Josefina Gori writes for the Herald.

Undoubtedly, our duty to future generations is to preserve not only our traditions and literary and artistic legacy but also those precious buildings that for centuries have given us shelter, beauty, a sense of community and memories to cherish. The Connect Enhance Engage project at St Mary's Church is a prime example of this preservation effort. This project, which will make our parish church fit for use in centuries to come, will not only benefit the 500 people that the church accommodates, but also the entire community. It will provide an uninterrupted view of proceedings for significant services, concerts, weddings and special events, enhancing the overall experience for all attendees.

The required approvals for the project are now in place after public consultation and work with Church Bodies and Historic England. It will get underway at half a million pounds in mid-2025. An understandable cost if we consider that one of the aims of the project is to replace the electric cables that were first installed in the church in 1936, and in such a big building, wiring runs are long. In addition, the new lighting scheme will allow visitors to admire the beauty of the building and its peculiar architectural features, often located in areas too dark to appreciate its content entirely. As a solution to having an interrupted view of the many occurrences in the church, more and better screens will be placed at strategic points, sending the endless old hymn sheets of paper into retirement. Also, the present sound desk will be relocated, and there will be a new welcome desk, too.

Above all, and using the words of our Rector Rev Lydia Cook, this project is a testament to our community’s yearning for connectivity, relationships, and a shared vision and purpose. While some of the projects are about humble and unseen things like wiring and plugs, they are also about making the building an accessible place of connection and community for anyone and everyone who comes through its doors. So when they have to ask for money, when they need your time and commitment to this project, please remember why they're doing it, what its vision is for our church, and pray for its success and the lasting impact it will have.

Rev Lydia Cook added: ”I'm looking forward to when the work is done and actually sharing a moment of pride in ourselves that we made this commitment to our building and to our community and we saw it through and got it done.” This commitment is not just from Rev Cook and the body of Governors and assistants – instituted by Henry VIII – to maintain the building. It’s a commitment from all of us, the parish, and all those who have supported the project through grants and events like the annual Fete at Cadhay. Over the next year, they will continue to put on a varied range of fun events, some of which have already taken place such as cream teas and guided tours of the church, including lunch and challenging ascent of the tower.

St Mary's Church, has been a place where people come to find ancestors, to feel the connection to Coleridge, to admire the beauty of the building and its beautiful architectural hidden secrets and also the place where we have shared moments of happiness and sadness as a community where difference of background, sex, ideologies had not taken place. This project is not just about the present, it’s about securing that legacy and giving us the satisfaction of contributing to something that will allow future generations to do the same. It’s about our commitment to the future of our community and our church.

You are invited to a public reception to display the project at St Mary's church on Saturday 1st June, from 6.00 to 8.00 pm. The event will include drinks and music from Sam McCrory. There is no entrance charge, though donations are welcome. You can also visit their Facebook site.