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Launch of Campaign 2023

St Mary's launches Campaign 2023 to raise £3 million

30 November 2020


A £3 million campaign is being launched to help restore and safeguard the historic ‘county church of Warwickshire’ for the next millennium.


The major fundraising drive for St Mary’s Collegiate Church in Warwick, which dates back to 1123, focuses on the £2 million cost of urgent repairs to its landmark tower to avoid its closure.


The rest of the funds are needed to ensure the fabric, music and ministry of the mediaeval church for the 21st century.


Campaign 2023 aims to secure the majority of the fundraising by 2023 to coincide with the 900th anniversary of the church.


It is being launched ahead of scaffolding being installed ready for restoration work to begin in the New Year on the tower’s crumbling stonework, which is expected to take two years to complete.


The tower, destroyed with the church in the Great Fire of Warwick in 1694 and rebuilt by 1704, is over 155ft high and visible from miles around making it a focal point for the town as well as offering spectacular views of the surrounding county. 


Vaughan Roberts, Vicar of St Mary’s and Team Rector of Warwick, said: “For more than 900 years, St Mary’s has served the town, the county and the diocese on many levels, and due to its incredible history and architecture, is a monument of local, national and international significance, attracting visitors from all over the world.


“As stewards of the building, we want to ensure its legacy for the next generation and beyond and so are launching Campaign 2023 to raise the £3 million needed to safeguard its future which will commence with the urgent restoration of the tower.


“Major trusts and foundations are being approached for support and we will also be seeking additional donations through a host of fundraising activities. It is a huge undertaking which we hope to achieve through the generosity of those many people near and far who value St Mary’s.”


St Mary’s is one of the largest churches in Britain and known as Warwick’s ‘church of treasures’ for its history and architecture, including The Beauchamp Chapel, attracting tens of thousands of worshippers and visitors from all over the world each year.


The busy parish church, which stands in Old Square, has strong links through history with Warwick Castle and The Lord Leycester Hospital. It hosts civic services for the county and is renowned for its music.


He added: “Campaign 2023 will ensure we can safeguard St Mary’s for the next 900 years, and meet the needs of worshippers and visitors for the next millennium.”


To find out more or to make a donation online, visit www.stmaryscampaign2023.org.uk





CAPTION: Vaughan Roberts, Vicar of St Mary’s and Team Rector of Warwick, is pictured in front of the landmark tower of St Mary’s for the launch of Campaign 2023.


by PH969248 12 Feb, 2022
As we look to St Mary’s long-term survival and wellbeing, we invite you to be involved in planning heritage, arts and social activities at the church. We want to ensure that, as the conservation work and future is planned, we understand the view of residents, visitors and those visiting this site.  To help with this, you are asked to take a five-minute survey. Please answer as many questions as you can, but don’t worry if you can’t answer them all. Please click this link: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/StMarysWarwick Thank you. Your help with this is greatly appreciated.
by PH969248 27 Sept, 2021
Inaugural Service for the Order of St Mary has been held in St Mary's Church, Warwick
by PH969248 08 May, 2021
Why we need your help? St Mary’s has reached a critical milestone in her long history and we need your help now to safeguard the future so that we can sustain the church and all it stands for. Without your support achieving this ambition will be that much harder. Our first major challenge is the restoration of the historic tower which dominates the views from far and wide. We need to raise £2 million to ensure this work is completed to the highest standard of workmanship and make the building safe for visitors to the town as well as local people. Unlike our museums and heritage sites, St Mary’s receives no government funding. We, as custodians of the church, steward our resources very carefully, but without external grants and funding, and without donations big and small from individuals, we could not carry out the important work of conservation and restoration that you can see around you. Neither could we continue our music and outreach work without the benefit of philanthropic income. Important to everyone If St Mary’s didn’t exist, there would be a huge gap in the town’s spiritual heart, its heritage and culture. We need your help to deliver on our plans, to ensure that this historic church remains open and accessible to everyone and to enable our outreach programme to thrive. We are establishing the Order of St Mary as part of Campaign2023 to ensure the sustainability of the church, to enable people who are passionate about St Mary’s to come together to support our church at various levels and ensure our music, fabric and ministry can continue for future generations to enjoy. How we thank you for supporting us Members of the Order of St Mary enjoy: The chance to meet like-minded people An annual service and reception Invitations to private events within St Mary’s and trips to places of national interest Members’ Newsletter and regular updates on the campaign Join today Bronze Order Membership is £500 a year and entitles you to attend the speakers programme, the Summer Garden Party and the Annual Order Service. Membership can be paid by cheque, Standing Order, debit or credit card, or Direct Debit. You can pay in any of the following ways: Annually - £500 per annum Quarterly - £125.00 per quarter Monthly - £41.66 per month If you are a UK taxpayer you can increase the value of your subscription by 25% at no extra cost to yourself, simply by making your donation via Gift Aid. If you wish to give a larger annual donation for £1,000 per annum to entitle you to Silver Order Membership, you will receive all of the above benefits, plus invitations to meet key speakers at event receptions in the Beauchamp Chapel. Silver Membership also includes recognition on the donor board. Gold Order membership of a one-off payment of £5,000 will entitle you to all the above plus our Annual Dinner with our Campaign Patron. You will also be given the opportunity to have your support recognised in the form of a dedicated campaign chair that can be named after yourself or someone else who you would like to remember. Please contact the Campaign Office for further details campaign2023@stmaryswarwick.org.uk How to join the Order of St Mary Further information can be found in our brochure which you can download from here. Press the Donate Button and ensure that St Mary’s is here for future generations Questions If you have any questions, please contact the Campaign Office on campaign2023@stmaryswarwick.org.uk
by PH969248 13 Apr, 2021
Launch of the Order of St Mary
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