Nuffield Community Centre Project (NCCP) is a joint project between the church and the community of Nuffield to provide the village with a meeting space for both, by converting the interior of the mediaeval church.  The required permissions have been granted to remove almost all the pews to create a flexible space with servery and toilet facilities.  Updated electrity and water supplies with the necessary drainage will be connected permitting improved heating and lighting while preserving the beautiful simplicity of the old building. Plans are on display in the church.

 

There are a number of reasons, mostly connected to Covid, which have held up the Nuffield Community Centre Project.

You may have seen the scaffolding  - we have had urgent repairs to the roof and rainwater collection (partly funded by the Heritage at Risk Repair Fund) and the wall inside is now nearly dried out!

 

The threat (of closure and sale) to small rural churches struggling to pay their way is growing apace.  None of the proceeds of sale would benefit affected villages.  NCCP is timely but we need to act now to raise the funds required – which could be in the region of £350,000 but we're looking at ways to reduce this! - so that the works can be completed before it is too late.

Fundraising is now the pressing activity – applications to large Grantfunding Trusts are being developed and letters to smaller Trusts.

BUT we also need you to help.  Lots of small donations add up!  Perhaps you could be sponsored to complete some challenge?  Could you sell excess seedlings or garden produce (my rhubarb has gone mad this year and seems determined to develop into a tropical rainforest!) for a small charge? Could you hold a coffee morning or organise a quiz night?  If you have a great idea but little time, share your idea with others to help organise it.  A fete, a dog show, a village picnic or barbecue – summer is coming..............!

 

A Challenge!  The Mosawi Foundation have generously offered to match every £1 you give up to a maximum of £39,000, making a potential £78,000!

Oxfordshire Historic Churches Trust have already agreed a grant of £20,000.

 

The end result: a historic building saved for the future, a space for the community to come together, for exercise classes, quiz nights, children's birthday parties and much more and opportunities for the church to offer coffee mornings for older people, activities for young people, a Mother & Toddler group as well as worship.

 

For more information or to offer help in any way, contact Catherine Erbetta 01491 681221  catherineerbetta@btinternet.com