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Team Parish of Bottesford-with-Ashby

Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire

Parish Profile

Welcome to the Team Parish of Bottesford-with-Ashby, where

Christians have worshipped God for hundreds of years

St. Peter ad Vincula, Bottesford

St. Paul the Apostle, Ashby Church of the Holy Spirit, Riddings

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Welcome

……to the Parish of Bottesford with Ashby in the town of Scunthorpe,

North Lincolnshire.

Thank you for showing an interest in the vacancy for the position of Priest

Missioner within this Parish. The Parish has a long history of witness to our Lord

Jesus Christ and the worship of God through the development of our own

community life and by reaching out into the wider community which we serve.

St. Peter ad Vincula, Bottesford

St. Paul the Apostle, Ashby Church of the Holy Spirit, Riddings

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The Priest Missioner

We are seeking a Priest Missioner who will

have particular ministerial responsibility for St Peter’s Church, Bottesford, its

traditions and the cure of souls for the district of that church.

share in the leading of worship at St Peter’s Church and across the Team Parish with

the Team Rector, Ministry Team and Lay members.

be willing to work collaboratively with the Team Rector and all the people of the

Team Parish to further God’s mission in the community we serve and having

particular responsibility for the development of work with children and families.

bring energy, gifts and abilities which can be used not only at St Peter’s Church but

also across the wider Team Parish.

work with the Team Rector and ministerial colleagues to assess the longer term

needs of the Team Parish, plan for the future and help lead the renewal and

expansion of God’s work in this community.

engage in a worshipping, pastoral and teaching ministry which is inclusive of all

God’s people, helping to deepen their faith and bringing confidence to their

discipleship.

Use the opportunities of occasional offices to build ongoing relationships with those

who do not otherwise attend church.

build on existing links with local schools in Bottesford.

seek opportunities for engaging and collaborating with other churches and be willing

to promote outreach into the wider community, build relationships and raise the

profile of the church with local organisations, councils, voluntary groups etc.

respect the existing worship traditions while seeking new ways of being Church by

experimenting creatively and imaginatively with appropriate opportunities for

worship and mission at different times, different places or different styles from

Sunday mornings.

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To do this, we are seeking a person who

has a personal ministry founded on prayer, with a heart for teaching, pastoral care

and the enabling of others to find faith and realise their gifts and sense of calling.

recognises the importance of good team working and who is a good communicator.

can help bring a shared sense of God’s vision and purpose to a parish which is looking

to the future and which wants to engage more openly and relevantly with its wider

community.

This is a role for a person with energy and initiative who has excellent people

skills, a friendly and approachable manner, a deep love of Christ and a desire to

transform people’s lives.

In return, we can offer you

the support and encouragement of a committed group of Christians who share a

deep desire to see our churches grow, to be at the centre of their communities and

active in mission and outreach to the people of Bottesford and the wider Team

Parish.

people willing to deepen their faith and spiritual life and to grow in their

understanding of true discipleship.

people who want to work together and, with the clergy, open up our churches and

our worship to all comers and share the transforming message of the gospel with all

people.

the practical and prayerful support of the Team Rector.

the opportunity to play an influential role in the renewal and expansion of the

Church’s ministry here in Bottesford, Ashby and Riddings.

the opportunity to serve in a large and diversely challenging Team Parish in the

Diocese of Lincoln.

Are you this person?

Are you seeking to serve God and his people in a setting rich with potential?

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Contents

The Local Area…………………………………………………………………………….……………...........6

Overview of the Team Parish of Bottesford with Ashby…………………………....…......….…12

St. Peter’s Church, Bottesford…………………………………………….………………………….....…18

St. Paul’s Church, Ashby…………………………………………………………………………….….….…21

Church of the Holy Spirit, Riddings………………………………………………….…………...…….…22

The Parish Hall………………………………………………………………………………………….….….…24

The Vicarage………………………………………………………………………….………………....…...…25

Parish Finances…………………………………………………………………………………………….....…26

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The Local Area

Bottesford, Ashby and Riddings lie to the south of the town centre of Scunthorpe which is

situated in the unitary authority of North Lincolnshire, a predominantly rural area,

characterised by a variety of natural landscapes, including sites of significant scientific,

historic, and wildlife interest. North Lincolnshire is geographically large, although the

population is small in comparison with some neighbouring unitary authorities. Sitting on

the south side of the Humber estuary, it covers an area of 85,000 hectares, encompassing

the major population centre of Scunthorpe, where some 72,500 people live [2011 census].

