A SOUTH Shropshire church threatened with closure has decided to have a go at organising necessary repairs to keep its doors open – but it needs £6,000 to do this.
Holy Trinity Church has stood in the village of Lydham since medieval times and is a listed building.
“Our church has been here for more than 800 years,” said the vicar, Norman Morris.
“But the building needs some work on it and, as a small worshipping community, it was felt that wider support from the community was needed before pressing ahead and raising a lot of money. The alternative was to close.
“So we invited everyone in the village to an open meeting.” The major challenge facing the parishioners is that the East Window needs to be completely taken out and replaced, along with minor repairs to the west window. The Church Architect has drawn up an estimate that the work will cost £100,000.
Grant funding of nearly £80,000 has already been secured and, with VAT refunded, another £6,000 is needed to pay for the repairs.
“The dilemma for us is that we need to raise over £6,000 per annum just to pay the parish share, heat, light, insure and maintain the church building and churchyard, so that it is fit and safe for twice monthly services, christenings, weddings and funerals,” added Norman. “It’s not just about the repairs. Morally I had to question spending public money without the wider support the parish of Lydham and Friends of Lydham Church might give us.”
An open meeting attracted 23 people with others pledging support and those attending agreed that the PCC (Parochial Church Council) should go ahead with the repairs and that fundraising would begin to raise the six thousand pounds and ongoing funds for the maintenance of the church.
It was also agreed that the needs of the church and the community should be monitored over the next few years.
Lydham Church is a grade II* listed building, built in local stone and it has a Welsh slate roof. It has fixed box pews and stained glass dating from 1642.