Prayers answered as church near Shrewsbury secures £330,000 repairs funding
A stunning rural church near Shrewsbury which was in danger of closing has had it prayers answered after £330,000 funding was secured for vital repairs.
St Lucia's Church, in Upton Magna, had major structural damage and no heating.
Members of the congregation said the building was hardly used, and they wanted to install toilets and a kitchen to make it more community friendly.
Parishioners worked to secure the cash needed to carry out repairs to the roof and drainage, and now they are getting ready to hold their first service since November last year, on Sunday.
Heating and structural work has been completed, with toilets and kitchen facilities to be installed after Christmas. Work is also going to be done to restore old wall paintings, and the church is working with the Royal National Institute of Blind People to install a sensory garden and a map in Braille.
Fundraising co-ordinator Sue Woods said: "We want to let people know that services are being held again. The church was ready to completely close if we didn't have a new roof. It would have been a great pity for a great village. It is an absolutely beautiful church.
"The church is a massive part of our local community."
Parts of the church are 1,000 years old, and restorations had to take place due to pieces of masonry falling.
Archdeacon of Salop Paul Thomas will be leading the service, almost a year after he held the final service before repair work started.
Sue added: "It's an exciting time. It will be special to celebrate the reopening of the building. It's the first time we've had heating in there for four years."
Lin Carding, a parishioner of 34 years who is also church warden, has spent many poignant occasions at the church.
She said: "The situation was getting pretty dire. When you worship somewhere for such a long time it's not just a church, it's your church.
"My mother had her funeral service there and my brother and his wife renewed their wedding vows there. I could probably walk through the graveyard and tell you a story about every family buried there. I've seen lots of friends' big occasions like marriages, christenings and funerals.
Active
"We're hoping now that it's warmer that it will be a bit more visitor friendly. There's a school in the village so we're hoping to do more with them. We have the Youth Cafe and Messy Church as well, so it'll be warmer for the children to enjoy now.
"We always did always have lots of social occasions at the church like Medieval weekends and Georgian weekends, Christmas fayre's and summer fetes. It will be good to do those things again. It's an active village, there's a lot going on.
"We want it to be a place where everybody feels the can come."
Lisa Knight, the church's curate, is excited about the reopening. She said: "I'm absolutely chuffed. We've been having services in the village hall at the back of the church.
"It's important that we use facilities like this in our village and it will be nice to have it back.
"A lot of money has been raised but the fundraising doesn't stop yet. There is still more to be done.
"The school will be pleased it's back. It uses the church for harvest festivals, Christmas plays and concerts. They've had to do their events at the village hall as well.
"There's a lot of enthusiasm for the reopening, but it's important that the work is done properly and time is taken for that."
She added: "There are a very committed group of people who go to church regularly, but also the whole community looks to the church for things like Remembrance Day and harvest festivals.
"In a community like this, the church is very important."
The biggest funding grant came from the Heritage Lottery Fund, which provided £220,000. Contributions also came from the HB Allen Charitable Trust and the Garfield Weston Foundation.
Phillip Woods, Sue's husband and fellow fundraiser, added: "It's quite expensive work. So we've got the £330,000, but it's still not enough."
Anyone wishing to donate money to the church can send a cheque, made payable to St Lucia's Upton Magna Fabric Fund, to the treasurer, Mr P Woods at Broadacres, Pelham Road, Upton Magna, Shrewsbury, SY4 4UA.
This Sunday's harvest festival service will begin at 6pm.
