Running five church buildings, and all the events they contain is a challenge financially. Our current forecast budget for 2024 shows an anticipated deficit of around £49k. Here's the summary of where we expect money to come from, and how it will be spent across 2024:
(The more detailed version can be found here.)
The only way we will be able to break even is to underpay our Parish Share (the money sent from parishes to the Diocese, so that the wider church costs, such as employing clergy, can be met). This is not a sustainable solution.
It should be noted that this is only the general revenue budget (i.e. the day to day running costs) - it doesn't include fundraising towards specific charities, or building/capital projects, those are accounted for elsewhere as self-contained and restricted funds.
If you're interested in helping us meet the financial challenge, then firstly a massive thank you for supporting church financially. Without your generosity we simply would not be able to afford to remain open.
The best way to donate to us is through the Parish Giving Scheme. This nationally managed scheme allows you to give to your church by direct debit, and automatically claims Gift Aid (GA) for us if you are eligible without any admin locally – which can make the difference between GA being claimed or not. This adds 25% to the value of your donation, and makes a huge difference to your church. This really is the most effective way of financially supporting your church as it enables us to budget effectively, knowing what regular income we have; and see the boost of GA with no additional time or work. You can set up eitehr a one-off or a regular donation through PGS by visiting their website just here, or over the phone by calling 0333 002 1271, and using Parish Code 460646082.
If you'd rather give through our website, you can do that right here: