The Parish of Upper Coquetdale Parish Profile a Statement Prepared by the Parish of Upper Coquetdale PCC

Home , Alnmouth, Alwinton, Harbottle, River Coquet, Rothbury, Sharperton

The Parish of Upper Coquetdale

February 2018

The Parish of Upper Coquetdale in the Diocese of Newcastle

Key: Diocese and individual parishes- red outlines Alnwick Deanery - black outline Upper Coquetdale Parish - shaded blue (the white area is Kidland, population 7, which is outwith the parochial structure).

St Michael and All Angels Alnham; St Michael and All Angels Alwinton; Christ Church Hepple; St Mary the Virgin Holystone; All Saints Rothbury; St Andrew Thropton The Parish of Upper Coquetdale Parish Profile A statement prepared by the Parish of Upper Coquetdale PCC

Summary 2 Introduction 3 Section 1 Our parish 3 People 3 Places 4 Community life 7 Section 2 Our church life 11 Pastoral arrangements 11 Our congregations 12 Traditions and services 16 Ministry 17 Church-based activities 18 Section 3 The wider context 22 The Diocese of Newcastle 22 Alnwick Deanery 22 Neighbouring parishes 22 Ecumenical relationships 23 Section 4 Our church buildings 24 Section 5 The Rectory 29 Section 6 Finance 29 Section 7 Our hopes for the future 30 Growing together 30 A new incumbent 32 Annex A Data dashboard 35 Annex B 2016 approved accounts separate pdf

Summary Where we are  One of the largest parishes in Newcastle Diocese at c150 square miles, much of it ‘remote rural’ and in the Northumberland National Park  A population of nearly 4000, slightly older than the average for the diocese. Around 2400 people live in Rothbury (the service centre), the rest in scattered villages, hamlets and dispersed dwellings. New development in Rothbury is bringing in younger people, not yet reflected in church attendance  A vibrant and wide ranging community life  An ability to enjoy ourselves, especially when food and cooking are involved!  A united benefice and parish with three parish churches and three daughter churches, all but one listed; five schools of which two are Church of England schools both becoming academies in April 2018  There is a range of services and worship, moderate and liturgically based, mostly Eucharistic; two Fresh Expressions (Messy Church and Growing Church)  In addition to the incumbent and House for Duty Assistant Priest (part time), there is one Self Supporting Assistant Priest (Headteacher at one of the C of E schools) and four (soon to be five) retired clergy with PTOs.

Where we’ve come from  Deep historical and cultural heritage born of 5000 years of continuous occupation with strong local loyalties to individual settlements and churches, which is both a strength and a challenge in working together  The parish was created in 2004 and in 2011 a Pastoral Scheme put in place a single PCC and three DCCs. These arrangements are still developing as we seek to strengthen a whole parish approach by growing together whilst respecting the distinctiveness of individual churches and communities  Strong ecumenically based outreach through Upper Coquetdale Churches Together (established 2004) providing opportunities for us to engage more with local communities  Since 2012, refurbishment and renovation work has included Hepple church roof and drainage, All Saints organ, Thropton windows, a sound system and dry rot treatment at Alwinton and new lighting at Holystone. HLF funding has been approved for a major refurbishment project at Alnham (work starts early summer 2018).

Where we’re going - our hopes for the future  Growing together, a desire to grow spiritually, recognise and build on our many strengths, celebrate our faith in more varied worship, grow together as one parish and bring God’s love to a new and wider community  Developing our capacity and confidence - not least our ability to turn thinking and ideas into effective action, by working together, valuing each others’ skills both in day- to-day activity and in major projects (eg restoring and reordering our churches)  Becoming more outward looking both within and outside the parish.

Introduction The Parish of Upper Coquetdale lies approximately 30 miles north of Newcastle upon Tyne and stretches to the Scottish border. It is a surprising place with a deep and varied heritage born of 5000 years of continuous settlement, still evident in the landscape, buildings and cultural traditions. http://coquetdaleanglican.org/ At around 150 square miles, most of the parish is classified as ‘remote rural’. It is one of the most sparsely populated areas of the country, largely unspoilt hill and moor country. Much of the parish is in the Northumberland National Park. It includes part of the active Ministry of Defence Otterburn Training Area, and the whole length of the River Coquet and its banks from source to sea is designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest. Recent television and radio series have attracted a growing number of visitors and holidaymakers who are unfailingly delighted by the area’s rich natural and cultural heritage. Upper Coquetdale is truly a very special place!

Section 1 Our parish People In 2011 the parish had 3954 people (Census data) - 27 people per square mile. The average for England is 1050 people per square mile. Whilst the population is older than the average, official data shows that the rate of ageing is very much in line with the national rate of change, perhaps reflecting the impact of new housing in the western part of the parish:

 17% of the population is aged 0 to 17 years (England 21%)  56% of the population is of ‘working age’ (18 - 64) (England 62%)  26% of the population is 65+ (England 16%).  there is very little ethnic mix  70% of people describe themselves as Christian  life expectancy (83 male, 89 female) is amongst the highest in the diocese (although this is lower than for the country as a whole). Overall, the parish ranks 7890 out of all 12,554 Church of England parishes on the Index of Multiple Deprivation (i.e. it has a lower than average level of deprivation and is relatively wealthy compared with other parishes in the country and the diocese). As elsewhere this

3 masks a significant range. On all the poverty indicators (child, working age and pensioner) the parish is amongst the lowest (i.e. least affected) in the diocese. Employment in land-based primary industries such agriculture, forestry and quarrying at Biddlestone continues, although numbers are much reduced. Diversification into tourism related employment continues and the dominant sectors are now construction, retail and motor repairs, public administration, education, and health and social work. A significant proportion of people work mainly at or from home although increasingly people commute to surrounding towns (Alnwick, Morpeth) and to Newcastle and Tyneside. Whilst unemployment is low so are average wages. Alongside this there are pockets of considerable wealth in some of the major land Harvesting a traditional hay meadow in estates and elsewhere. There is very little the valley crime or anti-social behaviour although there are other stresses and strains in rural areas, including physical and social isolation. In addition to local families whose roots in the area go back many generations there are more recent residents. These include young families and couples and, whilst the children attend the local schools, they may find it difficult to find time to participate much in village or church life. Another group is newly retired or semi-retired, often professional, people who have made - and could afford to make - ‘lifestyle choices’ to live in a beautiful place which values community life. Temporary residents are also an important group including second home owners, holiday makers staying in local hotels, pubs and B+B establishments and holiday lets, campers and caravanners (both static and touring). Places

The parish is geographically dispersed with villages at Rothbury, Thropton, Hepple, Holystone, Harbottle, Alwinton, Netherton and Alnham, and a number of hamlets and outlying farms. Although traffic volumes are low, many roads are single carriageway and used by quarry and logging lorries, heavy agricultural vehicles and at the west end of the valley some military vehicles. If you wanted to drive from one end of the parish to the other it might take an hour, but the scenery is spectacular and always a joy! Superfast broadband connectivity is improving rapidly. There is good mobile phone reception in Rothbury and immediate surroundings but no coverage further up the valley. Rothbury had a population of around 2,400 in 2011 having grown by 20% since 2001. It has been identified for local growth, with nearly 200 new properties built over the past 10 years and planning permission granted for a further 140. As well as retired people, this is bringing in younger people, mostly families or couples, many working outside the village. http://rothbury.co.uk/ Rothbury & Coquetdale. Past and Present. As the principal service centre for Upper Coquetdale, Rothbury is well served for a village of its size. Shops include the Co-op supermarket and a Mace store, Boots the chemists and a wide range of independent stores. Vacancies, when they arise, are taken up fairly quickly, often related to tourism. A new farming and outdoor supplies outlet has opened on the industrial estate south of the river, joining a builder’s merchant, engineers, garage and bakery. There is also a starter centre for new businesses in the village centre. Church Street Rothbury on a Fair Day

Services include doctors’ surgery, police station, vet, banks, library, post office, swimming pool, gym, cycle hire, hairdressers. There is also a good choice of social venues - pubs (many serving food), cafes, restaurants, hotels, a fish and chip shop and other takeaways; plus a Parish Hall and the well- appointed Jubilee Hall with performing space and meeting rooms.

A parish celebration in the Jubilee Hall On the south side of the river there are two permanent caravan sites which are well used all the year round. These add to the local economy, particularly the shops and eateries. About a mile north east of the village lies Cragside, the former home and estate of Lord Armstrong. The first property in the world to be lit by hydro-electricity, and dating from 1870, it is now owned by the National Trust.

Cragside is popular with tourists (around 230,000 annually), contributes positively to the local economy, and the grounds are also well used by local people. Thropton (population 450) is 2 miles west of Rothbury. It has two pubs, both with popular restaurants and one with a monthly folk club. The village shop and post office are due to reopen in early 2018. Thropton has a well-used Memorial Hall which recently achieved Warm Hub accreditation. The former URC church is now a recording and concert space http://www.coquetdalemusictrust.com/ and this year held its first series of concerts. At the west of the village outline planning permission has been given for 60 new dwellings (including affordable homes) and a mixed development of five refurbs and new bungalows is coming on stream at the east end of the village. Hepple is halfway between Rothbury and Alwinton. A former estate village for the Buchanan-Riddell Estate it has a church, post office, an active village hall and 25 houses. There has been inward movement to the village over the last 10 years or so and a strong community spirit. Together with outlying properties the population is around 150. Alwinton lies at the edge of both the MOD Otterburn Training Area and the Northumberland National Park. It is roughly 10 miles from both Rothbury and the border with Scotland and the Pennine Way. Alwinton's social and cultural life centres on the church and pub. It has a number of small and micro businesses including mechanics, heating, B&Bs and holiday cottages. Alwinton The wider area of Alwinton includes the villages of Sharperton, Harbottle with its Church of England first school, village hall and pub, Holystone (post office, the Lady’s Well and St Mungo’s Well) and Netherton. The Catholic chapel at Biddlestone, run by the Historic Chapels Trust, has been beautifully refurbished and has occasional services including the popular candle-lit Advent service which this year attracted around 60 people. Together with scattered hamlets and Harbottle Show farms the Alwinton area has a population of around 700. Alnham lies on the eastern edge of the Northumberland National Park. It has Saxon origins and about one third of the houses in the village are second homes or holiday lets. It remains primarily a farming community although there has been some inward movement of late 6 resulting in property refurbishment for permanent residents. There is a good mix of age groups and the community is very supportive of the church. The area centred on Alnham has a population of about 100. Community life Schools Educational provision is good and remains 3 tier, appropriate to a dispersed rural area. There are currently four first schools. Rothbury, Thropton and Netherton Northside are rated good by Ofsted; Harbottle Church of England (Aided) First School is rated outstanding both by Ofsted and by Anglican and Methodist Inspectors (SIAMS). The Headteacher at Harbottle school is a Self-Supporting Priest (SSM) licensed to the parish and closely involved in community and church life. The Headteacher at Netherton Northside School is a longstanding Church- warden at Alnham. These roles appear to have a positive impact on the number of schoolchildren and families attending special services. Dr Thomlinson’s Church of England Middle School (Aided) in Rothbury serves the whole parish and is rated good by Dr Thominson’s C of E Middle School Rothbury Ofsted and by SIAMS. http://www.harbottle.northumberland.sch.uk/website

http://www.drthomlinson.northumberland.sch.uk/website Local clergy regularly lead school collective worship and take part in special services such as Harvest, Saints Days and end of term services and are involved in a wide range of social activities. The Rector of Upper Coquetdale is an ex-officio member of the Board of Governors of both Church of England schools and all of the PCC nominated Foundation Governor positions are filled. Learning about Simeon and Anna Ways of strengthening links to all the schools are currently being explored and recognised as increasingly important. In October 2017 proposals were published for Harbottle and Rothbury C of E schools and Thropton school to join the Three Rivers Learning Trust and convert to academy status. This reflected the changing education landscape and the need to secure the future viability of the valley’s schools through greater and more formal collaboration. This change for the two C of E schools is supported by the Diocesan Board of Education, and mindful of the realities facing rural schools and reassured about the essential Christian ethos continuing, the proposals were approved by the PCC on 25 October and subsequently by the DfE, with an operational date of 1 April 2018. Children from the Middle School move on to the King Edward VI School in Morpeth (rated outstanding), which is already an academy within the

Three Rivers Learning Trust. Falling numbers at Netherton Northside first school have led the governors to ask the education authority to consider options for the future. A decision is expected in early summer 2018. Getting around There is a regular bus service from Rothbury and Thropton to Morpeth and Newcastle and a new ‘round the valley’ service which runs twice a day, three days a week. There is also a community bus driven by volunteers available to small groups which does regular short runs around Rothbury and Thropton and longer excursions, and a taxi service. The valley’s last petrol station, at Thropton, closed in 2016. The nearest fuel stations are now at Powburn or Scots Gap, which are both some 10 miles from Rothbury and less convenient for some elderly residents. The nearest rail links are at Alnmouth and Morpeth (both approximately 30 minutes’ drive from Rothbury). Both stations are on the East Coast main line providing excellent north- south communications. Newcastle International airport is 45 minutes’ drive south of Rothbury and there is a sea ferry crossing from Newcastle to Amsterdam. Health In common with other remote rural areas health provision has contracted and in 2016 the full time independent GP practice in Harbottle was reduced to one day a week serviced as part of the Rothbury practice. This has created an extra loading on the Rothbury practice and accessibility problems particularly for elderly and infirm people from the upper valley. The Community Hospital inpatient facilities in Rothbury were withdrawn suddenly in 2016 with the associated implications for the discharge of elderly people from mainstream hospitals to remote homes and placing additional pressure on the District Nurse service. The closure is strongly opposed locally and the decision has been referred to the Secretary of Health for review. Meanwhile, the Rothbury GP surgery move into part of the hospital alongside the existing outpatient services in December 2017 has been warmly welcomed. For more major treatment there are hospitals at Alnwick, Morpeth and at Wansbeck Hospital at Ashington (around 45 minutes from Rothbury). A Rothbury Community Hospital GP and new A & E hospital (the Northumbria outpatient services Specialist Emergency Care Hospital) has opened in Cramlington, some 30 miles from Rothbury. There is also wide-ranging and much valued specialist hospital provision in Newcastle upon Tyne including leading oncology, cardiac, neuro- and plastic surgery and burns unit. The nearest dentists are at Alnwick or Morpeth. A number of villages now have defibrillators, thanks to a funding campaign three years ago. 8

