During the financial year to 31st March, we again held a Quiz Night and the popular annual Plant Sale, and organised a visit to the local racing stables, a Summer Raffle, a much- enjoyed lunchtime Staycation entertainment, and a Village Lottery. During the same period we gave a grant of £1,362 to the PCC towards the cost of repairing the Bellcote – bringing our total contributions for restoration and repair of the Church fabric to £131,964. This is, of course, thanks to your membership and support.
In the current financial year thus far, we have had another successful Quiz Night, with a revised layout at the Fieldgate Centre enabling us to accommodate more players, held our most profitable ever Plant Sale, with much help from a host of volunteers, and paid a return visit to Frith Herb Farm to see the fascinating processes of drying herbs and distilling valuable herb oils. We also had a stall at the August Bank Holiday Fete, and were glad to welcome new members, and most grateful for several generous donations.
Looking forward, there will be another enjoyable Staycation – this time to Cornwall, with a sea shanty group – at the Fieldgate Centre on the afternoon of Saturday 15th November, and our AGM will be in the Kingsmill Room at 7 p.m. on Wednesday 19th November. We already have dates for two popular perennial fixtures, the Quiz Night on Friday 6th February, and the Plant Sale on Saturday 30th May. Other events are in the planning pipeline.
After the inevitable slump in fundraising during the years of Covid restrictions, all these activities help steadily to increase the Charity’s reserves, on which we expect substantial calls in due course for three major works projects at St Mary’s, once given the go-ahead from the Diocesan Architect. These are retiling the Nave roof, the re-attaching of the facing to the essential structure of the bulging south wall of the church, and the replacement of the disintegrating wooden nave floor.
Friends who are not already members of the FOSM 200 Club are reminded that we shall shortly be seeking subscriptions for 2026. For an annual payment of £12, your allocated number will be entered in a Draw each month, giving twelve chances to win a £50 prize. If interested, please contact Mark Wray at 200clubkingsclere@gmail.com, or on 01635 297555. You may also buy extra numbers, for example, as gifts for children or grandchildren.
Fundraising by FOSM relies on all our members renewing their annual subscriptions. Happily, most of you have signed Bankers Orders forms, which make it so much easier for your Committee. Please may I urge those of you who haven’t already done so to do this, to
cut down on the time and cost of our chasing renewals. Anyone requiring a Bankers Order form, please contact either me, or Mark Wray on the ‘phone number above or at mark.wray55@gmail.com.
Volunteers to help setting up events, and ideas or suggestions for future events, are always welcome! Please contact either me on 01635 298434 or Jane Royle on 01635 297430.
Peter Turner
Chairman