Until 150 years ago, the present town of Scunthorpe was a collection of five villages –

Scunthorpe, Crosby, Frodingham, Brumby and Ashby. The rediscovery of iron ore in 1859

led to rapid expansion and development of an iron and steel industry, giving the town its

present shape. This relative late development as an urban area was accompanied by

foresight in the planning, with the result that the town is attractive in layout, with many

open spaces and a low population density.

One of many pleasant walks in the area

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Bottesford (which lies outside the Scunthorpe town

boundary) was originally an Anglo-Saxon village, mentioned

in the Domesday Book. Having small town status and with

a population of approximately 12,000 it has its own council

and mayor. Once mainly farmland, it is now given over to

large areas of housing, but still retains a rural feel,

particularly in the pocket around St Peter’s Church.

A path behind the church joins the 3 mile linear walk along

the beck to Ashby Ville Ponds, a nature reserve and lake

with ‘beach’ area.

A large undulating green known locally as Bulls’ Field links

the old and new areas of Bottesford. The nearby hamlet of Holme is the setting for an

award-winning Pink Pig farm park (farm shop, restaurant and children’s play areas) and a

golf course. Two miles distant lies Twigmoor Woods, 130 acres of private woodland, open

to the public, with beautiful walks.

The whole area is surrounded by many

interesting towns and villages, including the

historic market town of Brigg which has 150

specialist shops centred around a largely

pedestrianised town centre, a twice weekly

street market, and a monthly farmers’

market.

Cultural Pursuits

Scunthorpe houses the regional museum for North Lincolnshire with its archaeology and

geology collections of national importance as well as a wide range of events running

throughout the year, including changing exhibitions, family activities and organised

sessions. The former St John’s Church in the town centre has been developed into the

vibrant 20/21 Arts Centre which has a constantly

changing exhibition programme.

There is easy access to the local authority run

Normanby Hall Country Park with its farming museum

and award winning Victorian walled garden.

Normanby Hall

Brigg Town Centre

Bottesford Beck

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The Plowright Theatre hosts a varied programme of professional and local productions

including music, ballet, opera and comedy as well as drama.

The Baths Hall re-opened in 2011, as a state of the art,

multi-purpose entertainment venue, and hosts live

performances from top class entertainment acts.

There is also a variety of local theatrical, choral and

historical groups in the town and for film lovers there is

an excellent seven-screen Vue cinema.

Sport

For those interested in sport the area offers a wide range of opportunities for both

spectating and participating.

Scunthorpe United play in League One of the Football League and Bottesford Town in the

Northern Counties East Premier Division while Scunthorpe Rugby Union Club play in the

Midlands Premier League.

For those who enjoy a more active participation in

sport there are plenty of local pitches, sports halls,

golf courses, gyms, a running track, velodrome

and swimming pools including a new leisure

centre (The Pods) which was opened in 2012 and

is sited adjacent to Central Park, the main

municipal park in the area.

Another pool with gym and squash courts is

conveniently situated on the Riddings Estate.

Two of Scunthorpe’s parks (including the

Memorial Park at the crematorium) have been

awarded the Green Flag award for the 9th year

in a row reflecting the efforts put into its green

spaces. Central Park

The Baths Hall

“The Pods” Leisure Centre

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Education

The area is well served with educational establishments. There are 9 primary schools

within the Parish, including St. Peter and St. Paul’s Church of England School which

opened in 2013 to serve the new housing which has been created on the south-easterly

edge of the town.

