Friends of St James

Caring for our church

By supporting the upkeep of this beautiful building and churchyard with a regular donation, future generations can enjoy this architectural gem as much you do.

Introduction

The spire of St James’s can be seen from some distance. Similarly, there is a place in many local people’s hearts for the church. It may be that they or their children performed at one of the schools’ concerts or that they have been to a carol service or a wedding.

The building is likely to be the oldest in Hampton Hill; it was opened in 1863. Over the years it has undergone changes and improvements such as the spire itself (completed in 1888) and then more recently the new pew benches. It is a Grade II listed building.

Overview

The maintenance and upkeep of a historic building is significant. The annual insurance costs more than £6000; we even have security cameras to protect from metal theft. As the building is listed, the Church Council is held accountable for regular and good quality repairs – these are not cheap!

The church is a working building, open to the public, and this requires additional facilities and security features.

The Friends of St James’s is a broad group of people from different nations, backgrounds, and religions, who choose to support and care for the wellbeing of St James’s Church and its neighbourhood, appreciating the magnificent building, its significant role for visitors and worshippers to attend baptisms, weddings, funerals, and regular services whilst hosting events for all in the community.

As a Friend of St James’s, you will receive:

◼ An electronic copy of the Spire (our in-house magazine) nine times a year

◼ A biannual Friends newsletter, updating you on activities, events, and developments.

You would be invited to all St James’s activities, including:

◼ The annual St James’s Festival Weekend celebration in July. This includes an open day, when you can climb the spire or try your hand at bell-ringing, and a garden party, with a barbecue lunch with games for the children.

◼ In September there will be a Friends’ meeting at which there will be light refreshments, and an update on forthcoming events, and a two-way discussion about future events.

How to become a Friend

To follow