St Robert's Building Fund
Update
St Robert's Building Fund was launched at Masses on Low Sunday weekend. An update given at all Masses on the weekend of 28/29 June delivered the tremendous news that the building fund appeal is growing, with funds received to date totalling £44,567, of which 90% of this total has been gift-aided, thereby adding approximately a further £10,126 to the total in due course. We were also delighted to share that the Albert Gubay Charitable Foundation has awarded a grant of £50,000 towards our first phase of building works.
At this point, we have no firm information to convey on the timing and scope of the first phase of the building works, but please be assured that once the Diocesan Property team / ourselves, Project Architect and Contractors are agreed on the detail and timings, we will communicate the Phase 1 Plan to you ahead of the commencement of the work, together with envisaged timeframe for completion. Thank you for your continued support.
When preparing to initiate the Fund, it was announced that, due to an accumulation of quite urgent work which needs to take place on the church and presbytery, mainly in the area of roof and drains, we would be setting up such a Fund to ease the burden on existing parish funds. The work is expected to last between three and five years, with a plan to begin in the autumn this year. The total cost is reckoned to be in the region of £300,000.
An overview of the proposed works with pictures of some of the affected areas is available at the link below and we will be giving regular updates on the progress of both the fund and the work once it starts.
The architect’s proposals are still going through the various diocesan committees whose approval is needed in terms of art, architecture and finance (the church is a listed building). A reminder that the advantage of the Fund is that it can be gift aided and the Diocese will not take any portion of it as part of their assessment. There will be a monthly update given to the parish at Mass or in the bulletin/on the website each month. It is hoped the work will begin in the autumn starting with the liturgical south elevation facing the presbytery. Thank you for all your generosity.