At secondary level within the Scunthorpe area there is a mixture of local authority

controlled schools and academies. One of the latter is St. Lawrence’s Academy, sponsored

by the Lincoln Diocese, and located near to Scunthorpe town centre. Within the Parish,

there is a thriving comprehensive establishment, Frederick Gough School, and a Roman

Catholic academy, St. Bede’s, which is situated close to St. Paul’s Church in Ashby.

Post-16 education is provided by an excellent sixth form college (John Leggott College),

serving around 1,900 students, which has a good track record of producing Oxbridge

entrants, and by North Lindsey College (2,000 students plus 11,000 part-time), which

offers a wide range of further education programmes, both vocational and academic, and

apprenticeship courses at a range of levels. The latter also provides higher education

opportunities for around 1,000 learners at its University Centre.

There are two Grammar Schools within a 20 mile radius - at Gainsborough and Caistor.

A new £12m University Technical College (under the umbrella of the University of Hull)

opened towards the end of 2015 in Scunthorpe town centre. It provides academic

education and technical training for 14 to 19-year-olds, with a focus on engineering

and renewable energy. The project also forms part of a wider North Lincolnshire Council

scheme to regenerate the town centre.

St. Peter and St. Paul C of E Primary School

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Retail The area has a number of major

national shopping chains, in either

Scunthorpe town centre or on the

three retail parks which are

situated on the outskirts of the

town (one being a five minute

drive from St Peter’s Vicarage),

along with other local specialist

shops and markets.

The main town centre shopping area is

pedestrianised and a covered shopping mall

links to the Parishes shopping and leisure

complex which has expanded and improved the

facilities in the town centre.

There is also a good

selection of shops

(including a Thursday

market) in nearby Ashby, a

five minute drive from the

vicarage.

The Parishes shopping precinct

New North Lincolnshire Shopping Park

Ashby High Street

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Following recent approval, the next few years will see the local area developed further with

the Lakeside Villages project on the west side of the town which will create a number of

high quality, sustainable village communities set within a waterside environment giving

major opportunities for leisure, sport and recreation as well as new businesses.

Communication links

The area has excellent road links with the rest of the country via the M180/M18 (connecting

to the M62, A1 and M1) and the Humber Bridge. This provides rapid access to the

neighbouring towns/cities of Doncaster, Hull, Grimsby, Sheffield and beyond. Scunthorpe

is only 28 miles from the historic city of Lincoln, and 48 miles from York. There are regular

trains to Doncaster, which connect with frequent services to London and Edinburgh on the

east coast main line.

Two major regional airports, Humberside, and Robin Hood (serving Doncaster and

Sheffield), are situated within a 25 mile radius of the town. The River Trent runs to the west

of the town. These links mean that Scunthorpe is an excellent location for attracting

businesses and companies. Its compact boundaries allow rapid access to the surrounding,

largely rural area with its attractive market towns, unspoilt villages and open countryside.

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Overview of the Team Parish

The Parish falls within the Manlake Deanery, one of 23 deaneries in the Lincoln Diocese,

and comprises three districts, each with its own church – St. Peter ad Vincula (Bottesford),

St. Paul (Ashby) and the Church of the Holy Spirit (Riddings).

The Parish occupies a swathe

across the southern side of the

Scunthorpe conurbation, with a

population of 32,500. This

represents a 13% increase over

the 2001 census, largely due to a

number of private housing

developments, and an influx of

young families. The Parish is the

most populous in the Lincoln

Diocese. Socially and

economically it covers a wide spectrum from affluent suburbia to deep urban deprivation.

People

Of 136 on the electoral roll, around 85-100 people attend regular Sunday worship – 35-40 at

St. Paul’s, 35-40 at St. Peter’s, and 12-20 at the Church of the Holy Spirit.

The congregations are predominantly elderly, which means that there is a finite number of

able-bodied people who are able to share in the work of the running of the Parish.

However, there is a committed core of people in each church who take on the

responsibility for dealing with practical matters in the individual churches, and

maintenance of the buildings, and we are confident that, as we grow, others will come

forward to help share the load.

There is also a good core of people who work for the Parish as well as their own church, and

one of the tasks for the future is to help more people recognise the contribution which they

can make to Parish life, whilst still retaining the security of, and loyalty to, their own

church.

