Mike spearheads mission to save church tower (From Messenger Newspapers)

Mike spearheads mission to save church tower

9:55am Tuesday 29th September 2009

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Comments(0)

ASHTON-on-Mersey resident Mike Irvine is spearheading efforts to save the tower at Sale's oldest church.

Mike was determined to help after reading in SAM in August that £200,000 is needed to repair St Martin's Church tower.

He contacted friends and family who formed a committee.

The first thing they did was to set up a St Martin’s Tower Appeal website designed to encourage more people including local businesses to become involved.

It features fundraising events such as a £30 per head Christmas dinner at the Ashton-on-Mersey Golf Club to be held on December 4.

The event will include a singer, entertainer and magician as well as an auction and raffle.

A massive poster campaign is in the pipeline and a professional photographer, Ray Kearney, gave his time to photograph the church at night with spotlights.

Mike said: “I went up the tower myself when pictures were taken of the view. The woodwork is decrepit.

“The church is full of history. It’s like moving back in time. My dad is buried there.

“I think local people have a duty to sort it out.”

The rector, the Rev Robert Clack said: “When Mike telephoned me with his response to the article, I felt delighted and overwhelmed that the wider community were responding to this.

“The church is not just for parishioners - it is for everyone and has a historical presence in the village.”

In addition to the efforts of Mike and his committee, following the article, the church received £1,000 in individual donations from the public.

They were also given a cheque for £5,000 from an anonymous donor who is concerned about historic buildings.

Churchgoers who took part in a sponsored ‘Ride and Stride’ organised by the Cheshire Historic Churches Trust raised another £1,500 by visiting six historic Cheshire churches and opening up St Martin’s to visitors.

* Cheques, made out to St. Martin’s Church Tower Fund should be sent to The Treasurer, 9 Carrington Lane, Sale, M33 5WD or log on to stmartinstowerappeal.com

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Comments(0)