Despite the distances involved, health provision is more often than not regarded as being good, ‘Aren’t we lucky to live here?’ being a frequent comment. A caring community The parish has a range of accommodation providing enhanced support and care, mostly in Rothbury

 Rothbury House provides respite and convalescent care breaks primarily for people (often elderly or infirm) who have a connection with the RAF or other Armed Forces  Rodsley Court is a development of 21 flats and bungalows in the heart of Rothbury providing sheltered housing for elderly people with a part-time warden and alarm service  Armstrong Cottages, former almshouses for Cragside Estate and now managed by a social landlord  Walby Hill Adult Care Home in Rothbury provides residential care for people with learning disabilities  Wilkinson Park near Alwinton is a residential care home for people with learning disabilities. Shopping and trades In addition to the good selection of shops in Rothbury, almost all of the major supermarkets provide online delivery services throughout the valley, as do many local food producers. There are also twice weekly deliveries of hardware/country goods, a weekly fishmonger and door to door milk delivery. There are many specialised small and micro business in the area - including builders, plumbers, plasterers, electricians, carpenters, mechanics, gardeners, as well as IT related and other professional trades. Culture and community activities Rural areas have a reputation for there being ‘nothing to do’. Not so in Upper Coquetdale! The valley has been in continuous occupation for over 5,000 years and evidence of Neolithic, Iron Age, Roman, Saxon, Norman and pre-industrial settlement is largely undisturbed. There are standing stones, encampments, pele towers, castle remains, coal bell-pits, abandoned villages associated with plague outbreaks and Border Reiver wars, rig and furrow and old field systems, estate villages and fine country houses. The varied natural environment provides habitats for deer, red squirrels, ravens and peregrine falcons, otters, salmon, brown trout and stone flies, sundews, star of Bethlehem, thrift. Dark skies, the milky way and northern lights fill us with wonder. Less than an hour away vast empty beaches Community archaeology and the Holy Island of Lindisfarne provide spiritual uplift. dig at Holystone church Community life is important here; it is valued and people work at it. Young people may move away but are often drawn back to this special place where roots grow deep and strong. 9

The back page of the Upper Coquetdale Churches Together (UCCT) church and community magazine ‘Over the Bridges’ lists around 40 different organisations and activities; this is an enormous number for a population of just under 4000. There are yet more informal events and activities throughout the valley. There is strong community support for local societies and clubs - bowling, basketry, bridge, cinema, archaeology, golf, gardening, Save our (red) Squirrels, local history, amateur dramatics, four WIs, keep fit and yoga, walking and cycling groups, tennis, wild life, pub quizzes and dominoes plus thriving U3A groups including a food group, model railways and art appreciation. Royal British Legion numbers are increasing and in 2014 the RBL produced a commemorative book ‘The Valley Remembers’ which was given to every household in the A welcome garden visitor parish. Music of all kinds flourishes with choirs, a highland pipe band, ceilidh bands, open mic nights and Roots music, an accordion and fiddle club, a folk club and a thriving traditional music scene. At Alwinton, there is a well-established professional summer concert series which takes place in and benefits the church, bringing a range of music spanning classical, folk and jazz, and top ranking musicians such as Hallé orchestra soloists. These are now almost always booked to capacity and bring in people from a wide catchment. http://www.alwintonconcerts.org/ Festivals (traditional music, vintage vehicle, John Barleycorn, Coquet Crossing) and agricultural shows receive good local and visitor support. There is an annual pantomime which always involves young performers and is solidly booked in advance. Outdoor sports including fishing and shooting are part of local life, although the number of shooting estates has declined and others are being run on increasingly commercial lines. There are community lunches, The Bistro, at Harbottle school and a coffee ‘drop in’ and warm hub lunches in Thropton. Tots and Mums meet weekly in Harbottle and Singing Tots in Rothbury. Cubs, Rainbows, Brownies, Guides and ‘Robin Hood’ - Coquetdale Amateur Scouts are very popular and have waiting lists and Dramatic Society 2018 production the Army Cadets have a detachment in Rothbury, where there is also a weekly Youth Drop-in. There are children’s tennis, football and Cumberland wrestling clubs and an art club. The Rothbury pool and fitness centre offers swimming lessons for all ages, including babies and parents. There is always something to do!

Section 2 Our church life Pastoral arrangements In 2004 the three former parishes of Alnham; Alwinton and Holystone; and Rothbury, Thropton and Hepple were brought together to form a single Benefice and Parish, the Parish of Upper Coquetdale, served by a full time Incumbent and a part time House for Duty Assistant Priest. Local traditions and loyalties in the six churches were such that no changes were made to the 3 separate PCCs. These continued to operate as before until discussions began in 2009 (when the parish last went into vacancy) to establish a PCC for the parish and registered with the Charity Commission, with three DCCs each covering the same area as the former PCCs. The 2011 Pastoral Scheme put in place a ‘light touch’ PCC and 3 DCCs, intended to provide the ability to take a ’whole parish' approach, especially to mission, whilst leaving day to day business to be handled locally - recognising the strong ties to individual churches and communities. Part of this arrangement was a reduction in the minimum number of PCC meetings required per year The PCC reviewing the Parish Profile January 2018 to two. In practice this makes business continuity, communication and relationship building quite difficult. It also creates a feeling of detachment from outreach activities led by the ecumenical grouping of Upper Coquetdale Churches Together (UCCT) and from wider engagement in the deanery and diocesan agendas. Apart from the Standing Committee, the PCC has no active subcommittees. In many respects this local commitment is a great strength and has the potential to provide the building blocks for missional growth across the whole parish with the PCC providing the focus for developing our vision of what it means to be church in Upper Coquetdale. The distinctiveness of the individual communities, different aspirations and practices does however add to the challenges of growing together and developing the ‘whole parish’ approach which we seek, whilst respecting the strong links - not least on fundraising - between local people and ‘their’ church. Although we are not always finding it easy to navigate this, progress is being made, and we are committed to making our arrangements work better to deliver the work we are here to do. This includes strengthening the relationship between the parish and the districts. The need to clarify governance responsibilities resulting from this and from PCC members being Charity Trustees have been the driver for work we have started to clarify the respective roles and responsibilities of the PCC and DCCs. A short guide to ‘The way we work’ was approved in May 2017 and work is underway for a companion guide ‘The way we handle money’. We hope that by improving our own understanding and competences 11 through attendance at diocesan training for treasurers, churchwardens and safeguarding officers and by clarifying what happens where, we shall free up time and energy to grow church across the whole parish and bring hope and relevance to the communities we serve. This is a key challenge for our future as we look at shared aspirations and the contribution which local distinctiveness can bring to the whole by working and growing together. Our PCC and DCC arrangements taken together involve a lot of people (our PCC has a working membership of 29, six fewer than in the Scheme) of whom 10 are Churchwardens with two Deputy Churchwardens at Hepple and Thropton. Encouragingly, some new younger people have joined our PCC and DCCs over the past year or so and there are fewer vacancies, although we were unable to fill all of our Churchwarden positions in 2017. This is a priority for 2018, particularly where the average age of our PCC and DCC members and others who work hard to support their church is increasing, as this impacts on energy levels and on our ability to sustain the activities to which we aspire! Our congregations There is a pride in belonging to this area and to its traditions. As in many rural areas, Sunday church attendance is, for some, part of life. There also remains strong support for ‘church’ as part of the historic and social infrastructure particularly for life events and seasonal celebrations. Whilst some supporters may not be actively ‘religious’, they are often willing to become involved in church-related activities (magazine production and distribution, choirs and concerts, cleaning and flowers, social events and fundraising) and through these come to worship. Holidaymakers often visit churches whilst exploring the area and occasionally attend services, where they are warmly welcomed. There could well be scope for strengthening these links. Occasional services and festivals and our monthly services with ecumenical partners are widely supported. Funerals are universally well attended and as a result increasingly concentrated in the larger churches. They provide an important part of community cohesion in an area where remoteness can result in isolation and loneliness, bringing families and friends together from across the parish and beyond to share in celebration and remembrance and to renew relationships. Statistics for the parish (the data dashboard) in Annex A show trends in the parish over the past 10 years and more information on individual churches is below. With the exception of Alnham, attendance has declined and become more elderly. All Saints Rothbury is mainly attended by retired people. Services such as the civic service of Remembrance, Christingle and crib service are particularly well attended and attract all sections of the local community. The Children’s Corner has recently been revamped and re- equipped. There are services of Holy Communion (Common Worship) on Sundays and Wednesdays, sung evensong on Sunday and Morning and Evening Prayer (the latter in abeyance during the Interregnum) from Tuesday - Saturday. Messy Church is held every month on the third Sunday from 4 00 - 5 30 in the Parish Hall, Rothbury. Now in its sixth year it has a regular congregation of up to 30 (ranging from babies and children to adults and including a number of people with disabilities) from 12 across the parish and from further afield. There is a dedicated team of nine helpers including two teenage boys who help with craft activity and worship is led by a lay member of the team. The craft work, which is updated every month, is displayed in All Saints and on the Facebook page which regularly receives 1500 hits after each session. A recent publicity drive to families who have had their children baptised in the parish is already resulting in new participants Messy Church, Rothbury Messy church: making an Easter garden in All Saints

