Maria Holcombe, Finance Manager
A new calendar year also heralds a new financial year, where usually the team would draw a line across old finances and start to work from fresh new year budgets. This year’s budgeting has been particularly challenging, as the pressures of the cost-of-living crisis, inflation and general cost increases we are all facing on a day-to-day basis is also being felt within the church’s finances. This has meant a delay in getting the budgets approved, as the budget had to be reworked several times as we seek to find the balance of providing great services for the St Mary Redcliffe community and to strive to make this a great place to live and worship; but are mindful that the church only has finite resources and so need to ensure every pound is being spent wisely.
This time of year also means we are busy reflecting back across 2023 and producing the final management accounts of the year, the financial statements and the Trustee’s Annual report (TAR) in preparation for our annual audit in March. Once audited the TAR and financial statements will be available for circulation at the AGM and will also become a public document celebrating the successes of St Mary Redcliffe.
All the above could not be achieved without the help of our fantastic finance volunteers Dominic Hewitt, Temi Garrick and Pat Stevens whose efforts and assistance are invaluable.
Breaking News! We welcome Janine John, as finance assistant, who will be with us for a year, one day a week, due to the Parish Administrators maternity leave. Janine will assist with managing the high volume of transactions and allow time to ensure processes and policies are in place for the future.
