CHURCHES NEED YOUR HELP TO KEEP THE DOORS OPEN THIS SPRING

Church of the Week

Bromsgrove, Worcestershire

St John the Baptist in Bromsgrove, our Church of the Week, has the highest spire in Worcestershire at 198 feet. When it was found to be severely cracked, a group of volunteers stepped up to not only raise money to save the spire but also to make their church more welcoming to all. The Friends Group put on a huge array of fundraising activities and applied to funders too. Grants from the National Churches Trust and The National Lottery Heritage Fund helped secure the future of the spire. Throughout the repairs, the team created opportunities for the public to get involved at the church, from inviting young people to have a go at playing the organ to letting locals try their hands at stone carving. Rachael, Head of Communications at the National Churches Trust, went to the church’s Celebration Service last week, led by the Bishop of Worcester, to mark the completed repairs. “The bishop mentioned that while every church tells a story, it is the people who get to write the story," she said. "The Friends Group at St John’s have added a new chapter to the life of this church – ensuring it can stay open and serving its local community for generations to come."