Minutes of the Parochial Church Council, St

6.2 Cellar flooding: Wilf had investigated, and carried out some baling. We need a proper hatchway to stop water leaking in.
ACTION: to be added to the works.

6.3 Rotas: more people are needed.
ACTION: announce in Church

6.4 Floor: parts of the floor of the church are getting dangerous, and need to be raised. John Pedder will be around and may help, with some assistance from us. Can we do this with the archdeacon’s permission?
ACTION: RD will find out.

6.5 Organ: this is in tune for the moment, but we have been warned that it will not hold its tuning well as the leathers have dried.

6.6 The piano has been tuned.

7. Finance report

(Wendy Cartwright- see also separate financial statement and draft accounts)

7.1 Our combined funds are about £18,000- almost enough to get started with phase II.

7.2 John Cartwright informed us that the roof fund was shortly to receive around £250.

7.3 This year’s parish share will be £10,010. Some discussion followed. We are unlikely to be in any better position to pay these than we have been last year, as we are caught between the urgent roof repair and the equally important requirement (albeit less urgent to us) to pay our diocesan contribution. CG has already written a letter explaining our position to the diocese (see minutes of previous meeting).

7.4 Count of attendance: Trish kindly undertook to take note of attendances for the requisite period (from the 26^th of January for 5 weeks).

7.5 The charitable giving subcommittee needs a replacement for Pat Franklin. Audrey Morgan volunteered, and this was approved with thanks by the meeting.

7.6 The draft accounts were examined and approved by the meeting after some discussion. Bernard Wood will audit them. Wendy was thanked for a most professional piece of work.

7.7 Victor Skinner asked if the draft accounts could be sent to grant awarding bodies in the course of funding applications. Wendy thought that this would be permissible if they were clearly marked as ‘draft accounts’.

8. Refurbishment Fund Committee report

(Victor Skinner)

8.1 In order to pay only 5% VAT, we need to pay for the next phase of works before April 2003.

8.2 Wyvern Trust is being wound up in 2003. We need to spend the money they have promised us as soon as possible.

8.3 The result of the appeal to Draycott parishioners has been disappointing. We are around £50,000 short of our total (it is difficult to be precise as there are a number of unknowns, such as VAT and the level of architect’s fees).

8.4 ‘Begging letters’ have been drafted to a number of grant awarding bodies. All require balance sheets (hence the question under 7.7, above).

8.5 We have investigated those married in the church over the last 25 years. All are still in the village, so have been covered by the current appeal. There seems to be no more mileage in this idea.

8.6 In the past, some have left the village to seek their fortunes in the US; if they can be traced, they might be induced to be generous.
ACTION: the website may have something to contribute here. Chris & Victor to discuss.

8.7 Our representative on the Strawberry Fayre Committee is Wilf. Note that we will have to pay for a pitch, and cannot expect special treatment. However, note also that in previous years, the committee has also made a donation that more than covers this cost.

8.8 Strawberry Fayre- Ideas needed for our stall (NB. Not a raffle, as in previous years this has been done by the cricket club, who provided some very good prizes).
ACTION: the subcommittee to discuss and decide.

8.9 We carried out significant and successful fundraising during 2002. A lesson learnt from this has been that the burden of ticket selling must be spread as widely as possible. We can’t always pick on the same people.
ACTION: Victor and the fundraising committee had PCC backing to approach any church members (and the PCC in particular) to get help in the next ventures.

8.10 The Barrie Rose concert gave us a profit of £760.80 to put into the restoration fund.

8.11 Donations have been placed in the wall safe on occasions, but there is no notice advertising its use as a collection point.
ACTION: CG to come up with a notice.

8.12 Trish was thanked by the meeting for a very successful and enjoyable day of fundraising on her birthday.

9. Magazine report

(Julie Brown)

9.1 More articles are needed (for March onwards). The distribution list also needs to be updated (Heather Robinson usually does this).

9.2 It would be good to have a regular School article.
ACTION: Thea will do what she can to pass this on to the school.

9.3 We could also do with a regular update on fundraising.
ACTION: Vic will get together an article.

9.4 Without the Franklins, there are two collection issues that need to be resolved: the Grapevine (from the Old Deanery), and copy from Julie to Mrs. Cuff.
ACTION: Colette volunteered for both jobs, and was thanked by Julie and the meeting.

10. School report

(Thea Oliver)

The School is preparing for an Offsted visit. An article will be written for the Magazine on the subject.

11. Website report

(Chris Green)

The meeting was asked about the suitability of the minutes for putting on the website. No changes were suggested.

ACTION: minutes to be published on the Website.

12. Worship

12.1. Visit by Lois Dingley on 9^th March. Lois will be here for 5 days. A Nepali Sunday Lunch is planned in church. The morning service will be at 11, and will go straight on to the lunch. At the lunch, Lois will speak about her life in Nepal. The tickets will be £3.50. After discussion it was decided that all the proceeds would go to the International Nepal Fellowship.

12.2. The Lent course is going ahead as an ecumenical venture in the Cheddar valley. We have yet to finalise the course, but it may be the York course offering for this year. The organisers are looking for venues and leaders.
ACTION: any willing to host/lead should contact Richard Dingley or Ann Wait.

12.3. Easter programme: the Passover meal is planned to take place as in previous years. On Good Friday there will be a meditation from 12-1pm at Draycott. A service of readings and prayers will take place at Rodney Stoke. No sunrise service is planned for Easter morning.

12.4. Other services:

· An evening praise service is planned for next Sunday (last in month) at 6pm.

· Mothering Sunday: Thea is organising this. It will probably take place at a later time. The school will want to support this. It has been mentioned to Rodney Stoke.

13. Dates of future meetings/ events

13.1 Next PCC meeting: Monday 3^rd March. Julie invites us to her house again. The meeting accepted with thanks. (The following PCC meeting will take place after the APCM).

13.2 Annual Parochial Church Meeting reminder: 6^th April (Sunday).

13.3 Fete: 21^st June. It was decided to combine the Fete with the pig roast. John Cartwright will organise, but needs a backup especially with door to door selling of tickets.
ACTION: a subcommittee of John, Victor and Colette will organise this event.

13.4 Next visitation: 20^th May at St. Andrew’s, Cheddar.

13.5 Churchwarden’s meetings: a monthly meeting of the four wardens with Victor Daley has started. The next is scheduled for Feb. 12^th.

13.6 Readers of Deanery: service at Draycott on Sunday 11^th May at 6pm. A catering group is needed (NB. There will be 15-20 readers).

14. Any other business

14.1 The Parish Council has told us that the gate needs some attention, as it is ‘not easily opened’. This is the responsibility of Mendip Council.
ACTION: the church wardens will decide whether there really is a problem.

14.2 John Cartwright requested that the Secretary find and provide a copy of past PCC minutes in which the transfer of responsibility of the churchyard to the Parish Council was recorded.
ACTION: CG to find and send photocopies to JC.

15. Closing prayers

The meeting was closed with a prayer by Victor Daley.

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