Carol concert to raise money for 133-year-old church roof replacement

Tuesday 13 December 2022

A 133-year-old local church is hosting a Christmas carol fundraiser this week to help raise money to replace its decaying roof.

Hosted by Reverend Mark Bond and Andrew Parker, St. Aubin on the Hill Church's fundraising concert will be taking place next Thursday (15 December) and include a performance by close female harmony group Acapella Jersey.

The church was built in 1889 after the previous church was "deemed unsafe". That year, a congregation organised a collection to help fund the building of a new church.

Now, more than a century later, a different congregation is making a similar appeal. 

This time, the church’s roof has been found to be at risk of collapse, with the century old nails and battens holding the tiles in place having rotted away over the years.

Scaffolding has been put up in order to prevent the tiles falling, as they become ever more precarious. As a result, the roof needs to be completely replaced. It is estimated to cost around £500,000. 

Earlier this year, a JustGiving page was set up to help raise £100,000 towards the cost of the roof, with people who donated £10 having a roof tile named after them or a member of their family and their names put in a book inside the church.

Some of the more heartwarming contributions so far have included "a tile for dad" and “a tile for our family. We were married here 40 years ago.” 

Pictured: The church has been fundraising to replace their roof, the cost of which is estimated at £500,000. 

This year, bric-a-brac sales have also been held to help generate funds, as well as a charity auction.

Lay Minister Denise Waller said: “We hope we have enough to be able to afford it but you never know when you're building.”

One of the extra anticipated costs stems from the presence of a protected maternity roost of grey long-eared bats. Denise is working with Piers Sangan of Sangan Island Conservation Limited, which runs the grey long-eared bat conservation project.

"These bats are very precious so we're very keen to look after them," Denise said.

Pictured: The Grey Long-eared bat. This species is currently roosting in the St. Aubin on the Hill Church roof.

The church community hopes this week's carol concert will help provide more funds to assist with potential extra costs.

“The concert is a wonderful start to the real Christmas season, so I do hope as many people as possible will come and help us fill the church with wonderful Christmas song... It'll be a really happy, jolly thing with lots of singing," Denise said.

The concert will start with drinks and nibbles from 18:30, followed by the full concert at 19:00.

Pictured: Acapella Jersey, who will be performing at the Carol Concert this December. 

Tickets are £10 on the door.