Christ Church Hepple / St Andrew Thropton congregations are in the main retired with a few younger people. There is some cross over between the two churches and support from some church members from further afield who join the monthly BCP services at both churches and go to Christ Church on Easter Sunday and Christmas Day. All regular services are Eucharistic. In addition to Corpus Christi, there are occasional ‘special’ services such as UCCT services and Harvest Songs of Praise at Hepple, (traditionally followed by an auction of produce and a pooled supper) which are well attended, particularly if music is highlighted. There is strong involvement of non- churchgoers in caring for the upkeep of Christ Church and raising funds for Fundraising Burns’ Night Supper in Hepple Village fabric work. Hall At St Andrew Thropton regular Sunday attendance has decreased with recent moves out of the area. After an appeal two years ago, there is a small but dedicated team of helpers (including people who are not church attenders). Thropton First School is opposite the church and holds its special services there (eg the annual Leavers’ Assembly and Harvest Festival). These are events which the local community enjoys, are warmly welcome and which could provide the basis of stronger links. Saying ‘thank you’ to Thropton and Hepple organist of 25 years and his seamstress wife 13

St Michael and All Angels Alwinton / St Mary the Virgin Holystone have congregations which happily worship in both churches wherever the service happens to be held. There is a wider age spread, which is seen particularly at Growing Church at Alwinton on the first Sunday of the month which was developed as a Fresh Expression of church. This now attracts all ages including children, with a regular congregation of around 12. Easter, Christmas and Harvest services are also well attended with a wide age range, especially if west gallery or folk influenced music features. This is enhanced by the links with the local church school in Harbottle and the involvement of children in services and the school’s Christmas performance. Rehearsal of the choir and band for Alwinton carol service At Holystone the candle- December 2017 lit Christmas midnight mass, the Watchnight service and the outdoor services at the Lady’s Well are much valued, often attracting people from further afield. St Michael and All Angels Alnham has seen a notable increase in its congregation over the past few years including young marrieds and families. The church is integral to village life. It is now starting to recover from difficulties experienced in the early stages of the major refurbishment project, which is now back on track. There is a monthly Eucharist with additional services; the Christmas Eve carol service (regularly ‘standing room only’) and the Easter Day service are also the focus for neighbouring Whittingham. King’s Priory School Tynemouth owns the local outward bound activity centre and the school choir uses the church for rehearsals and gives three much Snowing outside, but a welcome appreciated services a year. Alnham also attracts coffee and chat after the service a number of worshippers from outside the immediate area as well as holidaymakers. The church community in Upper Coquetdale is much wider than its regular congregations and there are many church-run events throughout the year and throughout the valley. More information on these is included later.

Congregation statistics See also Annex A for data dashboard

Church electoral roll 2017 2010 Parish of Upper Coquetdale 213 252 Rothbury Hepple Thropton 152 172 Alwinton Holystone 40 49 Alnham 21 32

For the year 2017 January-December

Averages Rothbury Hepple Thropton Alwinton Holystone Alnham Sunday 55 11 6 18 16 11 communicants Wednesday 9 communicants Sunday am 60 13 7 20 18 12 attendance Evensong 10 Messy church 18 + 8 helpers Growing 12 church

Actual Baptisms 5 1 0 2 0 2 Weddings 1 1 0 2 1 Blessing 1+1 Marriage Thanksgiving Funerals 10 1+2 0 1 1 0 Ashes

Confirmations whole parish: 0 in 2017, 4 in 2016 House communion for the sick or housebound: c35 per annum

Sometimes they come in twos!

Finding love again

Traditions and services Together the 6 churches in the parish provide a range of services and form of worship, moderate and liturgically based with music and vestments. Mostly Eucharistic, these include Book of Common Prayer and Common Worship (both sung and said). Evensong (3 times a month) is taken from the Book of Common Prayer. A parish service book is used across all 6 churches. Other services tend to be more informal. We strive to be open and welcoming in all our churches including the opportunity for ‘coffee and chat’ after the 10 15 and 11 30 Sunday morning services. The service schedule is as follows.

Week Day and time Venue Service First Sunday 9 00am Hepple BCP Sunday 10 15am Rothbury CW Sunday 11 30am Alnham CW Sunday 4 00pm Alwinton Growing Church Sunday 6 30pm Rothbury Evensong Wednesday 9 30am Rothbury CW Second Sunday 9 00am Thropton BCP Sunday 10 15am Rothbury CW Sunday 10 15am Alwinton CW Sunday 6 30pm Rothbury Evensong Wednesday 9 30am Rothbury CW Third Sunday 9 00am Hepple CW Sunday 10 15am Rothbury CW Sunday 10 15am Holystone CW Sunday 4 00pm Rothbury Parish Hall Messy Church Sunday 6 30pm Rothbury Evensong Wednesday 9 30am Rothbury CW Fourth Sunday 9 00am Thropton CW Sunday 10 15am Rothbury CW Sunday 10 15am Alwinton CW Sunday 6 30pm Rothbury or UCCT Evensong or UCCT Wednesday 9 30am Rothbury CW Fifth Sunday 9 00am Thropton/Hepple alternates CW Sunday 10 15am Rothbury CW Sunday 10 15am Alwinton/Holystone alternates CW Sunday 6 30pm One of the UCCT churches in UCCT rotation

Where potential communicants have mobility difficulties, communion is administered in the pew. Non communicants and children are actively encouraged to come to the altar rail for a blessing. Morning Prayer is said at All Saints Rothbury on Tuesday - Saturday; Evening Prayer is in abeyance during the Interregnum Evening Prayer is said at Harbottle School on Thursdays at 4 00pm in term time In addition to services on all the major festivals, daily acts of worship during Holy Week and the monthly ecumenical services, there are special services in churches throughout the valley. These include Ascension Day at the Lady’s Well, Watchnight at Holystone, Rogation Sunday at Hepple, Ash Wednesday at Rothbury and Alwinton, Corpus Christi at Hepple, other Patronal festivals, Harvest festivals, a civic Remembrance service at All Saints and an Armistice service at the War Memorial Rothbury, and services of lessons and carols at Rothbury, Alwinton and Alnham.