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Structure and Staffing

The Parish is designated as a Team Ministry, with two full time stipendiary ministers. The

current Team Rector took up his post in April 2016 and the new Parish Missioner will be the

other full time post. A non-stipendiary minister acts as Associate Priest to the parish and

her licence is to be made permanent in the near future.

Two Church Army Evangelists have recently been appointed to a new joint Diocesan and

Church Army “Centre of Mission” project which operates across three key areas of the

town one of which is the Riddings Estate where one of the Evangelists is based.

There are currently two Readers licensed to the Parish and they participate regularly in the

delivery of Sunday services (Morning Worship) and midweek services.

There are two Parish Wardens, and each church has positions for two Deputy Wardens,

with only one vacancy existing (at the Church of the Holy Spirit).

There are lay ministers at St Peter’s who participate in pastoral visiting and the

administration of home communion. A group of lay people plan and lead the monthly

informal service – “Second Sunday Worship for All” - at St Paul’s.

Worship

At present, the Parish offers a range of worship styles, based on Common Worship, and is

broadly central in its churchmanship. All three churches have morning Sunday services,

and a Eucharist every third Sunday with organists usually available to play at St Peter’s and

St Paul’s. At other times CDs are used.

The current Sunday service pattern over the 3-week cycle might look like this :

St. Paul, Ashby (9.30am) St. Peter, Bottesford (10am) Holy Spirit, Riddings (10am)

Week 1 Holy Communion Morning Worship Morning Worship

Week 2 Informal Worship * Holy Communion Morning Worship

Week 3 Morning Worship Morning Worship Holy Communion

* The Informal Worship is monthly, on the second Sunday and is called Second Sunday Worship for All.

The Church of the Holy Spirit has an Informal service on the fourth Sunday of the month, currently called

the Morning Service.

Baptism services are currently offered on three Sundays each month at St. Peter’s and St.

Paul’s, and twice at the Church of the Holy Spirit, following the Sunday services.

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There are midweek communion services at St. Peter’s (Wednesday, 10.00 a.m.), and St.

Paul’s (Thursday, 9.30 a.m.).

Joint Parish Eucharists are held on the occasions of the Patronal services of each of the

three Churches – late January (St. Paul), Pentecost (Holy Spirit) and Petertide (St. Peter) –

and are normally followed by lunch at a local restaurant. Other opportunities to worship

together across the parish are currently being explored. There are also “special” services –

Mothering Sunday, Harvest, Memorial Service for the recently bereaved, Remembrance

Sunday, Carol Services, Crib and Christingle Services.

Lay people currently read the lessons, lead intercessions and administer the chalice at all

three churches.

Occasional Offices

During 2017 there were

26 weddings, of which 24 were at St. Peter’s Church and 2 at St. Paul’s (in 2018, 32

weddings have been booked)

68 funerals either conducted in one of our churches or by parish ministers at the local

crematorium.

121 Baptisms spread across the 3 churches

Administration

The business of the Parish is conducted by a Parochial Church Council (PCC), which meets

six times a year; each church has its own District Church Council (DCC) which acts as a

channel for the flow of information to and from the PCC, and has certain decision-making

powers on matters relevant to each church. A Finance and Standing Committee deals with

any important issues which arise in between PCC meetings. The Rector holds regular

meetings with the wardens who have also begun to meet together.

A Parish Office, located in St. Paul’s vestry, opens for six hours per week to deal with

bookings for baptisms and weddings, general enquiries, and various administrative tasks.

Staff Meetings

Currently the Rector, the Associate Priest and the two Readers meet fortnightly to discuss

worship, pastoral matters and generally to offer support to each other.

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The Social and Fund-raising life of the Parish

There is a healthy and well-supported annual programme of social and fund-raising events,

organised by a Social Committee and other individuals/groups, which serve to bond people

from all three Churches, and provide outreach into the local community. Regular events

include a Plant Sale (May), Garden Party (July), Christmas Fair (November) and a

Candlelight Supper (December), plus other ad hoc fund-raising events.

