St Mary’s Church launches ‘Tenner for the Toilets’ fundraising appeal

A fundraising campaign inviting people in Calne to donate “a tenner for the toilets” has been launched by St Mary's Church, Calne.

The appeal was launched during a coffee morning at the church on Saturday 7th March and is part of a wider project to improve facilities and carry out essential repairs to the historic building.

Residents across the town will soon receive postcards through their letterboxes inviting those who are able to contribute £10 towards the project.

Revd Caspar Bush, vicar of the church, said the improvements would address a long-standing issue while helping make the church more welcoming and accessible.

“People have been asking literally for decades why there are no toilets in St Mary’s Church, and now we have the chance to put that right at last,” he said.

“But we also want to improve the access into church so that people don’t have to wrestle with the great wooden doors, and can see into church through a glass lobby entrance before they actually come in.”

Alongside installing toilets, the project also includes repairs to two roof areas, installing solar panels to improve energy sustainability, upgrading the kitchen facilities and removing some little-used pews to create more flexible community spaces.

Revd Bush said the aim was to make the church as welcoming as possible for the many people who already use it.

“We’re delighted that so many people from our town already come to their parish church for a variety of events and services, and we’d like to make church a place which is as hospitable as it can be, in terms of the welcome people receive and the facilities we offer,” he said.

The fundraising appeal currently stands at £327,000 — just over halfway towards its £650,000 target.

St Mary’s Church is open every day from around 9am until 4pm for visitors wishing to explore the building or spend some time enjoying the quiet.

More information about the project can be found at project2026.org.uk.