St Andrew’s Psalter Lane Church, Sheffield
Charitable Giving for 2025/6
We were asked by the Chair of ECC to make a recommendation for SAPLC’s
charitable giving this year. The figure of £10,000 has been suggested by the Treasurer.
This equates to approximately 5% of our income to give to charities and is over and above
the individual gifting that takes place for various appeals throughout the year.
We give not because we must but because we want to, and as a response to one
of the many ways in which our loving God blesses us. This is part of our service.
It is usual to consult the wider congregation periodically on the charities we
should support as a church. Due to other priorities in this challenging period we have not
been able to do that this year. We have therefore not changed the suggested position
radically as we feel that to make a more significant change we should consult the
congregation and have a wider and more considered discussion. We have, though, been
mindful of the need to ensure that what we give can have real use and meaning. We have
therefore reduced slightly (by 2 this year) the number of charities the money is proposed
to be split between. Most churches give to between 10 – 12 charities. Last year we gave
to 15 charities and this year we are proposing 13 charities.
We have changed our focus away from specific charities this year and have looked
instead at what is important to us as a church, and then which charities support this
ethos. This year we have kept to the same charities as last year however for next year it
may be that we would wish to support other charities who are also aligned to the priorities
of St Andrews Psalter Lane. We suggest that the question is raised at the Annual Church
Meeting next year to allow the wider congregation chance to participate in discussion.
With this in mind we have focused on mission both home and internationally,
local charities reflecting our desire to help others including refugees and those seeking
asylum in this country, national charities reflecting amongst other things our message of
inclusivity and eco church, and also those charities with a Christian focus for
international development and helping communities out of poverty. We have kept
charities we have, as a church, a personal connection to also such as Fir Vale Food Bank
and the MHA.
We have changed the split slightly this year and reduced the percentage given to
some of the larger charities, in practice this will only reduce slightly the amount given to
each of the bigger charities and provide greater benefit some of the smaller, local
charities instead.
Mission based charities:- 20%
USPG (Church of England Mission Society) 10% £1,000
World Mission Fund * 5% £500
Mission in Britain Fund ** 5% £500
*previously Methodist Fund for World Mission
**previously Methodist Home Mission Fund
Local Sheffield based charities:- 30%
Fir Vale Food bank 7.5% £750
City of Sanctuary 7.5% £750
SYRLI (South Yorks Refugee Law & Justice) 7.5% £750
Parson Cross Initiative 7.5% £750
UK based charities with a Christian focus:- 30%
MHA 7.5% £750
Church Action on Poverty 7.5% £750
Arocha UK 7.5% £750
One Body One Faith 7.5% £750
International Development:- 20%
Christian Aid 10% £1,000
All We Can 10% £1,000
Report prepared by Jan Owen & Rachel Morris
June 2025
Reviewed and approved by the Ecumenical Church Council, 22nd July 2025.