Friends Update – May 27th 2026

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Firstly, we are reaching out to see if there is anyone out there who could give us a hand at the Festival Of Leisure, which will be held at Maurice Lea Memorial Park, Church Gresley on Saturday and Sunday 20 and 21 June between 11.30am and 5pm.

We’re looking for Friends who will be able to give just an hour or a couple of hours of their time on our stand at the Festival of Leisure, talking to passers by about the project, giving out any material we have; generally raising awareness and being a presence at the event.

If this is something you could offer, please do get in touch via this email address. We would love to hear from you!

Secondly, here is a post from the Swadlincote Minster facebook page from our Curate, Rev Kara Gander, which is a really good summary of where we are at the moment with the project. The photo is taken from inside the Church, in front of the Miner’s window, which looks as glorious as ever with the sun shining through.

Gresley Church (St George and St Mary’s, Church Gresley)
While the building has been closed for a long time now, there has been a lot going on behind the scenes, first by the Parish Church Council and, more recently, by the Friends of St George and St Mary’s Church group. Over the years, advice on repairs and funding has changed multiple times, as have methods for seeking local funding support and grant applications to relevant bodies. While it may be frustrating to see it closed, please do not equate a lack of visible change with no action. The repair work required to get the building safe is significantly different from the other two churches and reaches into the millions rather than tens of thousands. If you genuinely think opportunities might have been missed, please share this with the Friends. If you are in a position to help with fundraising or grant applications, they would appreciate your help, we are very hopeful that the Friends will be able to share some good news soon.

Please get in touch if you can help. If that’s not something that you can offer and you plan to attend the event, please come and say hello to us; we’d love to see you.