Category Archives: Giving and Fundraising

Clothing Giveaway, Environment, Events, Giving and Fundraising, St Mark's Church

Cake and Clothes: Happy birthday Clothing Giveaway!

05/09/2025 Administrator Leave a comment

A year ago the parish got together with the Hale Community Centre to start a new project—the weekly Clothing Giveaway and Café on Monday mornings at St Mark’s.

We didn’t know how it would work out but, 12 months down the line, we have queues at the door every Monday before 9am and several hundred free items of clothing or shoes go out of that same door before 11am. In fact, we are so pleased that we will be celebrating on September 8th with birthday cake!

The idea of the Clothing Giveaway is to encourage people not just to throw out their old clothes but to donate them—as long as they are in good condition and clean—and to fill the spaces in their wardrobe with clothes which may have been worn but still have plenty of life left in them. The current preferred expression for this is ‘pre-loved’ which probably appeals more than ‘second-hand’.

This has a two-fold goal: to help people save money and to help save the planet. Many of us are struggling economically after years of austerity and the fashion industry has a serious and growing impact on the environment in terms of water-use, emissions and landfill, as well as the human cost of poor working conditions (see here for example). We are doing just a little bit towards protecting the planet and its inhabitants, but the more people who do their bit, the more impact we all have.

The Clothing Giveaway has been able to have this successful first year thanks to a lot of hard work and generosity. Farnham Lions and Voluntary Action South West Surrey gave us grants; clothes, shoes, sheets, towels, and baby gear have poured in from donors; the Community Centre designed flyers and banners and keeps spreading the news; and St Mark’s congregation has shown a wealth of forbearance about having a section of the church permanently filled with clothes as well as putting out tables every Sunday for setting-up later.

Most of all, I want to thank the volunteers who work tirelessly every week, sorting, folding, hanging and even ironing clothes; laying them out in a far more appealing way than I could ever manage; coming up with themes; taking bags of unusable clothes to be recycled; serving tea, coffee, cakes and pastries; chatting to those who come in; and generally keeping the show on the road. Amanda, Anne, Kay, Mandy, Sonia, Steph and Sylvie are there week by week with others dipping in and out when they can. Thank you all!

We could do with some more help, especially in clearing up at 11am on a Monday so if you think you could help, even occasionally, let us know. Email me at rev.stella@badshotleaandhale.org or call me on 07342508164 which is my number for curacy matters.

Come and see us on September 8th for cake and clothes, or any other Monday you fancy. We are open every Monday morning, 9-11am, apart from Bank Holidays and we will close over Christmas and New Year.

Church Buildings, Giving and Fundraising, St John's Church

The Work Begins!

05/09/2025 Administrator Leave a comment

St John’s tower restoration

The scaffolding is up and work is about to begin to restore the crumbling tower at St John’s. This is thanks to the generosity of individual donors and grant-awarding bodies, and the hard work of parishioners who applied for grants and put on fundraisers to find the cash for the repairs.

The work will cost at least £32,500 and we’ve been raising the money for several years through a mix of grants, fundraising events and donations. At the end of July, we launched a final push to find the last £5,500 so that the stonemason could start in September. Publicity, including in the Farnham Herald, brought forth a flood of donations meaning that Anstey & Stone, stonemasons, can begin work now.

Rev’d Lexi Russell, rector of the church, said: “Thank you so much for the incredibly generous donations which have been made. They mean that a Hale landmark which has stood there for generations past will be standing for generations to come.

“We do know that because the church is old – it is 181 now – it is very likely that there will be more work needed and we will need more funds, so please, if you feel able, do continue to donate. And thank you all again for what you have done.”

Restoration work is expected to take six weeks to complete and should be finished by the end of October. In the meantime, further fundraising events are in the calendar, including a concert of 60s music by popular Farnham band Out of the Shadows on the afternoon of September 27, starting at 2pm. Information is available here. There is also a fundraising page here.

If we raise more money than we actually need for the tower itself it will go into a fund specifically for work on St John’s and will not be spent on anything else.

Giving and Fundraising, St John's Church

Final push for St John’s tower funds

30/07/2025 Administrator Leave a comment

St John’s Church needs just another £5,500 to fund repairs to its tower which, at 181 years old, is crumbling.