A thousand years of Christianity – the Lady’s Well at Holystone

Ministry Remembrance at the War Memorial Rothbury Authorised ministers The parish is particularly fortunate in the number and strength of clergy members, including those who have come to ordination through local ministry. Currently our clergy consist of: Rev Dr Ann Peters - House for Duty Assistant Priest who joined the parish in December 2016. Ann is a PCC nominated Foundation Governor at both of the Church of England schools in the Parish Rev Sue Joyner – Self-Supporting Assistant Priest (Ordained 2008). Headteacher at Harbottle CofE (Aided) First School 7 Retired Clergy - 4 currently have Permission to Officiate. They will be joined later in the year by the recently retired Ordained Local Minister when she takes up her PTO. This is a significant help in providing regular services across this geographically dispersed parish. 17

Lay involvement Lessons (with the exception of the Gospel) are read by lay members, who also participate in the administration of Holy Communion as licensed chalice bearers (licences now relate to the whole parish, rather than individual churches) and as servers. Lay members lead intercessions at Holystone and Alwinton. During the interregnum Churchwardens are rota’d to lead said Evensong and Morning Prayer at All Saints Rothbury on a regular basis. Our congregations are welcomed into all of our churches by lay people - formally appointed sidesmen at All Saints Rothbury, elsewhere by wardens and rota’d members of the congregation who hand out pew sheets, hymnbooks and occasionally other information (e.g. the diocesan newspaper The Link). Plate collections are taken at all services and brought up to the altar at the Offertory together with the bread and wine where that is the normal practice. Registers are filled in variably by clergy or jointly by clergy and the Churchwarden / duty officer. We are very pleased and committed to support our one lay reader in training, who started on his journey in autumn 2017. Administration The PCC employs a much valued Parish Administrator for eight hours a week, responsible for pew sheets, orders of service, service schedules, wedding and baptism bookings, marriage returns, fees and various other tasks. Pastoral work In addition to our commitment to schools, preparation for baptisms, weddings and confirmation, there are around 35 home communions per year. Visiting housebound people and hospital visiting is mostly ad hoc, although considerable thought has been given as to how to make it more organised and to ensure people do not ‘fall through the net’. In practice there is a lot of informal care taking place by lay people; it is part of the way rural communities work. Whilst there remains some expectation and hope that pastoral visits be clergy visits, it is recognised that this is not always possible. The UCCT Bereavement Visiting Service and Community Transport are also important outreach pastoral services. Church-based activities Informal worship and getting together An occasional Prayer and Meditation House Group led by the SSM is now being transformed into a more regular discipleship group After Sunday which started in Advent 2017. Bible study and prayer groups have been identified as an area for growth in recent discussions. During Lent, lunches are held weekly in the Parish Hall Rothbury. These are well supported and provide a much valued opportunity for people to meet together over homemade soup, a roll and a pud, as well as supporting Christian Aid. There is an active Mothers’ Union branch with 23 members which meets once a month, beginning with a short act of worship followed by business and activities ranging from talks

18 to walks, handbells to storytelling. An active supporter of MU and other projects, the group also laughs a great deal! One of our retired clergy and his wife host a social afternoon once per month with scones (particularly popular!) and tea. Attendance usually exceeds 15 and transport is provided if required. Music Live music is a part of this area and plays a very important role in our worship. Although no church has a full choir, congregations do sing here and we are particularly fortunate to have eight organists which enables services at all six churches to be accompanied. A very accomplished and recently strengthened team rings the tower bells at All Saints every Sunday and on festivals and other special occasions. A newly established handbell group (27 bells, added to and refurbished in 2017) has proved popular and is starting to play across the valley. All Saints Rothbury, Church Bellringers Ringing the hand bells by the Drake Stone, Harbottle A group of singers and players December 2017 from across the whole parish, from all churches and none, get together to provide music in the west gallery tradition for services at Easter, Christmas and Harvest at Alwinton and occasionally elsewhere. Other informal groupings play in the folk tradition at UCCT services, Harvest Songs of Praise and the occasional wedding. The Coquetdale Chamber Choir also takes part in some Christmas and other special services bringing a wide range of music from the renaissance to the modern day into our worship. Whilst some of the singers and musicians are churchgoers, others are not - yet participate enthusiastically in these services. The Coquetdale Chamber Choir rehearsing in the United Reformed Church

Our commitment to music is also demonstrated in the recent refurbishment and repositioning of the Hill pipe organ at All Saints (recognised as one of the best examples of its kind in the Diocese). As part of this project a lunchtime organ recital series has been established, bringing top quality organists to the area. These have a strong following. Another aspect of the project is the planned appointment of an organ scholar for 2-3 years for which funding is in place and various possibilities being considered.

https://www.goetzegwynn.co.uk/organ/rothbury- northumberland-restoration-1866-hill-organ-saints- church/

The Hill organ in all its glory Keeping our churches beautiful Each of the churches has its own arrangements for cleaning and flower arranging. Whilst based on a core of church members, most also include others who want to help keep ‘their’ church clean and beautiful. At All Saints there are three new teams who clean in rotation on a 2-weekly basis and a professional standard flower arranging group. The Four and Twenty Gentlemen of Rothbury have recently undertaken a churchyard clean up. There is a new rota in Thropton involving non church attenders. In Hepple the number of Star in the East – non-church cleaners and flower Epiphany 2018 arrangers exceeds church goers and the annual ‘Big Clean’ tackles external as well as internal cleaning. At Alwinton, the Sharperton Ladies are all non- attenders. All of the churches undertake minor DiY jobs. We value enormously the engagement of so many people in these tasks which bring companionship and joy to a far larger number of people, as reflected by the comments in our visitor The ‘Big Clean’ at Hepple books. Support for mission We support a number of home and overseas missions through special collection e.g. People’s Kitchen at harvest (produce and collections); Mary’s Meals; regular collections of linen and clothing for the West End (of Newcastle) Refugee Service; The Farming Community Network (collection at Carols in the Mart); coffee mornings for Macmillan; Lent lunches and envelope collections for Christian Aid. We have also recently started to invite 20 the Samosa Sisters to our own fundraising events. International support includes Lent jar collections for TARIRO (a charity for orphans and young people in Zimbabwe) and special collections for the Disasters Emergency Committee (Syrian refugees and Yemen). Fun, fundraising and community engagement There is a wide range of other ‘church instigated’ activity - some but by no means all aimed at fundraising and many involving food and cooking or baking at which all parts of the parish excel. There is an annual curry night (Alwinton and Holystone), a themed dinner with entertainment at Hepple, summer fetes, Christmas fairs and festivals, and a Christmas lights and lantern procession in Rothbury involving schoolchildren from throughout the valley. This ends up with sausages, songs and carols at All Saints. ‘It was amazing – I had to queue to get into the church. That’s a first!’ The ever-popular cake stall This year we have also enjoyed a Barn Bash which attracted lots of children, a Pimm’s Party at Holystone and a Summer Fayre in the garden of the old Rothbury Rectory amid flowers and wonderful sunshine. Fun for all the family! The Traditional Music Festival uses Rothbury church and the Parish Hall. There are coffee mornings, cake stalls, flower festivals, concerts at Rothbury and Alwinton. These are well- attended and marked by the generosity of participants and attenders as well as providing welcome contributions to church funds and serving an important engagement with the local community.

