Tower Appeal
The works to the tower and forecourt will significantly enhance the welcome and accessibility of the church building and facilitate the church being open during the week for people in the community to ‘pop-in’ and pray.
The tower cleaning is stage 1 and this was completed in January 2010, giving a greatly enhanced appearance and assuring it structural future for another 130 years. This work was essential to maintain the stonework which had badly deteriorated, in part, and during this work we discovered that the Tower roof was also in need of replacement. The pigeons have now been 'requested' to leave and appropriate measures put in place to help them. not to return! Two sides of the tower are finished, but at some time in the future we shall need to return to this, and clean and repair the North side.
Planning permissions are being sought to see the proposed new glass doors installed and the floor levelled for free disabled access just as soon as the necessary funds are raised!
We very much hope you will be able to support these significant and exciting plans generously, to ensure that St. Mary’s remains a parish resource and place of worship and ongoing witness to the gospel of Jesus Christ in Croydon, for generations to come.
There are still some outstanding costs associated with the work already completed, which we have had to cover with a Parish Loan. Please use Gift Aid for your donations.
The first stage of the works to the tower is the external cleaning and repairs to the stonework. The cost of the works is budgeted to be £177,241 (including fees and VAT) and we have received a grant of £75,000 from English Heritage. Other grants totaling over £7,000 have been received from the Diocese of Southwark, Heritage Trust of London and Allchurches Trust.
The work on the Tower is ongoing and we would be really grateful for contributions to keep this work on track. Please make cheques payable to “St Mary Magdalene with St Martin Tower Fund” to the Church Treasurer, The Tower Appeal Fund, Parish Office, St Mary Magdalene, Canning Road, Croydon CR0 QD. Thanks for any contribution you are able to make. Please remember, if you are a taxpayer, to enclose a completed gift aid slip (see tower appeal leaflet) so we can reclaim the tax paid. Please download a copy of the Appeal Leaflet. Some diagrams illustrating the extent of the works are also available: |