Repairs to the tower will cost more than £32,000 and we have raised almost £27,000 through donations, fundraising events and grants. As the work is urgent and a stonemason is available in mid- September, we need to find the final £5,500 in time to pay the bill. There is another fundraising evening coming up in September. For details, click here.

The church was opened in 1844 and was designed by Benjamin Ferrey, a pupil of the famous architect Pugin. It looks older than many Victorian churches as it is in the Romanesque style which dominated church architecture in the 11^th to 12^th century. It was extended in 1897 to accommodate a growing congregation following the expansion of Aldershot as a garrison town.

Rector Rev’d Lexi Russell said: “What an incredible effort from everyone involved! The community has come together with creative ways to raise the funds to repair the tower of our beautiful church. We are now on the home stretch, with one final push to reach our goal before mid-September. St John’s has stood as a beacon of hope on Hale Road for generations, and with your continued support, we can ensure it remains so for generations to come.”

The parish has received grants from Farnham Town Council, the Church of England, Marshall’s Charity, the Surrey Churches Preservation Trust and Benefact Trust, and has fundraised through events such as the recent Pugs and Prejudice, a celebration of dogs in literature, especially that of Jane Austen. Individuals have also given generously, meaning that there is almost enough money to repair the tower of this much-loved church which has been part of the Hale landscape for almost 200 years.

To donate to tower fund, contact Rev’d Lexi Russell on 07792 233477 or rev.lexi@badshotleaandhale.org, or visit our fundraising page here.

Events, Giving and Fundraising, music, St George's Church, St John's Church

Out of the Shadows and into St George’s

30/07/2025 Administrator Leave a comment

Enjoy a musical afternoon and raise money for the St John’s tower repair fund

St George’s will resound to the music of the 60s on the afternoon of Saturday, September 27th, when the band Out of the Shadows will give a concert to raise funds to repair St John’s tower which is crumbling and in urgent need of repair.

Out Of The Shadows are sixties covers band who enjoy putting on fundraising concerts in the Farnham area. This one will start at 2pm and will involve tea and cake! There will also be a cash raffle.

Tickets are £10 on the door or ahead of time – to guarantee entry – from Sue Lampard on 07596953138.

Come along and enjoy the music, tea and cake and raise money for the tower repairs.

Giving and Fundraising, News Releases, Social Events, St John's Church

Pugs and Prejudice

23/06/2025 Administrator Leave a comment

Join us at St John’s Church on Friday 4^th July at 7pm as we celebrate the 250^th anniversary of Jane Austen’s birth, with Pugs and Prejudice, an entertaining talk about Austen’s life as well as the dogs and costumes of the Regency period. Admission is free.

The talk will be given by Jenny Colquhoun, a local Jane Austen expert and enthusiast. She will be assisted by her Maltese dog, Lilli (pictured above). The pair will be dressed in matching Regency outfits and there will be a selection of bonnets, top hats, waistcoats and cravats for you to try on, too.

To accompany the event, Margaret Emberson and Lesley and Bob Shatwell will play Regency music, and there will be refreshments, including homemade cakes. You will also have a chance to win some Maltesers from Lilli.

You may have visited Jane Austen’s home in Chawton, but did you know that her family also had a Farnham connection? Jane’s brother, Henry, became a curate in Farnham in 1819. This raises the question, did Jane ever visit her brother in Farnham? Henry has often been described as her favourite brother, so it seems hard to believe that she never travelled here. There is nothing in her letters to suggest that she did but, since some of her letters were burned by her sister, it is fun to imagine that perhaps Jane was familiar with our town too.

Join us on Friday, July 4th, at 7pm, at St John’s, Hale, for an entertaining evening of doggy tales and tails, bonnets and bows. Although admission is free, there will be the opportunity to make a donation towards restoring St John’s tower. Please let us know if you are coming as we need to know how many to cater for and Lilli wants to know how many packs of Maltesers to pop in her Regency reticule. Call 07842761919 or email admin@badshotleaandhale.org.

Pictured: Left: A Reticule bag. (Image from Look and Learn, Rijksmuseum).
Right: Jenny and Lilli at a recent Jane Austen event.