A Thursday drop-in Café, based in the

Parish Hall and staffed by volunteers

from across the Parish, working on a

rota basis, attracts many local people

and offers a point of welcome and a

chance for conversation and pastoral

support.

A recreational group (Parish Social Pastimes) meets monthly in the Parish Hall for indoor

games – table tennis, darts, board games, etc.

Men’s Breakfast

A Saturday morning ‘Men’s Breakfast’ was started a year ago meeting once a month for

fellowship and to provide an occasion to which friends and neighbours can be invited.

Thursday Cafe

Annual Garden Party

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Wednesday Welcome

The Church of the Holy Spirit has opened its doors on a Wednesday afternoon, in an effort

to re-establish closer links with people in the community it serves. The church is open to all

as a prayerful space, a place to play and to share tea, coffee, cake and conversation.

Working with Young People

The Parish has links with many local schools, with the clergy conducting assemblies at a

number of them, many of whom also visit one of the three churches for their own services

at times of major festivals and at the end of the school year. We are currently in the

process of establishing an ‘Open the Book’ team who will take bible stories into our

schools.

Some members of the congregation assist with the running of the local Church Lads and

Church Girl’s Brigade, located in the Community Youth Centre near to the Church of the

Holy Spirit. There are also developing relationships between the parish and a Seniors

Youth Group, called “Reaching Riddings”, which is currently sponsored by the Diocese of

Lincoln.

St. Peter’s hosts “Church Rocks” once a month for younger children and their families.

A lay-led service at St. Paul’s Church has been established for a number of years and

continues to evolve, welcoming the Brownie and Rainbow groups, who use the Parish Hall,

and their parents to Harvest, Remembrance Sunday, Christmas and Mothering Sunday

Services. The youngsters are usually encouraged to play an active part in these services.

Parish Organisations

There is an active branch of the Mothers’ Union, attached to St. Peter’s Church,

currently with 15 members from across the Parish and a neighbouring parish.

A Sewing Circle (approximately a dozen members) meets fortnightly.

There is a group of bell-ringers at St. Peter’s Church.

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Communications

The Parish has its own web site (http://lincoln.ourchurchweb.org.uk/bwa) which is

currently being updated. There is a monthly “Parish News” which contains details of all

forthcoming events, and this is supplemented by a weekly news sheet which gives the

latest information on events and pastoral issues.

Ecumenical Links

The Parish has very good

relationships with the other local

churches (Baptist, Methodist,

Roman Catholic and Salvation Army)

and plays an active part in

ecumenical activities under the

auspices of the Ashby, Bottesford

and Riddings (ABR) Ecumenical

Group, which meets every 3 months.

Church members, as well as the

clergy, sit on this group, currently

chaired by the local Baptist minister.

Joint events currently include the

Week of Prayer for Christian Unity,

Lent activities, a Good Friday Walk of

Witness and a Remembrance Day

Service, Community Carol singing

outside the shops at Christmas as well

as more informal occasions such as the

very popular annual Quiz Night, and a

Christmas Concert.

The ministers meet weekly for prayer,

support and fellowship.

Remembrance Day Service at the Ashby War Memorial

Ecumenical Quiz night

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St. Peter’s Church, Bottesford

St. Peter’s is a 13th century Grade 1 listed

building, dedicated to St. Peter ad Vincula. The

church is early English style and cruciform in

plan, built on the site of an earlier Saxon church.

There are very few alterations to the original

design with its splayed lancet windows, Gothic

aumbreys, sedilla, piscina and font. Major

restorations have taken place in 1870 and the

1950s. More recently (2012) significant repair

work was carried out on the tower. All of this

makes St Peter’s a very popular wedding venue

due to the beauty of its setting.

The bells are a significant feature of the

church. Until 1995 there were 3 bells,

dating from the 18th century, that were

chimed from the ground floor. As a

consequence of a major fund-raising

exercise, including donations from local

industry, three more bells were added,

together with a new bell frame and a

ringing platform. The training of new bell-

ringers followed, and there is now a

dedicated group of ringers who practise

each Tuesday evening and ring at Sunday services, weddings and other special services.

