All Saints’ Church Tower Appeal

Church Tower Repairs Set to Begin

Paul Thame, Churchwarden, reports:

After nearly five years of planning, consultation, surveys, and obtaining the necessary permissions and faculty approvals, I am delighted to report that work on the repair of the tower at All Saints’ Church will shortly be getting underway.

The church tower is an important landmark in our village and a treasured part of our local heritage. Over recent years, inspections have identified a number of repairs that are essential to ensure the long-term safety and preservation of the building. Bringing a project of this scale to fruition has involved considerable effort behind the scenes, and we are grateful to everyone who has supported us along the way.

Thanks to the generosity of parishioners, local residents, grant-making bodies, and fundraising events, we have already raised a substantial proportion of the funds needed. However, as many readers will appreciate, construction and specialist heritage repair costs have increased significantly since the original estimates were obtained several years ago. The latest quotations are considerably higher than those first received, creating a further funding challenge.

While we are pleased that the work can now proceed, we still need to raise additional funds to meet the increased cost and we will shortly be launching a new appeal for this purpose. Any support, whether through donations, fundraising ideas, or simply helping to spread the word, will be greatly appreciated.

An inspection in 2021 of the Church by our appointed architect revealed a significant number of major defects which need to be rectified urgently to preserve this Grade II* listed building and protect it from further deterioration.

These defects include:

Crumbling stonework around several windows,

Unsafe access to the tower,

Missing and loose brickwork on the outside faces and parapets of the tower,

Old and rotting timber, lead work and slate in the tower roof.

Water ingress into the upper tower.

It is the village Church, and we need to ensure it is kept in good condition to be available for everyone – whether it is for regular worship, special services on high days and holidays or for family occasions such as baptisms, weddings and funerals as well as for those who just love the building and its history.

The original estimate for this work amounted to approximately £120,000.  However this estimate is two years old and since then costs have increased everywhere. We are awaiting a revised costing. Furthermore the original estimate did not include provision for Architects’ fees. We can safely assume that the funds required to complete all the work will exceed the original budget.

Progress. We have raised over £93,000 through fund raising, grants and a very generous bequest from the late June Crook. We also have a promise of a further grant of £9,500.  We have spent £35,00 on works and £17,000 on fees.

The works so far have included repairs to the tower’s exterior brickwork and parapets and some repairs internally to improve access. The next phase will be new access to the tower roof and repairs to the roof itself.

Appeal for funds.  We know it is never a good time to be asking for money, but we do hope you will consider supporting the project by making donations now and in the future. 

Details of how to donate are below

Either:By BACS bank transfer to our account with Lloyds Bank:

  • Account Name: East Garston PCC
  • Sort code: 30-95-89
  • Account No: 00696299

Or: By cheque payable to East Garston PCC and sent to

The Acting Treasurer, Paul Thame
Tel: 07748 104840, Email: churchwarden.eastgarston@gmail.com

Gift Aid

If you are able and are willing to sign a Gift Aid Declaration this will enable us to claim 25p in the pound for each pound donated. You will need to complete and return the following declaration to the Treasurer.
Or you can download a Gift Aid form here.

Name(s)                 ……………………………………………

Address (first line)    ……………………………………………

Post Code                ……………………………………………

I/we have made/enclose a donation of £   ………………

Please treat this as a Gift Aid donation.  I confirm that I have paid or will pay an amount of Income and/or Capital Gains Tax for each tax year that is at least equal to the amount of tax that all the charities including the Church and community sports clubs that I donate to will reclaim on my gifts for that tax year. I understand that other taxes such as VAT and Council Tax do not qualify.  I understand the charity/Church will reclaim 25p of tax for every £1 that I give.

Signed:                                                            Date: