e: clerk@braughing.org.uk

The Stannard Room opening

The project has been accepted as a finalist in the LABC Building Excellence Awards.

It must have been at least 25 years ago it was first muted that the church would benefit from a toilet facility. Over the intervening years a number of plans were put forward, from building a facility in the choir vestry to a full blown exterior extension.  The problem was, as always, funding.  The Friends of St Mary's Trust, through the FOSM Fundraising Team, started to raise funds by running some excellent events from a Jazz evening to a Christmas Fair.  These activities, coupled with a number of generous donations and bequests from members of the local community, allowed plans to be produced and an architect was appointed and the DAC - Diocesan Advisory Council - was involved to provide the much needed faculty to enable the works to proceed.
However the costs far exceeded the amount in the coffers!  So the project stalled for a while until a most generous bequest, from the late Dorothy Stannard, placed the ball into play. The PCC and Trustees appointed a team, comprising Don Varley, Paul Currie, Peter Boylan, Sue Dailly, Clive Marshall and the rector Rev. Julie Gawthrope, to project manage the operation. The foundations were laid at the end of 2017 and work started on the build in spring 2018. It was a fantastic journey to be part of and St Mary the Virgin, Braughing, now boasts one of the best kitchen and accessible toilet facilities in the area.  The Stannard Room, named after the major benefactor, was opened officially by Dorothy's niece Sue, on Saturday 24 November 2018.  The photos below give you a flavour of the event and shortly a timeframe gallery showing the build will be added.  Clive Marshall - Trustee.