Packed church after the lantern procession

Many members of our regular congregations are also involved in organising and supporting non-church community organisations - scouting and guiding groups, bands, Parish Councils etc. and this also helps to strengthen bonds throughout the community. .

Section 3 The wider context The Diocese of Newcastle The Diocesan vision growing church bringing hope was launched in autumn 2016 and is underpinned by values of generosity, engagement and openness. The vision and main activity has been publicised quite widely, although it is fair to say that the parish has not yet really engaged with wider change in either the national church or the Diocese, which holds its spring Open Synod in Rothbury providing a local opportunity to learn more. It does appear that people want to be more part of this and be less isolated; this is work-in-progress. The parish also benefits from the engagement of individuals in diocesan activit, for example through a lay member on Diocesan Synod (until early 2017) and our HfD Assistant Priest. Our SSM Assistant Priest is on the Diocesan Board of Education and the former OLM Assistant Priest was also a member of the Local Ministry Task Group until spring 2017. The PCC Secretary is the Vice Chair of the Newcastle Board of Finance and a member of Bishop’s Council and also Chair of the Diocese’s Developing Stewardship Group. This involvement brings a wider perspective to parish activity together with ideas and contacts from further afield which can be valuable, if occasionally challenging. Alnwick Deanery Upper Coquetdale is part of Alnwick Deanery, the second largest deanery by area in the Diocese of Newcastle. A newly appointed part-time Area Dean will join the deanery in March, recognising the growing role of deaneries and the support which they can provide to parishes. The parish has its full complement of Deanery Synod lay representatives (4) who attend meetings, as do clergy, and report back regularly to the PCC and DCCs. The PCC Treasurer is a member of the Deanery Finance Group and one of the Synod Reps is a member of the Deanery Standing, Pastoral and Development Committee. Alnwick Deanery’s development work includes, among other things, looking at potential future pastoral arrangements and clergy deployment. We understand that no changes are proposed to the current arrangements or clergy complement for Upper Coquetdale, other than encouraging greater collaboration with surrounding parishes. In part this reflects the fact that our own pastoral arrangements are still developing. Neighbouring parishes Although we do not currently have formal links or joint initiatives with neighbouring parishes there are good informal relationships. At Alnham the candle-lit carol service attracts many people from Whittingham. Weddings at Brinkburn Priory are on occasion taken by our parish clergy. The Chamber Choir (which includes a number of church members) sings for services and fundraising concerts at Elsdon and the annual Lessons and Carols at Cambo. We recognise the scope and benefits of sharing across parishes and working collaboratively and that this will be increasingly important in the future.

Ecumenical relationships There are now nine church bodies within the geographical Parish of Upper Coquetdale - six Anglican, one Roman Catholic church in Rothbury (the church in Thropton is open for two hours on a Monday for private worship), a United Reformed Church in Rothbury and a Christian Fellowship (evangelical with a Plymouth Brethren background) in Thropton with lay leadership. Over the past few years restructuring has resulted in a loss of full time clergy input from the non-Anglican churches. The current Secretary of Upper Coquetdale Churches Together is a Church of England lay member and it is chaired by our HfD Assistant Priest. The excellent working relationships between all of the denominations is based on a formal Churches Together covenant which was signed in 2004 and renewed annually at the January service. It includes a commitment to ‘consult together about any new initiatives… so as not to do separately what might better be done together’. As a result, there is a strong emphasis on outreach and joint activities where UCCT is the driver, rather than any individual denomination. Current activities are

 The Bereavement Visiting Service, now in its 13th year, was the first UCCT initiative. It is run (with administrative support from the Rothbury GP practice) by trained volunteers across all of the denominations and none. A total of 832 people have been supported, an average of 64 per year. This is a much valued service and it has been replicated elsewhere  Since the covenant there has been a shared evening service in a different church on the last Sunday of each month, with the host church having responsibility for the format. This brings variety and a freshness to worship and the joy of worshipping together with different people  Carols in the Mart: a carol service on a Saturday morning in December at the Auction Mart Rothbury, started after the 2011 foot and mouth outbreak. Growing annually, it attracted over 300 people in 2017  Monthly Saturday morning prayer breakfast held at Armstrong Hall, Thropton  The community minibus, driven Carols in the Mart by volunteers, is of particular value to groups needing transport and individuals who are elderly or infirm or live in remote areas. In addition to a regular Friday service to bring people into Rothbury for shopping and other services, there are organised trips and excursions further afield

 Walk of Witness: a Good Friday walk round Rothbury which ends at the URC with hot cross buns  The church and community magazine Over the Bridges is funded by local advertising and donations, with a circulation approaching 2,500. It is delivered free of charge to just about every home and business Good Friday Walk of Witness in the parish, providing an opportunity to get a regular Christian message to the whole community http://overthebridges.org/  CoNet, a Newcastle University research project into how technology can help rural communities, works with the Over the Bridges team and has been operational since summer 2017. It provides screens in shops and other public places, displaying information on events and activities for the community and visitors. The screens can be instantly updated remotely where there is internet access.  Most years there is also an information tent at the autumn agricultural shows in the valley (Harbottle, Thropton, Alwinton)  An exciting new initiative to establish a twice-monthly Sunday evening Christian Youth Group for those of high school age who already have an interest in the Christian faith or who would like to investigate it: ‘What do I believe and how do I apply that to my life?’ This was agreed by the UCCT Council in November 2017 .

