Church’s £108,000 challenge (From Evesham Journal)

Church’s £108,000 challenge

6:00pm Friday 19th October 2012 in Evesham

A VALE village has vowed to raise £108,000 to save its 12th century church.

St Peter’s Church in Hinton- on-the-Green is in urgent need of restoration work.

However, the recently reformed village Parochial Church Council has had a request for funding turned down by English Heritage and is now turning to the public to help raise the cash to protect the building.

Liz Davies, the secretary of the PCC, said the village had so far raised £800 towards its target. “We were disappointed about the outcome of the application but there are other funding opportunities,”

she said. “Where there’s a will there’s a way. We are hoping to do the community fund-raising now and then we will have money in the coffers if anyone is prepared to do match funding.”

The most essential part of the work is to make the damaged ancient church water tight. “Part of the building is beginning to get quite badly damaged,” added Ms Davies.

“The church is our only public building. It is massively important in the village.”

Nick Frost, vice-chairman of the PCC, said they had investigated Chancel Repair Liability – an archaic law which would essentially place a condition on the deeds of some of the 104 households in the village to help pay for the repairs.

“The issue was resolved to everybody’s satisfaction and there is no Chancel Repair Liability,” said Mr Frost. “At the moment the roof of the church tower is looking like a sieve. The last quinquennial inspection was carried out just under two years ago and said certain work needed doing within two years.”

The next fund-raiser is a hog roast harvest supper and concert on Saturday.

Tickets are available on 07711 181299.