We are very grateful to all Parishioners for their generous financial support to our parish. However, in common with all charities, we are facing increasing costs related mainly to energy, repairs and other day to day expenditure and we need to meet these from regular income of which the offertory is the most significant part.
Donating to the Church via Gift Aid is the best and most efficient way to increase the amount you give. Provided you have paid sufficient UK income tax or capital gains tax to meet all your gift aided donations to all charities in the year you make your donations, we can claim 25p from HMRC for every £1 you donate at no extra cost to yourself. That means your donation becomes worth £1.25 to us. Clearly, this can be scaled up so, for example, if you donate £5 the Church receives £6.25 and so on. A bonus is that, if you are a higher rate taxpayer, you can also claim back some tax yourself!
As a parish we don’t incur any costs if you give in this way and it also helps us to budget with some degree of certainty.
The simplest way to set up giving in this way is to complete a Standing Order form and a Gift Aid form which are available from Roz Hawkes, our Gift Aid Treasurer. Please contact her via email at: GA.chard.englishmartyrs@cliftondiocese.com and she will be happy to provide you with the necessary forms together with any additional information you would like. She will also try to answer any questions you may have regarding the Gift Aid Scheme. Once set up, you need to do nothing more, and we will take care of all the necessary paperwork including making the Gift Aid claim.
Giving through Gift Aid has no impact on your personal tax affairs whatsoever. The only thing that you, as the Donor, are required to do is to tell us if you no longer pay enough income tax to cover the amount we will reclaim in any tax year.
No matter how small (or large) your regular donation, Gift Aid is a great way to boost the Church’s income with no cost to anyone else.
Finally, taking into account your own financial situation and needs and when you last reviewed your donation, please could you consider increasing what you give either by way of Standing Order or via Dona or the loose collection.
conactless Giving. We can accept cashless donations for the Parish by debit or credit cards from all major cards. You will find our contactless handsets at the back of the church (English Martyrs Chard). Just use your contactless debit or credit card or you can insert your card into the keypad where you can authorise your donation using your card’s PIN.
Thank you for supporting us!
“A gift opens the way and ushers the giver into the presence of the great.”
— Proverbs 18:16