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A Vision for
the Future of Suckley Church
29 people attended the first open meeting on June
8th.
7 other people sent in detailed representations of their thoughts. Thank you!!
A very brief illustrated summary of the situation was distributed, and the
following presentations were made:
Andrew Mottram (Worcs Diocese Heritage Buildings and Community Development
Officer) urged us to improve our church’s usefulness by returning to the model
of the church in medieval times when it was the lively heart of all aspects of
life in its community (not just the spiritual). His point was that church
congregations can no longer expect to be able maintain their buildings with
traditional ‘giving and ‘fundraising’ alone, and need to find innovative ways of
using the church to respond to the needs of the community and bring in the
necessary income stream
Di Holloway (Suckley Church treasurer and Chairman of Suckley school governors)
said that maintaining Suckley church had become unsustainable for the present
small congregation (electoral roll 36), and church closure looked inevitable
unless new ways of creating the income needed were found. There have been many
successful and enjoyable fundraising events in recent years; but in a village
with only 219 households, fundraising is not enough as a reliable source of
significant regular income. She emphasized that the proposed new large community
space would complement the present Village Hall facilities, which would continue
to be needed. The PCC wants to work with the Hill Trust in looking after the
needs of our community.
Matt Meckin (Suckley School head teacher) said that the school is successful and
numbers of pupils are increasing. However the present school site was too small
to provide some statutory aspects of the school curriculum. The expanding school
would benefit enormously if able to use the space available within the adjacent
church (for assemblies, PE and dance, drama etc.). The school use could then
generate both capital funding and an ongoing income stream for the church, which
would improve the long term viability of both school and church within our
village.
Anne Lewis (Suckley churchwarden) looked at our own church building, and then at
examples of reordering projects in other churches, to help stimulate our
thoughts and ideas of how Suckley church’s future might take shape.
By dividing into 3 groups, individuals were able to discuss their ideas and
their reservations, which were then summarized for all to hear. Most people
filled in a questionnaire to summarise their thoughts, under the headings
‘Preferences’ ‘Questions’ ‘Concerns’ ‘Offers of help/ Areas of skills’ ‘Other
ideas for the use of the church’ and ‘Are you interested in forming part of a
focus group?’.
In summary, there was general acceptance of the inevitable need for reordering
if we want to keep our Church open. (Reordering is the term used when a church
makes the structural changes required to respond to the changing needs of its
community). There was complete agreement that 1) the church should provide basic
facilities (toilets, kitchen and heating) and 2) the project should not
compromise the use of the church as a church e.g. the facilities for services,
weddings and funerals. (We would expect they would be greatly improved!)
The PCC now has a better understanding what is, and is not wanted. A mailing
list will enable communication with those who wish to be involved. There will be
a ‘Focus Group’ with representation from a wide spectrum of the village, and
consideration of a new ‘Friends of Suckley church’. When the holiday season is
over the PCC will be working on the thoughts and ideas gathered, and the next
public meeting will be later in the year.
We will need a professional fundraiser to help us find all the likely funding
sources. For interest, when the recent major tower repairs were needed, the
church (with the help of a professional fundraiser) wrote to 44 charitable
trusts, which contributed £47,800 towards the £65,000 raised. (Fundraising,
individual donations, and recovery of tax (Gift Aid) made up the total.) The
trusts written to were those interested in ‘church buildings’ and ‘English
heritage’ projects. If our present reordering project is of major relevance to
the school, then that will enable us to approach a completely new set of Trusts
and Charitable organisations whose interest is in Education and Community
projects.
The PCC has sought to find as wide a response from the community as possible. If
you would like to send your thoughts and ideas, receive a questionnaire, or join
the mailing list please contact Anne Lewis or Di Holloway (annelewis@doctors.or.uk,
01886 884552, or diana@holloways.demon.co.uk)
For more
details please contact:
Rev’d Andrew Bullock
telephone: 01886 932355
email:
a.bullock@rmplc.co.uk
or visit the Suckley website on:
www.suckley.net
DID YOU KNOW?
The original cost of the church in 1878 was £5,000 by public
subscription.
The tower is hung with 6 bells cast by the famous Rudhall foundry
in Gloucester. These were restored in the late 1980s at a cost of £9,000 raised
locally.
The
Church seats 250.
The beautifully carved oak hymnboard was donated by two ladies of
the School of Art - Wood Carving in London in memory of their colleague Miss
MacKenzie who died locally.
The large font dates from around 1150-1200 and has a 17th century
domed cover.
There is a brass tablet in the chancel to the Rev’d Thomas
Littleton (died 1665).
In 1822 there was a custom of dressing the church with holly at
Christmas, birch on Sunday nearest Midsummer, oak at Whitsuntide and yew at
Easter.
Replica Crimea medals are to be found on the headstone of
William Henry Beard who died in 1901 and there is a military grave in memory of
J H Dewhurst who died in November 1945.
Outside the church are the remains of a medieval preaching
cross, scars show where arrows were sharpened on the stone.
The clock on the tower was installed in 1911 in memory of the
local benefactor EH Hill.
Fences in the churchyard were originally set up in sections,
each one sponsored by local landowners.
The population in 1891 was 664, it is now 547, 52% of whom are
over the age of 45!
The original
school-house was built up against the western end of the south wall of the old
church.
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