From Mr Roger Evans
Sir, - We are grateful to the Revd Maggie Durran for her mention
of the Friends of Friendless Churches (Gazette, 7 March), but may
we please correct any misapprehension that may have arisen?
The Friends are clearly driven by the need to conserve the 47
buildings in our care in England and Wales. We stepped in to
prevent their demolition or abandonment.
We are, however, certainly not just about buildings. In at least
17 of the churches, we have thriving groups of local Friends: we
can pick out Llanfihangel Rogiet and Llanfair Kilgeddin in
Monmouthshire; Wood Walton and Papworth St Agnes in Cambridgeshire;
Caldecote in Hertfordshire; Mundon in Essex; Boveney and Hardmead
in Buckinghamshire; Milland in Sussex; Matlock Bath in Derbyshire;
Llanfaglan near Caernarvon; Ynyscynhaearn near Portmadog; Sutterby
in Lincolnshire; Long Crichel, Dorset; Tremaen, Ceredigion;
Brownshill, Gloucestershire; and Allington, Wiltshire.
Our stepping in to take these churches into care has been the
catalyst for lively local groups to emerge. Several of them are
prodigious fund-raisers, and they put the church in question to all
sorts of imaginative additional uses - everything from harvest
suppers and services on the patronal festival, to concerts, flower
festivals, talks by the architect on how repairs were tackled,
retreats, and history days.
Our churches are nearly always open to visitors during daylight
hours, and particularly so for Heritage Open Days. Do join us (at
www.friendsoffriendlesschurches.org.uk), and find out more about
our work.
ROGER EVANS
Chairman
The Friends of Friendless Churches
St Ann's Vestry Hall
2 Church Entry
London EC4V 5HB