Appeal as £250,000 Walsall church repairs near end
A £250,000 project to repair the roof of Walsall's oldest church after it was targeted by lead thieves is due to be finished next week, sparking a fundraising drive for further repairs.
Members of St Matthew's Church have been fundraising for the work ever since the lead was stripped from the roof more than three years ago.
The project at the church in St Matthew's Close, which is around 800-years-old, received support from English Heritage and work to replace the roof with galvanised steel started last June.
Church warden John Pryce-Jones, aged 58, of Jesson Road, Walsall, said: "We are expecting work to be complete by the end of next week.
"It has been completely re-roofed at the east end of the church.
"That was the area where there had been a theft of lead.
"The roof has been replaced on the south side and some work has been done on the north side.
"We've been permitted by English Heritage to replace it with galvanised steel.
"The work has gone really well. We are really pleased with the way it looks.
"We are still fundraising and have proposals for the inside of the church, including providing better toilets and repairing the creaky staircase," he said.
The work has been carried out by Lichfield-based contractors FWA Conservation.
More than £100,000 was pledged by English Heritage but the church had to raise the rest of the funds through donations and other grants.
The thefts at the church led to staff having to put plastic sheeting over sections of the roof in an attempt to stop rainwater leaking into the building during bad weather.
The church is planning to open up its crypt for public tours in February.
To donate to the appeal call 01922 626039.
