St Mary's Radcliffe on Trent

PCC met on 3 March. Nine members were present. 

The General Fund stood at £4,553 at 3 March. 2008 Parish Share payment is on schedule, totalling £9,300 by the end of February. We still anticipate paying the full Parish Share within the calendar year. 

The Fabric Fund now stands at £348, but an invoice for £235 has been received for repairs to the churchyard/British Legion wall. British Legion has agreed to pay half the cost of the repairs. 

The building of the new St Mary’s Hall has progressed well over the past month and is now expected to be completed by the second week of April. We will then have about a month to finish as much of the interior as possible before the formal opening by the Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham on 18 May. In particular work will start installing kitchen equipment in early April 

£452,826 has been paid towards construction costs. The Appeal Fund stands at £11,798 in the bank and £360,000 in the money market. Further fund-raising events are planned by the Appeal Team, including a dinner at Ashmores and one or more coach trips in the Summer. We are very pleased to report that an anonymous donor has offered to give us sufficient funds to buy a new piano for the hall. 

We have written to the Parish Council advising them that as the churchyard has been formally closed we wish them to assume responsibility for its up-keep and maintenance with effect from 1 August 2008. 

Concern was expressed at the small number of young people and children, especially those under 7, attending Sunday ministry. 

Next meeting: Monday 7 April, 7.30 pm. 

Staffing: - We are still looking for a second Churchwarden and a PCC Secretary.

However we are pleased to report that Lyn Sugden has agreed to assume the position of Child Protection Officer, for which the PCC is most grateful. Lyn will replace David Hancock whose work for well over a decade in this sensitive area is greatly appreciated by the PCC.