Section 4 Our church buildings The Parish of Upper Coquetdale has six churches, five of them listed. There are three parish churches (All Saints Rothbury; St Michael and All Angels Alnham; and St Michael and All Angels Alwinton) and three daughter churches (Christ Church Hepple, St Andrew Thropton and St Mary the Virgin Holystone). Taken together the churches demonstrate the major renovation and church planting which occurred in Newcastle Diocese in the late 1800’s/ early 1900’s, with four churches undergoing major refurbishment and two new churches being built. All six churches currently have traditional pew seating. All are licensed for baptisms and funerals and (apart from Thropton) are licensed for weddings. With the exception of All Saints, which is closed overnight, all of the churches are open 24/7. All except St Andrew have churchyards, although All Saints is closed and maintained largely by the Parish Council. The other churchyards are maintained by their respective DCCs (through paid contractors, occasional blitzes by volunteers and in the case of Alnham by sheep grazing). Refreshments for visitors to the churches are available free, at all times, at Holystone, Alwinton and Alnham. 24

All Saints Rothbury (Grade 2 Listed) All Saints church occupies a pre-Conquest site at the heart of the village. The chancel and east walls of transepts are c13 and c14; most of the remainder dates from 1849-50 when there was a major refurbishment. The chancel screen, pulpit and the tower screen are early c20. The shaft of the font is the bottom part of an important cross of c800 with beautiful carvings of the Ascension; the bowl is 1664. The Victorian stained glass windows depict the Northumbrian saints. The church has a ring of 8 bells (tenor 13cwt) which are rung regularly. The renovation and repositioning of the Hill pipe organ in 2016 was financed by local donations, fundraising events and an HLF grant. The church is regularly used for civic services as well as organ recitals and concerts. The last Quinquennial Inspection took place in 2014. No major problems were identified, although there are continuing localised leaks from the roof (being addressed by spot repairs). St Andrew Thropton A modest wooden prefabricated church, St Andrew was built in 1902, funded by public subscription and built on land donated by Lord Armstrong. It is a dedicated church. The original foot pumped pipe organ remains in situ, but is in need of repair. The altar frontal and side table were carved by Miss Hawthorn, a member of an important Thropton family of the time. The pews were installed in the 1970’s replacing the former chairs. The wooden construction and internal panelling make the church warm and economical to run. In 2014 the obscured glass windows on the northern face of the church were replaced with plain glass double glazed windows opening up wonderful views over the Cheviots uniting the church with the countryside. In addition, a replacement electric organ was purchased in 2014. Both were funded substantially by the congregation. The Quinquennial Inspection in 2014 identified a backlog of routine maintenance which is being tackled with electrical works and external painting completed in 2015.

Christ Church Hepple (Grade 2 Listed) Overlooking the River Coquet, Christ Church was founded as a chapel of ease to Rothbury Parish. It was bequeathed by the Buchanan Riddell family and consecrated on 10 July 1893. The interior gains much of its impact from its painted colour and is distinguished by an Italianate Altar piece with a copy of Perugino's painting of the Crucifixion. The south window (1901) depicts St. Aidan, St. Gregory and St. Oswald. The font bowl (c12) and a number of other stone relics (grave covers, headstones etc.) are from the old church of Hepple, the site of which, west of the current village, is a Scheduled Ancient Monument. In 2014 a major project to tackle leaks and damp was completed. This included renewing the roof, rainwater goods and ground drainage at a cost of nearly £90k. About half was funded by HLF and the remainder came from donations and fundraising. The Quinquennial Inspection due in 2014 remains ‘on hold’ whilst resolution of continuing leaks is sought. Following a very generous offer from the adjacent landowner, negotiations are underway to transfer a strip of land into church ownership to enable the graveyard to be extended when needed. St Mary the Virgin Holystone (Grade 2 Listed) A beautiful rural church built on the foundations of the original Norman church, there was also a priory here, founded in the early c12th. The nave is the chancel of a much larger medieval church and some of the original stonework remains in the south and lower part of the north walls. The church was largely rebuilt in 1848-9. Nearby is Lady’s Well, believed to have been used by the Romans (St Paulinus is recorded as baptising 3000 people here in 627AD). This is on the site of a natural spring and has long been a pilgrimage site. It is still occasionally used for baptisms and services. In the last two years two archaeological digs have been carried out by the local Archaeological Society on land abutting the south wall of the nave, uncovering extensive evidence of early masonry and domestic goods. As a condition of digging the site has been filled in and preserved for the future.

In 2012 a new lighting system was installed which has enhanced the interior and improved light quality and more

recently the heaters have been renewed. The 2014 Quinquennial Inspection identified the need to tackle drainage and damp including replacing unbreathable plaster and paint. Options for the remaining work, including the potential for reordering, are under consideration, possibly as a joint project with Alwinton church. St Michael and All Angels Alwinton (Grade 2* Listed) St Michael and All Angels was built on ancient foundations, in this case a Norman chapel. The setting is striking, built into the hillside and surrounded by a large churchyard and dramatic countryside. Evidence of the c12/13 church remains in the chancel with its priest’s door, the north aisle wall, the south window, the font and other masonry. The church was largely rebuilt in 1851. There are three rising levels to the sanctuary with 10 steps from the impressive chancel arch up to the chancel which has a crypt below. Whilst noting the generally good order of the church, the 2014 Quinquennial Inspection identified dry rot caused by condensation, rising damp, water table ingress and impervious plaster. A French drain has been constructed and professional dry rot treatment was carried out in 2014 and 2015. A sound system / loop system has also been installed. Discussions are currently underway to explore options

for a joint project with Holystone church. Next door to the church is the Vicarage, in the management of the diocese, and currently let to a private tenant. The Vicarage was occupied by parish clergy up until 2013 most recently by the then House for Duty Assistant Priest.

St Michael and All Angels Alnham (Grade 1 Listed) Nestling on the northern border of the Parish, almost in Scotland, the church is of Saxon foundation. The present church dates largely from the late c12- early c13 and the tunnel vaulted south porch is probably c16 or early c17. The long 2-bay chancel has a priest’s door. St Michael and All Angels was restored in 1870 and again in 1953.

The 2014 Quinquennial Inspection identified significant problems resulting from poor rain and ground water drainage, as well as woodworm infestation and leaking from the bell tower. As a result a major refurbishment programme was put together to tackle the problems with the fabric and to extend the use of the church as a hub for the community and visitors. The HLF-funded development work has been completed,

grants from other funders were secured to support community development and confirmation of HLF funding of £123k for the fabric work (£5k more than the outline approval) was given in December. Work is due to start on site in early summer 2018. Parish Hall Rothbury The Parish Hall is immediately adjacent to All Saints church, Rothbury. It has 2 main meeting rooms, both well-appointed and with their own kitchens. The hall is managed by the DCC and the Parish Administrator is the (paid) Bookings Secretary. The hall is used by church groups (free of charge) and by a range of other (mostly regular) groups such as yoga and weight classes, handbell ringers; for a wide range of annual events such as the Traditional Music Festival and Street Fair, and one off events such as the Round Britain Cycle Race. It runs at a small profit. External works to rainwater goods (gutters etc.) are planned for winter 2018. The Parish Hall

Section 5 The Rectory The Rectory at Rothbury was designated the Benefice House in 2011. It is a substantial and attractive three storey, double fronted, stone house built in 1899. It provides ideal family accommodation close to the centre of Rothbury and all amenities and is a five-minute walk from All Saints Church. It is set in mature gardens and situated in an elevated position with fine views. The access to the front door is via a series of stone steps and to the rear via a shared driveway with parking. Ground floor - hall, 3 good sized reception rooms, breakfast room with AGA, fitted kitchen, utility room and lavatory. Hall and stairs with fitted carpets (1998). First floor - 4 double bedrooms, a bathroom, a shower room with a lavatory, and a separate lavatory. Three of the bedrooms have their own wash hand basin. Second floor- access by a permanent staircase to 3 further rooms with gas fire/electric radiators. There is gas fired central heating to the ground and first floors and there are open fires in the sitting room and the dining room. The house is double glazed throughout and has a fitted alarm system, serviced annually. There is a phone line to the Rectory and the village has high speed broadband. Externally - ample storage space and outbuildings including a single garage with a servicing pit together with parking for 6 cars. The Rectory is surrounded by lawns and flower beds. The Rectory has been well maintained. Since 2010, in addition to general repairs, the central heating has been greatly improved, decoration undertaken and the AGA installed. Externally, recent work has included repairs to the roof and dormers, drainage and gutters, and decoration.

