We've been presented with the most exciting opportunity — and challenge! A supporter has offered to match donations to the Friends of Friendless Churches until March 2025.
Every penny you that you donate to the Friends will be matched by our anonymous benefactor up to a total of £500,000, which means that the value of your donation, and its impact, will be doubled.
As we all know personally, and from what we read in the press, the plight of our rural churches only worsens. But with your support, we can continue to save more beautiful and important historic places of worship from decay, demolition, unsympathetic conversion, or total ruin. This year there are four churches we hope to save in England and Wales.
We really want to make the most of this opportunity. We really want to unlock the full £500,000. We know it's a significant challenge, but we want to rise to it. Can you help us to reach this target and save more churches than ever before?
The Friends of Friendless Churches is an independent, non-denominational charity which receives no government funding in England, and a modest grant in Wales. Support from donors and members enables us to rescue, repair and reopen disused but beautiful churches, and to continue to care for these buildings of historic and architectural importance.
The need for our work continues to grow apace: About 3,500 places of worship in Britain have closed since 2013. More than 866 places of worship [in England alone] are on Historic England’s Heritage at Risk register. In 2021, the Church Commissioners estimated between 314 and 368 closures in the next 2 to 5 years (compared to the 20-25 per year reported for the past few decades). In Wales, the Royal Commission estimates that Wales could lose 70% of its places of worship in the next decade. Across the UK, donations to churches have been resilient but the numbers are in decline – income has decreased by 14% over the last five years, and expenditure risen by 15%.
In 2023 we took on two more medieval churches in need of very substantial repairs: St Lawrence's, Gumfreston, Pembrokeshire (our biggest ever repair project) and St James's, Llangua, Monmouthshire. Repair work is 70% complete at Gumfreston and has just begun at Llangua. With 64 historic places of worship currently in our care, the need for repairs and maintenance is ongoing.
We have a significant pipeline of churches we wish to help — from Northumberland to Somerset and from Pembrokeshire to Anglesey. This year, we want to focus our efforts and funds on four churches: St Deiniol’s, Worthenbury, Wrexham; St Andrew’s, South Runcton, Norfolk; St Twrog’s, Bodwrog, Anglesey; and St Doged’s, Llanddoged, Denbighshire. These all come with hefty repair bills. Two of them have been derelict for many years, and need help urgently. Learn more about the churches we want to save this year.
With your help, we can save more closed places of worship that are at-risk, and keep them open so that all can enjoy their architecture, history, tranquility and timeless beauty.
If you have any questions about donations, please contact us at office@fofc.org.uk.
