| St Katharine's Church, Merstham, Surrey
Official Fundraising Site |
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WELCOMEThe beautiful 13th Century church of St Katharine is the oldest remaining building in Merstham, Surrey, but seven centuries of wear and tear have taken its toll on the structure and it is now in urgent need of repair. Our aim is to raise £300,000 to help restore this amazing building, please help if you can. Why is the Church in Danger?Despite substantial repair work carried out in the recent years, the latest Architect's inspection has revealed various serious problems. In addition to this, the shell coating that was applied to the tower some years ago is now dropping off, and we have to find a replacement coating, which we hope will be one that will withstand the weather and protect the soft Merstham stone for many years to come. This is the most urgent work that needs to be carried out, and needs to be completed by the early 2012. In addition, restoration work is also needed to parts of the roof, other bits of stonework around the church, rainwater and drainage systems, and elsewhere. If this work is not carried out the soft exterior stone will erode to such an extent that the tower will become unsafe in the medium to long term. A relatively inexpensive repair now will save a large sum of money in 15-20 years timeProtecting our HeritageThe present St Katharine's provides a link with the past over many generations of Merstham people. It occupies the site of a 13th-century building, with enlargements and extensions subsequent centuries. Today, it is at the heart of the area, architecturally, culturally and socially, as well as fulfilling its traditional religious purpose. The charm and character of Merstham are dependent on the Church at its centre. That Church will not survive into another century unless substantial sums are raised to protect it. To that end, a Restoration Appeal has been launched, which everyone is invited to support generously.Our Target: £300,000In order to effect all necessary repairs and ensure that the fabric of the Church is maintained over the next few years, we need to raise at least £300,000. We will get help towards this sum. English Heritage has agreed to fund £100,000 of this, but we have to raise the rest. We are applying to charities and grant making trusts as well as individuals both within Merstham and beyond. However, we will get no outside help unless we are seen to be helping ourselves. A substantial proportion of the money that we need must be raised in the village. We are the Parish of Merstham. If we don't act to save our Church no one else will save it for us! In order to meet our target, we must involve everyone in this Appeal and that includes you!How You Can HelpWe are looking to everyone for help, but especially anyone who lives in Merstham now and to those who used to live here and perhaps now live elsewhere - even overseas - to help us in this major task. Please give some thought as to how you may be able to assist. We need your donations big or small. Every contribution will help to secure the future of our Church. If you are a UK tax payer then the value of your gift can be increased if you Gift Aid it to us. This means that for every £1 you donate, the government will give us an additional 28p making your gift worth even more to us. To make your donation tax effective please complete the form and return along with your gift to: Gill Buchanan, Shaw Cottage, Shepherds Hill, Merstham RH1 3AD. We are also looking for organisations and individuals to help with fund-raising events. If you are prepared to get involved in this way, please contact Gill on 01737 642588. Can you imagine the village without the Parish Church?Key Points to RememberSt Katharine's Church is one of the finest examples of 13th and 14th century English architecture in the area and is a Grade II* listed building. We are not alone in our efforts to save the Church. However, we will get grants only if we ourselves also raise funds. The Appeal already has the active support of very many people. They are giving generously in both time and money. Please make your commitment to join them. The Parish Church is not only a place for worship, weddings, baptisms and funerals, it is also a venue for events and a building of great beauty and historical interest. It is at the heart of our village. Unless we all work together to save this priceless village asset, there is a real possibility that the building will have to be closed it will soon become too dangerous to enter.
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