Baking brilliance helps to close St Mary’s Church’s £100,000 windows project

The completion of a major restoration project, built on donations and £30,000 raised by baking, is set to be celebrated at a village church.

St Mary’s Church in Market Weston needed £100,000 to repair its porch, nave and chancel windows.

One of the churchwardens, Richard Chatham, said only a few years ago some of the windows in the 13th-century building were being held up by props.

He added: “But thanks to the support of local fund-raising, legacies and generous grants from the likes of the Alfred Williams Charitable Trust and the Suffolk Historic Churches Trust, this project has been completed.”

As well as a village appeal, which raised nearly £10,000, villager Gerry Smith donated £30,000 to the cause.

He did this by selling his baked cakes, sausage rolls and hanging baskets.

The church’s open day event, to celebrate the project, together with a display of historical records from the church, will take place on March 15, between 11am and 1.30pm.

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