The bench pews date from the 1870s and can be moved to provide a variety of seating

arrangements for social events such as concerts, dramatic productions and Harvest

suppers.

There is a kitchen area in the base of the tower, below the bell-ringing chamber. The

building has a sound amplification system and hearing loop and a facility to play CDs.

There is also a Children’s Corner.

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Generally the building has been well maintained,

but there is a need for the nave floor to be

refurbished, disabled access to be improved and

for the provision of a toilet. These improvements

would greatly increase the attraction of the

building for wider social and community use, in

addition to worship, especially as there is no hall

adjacent to the Church.

Various fundraising activities take place

throughout the year to help with the maintenance

of the building including a monthly “200 Club”

The churchyard and the extension of the 1930s are both closed but there is a Garden of

Remembrance where cremated remains are buried. A piece of land (about one acre),

adjoining the churchyard, was bequeathed to the Parish a few years ago and is the subject

of discussion for use as an accessible community area which would also provide additional

car parking for the church. The Bottesford Beck Association, an organisation independent

of the church, works hard to promote the beauty of the local area and is keen to help the

church in its thinking about ideas for the use of this land.

The Church is always happy to welcome groups wishing to visit and has previously played

host to the Camera Club and Walking for Health.

Sheltered accommodation for the elderly, near to the medical centre has in the past

benefitted from input by the church.

Common Worship Holy Communion is celebrated every

third Sunday, with Morning Worship on the other two

Sundays. A midweek Holy Communion takes place on a

Wednesday morning. Every Maundy Thursday there is

an Agape meal and at Christmas there is a candlelit

Carol Service, Christingle and Crib Services and

Midnight Eucharist.

Other special services include a

service in the autumn for the Recently Bereaved to which all the

bereaved in the past year are invited. On Remembrance Sunday

there is a service for the wider community attended by

representatives of Bottesford Town Council followed by the

laying of wreaths at the Bottesford War Memorial. St. Peter’s

Agape meal on Maundy Thursday

An “Open Weekend”

Maundy Thursday

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sometimes hosts the annual Bottesford Civic Service, attended by the Mayor of Bottesford

and local schools and organisations.

Activities at St. Peter’s include

“Church Rocks” - held on the 1st Sunday

afternoon of each month, and consisting of

activities and worship designed for young

people and their families.

Hand Bell ringing. A group from St. Peter’s

have joined with an adjoining village group,

Messingham Hand Bell Ringers.

St Peter’s Mothers’ Union - meets on

the 1st Tuesday of the month at the Church of

the Holy Spirit. There are currently 15

members. This number includes 5 members

from the neighbouring Messingham Branch

which closed in 2015.

The vision of the St. Peter’s congregation is to

grow the church community both numerically and spiritually

develop our church for more effective community engagement

preserve the warmth of our welcome to all comers

engage with local schools and organisations to develop closer links

“Church Rocks”

Members of the Mothers’ Union enjoying lunch together

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St. Paul’s Church, Ashby

St. Paul’s Church was consecrated in 1925, built to meet the rapid growth in population in

parallel with the expansion of the town’s major steel industry. Its somewhat

unprepossessing brick exterior belies a lofty interior which many people find uplifting. The

vestry area was modified several years ago to create a Parish Office, leaving a Priest’s

vestry, a smaller (originally choir) vestry which now serves as a meeting room with a small

kitchen area and an adjacent toilet.

The church was originally built with the intention of extending the nave when demand

required it. This is now unlikely to happen, but in its present form it comfortably seats 150

people. The interior is laid out in traditional style with movable pews. The raised chancel

area allows for flexible worship. The high altar, immediately below the east window is used

infrequently at present; instead, a smaller altar, closer to the congregation, is used for the

celebration of Holy Communion.

Of the 52 people on the electoral roll, some 35-40 are regular attenders at the weekly 9.30

a.m. Sunday Service. This number swells (sometimes to as many as 100) at seasonal special

services and at some Informal Services. The Informal Service held on the second Sunday of

each month, is generally lay-led. A Worship group meets each month to plan for this

service.

