Paying for the Church Building
As a Grade II* listed building, all repairs to St Mary’s church are subject to strict conditions. These are to ensure that any materials used and changes made do not damage the unique features and historic value of the building. This often means that the cost of repairs can be expensive.
Small repairs, maintenance tasks and running costs are paid for from the parish church’s general budget. Larger repairs and improvement projects often exceed this general budget however. In order to cover these costs, the Parochial Church Council (PCC) frequently has to seek grants and donations to supplement what it can contribute from its own budget.
We are very grateful for the generosity of all these organisations which have contributed amounts ranging from tens to thousands of pounds either directly for repairs or for fundraising events. Without them, the parish could simply not afford the repairs.
We are also thankful for the support we receive from people and community groups who have given freely of their time (and the time of family members on occasion) to repair and maintain the building. Some individual church members and neighbours have also generously donated money especially for specific or urgent repairs or for items needed by the church.
Church Tower
Why were we fundraising?
We were told at the last building inspection that the church tower’s roof was badly in need of repair and that it would cost over £90,000 to make it safe and waterproof. This amount far exceeded our regular income and we could only hope to afford these repairs by obtaining several grants.
Grants and fundraising support - a big thank you!
In breaking news ..we have just received a grant of £15,000 from the National Churches Trust and Wolfson Foundation in respect of the substantial repairs needed to our church tower roof.
This is the latest and largest of many grants that we have received from different trusts and organisations:-
Sheffield Diocesan Grants Committee - £5,000
Sheffield Church Burgesses - £5,000
Yorkshire Historic Churches Trust - £8,000
Benefact Trust - £7,000
Congregational & General Charitable Trust - £12,000
Garfield Weston Foundation - £10,000
The Parochial Church Council also agreed to contribute £10,000 from its general budget, and over £13,000 was raised from local fundraising such as fairs, choral and other music events, sponsorship and Teddy Bear Zip Wire events.
We are very grateful for the generosity and support of all the trusts that have supported us and for all the local fundraising over the last year and more. As a result, we are now able to go ahead with making the repairs in October and November this year.
What will the repairs include?
The church building is over 870 years old and the tower Is thought to be the oldest part. The tower roof was last repaired in the late nineteenth century and can no longer prevent rainwater entering. The repairs will involve replacing the current roof covering; installing a secondary timber deck to improve run-off; and repairing high-level stonework. Our contractor will ensure that disruption is minimised and our usual services will not be affected.
These repairs will ensure that the church can continue to serve our community and will preserve the building for future generations.