Save the Date’ for an exciting social event in the autumn as St Mary’s Preservation Trust puts its fundraising campaign into top gear.The Grade 1 listed 14th & 15th Century Church of St Mary’s is the centre of our town, drawing many visitors here, as well as providing a sanctuary for townsfolk. An important place of worship and a wonderful setting for family milestones, its stunning acoustics and large spaces also make it the perfect place for concerts and events.
The iconic building belongs solely to its users, and all costs must be met by donations with little extra income. So the charity which supports all major repairs is once more taking on the challenge of a huge fundraising effort for the most urgent repairs, under the banner of ‘The Heart of Hitchin’ campaign. In the coming weeks a website and social media campaign will begin, the most urgent task is this:
The large gothic windows on the North side of the Church all show major problems of stone erosion and missing structures. Of the six windows, three now need urgent work to replace the stone and surrounding walls to prevent water coming in. The estimated cost is between £60,000 and £80,000 per window. That gives the ‘Heart of Hitchin’ Campaign a target of at least £180-240k to be raised over the next year.
The first event to be unveiled is a return of our exclusive ‘Black Tie Dinner’, last held in the Church in 2015. The beautiful interior is cleared and presented in a new and exciting way for the night. There will be top class catering and entertainment, opportunities for sponsorship and auction prizes. The date is Friday 23rd September 2022. There will be an additional Celebration Brunch on Sunday 25th September, also with top class entertainment laid on. Tickets and more details to follow soon after Easter.
The Preservation Trust also needs logistical support; if you have accountancy skills and are prepared to give up some time to help we would love to hear from you to work alongside our Treasurer.
A new website and online donation platform for ‘The Heart of Hitchin’ is under construction. If your business is able to offer advice on website design please get in touch with us. All appropriate offers of help will be gratefully received.
Contact hitchinparishoffice@gmail.com or call 01462 452758 For further information