St James the Great

For many rural churches, raising large sums of money for capital projects that support mission and ministry can be challenging – unless there are clear community benefits that extend beyond the worshipping congregation. Our work with St Peter’s Church in Morley is a great example of a church hall project with much wider impact. As a case study, it also illustrates the importance of flexibility and perseverance when it comes to getting your fundraising strategy spot on.

Creating a space with the same far reaching community benefits has been key to the development brief at St James the Great in Old Milverton near Leamington Spa.

The Sanctuary at St James

“When we were appointed to undertake a fundraising feasibility for St James, it was a joy to read a statement of need that wholly embraced both the spiritual and secular benefits of their £600,000 capital project,” says Gifted’s Andrew Day. “The PCC’s vision for The Sanctuary at St James, a tranquil extension connected to the rear vestry and overlooking the churchyard, was all about elevating the church’s capacity to nurture faith, foster friendships and support emotional resilience. The plan was not only beautiful from an architectural perspective but also conveyed an urgency to provide modern facilities to people of all faiths and none in a space designed for healing.”

As custodians of a Grade II listed building in a glorious setting, church leaders recognised the need to safeguard what they had been gifted for the benefit of future generations. Their vision, though, goes beyond the preservation of physical assets and embraces St James the Apostle’s call to keep faith alive by putting love into action. For the church community, it means doing all that they can to support local people feeling anxious or vulnerable.

“The Study revealed a tremendous appetite to fund a project that would not only underpin and strengthen the activities of the church, but provide the perfect place for retreats, away days, good grief and dementia cafés, talking therapies and continued professional development for newly qualified mental health practitioners,” says Andrew. “As the church now embarks on a dedicated capital fundraising campaign, we are delighted to be supporting its leadership team with ongoing fundraising advice.”

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If your organisation is preparing for its next major fundraising challenge and you'd like to find out more about our full range of fundraising services, get in touch and request an initial conversation with one of our Directors.