Toller Porcorum parochial church notices
help needed
church events
The PCC has a responsibility to maintain the fabric of the church as well as raise enough money to pay what the Salisbury Diocese calls, The Fairer Share, this is approximately £5000 per year. The share basically pays for the Priest's salaries and supports mission within the diocese. The maintenance of the building and the graveyard is the other major expense: repairs to the building, as well as the upkeep of the churchyard in order to keep it safe and attractive to parishioners and visitors; in terms of cutting grass and trimming hedges etc., an additional £2000 is needed. Fundraising has become a burden for the PCC as the members are in their senior years and not as able now to organise events in terms of setting up tables, preparing large quantities of food, and even fetching and carrying provisions. However, the PCC did remarkably well during the Covid pandemic raising money through take away lunches, however, even these events relied on non-church members lending a hand for which we were always very grateful. Despite the difficulties we are now experiencing we plan to carry on with our usual events, these are:
Christmas lunch - a 3 course meal held in the Village Hall, with a bar, raffle and musical entertainment including Carols.
Christmas lunch - a 3 course meal held in the Village Hall, with a bar, raffle and musical entertainment including Carols.
Big Breakfast 2 or 3 per year if possible again, held in the Village Hall.
Plant Sale - this is held at Orchard House over a Saturday and Sunday in early May.
Cream Teas - usually held in The Village Hall on a Sunday Summer afternoon.
Harvest Supper - held in the Village Hall, with bar and some entertainment.
Carol Service - held in the church on Christmas Eve. Usually the collection is donated to local charities.
Plant Sale - this is held at Orchard House over a Saturday and Sunday in early May.
Cream Teas - usually held in The Village Hall on a Sunday Summer afternoon.
Harvest Supper - held in the Village Hall, with bar and some entertainment.
Carol Service - held in the church on Christmas Eve. Usually the collection is donated to local charities.
These events go back over many years, always well supported by the village. Our only other income comes from donations and Sunday collections, but now we only have 2 services per month (due to lack of retired Priests being available), and therefore our income has, in theory, halved. The pandemic has also taken its toll on income as services were stopped, but the diocese still wanted us to pay the share! In the longer term, we are unsure how we can continue raising £7- 8000 per year, but we will do what we can, while we can!