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The Friends Of All Saints Church, Staplehurst

	Registered Charity No. 1037964
General Information	Bell Lane Recycling Past Events Page

STAPLEHURST FESTIVAL OF FLOWERS
Flower Festival Arrangement

The planning of the Festival of Flowers at All Saints Church, on Friday 12th, Saturday 13th and Sunday 14th September, is going well. We already have many flower arrangers keen to take part to give their interpretation of the theme of the Festival “How Great Thou Art”.

All funds raised by the Festival will go towards the maintenance of the Church building.

We shall be running events throughout the Spring and Summer to raise funds to purchase flowers and these events will be advertised in the Parish Magazine. If anyone would like to know more about the Festival or would like to dedicate an arrangement in memory of someone by making a donation towards the cost of flowers, please contact me on the number below.

Marion Christie (01580) 892380
Organiser of the Festival of Flowers

The last time we put on a Flower Festival was September 2002, take a look at the Photos

January 2008

ANNUAL NEWSLETTER - NO. 41

Dear Friends,

I extend a warm welcome to all new members who have joined us over the last twelve months, and a big thank you to our existing members for your continued support which is so vital for the upkeep of the fabric of our Church.

Whilst one of the objects of The Friends is to enable the wider community to contribute to this, in practice the majority of our support comes from within the Church congregation.

As I mentioned last year, following what was felt to be the surfeit of events in 2006, we planned to cut back in 2007 in the hope that those that we did arrange would be well supported.

The Summer Fete last year was organised by the PCC with proceeds going directly to help with the Church running costs. This will obviously have a direct impact on the total funds raised by The Friends in 2007/8.

The Brain Game in March was, as usual, a most enjoyable and very well organised evening which raised £353. Our thanks go to John Stewart and his helpers for the smooth running of this event.

September saw an ambitious production of a Scratch Messiah, which was much enjoyed both by the audience and all those who took part, and which raised £527. Our thanks for this go to Marion Christie who saw the project through from start to finish.

December saw the return of the Shepherds' Market to the Church after two years in the Parish Room. A reasonably successful morning saw us make a profit of £841.07.

During the year we have given £3,439 to the PCC to reimburse various items of maintenance and provided £517 towards a cover for the mechanism of the Church clock. We have also committed £1,432 + VAT to cover the cost of essential repairs to the stonework an the Tower and £6,883 to cover half the estimate for the repairs to the roof of the Church. The latter is to enable the PCC to apply to other organisations for matching funding. Lastly, we have purchased 10 tables for use in the Church at a cost of £228.53.

The PCC do have other projects in mind, most notably some electrical rewiring and upgrading of the lighting, so the need for your continued support will remain as great as ever.

Undoubtedly, one of the highlights of the coming year will be a Festival of Flowers which we will be staging in Church on 12th, 13th and 14th September. Other events provisionally planned include:-

21st May - AGM
26th May - Sponsored Walk
12th July - Stall at Summer Fete
23rd October - Desert Island Discs
6th December - Shepherds' Market

May I remind you again of the Bell Lane Recycling Centre for which, as adoptees, we receive £600 a year from the Maidstone Borough Council. Our thanks go to those who organise this and clean up the site regularity. If you know of anyone who is unable to get to Bell Lane and has items for re-cycling, please contact John Stewart on 892982.

Finally, on behalf of your Committee, I would like to take this opportunity to say a big thank you to everyone who has helped in any way with our fund raising efforts over the last twelve months. We are only too well aware that our efforts would count for nothing without so many willing helpers. Thank you.

Yours sincerely

Brian Humphries, Chairman

2008 Friends of All Saints Diaries

The Friends of All Saints 2008 Diary is now available. You can pick one up in Church for £1 where they can be found in a box on the wooden chest at the back of Church.

If you are unable to pick up one from the Church, please contact Marion Christie on (01580) 892380.

Contact Details

Name	Office	Telephone	Email
Brian Humphries	Chairman	(01580) 890344	N/A
Christine Ward	Secretary	(01580) 892522	N/A
Ron Dear	Treasurer	(01580) 891407
Marion Christie	Membership Secretary	(01580) 892380	N/A
John Stewart	Committee Member	(01580) 892982	N/A
Liz Cooper	Committee Member	N/A	N/A
Pam Mortley	Committee Member	N/A	N/A

General Background Information

The Friends of All Saints Church is registered as a charity with very simple objectives: to maintain, repair, restore, preserve, improve, beautify and reconstruct, for the benefit of the public, the fabric of the Church, its monuments, fixtures, fittings, furniture, stained glass, ornaments and other chattels, and its churchyard.

Since 1994, The Friends has undertaken a number of activities to provide funding towards several projects. These have included the gas-fired central heating, bells restoration, electrical winding of the clock, the provision of a vestry and draught excluding doors to the West Tower.

The Friends, administered by an elected committee, continues to spearhead fund raising and social events.

Membership of The Friends is open to anyone interested in the objects of the society and who has paid an annual member's subscription of at least £5. All Friends members - who pay Income Tax - should sign a declaration form to enable the tax to be reclaimed on their contribution, which increases the gift by some 28%.

Members receive informative Newsletters which give updates on the progress of projects and details of fund raising events to support and enjoy. A very wide variety of events is planned to ensure that all members find something of interest.

Becoming a member is very simple and your support will be much appreciated. Telephone the Membership Secretary, on (01580) 892 380 for further information or assistance.

Friends of All Saints Church - A fund raising body which helps finance projects of maintenance and improvement to All Saints Parish Church Staplehurst. It aims to involve members of the community through the promotion of a varied programme of events.

Bell Lane Recycling Centre

Official Adoptee: Friends of All Saints Church

If any of the recycling bins become full, it would be of great help if you could telephone to report it on the following numbers :

GLASS: (01977) 608020
PAPER, CARDBOARD, METAL TINS & ALUMINIUM: (01622) 602162
SHOES: (0500) 827198
CLOTHING: (0845) 4581999

If you are elderly or housebound, with no other means of getting your re-cycling materials to Bell Lane Car Park, please telephone John Stewart on (01580) 892982 to request a free collection.