Meanwhile: some good news
Applaud the fundraisers
The monumental task begun a few years ago, to raise the needed funds for the restoration project, had been undertaken by a dedicated few. Over time, auctions, sponsored events, notices, leg work, and the courage to ask, they managed to engender generosity in enough people to get us to the point where we could begin work on what was to be the first phase of the project. This same group, the St Stephen’s Roof Fund Committee, also sought the grants that were soon to make the entire project possible. There will be generations who benefit from their endeavors. At the end of the project, we will take the time to applaud them as we celebrate the completion of the restoration of our roof.
Applaud the donors
As of the 18th of April 2021, £145,873 had been raised solely through gifts, donations, and fundraising activities. That is a staggering amount. St Stephen’s church will forever be grateful for the generosity shown by its friends and family both near and far. Small or large, every penny has helped and will secure this building’s future. Whenever you walk, cycle, or drive past the church, note the part you played. Every blessing!!
Applaud the grant bodies
Special thanks has to go to the deliberators and decision-makers at the different grant-giving bodies that have enabled work to proceed. Even with the generosity of individuals, we would still be facing an incredible shortfall (£114,00) as of September 2020. To date, we have received confirmation of pledges amounting to £79,127 from these grant-giving bodies:
Our gratitude to these organizations is incalculable.
The keen mathematicians among you, however, will have noticed that there would still be a deficit of close to £30,000.
The good news
As a church, we were anxious to take full advantage of the Listed Place of Worship Grant Scheme before its March 2021 deadline. This meant that any delays, like the scaffolding redesign, would have significant cost implications for us. We would only be able to afford work to the Nave and Aisle roofs, which accounted for roughly two-thirds of the entire work needed. Any V.A.T reclaimed through the scheme would have gone towards the completion of the second phase of work - the chancel and its connected roofs. We were definitely going to miss the March 31 deadline for paid invoices and would have had to face the rest of the project with a deficit - unless we somehow managed to raise the money in the middle of a global pandemic.
Imagine the elation when we learned that the Scheme had been extended for another year. Though it didn’t represent money in the bank, it gave us a way to pay for the project that assured us net affordability. This was indeed good news.
