Tower Appeal

 

The tower of the church is visible from many parts of the village and beyond. It is home to a fine set of bells, which ring out across the housetops for civic events and celebrations as well as a call to Sunday worship.  

What is not so visible is the wear and tear over the years on the fabric of this fine building. Just as any householder has to keep a property in good repair so the Church Council has to do the same. An inspection and an architect’s report have highlighted the need for major repairs, principally to the tower. There is no immediate danger but delaying this work will only make things worse and no-one wants to see Tarporley without its tower because things have gone beyond repair.

The need: pointing, work on the lead, on windows and roof slates. This work is labour intensive and requires scaffolding, which increases the cost.     

The cost: the target the Church Council has set is £100,000. The Church has some reserves but it has also other calls on these : a new heating system is needed and general repairs are constant.

     

The time-scale: the sooner the money is raised the sooner we can start work and avoid inflation in building costs and further deterioration to the fabric.  

Fund-raising events will help towards the target and offer an opportunity for the community to enjoy working together. Valuable as such events are experience has shown that these alone cannot raise that kind of figure.

 

Grants : these can help towards this and the Church Council is applying for grant-aid. However, there is no money available from central church funds, as people often think.  

 

DONATIONS from individuals and groups or businesses is the way we can reach the target. The more people who give the easier it will be to reach that target. For example, 1,000 people giving an average of £100 would raise £100,000, or 2,000 people (around the number of households in the area) giving £50 would raise the same amount. This amount gift-aided takes us well beyond the target.  Breaking it down like this makes it a more manageable figure. Of course, these are averages and every gift is welcome.   

Another helpful way is to think of what we spend on other items: one shopping-basket at the local shop, a holiday, a takeaway meal for four, one tankful of petrol, a mobile phone ‘top-up’.   We are all in different situations but there is something all of us can give to make a meaningful contribution to the heritage of Tarporley.     

 

Everyone who cares about the church and its place in the life of this vibrant community can help. A number of donations have already been made.  Your contribution is vital: it will help to repair the tower and will enrich the life of this community.

 

 

Cheques are payable to “St Helen’s PCC (Tower Appeal)”