Joyce Davison and Maureen Waterston first met late in 1979, when (with many years of individual experience in different areas within “the Rag-Trade”) they both applied for jobs at a local Theatre, making and mending Costumes for the 8-week Pantomime Season. When those time-limited jobs came to an end, the Theatre Manager suggested that they should set up in business together.

So they did – renting a room from the Local Authority in a building on Newcastle Quayside, in January 1980, without specifically thinking of creating a business specialising in anything. The idea was simply to establish a general sewing service – and it was only because a number of early customers happened to be in the Church, that Joyce and Maureen began to make items for them and so began to gain expertise in the area of making Church Robes.

Little work was turned away – and very soon the two Partners were creating their own patterns and designs, to accommodate requests they received. This was where their philosophy of providing the best possible personal attention was born, and this philosophy – of striving to provide excellent personal service – of course continues.

Joyce and Maureen's work began to expand to the extent that they had to take on staff to maintain production at the levels being demanded, but the number of staff taken on was at first limited – and a move of premises in 1990 saw the Partnership established in the present location at Charlotte Square in Newcastle upon Tyne.

Further business expansion over the years led to the introduction of further staff and also a certain level of computerisation in terms of administration and embroidery.

In the early days, it was some time before any visits to Colleges were arranged, and then it was only on a small scale. However, regular visits are now made (wherever possible) to Theological Colleges, Diocesan Conferences and Christian Resources Exhibitions throughout the country.

In 2004 the business became incorporated, with Joyce and Maureen being joined by two new Directors – Theresa Tiffin who had been J&M’s Workroom Supervisor, and ex-Bank-Manager Stephen Wroe who had been running J&M’s Office.

The Business currently provides employment in Newcastle for 21 people, all at the same location in Charlotte Square – and with the assistance of electronic communications, especially the firm’s web-site and e-mail correspondence over the Internet, the total Customer Base has now reached over 34,000 worldwide (including Individuals, Churches, Cathedrals, and well over 500 Choirs in some 41 Countries).  

In 2007 the Company was awarded the Royal Warrant, in view of the garments we make on a regular basis for Chaplains to HM The Queen, and for the Choristers and Clergy of the Chapels Royal.

Sadly, having been retired from the Business for only 6 years, Joyce passed away in October 2010 after a long illness – and so Maureen is now the only surviving original Partner.

We manufacture a wide range of reasonably priced, but high quality items, in our Workroom in Newcastle upon Tyne. All the items we make are made only to order, and our range includes a wide variety of garments for Bishops, Clergy, Lay-Ministers, Choirs, Servers, Vergers etc – plus Altar Linen and Soft Furnishings for Churches, such as Frontals, Falls and Banners.

As well as Cassocks, Surplices, Cottas, Albs, Cassock-Albs, Gowns, Cloaks, Clerical Shirts and Clerical Blouses – we manufacture a full range Vestments with a comprehensive choice of fabric possibilities, and with many different Embroidery Designs available. It is also possible for Customers’ own designs to be incorporated into Vestments etc – on enquiry.

Fabric samples, and our separate printed Price List, can be sent by post on request, without charge.

Although we welcome Customers to our Office/Showroom, we do not need to maintain an expensive “High Street” premises, as most of our Orders come into to us by “mail-order” or via our website – and so our overheads are lower then some other Clerical-Wear Manufacturers, enabling us to keep our prices as low as reasonably possible for the quality we provide.

In fact we only actually see a very small number of our Customers (only about 6% in fact, with the rest being really too far away to visit us) – and so we have become very experienced at dealing with Customers “at a distance” – giving guidance (where necessary, on measurements, styles and fabrics) by telephone or post, or these days “more often than not” by e-mail.

We manage to provide well-fitting garments for all these different Customers because of the attention and care that has gone into the design and manufacture of the range of garments we produce, and the efforts we make to maintain value for money and high levels of Customer Service.

Individual requirements (e.g. for people with physical disabilities) can usually be accommodated,because all the items we make are cut and sewn individually – and there are numerous comments from satisfied Customers posted as “Testimonials” on our website. http://www.jandmsewing.com.
Many of our new Customers come to us on the recommendation of friends and colleagues who have been satisfied with items we have supplied for them.

We usually provide the material for the items we make – but it is possible for Customers to provide their own fabric.

We are sometimes able to offer a refurbishment service, particularly for items of our own manufacture, and we have successfully “given new life” to articles dating back as far as 1939.

Listed Buildings and VAT

By Les Howard of vatadvice.org
At Stand A16 CRE Manchester  from 10th October

The Chancellor was unique in being booed during the Olympics. He has also been booed in a number of business and charity sectors as a result of his Budget earlier this year. In his attempt to clarify anomalies (his words), he has further burdened hot food retailers, self storage operators, and, most significantly, owners of Listed Buildings, including numerous churches.

Major changes take effect from 1 October 2012 and transitional rules until 30 Sept 2015. In common with VAT regulations generally, they are not straightforward.

The main problem area is where there are ‘Approved Alterations’ to a Listed Building. Such works were previously zero rated, and thereby provided a helpful mitigation of the costs incurred in maintaining such historic buildings.

The original proposals were somewhat amended, which will assist some churches. Hold tight, this is not easy!

Zero rating is abolished for all works carried out after 30 September 2012. Anti-forestalling rules prevent the use of pre-payments to mitigate the effects of the change.

However, if either Consent was applied for, or the construction contract was signed, before 21 March 2012, then zero rating will continue until 30 September 2015. This will, of course, assist those churches already committed to projects. I have contacted two churches over the summer to give them this good news. In both cases, the projects would have suffered significantly had costs increased by 20%.

There are lots of other specific situations which will arise. For example, what if the contractor identifies other work that needs doing, or an additional Consent needs to be obtained. HMRC have issued an Information Sheet 10/12 that seeks to answer such questions. However, as always, HMRC will give information, not advice.

The Listed Places of Worship Scheme has been extended, to compensate for the VAT changes. This Scheme provides a grant to fund the VAT costs of certain repair works. Although the Scheme is not operated by HMRC, it does bear some relation to VAT.