Annual report of St Mary’s Church

St Mary’s Belstone Report for 2025 to the Annual Parish Meeting of the Parish Council.

Presented by Mr M Ash as Church Warden

During 2025 the works for the building were just awaiting full permissions from the Planners and the Diocese in order for the next stage (of obtaining grants etc) to proceed therefore it tended to be a rather consolidation year in this respect.

Our Vicar the Reverend Prebendary Stephen Cook retied at the start of the year meaning that the parish entered what used to be known as an Interregnum, now a Vacancy. This involved the Parochial Church Council members preparing various summaries, reports, and descriptions to enable an advert to be placed in the Church Times. We are happily able to report that due to the work and all those who attended the Interviews Clair Reynold was appointed to the position and took up her role in January this year.

Because of the Vacancy the PCC had to manage more paperwork and basic work in organising the services and behind the scenes work. Our thanks must be extended to all the retired Vicars and Lay persons who stepped up to help out. Most of the services were well attended by a steady if small congregation supplemented on special occasions by large numbers of others. The Crib Service was a star of these involving over 100 people packed into the church along with a Sheep or 2.

Whilst we have tried to keep everybody informed about what the PCC s doing highlighting the works and the new fence, which we must thank Dick Norrish for fitting for us. The appeal for plants or funds to help us buy them to make this a colourful and bird friendly addition to the church yard seems to have fallen on Deaf ears.
Within the Church Yard apart from the fence, we have reduced the height of the Cypress tree in the front of the building to reduce the wind sail effect and the damage to surrounding graves. The Holly at the rear of the building has been coppiced to allow more light into the church, to stop damage to the roof and allow what sun we get to help dry the wall. Other trees have been tidied to help our neighbours and the church yard generally by letting in more light and warmth.

This is only a very brief overview of some of activities undertaken by the Parochial Church Council on YOUR behalf in keeping the Church building and services alive. I must thank them all for their work during this difficult year.