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Financial Report 2007

For St. Richard's, Chichester, Our Lady of the Assumption, Bosham

I am pleased to be able to introduce a Summary of the Financial Report for 2007. This is coming to you slightly later than usual due to the busyness around the Golden Jubilee celebrations! For the same reason, we are not having an open parish meeting this Summer, but we hope to have such a get together early in the Autumn. Once again I would like to thank parishioners for their ongoing generosity both to parish funds and the charities we support.

The figures show that year on year we are operating at a slight surplus, but there is no significant cushion for capital expenditure. In fact once we have paid for the internal reordering of St Richard's (phase one) and helped to finance the new facilities for the Bosham church, there will be very little left in the coffers. In order to pursue the desired developments both at St Richard's and Bosham, we will need to engage in some serious fund-raising. Mass goers from Our Lady of the Assumption Church will already be aware of the energetic scheme to raise funds for a new toilet/kitchen block. The proposed extension at St Richard's is rather more ambitious. We will begin fund- raising for this in earnest after the completion of "phase one" and a further consultation on the proposed "narthex" design - so watch this space! Finally, as ever, I would like to thank the members of the Finance and Buildings Committees who do so much invisible and unsung work behind the scenes. Without these dedicated people, the Parish simply would not be able to function.

Father Kieron O 'Brien - Parish Priest

The Finance Committee

Mr. Kevin Jamieson (Chairman), Fr. Kieron O'Brien, Mr. Gerry Farrell (Treasurer), Miss Yvonne Bishop, Mrs. Jill Serna, Mrs. Helen Cookson, Mr. Peter Bulfield

On behalf of the Parish our thanks to all who were able to support the cost of running St Richard's and the church at Bosham last year, especially those who used the Gift Aid scheme. The tax rebate will increase our income by £15,563. Put it another way, as we have to balance the books each year, without the £15,563 we would have to curtail parish activities in line with the reduced income.

We don't expect you to give more than you can afford, that would be unfair. But it would help if more parishioners used the Gift Aid scheme. If you pay tax, all we need is your name and address for the Inland Revenue. It doesn't matter if you are in your first job, retired on a pension, have an irregular income, can't afford to give much. Whatever you give, we can claim the tax back and use it to help run the parish. It's your parish, please continue to support it.

Kevin Jamieson