All buildings need maintenance and our church building needs more than most because of its age and historical significance. 

The maintenance & repair team have a long list of routine inspection and maintenance tasks. Some of these need to be sub-contracted (like testing the lightning conductors!) but many are done competently by volunteers giving their time and expertise.  Small repairs are tackled as needed to avoid big repairs later! 

Bigger projects (such as the Chancel roof repair and the Renewal Project) must be done under the supervision of an architect. But there’s a huge role for our Large projects’ team in helping to draw up specifications, apply for permissions and liaise with contractors, grant providers etc.

Some members of the community generously support the maintenance of the church through the Friends of St Mary’s by making regular donations and fundraising.

How you can help

From changing light bulbs to clearing drains all tasks need attention. In some areas experience might be necessary and safety is a top priority for the maintenance & repair team. Training is given where required and sometimes it is possible to involve youngsters and give them some practical lessons in serving our Lord.

Our maintenance & deep cleaning days take place regularly, when we all get together to do a number of tasks - with refreshments and lunch provided. It’s a great opportunity to get involved and meet other members of the team.

As well as volunteers to carry out maintenance and repair work, we need people with some technical background in building maintenance to help carry out inspections, specify tasks and know when to call in the experts!

Do you have experience in working with end-users to identify needs and find solutions, or making grant or planning applications, or managing finances for large budgets? If any of these skills is your forte, you could make a huge contribution to our large projects team, as can people with creative skills and an ability to see the bigger picture! Our next large project is the imminent renewal of the Church interior and we are now establishing a team for this £600,000 project.

We need members of the church family to take on a leadership role for the Friends of St Mary’s.