Building to Serve 2025/6
St Mary’s Church was completed in 1958 following the design of Nugent Cachemaille-Day. In 2025-26 we are realising our vision to renovate and improve the building to prepare the church for the next phase of its life whilst maintaining the iconic 1950’s design. We are excited to see the amazing transformation of St Mary’s when the work is complete.
Latest news: Sad to say our builders, Building Bespoke were declared bankrupt over the Christmas/ New year and due to them not passing on deposits paid to them for subcontractors and the need for us to find a new contractor we have to raise a further £80,000 which we are hoping to do over the next few months. We are grateful for Fennell Construction picking up the role of main contractor and we look forward to working with them. The current situation is that we have completed the nave roof and the upper level outdoor work. Inside the upper level is insulated, boarded and decorated, and has secondary glazing installed on the clerestory windows. The kitchen and toilets are being installed and the side aisle roof and chapel are being renovated. New doors and lobby, paths and pointing are going on and the whole place will be plastered and decorated.
So donations are welcome as we need to raise this final amount in order to complete all that we want to do.
For more details of how to give and updates of the progress see the photos below, watch the video linked lower down the page and see the details of how to give and in anticipation, thank you so much for your support.
We are very thankful and frankly amazed at the response so far from the congregation and from Trusts and Charities - Thanks to: Warner Benefit; Doris Field Charitable Trust; The Gladiator Trust; The Benefact Charity; Oxford Historic Churches Trust; Congregational and General Charity; Oxford Diocesan Development Fund; The Garfield Weston Charity, The Beatrice Laing Foundation, Awards for All
Building to Serve was budgeted at around £900,000 and following the liquidation of our contractor, Building Bespoke, we are around £80,000 short of the new target! We are thankful for the £272,500 in grants and the rest given by members and friends of St Mary’s including £160,000 in interest free loans. We had raised all we need to do the essential work and a few extras, however we now need to raise a further £80,000 which would enable us love to renew all pathways, to landscape and complete the basic plans. The failure of the contractor means we will not be back in church until late May.
Please click on the video below to see the scope of the project and if you would like to offer financial support then please see the response form of contact our treasurer who’s details are below.