© Winchfield Parochial Church Council, 2026.

Support for St Mary’s

Keeping our church running costs about £40,000 every year - and that is before any expenditure on the major repairs and refurbishments that are needed from time to time and for which we are very fortunate in receiving generous and much appreciated help from the Friends of St Mary’s.  About £20,000 of the £40,000 is expenditure directly on St Mary's, for instance: insurance; cleaning; heating and lighting the church; keeping the churchyard neat and tidy; and our share of the cost of the Church Office in Hartley Wintney. The remainder, and the bulk of the £40,000, is St Mary’s contribution to the Diocese of Winchester's "Common Mission Fund", that is used to support and grow the ministry and mission across all the parishes in the Diocese.  For 2026 St Mary’s has been asked to contribute £17,614 which is a 1.8% on what we contributed in 2025. In 2027 we anticipate that this will rise to almost £19,000 to reflect the slight increases in attendances at services in St Mary’s that we have seen over the last couple of years.

In 2025 we re-tiled the south-facing slopes of the roofs of the chancel and the nave and the porch at a cost of £82,736. Fundraising, grants, VAT reimbursements, other donations and the support from the Friends of St Mary’s covered most of this figure leaving a shortfall of £22,246; this shortfall has been met from the Lowman Bequest which is the major part of our long-term reserves.  

In 2026 we have committed to installing a self-composting toilet in the churchyard; this will cost around £20,000 and after the grants that have been pledged, we will need to find about £5,000.

It is a continual challenge to meet these outgoings as our income from service collections and regular donations (covenants) has remained broadly static over the last few years.

If you value St Mary’s, will you help us cover our running costs and so ensure that it is here for you and for generations to come?  Will you consider making a financial contribution by setting up a regular donation to secure the future of St Mary’s?  Will you increase your regular donation if you already have one set up? Or can you make a one-off donation?

If you can help, please set up a regular payment either by internet banking (and let us know you have done this by providing details on the attached form) or by completing the attached Standing Order Mandate for us to send to your bank.  If you also complete the attached Gift Aid Mandate that will allow us to reclaim the tax that you have paid on your donations.  Please return your forms to the Winchfield PCC Treasurer either by email to treasurer@stmaryswinchfield.org.uk or by post to David Evans, Keepers Cottage, Pale Lane, Winchfield, Hook, RG27 8SW).  

Or if you wish to make a one-off donation, please do so by clicking on the “Donate to St Mary’s” button below which will enable you to donate using the PayPal Giving Fund.  The PayPal Giving Fund provides a simple way of making donations to charities without the deduction of any handling or processing fees. Donations are actually made to the PayPal Giving Fund and are then passed on to the charity concerned. Donations can be made by using your credit or debit card or through a PayPal account.  You will receive a receipt for your donation which will have a link to make a Gift Aid declaration which will allow us to receive an additional 25p of Gift Aid to each £1 you donate.

   

Or if you are happier making a one-off donation directly to St Mary’s, please use the details of our bank account in this form or send a cheque (payable to “Winchfield PCC”) to the Treasurer at Keepers Cottage, Pale Lane, Winchfield, Hook, RG27 8SW; it would also help us maximise the benefit of your donation if you complete and return a Gift Aid Mandate, if you have not already done so.

Your generosity is much appreciated.   

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