A £7m fundraising appeal to restore a historic church in Kensington, regularly used by royalty, has been launched.
St Mary Abbots needs to raise the money within three years to undertake vital improvements to the 140-year-old building.
It is the local parish church for Kensington Palace, and backing the cause is Sunday congregation member the Duke of Kent, who is the patron of the renovation and enhancement fundraiser.
The church is the fourth church to stand on a site that has served the community of Kensington & Chelsea for a millennium, and needs money to ensure it remains fit for purpose for generations to come.
Vicar Rev Gillean Craig said: “The St Mary Abbots Appeal is an ambitious project, but these works are long overdue and we are confident that they will significantly improve the opportunities available to parishioners and the wider community. We love our church and we want everyone in our community to feel welcome here.
“This is about creating a safe, inspirational place for local residents to meet, learn and get involved in their community, and it is crucial that we restore this building to its original splendour.
“Once we have a new and improved St Mary Abbots church, we look forward to giving back to our community for many years to come.”
The Duke of Kent said the church had served the community long before the arrival of the palace, but the two have forged a close relationship.
He said: “The successive Mary Abbots had served the village, as it was then, of Kensington long before there was any palace here. But since then the connection has been greatly valued and has developed over the centuries, with the church housing a memorial Queen Victoria erected for her coachmen, the angel sculpture by Princess Louisa and a Royal Door to allow members of the royal family to worship in private.
“But this is a living church that serves a vibrant, changing and diverse community, always seeking new ways to act as the parish church of central Kensington.
“The ambitious programme of renovation and enhancement will enable that service to be greatly extended, to all kinds and conditions of people, both in their own day and in decades to come.”
It is hoped the revamp will allow the church to play a more prominent role in the community. Limited open floor space means concerts are difficult to put on and it cannot host art exhibitions. Steps within the building also need repair to make them easier for people with mobility issues.
Structural work is also required, though work has already started on replacing falling and failing roof slates. A new permeable membrane will be introduced to provide far better heat insulation, and high level gutters, drains and downcomers will repaired and improved to cope with the increase in extreme rainfall.
For more information about the church, its history and role in the community, and the appeal, go to www.stmaryabbotsappeal.com.
Anyone with fundraising ideas can go to ideas@stmaryabbotsappeal.com
