Upwey Windows Appeal

Work began on the Church Windows on Tuesday 1st July and will continue for about 12 months. On Friday 28th September  2007 - we launched our appeal for £60,000 for the necessary repair of our Church windows.

The Bishop of Sherborne - the  Rt Revd Tim Thornton was one of our special guests that evening.  If you would like more information about the appeal please telephone Pru Bollam - one of our Churchwardens... 01305 812341

For over 600 years the people of Upwey have worshipped at St Laurence's.  We want our Church to continue for many more years to provide for the spiritual needs of all who come, to be the place where we can share our joys and grief, to pray, to celebrate and mourn.

Most of the time, our income from congregational giving, fundraising and donattions is sufficient to cover our expenses both for the provision of ministry and maintenance of the Church and churchyard. Over the past two decades we have repaired all parts of the of the roof, restored the organ, repaired the clock, had the painted Tudor Roses and texts expertly renovated and replaced the flagpole.  But from time to time, as with many Churches, essential works are beyond our own local means.

Every five years our appointed architect inspects the Church fabric and recommends work that should be done.  The inspection of June 2006 has shown that the time has come for work to all the windows of the Church, the stone surrounds, the glazing and the metalwork. All the windows of the clerestory need regalzing, new tie bars and masonry repairs.  The ventilators need repair or replacement with plain glass.  In Victorian times iron bars were inserted to strengthen the windows.  These have rusted and expanded damaging the stone. These bars must be taken out and treated against rust and the stonework repaired.

Some windows need complete re-leading and re-glazing and some just need the odd panes replacing.

The cost of these repairs, £60,000 far exceeds our normal income, so we are asking for your help in raising funds to complete the work and preserve our Church as a place where we can meet together to worship the living God who meets us in Jesus Christ.

Following our Appeal Evening and with money we had put aside for the windows plus recent giving, our Appeal Fund now stands at around £51, 500 at the beginning of November 2009 The work is well under way and will last about a year.

Our Appeal Tree showing our Target and how much has been raised has been made for us by Derek Cope and stands just inside the Church on the right.

Clerestory Windows and ventilators