfer the money as above direct into the parish bank account.
Gift Aid: If you already make your donations to the Parish under the gift aid scheme, please give your gift a number as a reference in the bank instructions. If you can't remember your number, please email Anne Connolly, anne.connolly4321@gmail.com.
Alternative: if you don’t have the facility to make payments electronically, cheques or envelopes can be dropped into the letter box by the glass door of the Centre.
Thank you for your continued support
Jim O’Donnell, Chair of the finance committee
Finance Committee
The Parish Finance Committee is responsible for providing advice and support to the Parish Priest. As well as matters relating to parish income, expenditure and capital, its responsibilities include the maintenance of parish property, ensuring conformance with Health & Safety regulations and dealing with licensing and agreements. Its members are:
Chair: Jim O'Donnell
Vice Chair: Rachel Bonser
Parish Priest: Father Simon Dray
Parish Accountant: Rachel Bonser
Gift Aid administrator: Anne Connolly
Property maintenance: William Woellwarth
Fund Raising: Volunteer sought
200 Club: John Dick
Other Members: Adrian Hargrave
Collection, counting and banking rotas
In addition to the above, members of the committee are involved in several other areas of parish activity including fund raising. They can be approached on these and any other matters relating to the parish's financial, property and legal interests.
Gift Aid
Let the Taxman contribute towards your contribution to the Church.
The Government introduced a revised Gift Aid Scheme in April 2000 allowing any Taxpayer to make Charitable contributions by either Bankers Order, cheque or cash. This allows us to claim back the tax element at the basic rate of (22%) on any contributions you make to the Church at the Offertory, 2nd and special collections. If you would like details, please e-mail the Parish and one of our Gift-Aid Officers will be pleased to provide you with details. Click to download a PARISH GIFT AID FORM or PARISH DEVELOPMENT GIFT AID FORMof Please return it to Anne Connolly, anne.connolly4321@gmail.com.
200 Club
Members contribute £12 a year and have the chance of winning a £50 prize each month or a £100 prize twice a year. The money goes towards defined projects in the parish. Contact Liz Owen, stjoansoffice2@btinternet.com, put '200 Club' in the subject line.
Fund-Raising
Our main fund raising requirement is for Building Maintenance, see below. To meet this debt we hold regular fund-raising social events and we also look for outright gifts and bequests.
Fund raisers are required. Do you have any experience or expertise or enthusiasm? If so, please contact the parish office, stjoansoffice2@btinternet.com, put 'Fund raising' in the subject line
Gifts and Legacies
Please remember your Church in your Will? Your Catholic Church in Farnham has benefited from legacies over many years-- for example:
The generous bequests from the Borelli family funded the original altar and improvements in the Church,
Half of the cost of the Parish Centre came from the substantial legacy from the Wright Family.
In recent years we have received some legacies which have gone to benefit the current generation of St Joan's parishioners. Looking to the future, we ask that you consider making provision in your will, to aid future generations of worshipers at St Joan's. Click here for more details on How to make a Bequest
Here is an example of a Typical Wording of a Codicil to an existing will.
I give to the Trustees of the Arundel and Brighton Diocesan Trust of Bishop's House c/o The Philip Howard Centre Crawley RH10 6RP, being registered charity Number 252878 [the sum of £............free of tax] [...............% of my residuary estate] on trust for such charitable purposes in connection with the Parish of St Joan of Arc, Farnham in the said Diocese, as the Trustees shall in their absolute discretion think fit, and the receipt of the Financial Secretary or other officer of the Trust shall be a full discharge to my executors in respect of the same.
Bequests to the Diocese of Arundel and Brighton
You may like to consider making a bequest. Get more information - How to make a Bequest