PATRONAL FESTIVAL
Our Patronal Festival of St Mary Magdalene falls on July 22nd and we traditionally celebrate the nearest weekend before.
As many will know, last year’s 25th Flower Festival was the last one.  We shall, however, still be celebrating our Patronal Festival with special flowers in church and a special service on Sunday, July 19th at 10.30 am.  There will be no Fete on the Green or Craft Exhibition this year.
As part of our fundraising campaign for the Loo & Vestry Fund, we are holding a Summer Draw to be drawn on Saturday, July 18th at a Cheese & Wine evening in church.  We are delighted that John Grundy, north east television celebrity (Grundy’s Wonders etc) has agreed to come and make the draw.  There will be an interlude of entertainment.
We shall also be giving the people of Trimdon Village an opportunity to support the day to day running of their local church with a Gift Day.

LOO & VESTRY PROJECT
Swimathon
We are proud of our team from St Mary Magdalene’s who swam in the Swimathon at Bishop Auckland Baths for the Loo & Vestry Fund and Butterwick Hospice.  Their efforts have raised almost £500 to be divided equally between the two funds.

Grants
When we embarked on the Loo & Vestry Project, we were banking on being able to tap into major funding.  But what we’re finding is that an improvement project does not generally meet the necessary criteria - which seems to be mainly repairs and restoration.
We had high hopes of a large grant (we asked for £30,000!) from the Heritage Lottery Fund but have been turned down completely.  We are grateful to the Diocesan Church Buildings Committee who have pledged £10,000 when the work is completed and the All Churches Trust have donated £500.  The other grant aid organisations we are trying, are Garfield Weston, Percy Hedley Trust and Northumbria Historic Churches Trust
In the meantime, we carry on organising fundraising events and have faith that before too long our Grade 2 listed church will be brought into the 21st century with its own toilet facilities and that our storage problems will be eased with an extension to the vestry – THEN - we can really plan for proper development of church life at St Mary Magdalene’s.


10.05.2009