David Rutley MP joined the congregation at St Michael & All Angel Church Macclesfield at a thanksgiving service for repairs made to the church roof and the refurbishment of the churchyard.
The congregation, which included the town’s Mayor, Councillor Lloyd Robert, and other civic leaders, came together to give thanks for the completion of a major project to replace the oldest part of the church roof over the chancel and Legh Chapel. The church roof was built over 100 years ago and was in urgent need of repair. Members and friends of St Michael’s have raised £30,000 in support of the project. This was supplemented by grants of around £130,000 from English Heritage, the All Churches Trust, The Garfield Weston Foundation and Churchcare. The church also benefited from VAT relief through the Government’s Listed Place of Worship Scheme.
Work has also recently been completed to improve Market Place. New lighting has been installed, along with street furniture and work to remove clutter from Market Place. The entrance to St Michael’s has also been enhanced. The gates have been restored, trees pruned and work has been carried out on the railings. This work has been taken forward by Cheshire East Council working with local community groups, including the Make it Macclesfield Forum.
The thanksgiving service formed part of a weekend of events in support of the church, which still needs to raise a further £250,000 to repair the nave section of the roof. A concert given by staff and students of the King’s School raised £800 towards the roof fund on Saturday 8th February.
Gordon Darlington, Project Chairman at St Michael’s and All Angels, said, “We would like to thank everyone who has contributed to the works so far. Our hope now is that the outstanding money can be raised through a combination of events and donations from the congregation and the local community as a whole.”
David said, “St Michael’s Church is at the heart of Macclesfield’s town centre and is an important part of the town’s rich heritage. It is great to see so many people coming together to support the church. I am pleased that the roof project and churchyard refurbishment are coming on so well, and that further improvements have been made to Market Place. The generosity of local residents will ensure that St Michael’s can serve Macclesfield for generations to come.”