Campaign launched to save 800-year-old St James Church in Newton-in-the-Isle from closure before it’s too late.
An appeal has been launched to save a centuries-old village church from closing down.
Newton In The Isle’s St James Church is facing the threat of closure as its ‘dwindling congregation’ and need for major repair works worries the Church Buildings Department at the Diocese of Ely.
Now an action group has been started, asking villagers for their help to not only fix the 800-year-old building but turn it into a thriving community space for many more generations to come.
“We believe that they can get grants and the building can be fixed and wholesale works can happen,” said Samuel Pedlar, the church and community support adviser for the diocese.
“But in order to get those, we need people regularly interacting with the building.
“Nobody is going to give £200,000 - or whatever sum it might be - to a building if there isn’t anyone using it”
Recently, the church has had to stop its services as it found itself left with only four parochial church council members (PCCs), who are the committee members for the parish.
“They’ve not had any new people get involved in maybe 30 years,” Samuel added.
“We would love to have an action group of people to step up, work with them to gradually repair the building, get grants and start to use it.”
The diocese has had success in the past with these types of groups, with one example being the Church Friends Group at St John’s in Somersham which was formed in May 2010.
It now raises funds for church maintenance, concerts, exhibitions and parties - something which Samuel believes is a real possibility for Newton.
“It’s about saying that this building is ours, and not only does it belong to the Church of England, but it belongs to the whole village - it’s our space, so we can have ownership of it.”
Registrations to the action group can be made here.
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