NEWSLETTER
August 2026
The sole purpose of this Newsletter is to explain in rather more detail the extreme financial challenges facing St Mary’s if the building is to continue functioning in the heart of our village as a place of worship and for varied community activities. I have alluded in recent issues of The Tower to some of the costs involved, but in aggregate, the sums for the fabric repairs works needed to keep the building open safely are truly alarming, and obviously far beyond any meaningful contribution from FOSM.
What we can do, however, is pave the way for the Parochial Church Council to seek grants from bodies with greater financial resources, which commonly require advance pledges of a sizeable proportion of the cost of each project. As those who read the Tower will be aware, this is why FOSM has committed up to £50,000 — the greater part of our current reserves — to the fabric repair deemed most pressing, the complete replacement of the Nave roof, at an estimated cost of £145,000 including VAT. This was not a decision taken lightly, but the Board agreed unanimously that it was necessary to get things moving.
The next priority, at a broadly similar cost, will be reattaching the bulging flint facing to the original structure of the south and west walls; and following that the as yet uncosted replacement of the badly rotted nave floor.
FOSM will obviously be redoubling our fundraising efforts, but to save the building will effectively require the whole community to come together. If each of you who receives this letter could persuade someone you know to join the Friends, it would be a significant start.
In the meantime, I can report that the results of our Summer Raffle, sponsored by Downer & Co., and drawn on 15th August, were most encouraging. As well as generous gifts of prizes, ticket sales were almost matched by kind donations without tickets being taken.
Quite separately, since the extent of the repairs has been clear, we have also been much encouraged by several sizeable contributions to our general funds – some on condition of strict anonymity – from local businesses, individual Friends, friends of Friends, as well as from a Family Trust. We are most grateful for all these donations.
Peter Turner
Chairman