A DEDICATED band of fundraisers are celebrating after their church received more than £24,000 from the Culture Recovery Fund.
St Sampson’s Church in South Hill needs a good deal of work to its structure and internal fixtures to bring it into the 21st century: a campaign was launched in 2019 (CRUX, standing for Cherished, Restored, Unlocked Church).
Its target for the long list of refurbishments is £5million, but little by little, important steps are being taken.
Thanks to local generosity, a mains tap was installed recently, and grants of £4,000 from the National Churches Trust and £5,000 from the Wolfston Foundation were awarded in September for restoring the stone and leadwork around many of the windows.
The latest award of £24,096 from the Government’s Culture Recovery Fund will pay for the necessary investigative work and some of the most urgent repair works to the roof and ceiling.
“Huge thanks to the Here For Culture Campaign, and the tireless and vigilant fundraisers, Miranda Lawrence-Owen and Judith Ayers, who achieved almost the maximum grant available,” said a CRUX spokesperson.
“There is still a long way to go before the total target needed is reached, and so many planned fundraising activities involving our community have had to be rescheduled during the pandemic.
“But this latest generous grant towards repairing the roof will help ensure that water from our new tap is the only water which runs into St Sampson’s!”
St Sampson’s is the smallest, but oldest, church in the Callington Cluster - sometimes known as the “Mother church”.
One of its claims to fame is being the first parish of Bishop Trelawney.
Fowey Parish Church is also among the latest recipients of Culture Recovery Fund money and will be awarded £25,000.