Happy Gloucester Day!!

By Lead Local Community Officer, Patrick Joel

During the lockdown, The Churches Conservation Trust closed hundreds of churches before opening them again in recent weeks with special measures to protect our visitors. Missing out on summer donations at these sites means we need all the help we can get raising funds to pay for repairs... there are thirteen churches in Gloucestershire which really need help.

The team at Saintbury St. Nicholas' are leading the way though, and we'd like to nominate them as #Glosday heroes for their work planning a gala event for the 2021 Heritage Open Days. Rural historic churches are the perfect places to visit alone or in your bubble - they're beautiful, peaceful, there's plenty of space, each one's unique and they're all fascinating. Volunteers Anne Thomas and Annabel Lord have planned two days for all-comers to explore St. Nicholas' and surroundings in September 2021, inviting all their friends to take part in the planning. We couldn't be happier that this time next year we'll have a concert, a lecture, a guided tour of Chipping Campden and its museums, a Cotswold Way walk, a celebration dinner, and a special Sunday service thanks to their brilliant help.

All the proceeds from ticket sales will help pay to replace the lead roof stolen from the church in 2018, protecting the wall paintings inside this precious medieval building. We'll publish dates and details of the event as they become available but, in the meantime, we want to really thank Anne, Annabel, and the rest of the Saintbury volunteers for their brilliant work saving our church.