St Paul’s during Ecumenical Walk of Witness – Good Friday 2018

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A Pastoral Care scheme is in operation at St. Paul’s, providing a valuable network of care

and “keeping in touch” if members are ill or in need of help.

There are strong links with local schools. Two of the nearby junior schools visit the Church

three times a year (Christmas, Easter and Harvest) for special services, filling the Church on

each occasion. Parish clergy also visit the schools for morning assemblies.

The vision of the St. Paul’s congregation is to

increase membership across all age groups and particularly through engagement

with young families.

increase lay participation in the life of the church.

strengthen links with young people via schools and uniformed organisations

have more involvement with the local community

deepen our faith through Bible study , prayer and mutual encouragement .

explore new forms of worship.

re-imagine our church interior (replacement of pews with flexible seating

arrangement and provision for multi-functional use) to provide a warm, welcoming

and inspiring worship space.

Church of the Holy Spirit, Riddings

The Church of the Holy Spirit celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2015 at Pentecost. It was

built to serve the growing housing development of the Riddings estate and housing in

north Yaddlethorpe (part of Bottesford). The housing estate known as ‘The Riddings’

started development in 1951 and houses are still being added today resulting in an excess

of 2000 homes on the estate. Originally built as a progressive council estate, nowadays

most properties are privately owned. Open spaces and parks were included in the planning.

Today Riddings is deemed to be an area of urban deprivation.

In the early 1960s it was decided that the area needed a church, so services were initially

held in the local primary school hall while funding was acquired. The distinctive blue spire,

made from local steel, was raised in 1962, and the church completed and opened for

worship in 1965. The original plan for the building was to include a hall, and the

foundations were put in.

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The church has a separate baptistry with a font

of local ironstone.

The church rooms, kitchen and toilet were

renewed in 2003 when the rooms were

provided to a SureStart project. The rooms are

currently let to a charity, New Horizons, which

continues to support families on behalf of

North Lincolnshire Council and the NHS. The

church is about to become involved with this work

by sharing in the running of their fortnightly coffee morning which is held for the families.

Both church and rooms are warm, and host PCC and other Parish meetings. The St Peter’s

Mother’s Union (now the MU branch for both Bottesford with Ashby Parish and

Messingham) meets here.

A group of the Church Lads and Girls

Brigade was established in 2012, and

meets in the Riddings Youth Centre,

providing weekly activities including some

Christian teaching for 8-11 year olds.

Relations with the local schools are good,

with both Enderby Road Infants, and our

neighbours Willoughby Road Primary,

coming in to church each term for services.

Clergy go regularly into schools for

assemblies and other school activities.

The congregation meeting on a Sunday morning is currently small and mainly elderly, but

with spirits that are strong and healthy, and with a desire for renewal of the church.

The priority for the Church of the Holy Spirit congregation is

to seek to grow the church by strengthening links with our local community and

making our worship more relevant and accessible, while maintaining a pastoral

heart for existing churchgoers, some of whom have worshipped here since the

church opened.

Church Lads and Church Girls Brigade

The font

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The Parish Hall

The Parish Hall (located next to St. Paul’s Church) is widely used by local community

Groups as well as providing a venue for Parish events. Built in 1939, it underwent a major

refurbishment in 2008 to provide new toilets,

disabled access and a general improvement in

services. As a consequence, the Hall is very

popular among the local Ashby, Bottesford and

Riddings communities and provides a venue for

a privately run Pre-School (4 mornings per

week), an Aerobics group (2 sessions per week),

two martial arts groups (4 sessions per week),

and weekly/monthly sessions for several other

groups (Brownies, Rainbows, Yoga, Line

Dancing, Embroiderer’s Guild and badminton)

as well as the Parish-run Café St. Paul. There is

also a regular demand from occasional users,

from the wider area, mainly for children’s

parties. The subsequent growth in income in

recent years, has moved the Hall from a position

where it was a drain on Parish resources to one

where it is now a significant earner for the

Parish, with annual income from external

lettings around the £20,000 mark. In the

recent past, the Hall has benefitted from grant

income to fund internal modifications, new

kitchen equipment, and maintenance work

(external repainting). The Parish recognises

the need to continually invest in the Hall to

keep it attractive, because there is

competition from other halls and community centres in the area.

