The PCC is the 'management committee' of our Parish and meets approximately 6 times a year.
Current members are:
Ex-Officio: Enid Powell (Licensed Lay Minister),Steve Keighley (Churchwarden), Jonathan Billings (Churchwarden), Caroline Williamson (Churchwarden), Lucy Hemmings (Churchwarden) Caspar Bush, Sarah Errington
Deanery Synod Representatives: Stan Anniss, Mary Pilcher-Clayton,
PCC Members: Richard Aldhous, Jack Robinson, Graham Spencer, Kevin Wells, David Munday, Jane Ridgwell, Kathryn Miller, Deirdre Aldhous, Eddie Sims, Mary Pilcher-Clayton
CALNE & BLACKLAND PCC Minutes of meeting - 14th May 2026
Present: Revd Caspar Bush(Chair); Stan Anniss; Richard Aldhous; Jonathan Billings; Phil Bond; Jenny Colby; Steven Colby; Alex Grenfell; Kathryn Miller;
Mary Pilcher-Clayton; Jane Ridgwell; Jack Robinson(Zoom); Graham Spencer(Zoom);
Kevin Wells – Jane Wells(notes) Apologies: Carolyn Burleson-Webb; Lucy Hemmings; Steve Keighley; Eddie Sims; Caroline Williamson
1 Welcome, Prayer: Caspar opened meeting with prayer
2 Minutes of meeting 25th March: agreed and signed as correct record
3 Matters arising: item 6: new lights installed in Church House
item 14: Friends Holy Trinity: ‘bank account to be closed’
4 Rector’s report:
i)ministry team update: Carly no longer serving curacy in parish;
Sarah back to normal working hours
ii)giving letter: distributed in St Mary’s
iii)Inclusive church: categories on Inclusive church website include: disability, economic power, ethnicity, gender/gender identity, learning disability, mental health, neurodiversity, sexuality - is it possible to be inclusive for all? Hilmarton is closest church signed up. ACTION: Benefice group to look at (case studies from churches etc) – if interested to join group, please see Caspar
iv)Almshouses: work needs to be carried out on almshouses – can a Portaloo for workers be placed in St Mary’s churchyard? PCC agreed this as long as no responsibility falls on parish. ACTION: Jonathan to be contact
5 Finance: Santander trustee issue still ongoing!
Gift Aid claim of £4K+ - £15K Share already paid with further payment imminent
Insurance renewals received – increase of 7% to £15924 – ACTION: Church
Wardens to check renewals are as required
6 Project 2026:
- Fundraising: 16th May organ afternoon; 6th June barn dance/auction;
27th June teddy bear parachuting
- Grant application: Andrew Clarke (bid writer) – grant funders usually require half funding to be in place– apply for ‘discrete projects’ – Lottery funding last
- Costs estimate: May 26 architect estimates show total works = £1.117million
Works now split into:
Stage 1: West End alterations (toilets;font;kitchen;flooring;drainage; lobby/porch;) =£418825 (without kitchen = £346950) – non Lottery funding
PCC provides 50%
Stage 2: Repairs roof (S chapel/vestry); decorating; Community engagement officer; solar panels) =£285K (PCC provides 15%) – Heritage Lottery funding
Some savings could be made (using pew backs for bi-fold cupboard doors?)
Chairs could be purchased in batches
Once works start, more donations? (Tenner for toilet postcards = £690 to date)
- Faculty/design/timeline: aim for permissions in place/tenders Autumn – start work early 2027. Preliminary faculty submitted – more detail to be provided on why and what we want. See attached letters
PCC passed (nem com) to pursue Stage 1 (including kitchen) and stage 2
- Architect: to be asked to produce full plans (ready to go to tender)
PCC passed (nem com) to instruct architects
- Implications: there will be impact on the church (lose West end social area – pews removed from South chapel/transept for use as new social area)
- Other faculties: bell – no further news from parish who want bell
Painting – is it in terrier & inventory? After discussion and action plan (Alex to contact Marc Alum) – PROPOSAL: In view of the proposal to reorder the South transept, the PCC has no wish to retain the large oil painting La Benedizione nelle Catacombe (The Blessing in the Catacombs) by Raffaele Faccioli(1845-1916) located here, and wishes to apply for a faculty to dispose of it appropriately. Passed. For - 13; abstention – 1
7 Buildings maintenance/churchyards: allotments - faculty being applied for
Spoil: spoil East end of 1964 area – removal will give extra space for ash burial – awaiting quote – PCC approve of the removal in principle subject to quote being accepted – prop: Mary Pilcher-Clayton; sec: Jane Ridgwell – passed nem com
8 St Mary’s Music update: report from Jemima Palfreyman (Director of Music) – post until end 2026 – 2 further £5K grants for Young Voices from Diocese (Aldhelm Fund) + £17k legacy available.
PCC agreed (nem com) to continue permanent Director of Music role
9 Safeguarding: report from Eddie Sims (Safeguarding Officer)
10 Worship, Prayer & Discipleship:
- Study groups – characters from the Apocrypha – June/July
- Saturday 9:30am prayer at St Mary’s – 23rd May; 27th June; 25th July; 22nd August
- Quiet morning – Saturday 20th June (10-1) – Compton Bassett – Teresa to lead
11 Unlocking St Mary’s update: appreciated by those who come in
12 Other groups: bereavement café – Liz Roberts to be volunteer coordinator
Mary’s makers – report from Tonia/Tamara
13 Other future events/services: 4th June – St Peter’s fundraiser – 7pm
6th September – St Mary’s Patronal Festival
12th September – Ride and Stride
26th – 29th November – Christmas Tree Festival
14 Deanery Synod: met recently – reports from the 4 Benefices and Light Church.
General Synod – elections coming up if anyone interested in standing – Deanery Synod members vote
Deanery Synod – open meeting – 17th September – Derry Hill(?) – Rev Dr Kenneth Hadley
Deanery Evensong – 22nd November – Heddington
Agricultural Chaplain – Mike Dickinson has been appointed
15 Partnership of Churches: PCC members encouraged to attend 6pm services –
19th July at St Edmunds; 25th October at Baptist (venue tbc)
16 Children/young people/ schools:
New HT Foundation Governor: Carolyn Burleson-Webb Prop: Steven Colby; Sec: Jenny Colby – passed nem com (Carly no longer Governor)
SMUFS – numbers reduced to only 7 on register – need to look at feasibility of SMUFS
17 AOB: St Mary’s North door – very heavy – visitors/congregation find difficulty in accessing church – ACTION: Building group to look at replacing closer
Edenbridge Festival – 22nd August at Bremhill Vineyard
18 DONM:
Standing: Wednesday 1st July PCC: Thursday 16th July
Wednesday 2nd September Wednesday 16th September
Wednesday 4th November Thursday 19th November