CHURCH FINANCE

As with most Parish Churches, particularly rural ones, finance is never far from our minds. Fulfilling today's need to build our own faith and to give others in the community the opportunity to hear the good news of the gospel, whilst also maintaining an ancient building, will always be a challenge. To date we have never failed to meet that financial challenge. It is our firm policy to restrict fund raising to the maintenance and improvement of the Church and Churchyard, since we believe that the giving of those who are committed members of the Church should be sufficient to pay the day to day cost of running the Church including the payment of our Parochial Share. We currently have a number of restricted funds to ensure that when we raise money or seek donations those who support us can be sure that the money will be spent as intended. We have a FABRIC FUND for the maintenance of the building itself; an INTERIOR FUND for improving the Church interior including replacing the heating and lighting and a CHURCHYARD CAPITAL FUND to allow us to replace mowers etc. DONATIONS WOULD BE WELCOMED TO ANY OF THESE FUNDS AND CAN BE SENT TO THE CONTACT ADDRESS (Cheques payable to Claydon & Barham PCC)

· In 2008 giving to the Church’s general fund through the weekly collection, monthly standing orders and annual gifts averaged a record £460 per week. For 2009  we have a target of £499 which we set at the beginning of the year.

· During 2008 we reclaimed £5663 in tax related to giving under the Gift Aid scheme.

· The total day-to-day cost of running the Church in this parish in 2008 was £36,963 and our total income for the year was £37,552. These figure do not include the cost of repairs or improvements to the building or surrounding grounds. Nor do they include income from fundraising events held specifically to fund such costs, such as the Open Air Band Concert, the annual Fete and Christmas Bazaar.