There is the potential for the Parish to develop stronger links with some of the hall user

groups, particularly with the young people, for example the Pre-School.

The Hall is run by a Management Committee, answerable to the PCC.

Queen’s 90th Birthday celebrations

Fund raising concert featuring Parish musical talent

Pantomime in full swing at the Candlelight Supper

25

The Vicarage

The Vicarage is a modern detached property, with enclosed gardens and detached garage,

situated next to the closed churchyard that surrounds St Peter’s Church. The Vicarage,

which has its own driveway giving access to the house and garage, sits on Old School Lane,

a small road that provides access to the church and the neighbouring residential houses.

The ground floor comprises an entrance area and inner hallway, a large sitting room,

dining room, cloakroom, study and kitchen/utility. Upstairs is a master bedroom, three

further bedrooms and a family bathroom.

The property is currently occupied but prior to any new

appointment taking up their post, the house will be

refurbished and modernised to required standards and

redecorated and re-carpeted by the Diocese of Lincoln.

Old School Lane on which the church and vicarage are situated

26

Bottesford, the area around the Vicarage, is well served by a number of facilities including

Post Office, Medical Centre and Library. A selection of newsagents and small shops are

situated in different areas around the area. There is also a small private nursery.

The village and civic halls play host to various activities for all ages throughout the week

and may be hired for private events.

Tea Pot Hall is a drop in centre providing a daily welcome and activities for senior citizens.

There are also tennis courts, a bowling green and multi-use games area in the same

vicinity.

A variety of public houses provide pleasant facilities for eating out and a frequent bus

service connects Bottesford to both Ashby and Scunthorpe with a further service giving

access to Gainsborough and Lincoln.

27

Parish Finances

The Parish has its own Hall, a fixed asset currently valued at £473K, subject to imminent

revaluation.

Following the sale of St Catherine’s Hall and parcels of land at St Paul’s Church, the parish

found itself with reserves in excess of £313K at the end of 2008. Following the

identification of the need for urgent repairs to the tower and roof of St Peter’s Church,

some £105K was spent on this project. Replacement of lead roofing at St Peter’s Church

(with stainless steel) and copper roofing at Holy Spirit Church, following a series of thefts,

further depleted reserves as the full replacement could not be covered by our insurers.

Our parish attracts an annual Parish Share request in excess of £40K based on the current

diocesan formula. The parish has managed to pay Share in full for all but one year. Despite

a number of very generous individual donations, this has only been achieved in the past by

a further reduction of reserves.

As a consequence, reserves stood at £128K at the end of 2017, of which £27K relates to

Restricted Funds.

Income from Planned Giving is around £26.5K and is currently increasing. We receive

substantial Fee Income - around £12.5K (net) in 2017 - mainly due to the large number of

weddings in the Parish – although this did reduce slightly in 2017. Café St Paul generates

around £4k of funds for the Parish. The Parish Hall operates with its own Management

Committee, and is successful in being a net generator of funds for the Parish – around

£8.3K in 2017.

In addition to separate fund-raising events the PCC currently allocates 5% of the annual

income from planned giving to local and national charities.

28

0%

25%

13%

9% 4%

12%

4%

4%

6%

17%

2% 4%

Income 2017 £104,288 Planned Giving 26,487 Tax Recovery 13,380 Collections at Services 9,148 Donations 3,905 PCC Fees (net) 12,316 Events and Fund Raising 4,332 Café St Paul 4,122 Restricted Fund Income 6,746 Church Hall Income 17,929

0%

42%

1% 6% 4% 3%

8%

8%

7%

3%

10%

8%

Expenditure 2017 £97,839 Parish Share 41,186 Charitable Giving 1,260 Parish Utilities 5,804 Maintenance 4,145 Upkeep of Services 2,584 Office Expenses 7,995 Insurance 7,536 Major Projects & Repairs 6,840 CLCGB 2,589 Church Hall Expenses 9,687