27-07-2025 · 5 min read
Community Rallies for the Tower: Fundraising Highlights
The success of Campaign 2023 has always depended on more than large institutional grants, important as those have been. Equally vital has been the remarkable outpouring of support from the people of Warwick and the wider community, who have organised, attended, and contributed to an extraordinary range of fundraising activities since the campaign's launch.
From intimate garden parties to large-scale public events, the variety and energy of the community's response has been one of the defining features of the campaign. Each event, regardless of its size, has contributed not only financially but also by strengthening the sense of shared purpose that makes the restoration possible.
Events Across the Seasons
The campaign calendar has featured events throughout the year, taking advantage of Warwick's central location and the church's own facilities. Summer garden parties, held in the churchyard and nearby private gardens, have combined refreshments, live music, and tours of the church to create social occasions that also raise funds and awareness. The annual Christmas concert within the church has become a highlight of the town's festive calendar, with proceeds directed to the restoration fund.
Sponsored challenges have also played their part. Members of the congregation and wider community have undertaken walks, runs, and cycling events, with some participants choosing routes that take in views of the tower from various directions around Warwickshire. These activities have proved particularly effective at engaging younger supporters and demonstrating the breadth of the campaign's appeal.
Institutional Support
The campaign has received significant backing from established trusts and foundations. The National Lottery Heritage Fund awarded a major grant in recognition of the tower's national significance as a heritage asset. Additional grants from Benefact Trust, The Wolfson Foundation, and Rowlands Trust have provided essential funding for specific elements of the restoration programme.
Local government has also contributed, with both Warwick Town Council and Warwick District Council providing grants from their heritage and community funds. These contributions reflect the tower's importance not only as a religious building but as a civic landmark that enhances the town's appeal to residents, businesses, and visitors alike.
Individual Generosity
Alongside the organised events and institutional grants, hundreds of individual donors have made personal contributions to the campaign. Some have given through the Order of St Mary membership scheme, which provides tiered benefits for regular supporters. Others have made one-off donations, often accompanied by personal notes describing their connection to the church and their reasons for wanting to see the tower preserved.
The Gift Aid scheme has further enhanced the value of individual donations from UK taxpayers, allowing the campaign to reclaim an additional 25 per cent on qualifying contributions at no extra cost to the donor. This mechanism alone has added a substantial sum to the campaign's total, demonstrating the cumulative power of individual generosity when multiplied across a large number of supporters.
What Comes Next
With the physical restoration work progressing well, the campaign's fundraising efforts continue to focus on meeting the remaining financial targets and building a reserve for ongoing maintenance. The experience of Campaign 2023 has demonstrated that historic buildings require not just periodic major interventions but sustained, long-term investment in their care. The community's response suggests that this understanding is widely shared and that the support base established during the campaign will endure beyond the immediate project.