Mellor Church Patrons Scheme

(The St Thomas’ Church Building Fund)

In the summer of 2009, David Ackroyd came up to me after a PCC meeting, and asked me to join a new committee. I was aware at the time of a Diocesan report that warned churches like St Thomas’ Mellor weren’t doing enough to keep up with the increase in real costs of building maintenance. About that time the PCC had received a generous legacy, which in the circumstances appeared fortuitous (maybe an answer to prayer). Being on the PCC at the time and keen to help, I said yes. After David had approached others, what transpired was the formation of the first committee whose sole purpose was fund-raising for St Thomas’ Church building and churchyard. The inaugural committee of St Thomas’ Church Building Fund was David Ackroyd, William Heijbroek, Julia Mann, Peter Forbes, Ian Hamilton and Mike Benford-Miller.

In the Summer of 2009 the Church Building Fund met for the first time and agreed terms of reference and an annual budget that could be achieved. With a plan in place it was now up to the committee to raise money, and this running along side other fund-raising activities, needed to have ‘extra appeal’. A suggested course was to reach out to those in the parish that weren’t regular church-goers but who appreciated the presence of St Thomas’ as the community’s primary resource in Mellor and were prepared to offer patronage. We chose the phrase ‘ preserving the church for future generations’ to describe what the Fund was about. This idea took shape and after composing and delivering lots of letters, a small group subscribed and the Mellor Patrons Scheme was formed. (If you would like to become a Patron please see me, or one of the above committee, or call the Parish Office on 0161 484 5079 e-mail: mellorchurch@uwclub.net

As well as running the Mellor Church Patrons Scheme, St Thomas’ Church Building Fund Committee, administer specific donations and other fund-raising activities. There is a biennial Patrons Newsletter (see attached links above) an annual fund-raising event and a Patrons Evening at St Thomas’ when the committee and patrons can meet to review progress and plans for the future. The first fund-raising event was a concert given by local harpist Eira Jones. There are plans next year for a keynote lecture by a prominent speaker  – watch this space!

William Heijbroek

September 2010

MELLOR CHURCH PATRONS

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