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St John's Church in Ryhall will 'fall into disuse' without £360,000 upgrade




Leaders at a medieval church in Rutland are looking to raise £360,000 to carry out crucial repairs and upgrades before it “falls into disuse”.

They hope that by fixing the leaky roof and making the building more homely, St John’s Church in Ryhall will become more of a community hub.

The congregation is currently dwindling with around 15 regular church-goers.

St John's Church, Ryhall. Bucket and puddle in church
St John's Church, Ryhall. Bucket and puddle in church

But Rev Jo Saunders and Sandra Chapman, of the restoration and renewal team, plan to transform it into a vital and well-used resource and focal point of the village.

Sandra said: “It’s a real vision of ours that the church is invested in so it becomes a resource for the whole village.

“This five-year ‘restoration and renewal’ programme is essential for the church to continue and grow as a vital amenity. If it does not succeed, the church will soon become unfit for purpose and fall into disuse.”

St John's Church, Ryhall. Damage to the lead roof
St John's Church, Ryhall. Damage to the lead roof

The team had planned to start a fundraising campaign before Easter but this had to be put on hold when the coronavirus lockdown came into force.

Sandra has been using the time to secure a number of small grants, which she hopes will act as springboards to larger ones.

So far they have raised £29,000 towards the total cost, and with the lockdown being gradually lifted they hope to begin organising fundraising events soon.

St John's Church, Ryhall. Broken pipe on upper roof
St John's Church, Ryhall. Broken pipe on upper roof

“We’ll get there eventually!” Sandra said.

Although numbers of Sunday worshippers have been dropping, larger services on Armistice Sunday and Christmas attract around 200 people. It is also well used by the village primary school.

The aim is to make it more welcoming in order to hold a range of social and artistic events, such as coffee mornings, family groups, lectures and concerts.

St John's Church, Ryhall
St John's Church, Ryhall

“Our church has been at the heart of community life in Ryhall for 700 years and we want this to continue,” said Sandra.

For more information or to offer help, check out the church’s Facebook page or email Rev Saunders at revjosaunders@live.co.uk

St John's Church, Ryhall. Puddle in church
St John's Church, Ryhall. Puddle in church


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