Section 6 Finance Management of parish finances reflects the PCC/DCC structure, with the DCCs being semi- autonomous and responsible for income and expenditure for their own churches with separate Parish Shares set by the Deanery. Shared expenses (e.g. clergy expenses and the salary of the Parish Administrator) are managed by Rothbury Hepple Thropton DCC (RHT) and back charged on an agreed pro rata basis to Alwinton Holystone, and Alnham DCCs. The PCC has a small budget of its own which is used to support parish-wide activity, primarily Messy Church and work with children and young people.

As the registered charity (number 1157319) and the responsible body, the PCC draws up and approves the Annual Financial Statement for the parish based on a consolidation of the district accounts. The 2016 Accounts are available separately as Annex B. Regular planned giving (plus gift aid) provides 55 - 58% of General Fund income in RHT and AH; the remainder comes from plate collections, donations, fundraising events, sales of preserves and other produce, votive candles etc. Across these two districts there were 138 regular planned givers, raising £49,500 plus Gift Aid in 2016. This has remained about constant over the last few years. We thank our planned givers with an annual letter. The Gift Aid Small Donations Scheme has been a welcome initiative in both districts. It is hoped that planned giving and GASDS will be extended to Alnham shortly. RHT was one of the Diocese’s pilots for the nationally administered Parish Giving Scheme which offers the option of inflation linking and can help to address static giving. There are now 7 PGS donors and there is scope for increasing this and rolling it out. Fundraising events remain critically important contributors to general fund income. We recognise that greater financial stability would be secured if we were able to shift the balance more towards regular giving, but despite stewardship programmes (most recently in 2015), we have been unable to make much impact on this and RHT DCC needed to draw on reserves in order to meet the Parish Share in full in 2017: these are now reaching a very low level. We continue to look for ways of strengthening the sustainability of our finances including seeking to contain expenditure through renegotiation of insurance and utility costs and by doing more minor work in house. We are also reviewing our current practices to ensure that our financial procedures are robust and minimise risk; ‘The way we handle money’ is a priority for 2018. Across the parish there has been significant success in raising funds and securing grants for capital projects. This demonstrates a willingness to support and maintain individual churches as part of the social as well as religious infrastructure and shows what can be achieved when people’s imagination is captured. The parish has no debts. Incumbent’s expenses are met in full as follows: council tax, water rates, telephone (excluding personal calls), broadband, and parish travel expenses at 45p per mile.

Section 7 Our Hopes for the Future Growing together Last year a growing awareness of our preoccupation with internal matters such as meeting our Parish Share and maintaining and running our churches, resulted in the PCC deciding that we needed to take some ‘time out’ together to look at what we are here for and to take some steps towards developing a vision for church in Upper Coquetdale. This was

30 accompanied by an increasing consciousness of changes in the national church flowing from Renewal and Reform and a new diocesan vision growing church bringing hope. The PCC held three evening discussions for all PCC and DCC members including a small number of other church members with a particular interest. There was a lot of ‘free’ conversation, learning and sharing and genuine delight and surprise at how much we had in common, including the desire to know more and work more closely together. Where are we now? The main outcomes were

 a desire to know more about other parts of the parish and different points of view; starting a wider dialogue about the parish, looking forward, concentrating on positives; starting to develop a vision; and a wish to be involved  even within this group there was a huge variety of individual gifts and skills ranging from admin and baking to spreadsheets and writing prayers and everything between  a celebration of our wonderful church buildings, open and welcoming, offering worship and prayer, music, friendship and support to our own congregations and beyond.

Where do we want to be in 5 – 10 years? What are our dreams?

A great deal of what we hoped for in our respective congregations was also what we dreamed of for the parish. Our priorities (not ranked), with some examples, were

 varied worship - different patterns of worship and music, more varied and relevant, easier to understand, for all ages, especially young people, providing a range of services e.g. Taize, Celtic, Iona, evangelical, topic based, BCP, Common Worship…  community engagement - see the church doing more Christian deeds and actions, more outward looking, a resource to solve community problems, to be a key player in the local community, for people to want to be part of it, love each other…

 communication (internal and external) - a corporate identity for the Parish of Upper Coquetdale, better communication between churches, a much higher profile in the community…  exploring faith - explore our faith, understand how the Anglican church fits into the Christian church in the valley, encourage people along the exploration path where we meet younger people, different worship, discuss faith; more opportunity to explore mission in the community…  one parish - more integrated, thinking of ourselves as one parish, working and worshipping together regularly, going to different places; we want to be united with whole parish worship, growing and thriving together; all our churches welcoming… In parallel there were a number of governance, administration and financial matters where we realise there is a continuing need to make progress and grow our capacity. Running through all of these was the desire to strengthen and grow church and help to make God’s love known and more relevant to the wider community. We also identified some small steps which could be taken in the short term to enhance our communications and outreach in the community. Discussion then turned to what our sessions suggested to us about the qualities and characteristics we would be looking for in a new incumbent. This resulted in a long list, but certain features came up a number of times:

 strong faith and vision - inspiring faith, an inspirational preacher, enthusiastic and committed, somebody who really wants to be here, leads by example  diversity - the ability to understand, manage and celebrate the diversity and complexity of the parish and its administration, ability to engage all ages and faiths, integration with other churches, perceptive  pastoral care skills, a good listener  a collaborative leader who enables and is inclusive, a team worker, facilitator, sees things through  a sense of humour  a demonstrable track record in these areas  a knowledge of church administration. A new incumbent Our deep desires Throughout these discussions and all of our work in individual churches, our District and Parochial Church Councils, it has become clear that we have many common aspirations. We are surprised at how much we share, what skills we have and that we enjoy working together in a stimulating but safe environment. We have strong loyalties to our individual churches and the communities they serve; we each have established ways of doing things which can create tensions. Yet we see the value of working together. We want things to be different and yet stay the same. We are afraid of losing what we have, of the unknown and doing things differently.

There is a deep desire to grow both as individuals and importantly together - in faith; in our ability to bring God’s love to a new and wider community; in what the church offers; in our ability to handle day to day practical business, to bring things to fruition, to engage and enthuse. We want to grow together and are looking for a very special person to help us turn aspiration into reality here in Upper Coquetdale who will lead us in growing together in all its respects to help deliver God’s purpose here. Our priorities We are looking for somebody with specific qualities and a strong track record to lead us in growing together

 spiritual and practical leadership - able to inspire and help us to grow our faith, secure consensus and our ability to turn thinking and ideas into action  capacity building - help us to recognise, value and build on our many skills, developing our confidence and trust in each other and our ability to work together wherever we find ourselves (in our DCCs, PCC, the wider church and with the community we serve)  outward looking - help us to understand and engage with the diversity of our wider community and strengthen God’s presence through our discipleship and the care we show for others  spiritually and emotionally self-sufficient - with existing personal networks and the ability to use and develop networks in the parish, deanery, diocese and elsewhere. If you think you might be that person, we look forward to meeting you. We’re praying for you too.

The Parish of Upper Coquetdale