PARISH OF HEYTESBURY, IMBER, KNOOK  and  TYTHERINGTON

 

The Blindhouse, Heytesbury - Photograph by J.B.C.

 

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FRIENDS OF HEYTESBURY, KNOOK AND TYTHERINGTON CHURCHES

ABOUT THE FRIENDS 

The ‘Association of Friends of Heytesbury, Knook and Tytherington Churches’, to give its full title, or the ‘Friends’ for short, is a registered charity (No. 1083252), founded in 1998, with the purpose of supporting the Parochial Church Council in maintaining the fabric, fittings (including bells, organs, etc.) and furniture of our three ancient and beautiful churches.  Our constitution ensures that money raised by the ‘Friends’ can only be used for this purpose, and not to meet the diocesan quota, or in connection with religious worship. 

We have some 121 household memberships but raise money, not so much from subscriptions, which are kept low (£5 a year per household or £3 for an individual – unchanged since our inception), but by running fund-raising events, such as concerts, thematic evenings (French evenings, antiques valuations, wine-tasting and the like), auctions of promises, Hatstand Opera (excerpts from operas presented informally by a small professional group) and, at Christmas, carol-singing round Heytesbury (accompanied by a group of musicians playing traditional local instruments). We also run a ‘hundred club’ for members of the ‘Friends’ only – £5 a ticket which buys entry to twelve monthly draws, each with two monetary prizes.  The key ingredient for all our fund-raising events is that we should enjoy laying them on, because we have always found that, as a result, those attending them also enjoy themselves. 

To date we have raised some £60,500, of which £49,300 has already been handed over to the PCC. This has been largely spent on work to Heytesbury Church, but we are anxious to ensure that the other two churches get help when they need it, although, until now, they have asked for little.  We have almost no overheads and no property, so that all the money we raise, except for a tiny percentage needed for expenses, is used for the purpose for which we are established. 

Anyone wishing to join the ‘Friends’ should contact the Membership Secretary,  David Atkin-Berry  (tel.: 01985 840651, e-mail address: d_ab@btinternet.com) or the Chairman, Joe Charlesworth (tel.: 01985 840184, e-mail address: joe@alexc.com). 

Joe Charlesworth      

Joe Charlesworth