The All Saints’ Church Fund Raising Challenge

The Quinquennial Inspection of All Saints' Church identified the need to totally re-tile the church roof. In early 2020 the All Saints’ PCC set up a Project Team, chaired by Tom Wilson, to define the extent of the project, to identify the likely cost and to recommend the funding options.

At the same time the PCC asked the Project Team to explore

• insulating the roof,
• upgrading the heating and lighting,
• improving the church paths
• identifying and undertaking any required tree works.

The Project Plan

The Project Team split the work and fund raising, into 2 phases:

Phase 1: Re-tiling and insulating the roof, and repairs of parapets.

Phase 2: Upgrading heating and lighting, church paths and tree works.

Fund Raising - progress has been incredible!

The recently published accounts to 31 December 2021 for All Saints’ Church showed funds raised for the Church roof at that date of £97,800. Some £15,000 of this was raised through local events with virtually all the rest being personal donations. This amount, together with known future income, enabled us to place an order with MA Hinton for the roof works.

Since 31 December 2021, we have received an additional £2,700 in donations, £5,300 from the 2022 All Saints’ Winter Lectures and a grant of £4,000 from Hampshire & the Islands Historic Churches Trust. The latter is significant as it is the only successful application we have made to those Trusts and Funds that have historically supported capital projects involving churches.

We have been somewhat inventive in seeking alternative sources of funds. One of the successes has been the work that Julia and Nick Shah have been doing to excite the interest of descendants of Stephen Hopkins in America. Through Julia’s purpose-built US Facebook page, nearly fifty of Hopkin’s descendants have generously contributed to our funds through the purchase of the old roof tiles, transported by Nick to the US, for up to $100 a tile!

The total funds raised as at the end of March was therefore £110,000.

Phase 1 - the roof is now restored!

The roof work has now been substantially completed and we anticipate that there will only be a limited call on the £20,000 contingency we had set aside for unforeseen additional costs. We will still have further funds to be raised for upgrading the heating and lighting, and works to trees and paths. The Roofurb committee will be continuing to fundraise up to 30 June 2022 by which time we expect to have between £20,000 and £40,000 to spend on these projects. This amount will then be passed back to the PCC and the Roofurb Committee will be wound up.

It is extraordinary how generous parishioners have been as most of the funds raised have come from the local community many of whom are not regular church goers but see this wonderful building as a really important heritage asset that must be preserved.  So, on behalf of the PCC and all involved in raising this very significant amount of finance, we would like to thank everyone who stepped up and made it possible.

Tom Wilson 14th April, 2022

PS - For the avoidance of doubt the Opera in the Garden event planned for July will not now be taking place.

 

Additional funds are still needed for Phase 2 works

What to do if you want to make a donation.

Donations can be made either;

Through our JustGiving page 

Please click this link https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/all-saints-church-roof.  Please do tick the gift aid box if you are a UK tax payer and able to do so.

or:

By cheque made payable to "All Saints PCC"

Please register your proposed donation, by either:

1. completing the Donation Form by downloading and printing it off using the link below,
2. register your donation online by clicking the following Link https://forms.office.com/r/taCmkCfMR7.

Please send your cheque (with the form if you have not registered it via the online link) to:

Charles Crosthwaite Eyre,

The Old Malthouse,

Upper Clatford,

Andover SP11 7QL

Many thanks for your interest and your help.