Giving and Fundraising, St John's Church

The St John’s tower: another fundraising push

12/01/2025 Administrator Leave a comment

Like a beloved grandmother St John’s Church in Hale is beautiful, much-loved but showing her age. In fact, she’s just turned 180 so it isn’t surprising.

It’s her tower which is suffering the most and is in greatest need of repair and we are determined to do this, so ensuring that this historic centre of worship can stay open for many more years to come, and that the bell can once more ring to call people in Hale to services. (At the moment the bell is silent as vibrations from ringing it risk more damage to the tower).

Unfortunately, but inevitably, this will cost money – at least £50,000. We are applying for grants for this but also need to raise part of the money ourselves. We’ve already had some generous donations and thank you to everyone who has given money.

Visit our GoFundMe page

We’ve now opened a new fundraising page, this time with GoFundMe and invite everyone to give something – even a few pounds will make a difference. To do so click here.

Thank you again for your support.

Children and Youth, Giving and Fundraising, Social Events, St George's Church

A scarecrow’s work is never done!

15/09/2024 Administrator Leave a comment

Scarecrow drive, Saturday, September 21st, St George’s Church, 5.30-8pm

It’s autumn , but while you might imagine that scarecrows can have a rest once the harvest is in, not so. Not only do they have to look after the newly planted winter wheat and other crops which are grown at this time of year, they may be called on to take part in a scarecrow drive or two?

A scarecrow drive? What’s that? It’s a seasonal beetle drive, where, instead of rolling a dice to collect parts of a beetle, you roll one to collect parts of a scarecrow. And we are holding one at St George’s on Saturday, September 21st from 5.30-8pm.

It’s a sociable evening suitable for all ages, and we’re throwing in a supper too for those who would like one. You need to pre-order and pay for it and the costs are: fish £10; chicken £9; sausage £6, veggie burger £7; all with chips. You need to let Kris Lawrence know by September 18th if you want to order the food. Click here to tell her. If you want to bring your own food, please do, but please still let Kris know if you are coming so that we know numbers.

There will also be a raffle and entertainment. Please let Kris know if you would like to take part in the entertainment.

Events, Giving and Fundraising

It’s time to Ride and Stride

09/09/2024 Administrator Leave a comment

Raise money for the churches and have a day out

Every year on the second Saturday of September—this year September 14th—the Surrey Churches Preservation Trust runs ‘Ride and Stride’. People are encouraged to travel between churches in the area and be sponsored to do so. You can walk, cycle, use a mobility scooter, drive, ride a horse, roller-skate, dance, play the fiddle, whatever is your preferred mode of transport.

This is a great way to raise money for our churches because half the money goes to the churches which participate and the other half to the trust which exists to stimulate interest in Surrey churches and to make grants for their repair and conservation.

Why not have a go? You can download a C1 sponsorship form from the trust as well as a list of Surrey churches.

Giving and Fundraising, music, St Mark's Church

Music Extravaganza for Christian Aid at St Mark’s | 21st June

18/06/2024 Administrator Leave a comment

On Friday, June 21^st we are holding a Music Extravaganza at St Mark’s in Upper Hale —an evening of music, dance and singing, all in support of Christian Aid, a charity which works with some of the most marginalized communities across the world.

Doors open at 6.30pm and the concert starts at 7pm.

Among the performers are:
John Bush

A multi-talented musician who performs both contemporary and classical music along with fellow musicians. A fun performance can be expected, with lots of audience participation.

Church Choir

The resident choir of St George’s, St Mark’s and St John’s combines to sing a mixture of popular hymns and songs.

In Accord

A Guildford-based ladies a cappella group performing a mixture of songs from sea shanties to Beatles and more.

Kerala Girls

A group of young ladies with traditional dress performing dances from the Kerala area of India. They rehearse at St George’s Church on Fridays.

Olivia Jasper

A young soloist who was brought up in Farnham and is a member of the church. She is returning to support the concert with some beautiful solo singing.

Paris School of Dance
Tap dancers from a well established dance school which rehearses at St George’s every Thursday.

Tickets (£10) are available on the door or from Sue Lampard on 07596953138. Under 12s free. There will be drinks and nibbles available and a raffle on the evening.

The Parish of Badshot Lea and Hale