The Friends of St James the Great, Thorley
Report by the Secretary to the Annual Parochial Church Meeting May 2025
The Friends’ 2024 fundraising began in March with a joint St James Church / Friends of St James Family Quiz Night. Our other events during the year were a Nursery Plant Sale in May, the serving of Sunday Afternoon Teas from the Church Room during the summer months and an Autumn Craft Fair in November. Our small band of volunteers also worked to maintain the churchyard throughout the growing season from March to December.
At the start of 2024, the Friends covered the cost of repairs to the church lighting and provided a grant to enable the purchase of new bell ropes. Aware that one of the strimmers used for churchyard maintenance was nearing the end of its life, we also purchased a replacement in time for the start of the growing season. Later in the year, the Friends funded the preparation of specifications to allow the PCC to seek tenders for the repair and redecoration of the walls of the ringing chamber and stairs in the church tower, together with the repair of the wall above the radiator at ground level. In November, we agreed to cover the cost of the tender that the PCC received from Lodge & Sons Ltd for this work and to fund work on the trees in the churchyard, including crown reductions, the removal of deadwood and the lopping of branches to protect the church building. This latter work was recently completed by local tree surgeons, Atkins and Candler Arb Ltd. Lodge & Sons Ltd are now in the final stages of the restoration work in the tower.
Looking forward, after starting 2025 with a joint St James Church / Friends of St James Family Quiz Night, our programme for the remainder of this year includes another Plant Sale towards the end of May and an Autumn Craft Fair in November. The Committee would also like to offer Sunday Afternoon Teas from the Church Room during May, June, July, August, and September. If you are able to help with this important outreach, please do let us know.
New members of the Friends are always welcome. The minimum family subscription is just £5.00. By joining, you will be supporting the work of the PCC in preserving our ancient and beautiful church building and maintaining our churchyard.
Philip Hargrave
Chairman & Secretary