The Thatchers Charitable Foundation has made a donation to All Saints Church at the heart of the Sandford community.

A cheque for £20,000 has been donated to help it remain open.

The Thatchers Charitable Foundation has made the donation to match the fundraising already carried out by members of the local community in Sandford.

Like all buildings of its age, All Saints Church needs constant care and attention. So church regulars and local residents got together to set about raising funds to keep the church open and undertake essential repair work, such as repairing damage caused by damp incursion and replacing the heating, to enable church members, and other groups who also use it, to carry on worshipping or meeting there.

The fundraisers approached the Thatchers Charitable Foundation to see if it could help, and were successful in their application. The Foundation agreed to match fund the money raised by the local community.

“The Church is at the heart of the Sandford community and is central to many local groups and organisations who would lose their meeting place if it was to close. Keeping the Church means a lot to so many people in the village, so we’re delighted to be able to contribute to its survival,” says Anne Thatcher, Trustee of the Thatchers Charitable Foundation.

The Thatchers Charitable Foundation was set up in 2015 by the Thatcher family to help and support community and charitable activities, in particular in the parishes of Sandford, Winscombe and adjoining villages. Contributions to individuals or organisations may be through financial grants, or through the donation of time and physical help.

The Reverend Lydia Avery, priest-in-charge of All Saints Church, Sandford says, “All Saints is enormously grateful to all those who are working so hard to raise money to fund the essential repairs to this beautiful church.  We still have some way to go, but this very generous donation from the Thatchers Foundation will enable us to begin the first tranche of remedial work. It will help us to begin to make the building warm and weather proof so that it will remain an important part of the spiritual life of the village and will continue to serve the people of Sandford for many years to come.”

Anne Thatcher adds, “The Thatcher family has been a part of the Sandford community for four generations and the Church is at the very heart of the village. It’s clear from the passionate effort that villagers have put into raising funds to pay for the repairs and upkeep of the church building that they don’t want to lose it. As well as Sunday worship, it’s home to several local groups and organisations who would have to find alternative accommodations.

“We’re delighted therefore to make this contribution to the fundraising appeal which matches the funds already raised, and will keep All Saints Church at the heart of the community.”

In the first instance, groups or individuals interested in applying for a grant from the Thatchers Foundation should contact info@thatcherscider.co.uk for full terms and an application form.  For more information on how to support the building work at All Saints in the first instance please contact Churchwarden Ruth Grinter or Revd Lydia Avery via administrator@winscombeandsandfordchurches.co.uk

Press contact: Penny Adair, penny@pennyadair.co.uk

Tel: 07967 047464

Notes to editors
Thatchers Charitable Foundation was set up in 2015

It is a charitable foundation set up to help and support charitable and community activities primarily in the parishes of Sandford, Winscombe and neighbouring villages.

Its trustees represent the Thatcher family, Thatchers Cider and the local community – Martin Thatcher, Anne Thatcher, Matthew Gazzard, Philip Smith and Mike Williamson.

The contribution to All Saints Church is its first corporate donation.