Gift Day Update: New Building & Roof Repair

Here is an update on the gift day and the potential new church building following the Christmas break:

The gift day raised almost £64,000 for the roof repairs and the seed corn fund for the professional fees to pursue purchase of Countrywide stores. Thank you all for your gifts and pledges. This should allow us to apply for match funding from trusts to complete phase one of the roof works.

Since then we have commissioned the fundraising consultant to undertake a funding feasibility to give us a clearer picture of how much money we might be able to raise, by what means and over what timescale.

The consultants, Action Planning, are making progress and will be presenting their findings to the PCC in February ahead of the APCM on 21st March. We hope to be in a position to make a conditional offer on the building following this report.

The PCC are of course aware that the building remains on the open market and could be sold at any time.  In this case the findings of the report will help us to be ready for the next opportunity as soon as it arises.

Over the last month Simon has met with Robert Courts our MP & James Mills from WODC both of whom were very encouraging about the proposed purchase of Countrywide. Simon continues to have significant meetings with Bishop Colin and the Diocese, who are very supportive of the concept of Countrywide becoming a new worship and ministry centre and are considering whether there are any ways that they can help with the funding.

Please continue to pray that these meetings would be productive and that in the meantime if the Countrywide building is God’s intended place for us that the opportunity would remain open.

We are all very aware of the continued effort to provide our wonderful children’s and youth work and worship over so many Sunday services and we want to thank you all for your continued commitment and support. Please continue to pray for the right way forward to enable us to grow and flourish as a church.