Urgent appeal to protect historic church building in Leamington town centre

An iconic Leamington church urgently needs a new heating system to safeguard the fabric of the building.

St Peter’s Apostle Church in Dormer Place, which has been at the heart of the local community for more than 150 years, is £60,000 short of the £100,000 it needs to replace its ageing heating system that is proving too costly to constantly repair.

The much-needed installation is required ahead of winter to ensure that the place of worship is protected against the increasingly cold months ahead, as well as keeping the congregation and other visitors warm.

Parish Priest of the church, Father Stephen Day, said: “This is a major expenditure for the church and one we cannot afford on our own, which is why we’re appealing for monetary donations to help reach the £100,000 target needed for the new boiler.

“We’ve already held a number of fundraising events, and plan to do more, but we’re still a long way from reaching what we need so would be very grateful to any good Samaritans who are able to donate to our appeal.”

The current, and crumbling, heating system was installed in St Peter’s church back in the mid-1960s and is now in such a bad state that the burners have been decommissioned.

Father Stephen added: “St Peter’s plays an important role in serving the local community, but this time we’re hoping the local community can help serve the church, whether they are a parishioner or have an interest in Leamington life.”

St Peter’s church, a Grade II listed building, was built in 1864 and designed by famous architect Henry Clutton in the Gothic Revival style. It is one of Leamington’s most beautiful and historic buildings, with the church tower a prominent feature in the local townscape.

For more information about St Peter’s Apostle Church, visit https://www.catholicleamington.org.uk/, while to make a donation, visit https://donate.mydona.com/st-peter-apostle-leamington