All the fun of the fair at Wolverhampton event to fund church's £150k roof repair
An historic church congregation on a mission to improve lives is holding a fundraising fair in aid of its £150,000 roof repair project.
Worshippers at busy Lanesfield Methodist Church welcome around 400 residents every week for activities including family and youth events, but its struggling finances took a hit after the roof was damaged by high winds in May last year following lockdown when the building was closed.
Now the leadership team is organising a traditional summer fair on June 18 to cover the costs of the repairs to make the 60-year-old building water-tight after part of the roof was torn off by a storm.
Church secretary Rachel Winter explained: "We are an active community church with community rooms, which attract a weekly footfall of approximately 400 people plus 200 followers on our social media sites.
"We have served the community for over 200 years, 60 of those years being in the current building at the foot of Ettingshall Park Farm Estate.
"Recently we have been working hard fundraising to replace our roof which was unfortunately badly damaged during a storm last year. This will cost in the region of £150,000 to replace.
"We are also hoping to purchase an outdoor catering van to extend our outreach community cafe, at a further cost of £10,000."
As part of the fundraising initiative businesses are being invited to donate prizes for the draw and there is an opportunity to sponsor a month for the church's 2023 calendar at a cost of £100.
The fair will be held in the grounds, in Laburnum Road, Lanesfield near Bilston from 11am-3pm.
Church steward Ed Bridgwood says: "The fair was an annual event before the pandemic. This will be the first since we've come out of the lockdowns. We need the funds as we need to repair the roof.
"We need to get the cash to get the roof fixed, to keep everybody dry and secure the building fabric for another 60 years.
"It will be a traditional fair with hook-the-duck, ring-a-ball, roll-a-£1, craft stalls plus the community cafe will be serving refreshments.
"It will be like an old-fashioned fair, but we haven't got any goldfish in bags. Each activity will have its individual charge at pocket-money prices. The whole idea is to get the community of Lanesfield together."
Activities at the worship centre which is led by minister Rev Joanne Cox-Darling include the girls' and boys' brigades, craft groups, dancing and keep-fit, table tennis, parent and toddler sessions, a choir and a women's group.
It is home to the 45-strong competition marching band Lanesfield GB & BB Drums and Bugle Corps.
The church marked the 60th anniversary of the present building last December. There has been a Methodist mission serving the community for two centuries.
