RESIDENTS in Leigh have banded together to help save the village’s ancient church by holding a raffle with an array of valuable prizes.

All Saints Church has been in the village since the 13th Century but, famously, not always in the same place.

It was taken apart and moved by handcart when it was flooded in the late 19th Century, with villagers wheeling it across the village and rebuilding it stone by stone.

But now the church is in dire need of repairs due to a number of problems, including damage to gutters, windows and the roof.

The church is in such a poor state that it is rarely used, and the hope is that by repairing the building it could once again become an integral part of the community in Leigh.

Such is the support for the old church in the community, residents have united to make sure the money needed is raised.

Church treasurer Hugh Thomas has been helping to organise fundraising efforts and has estimated that the appeal needs to raise around £6,000 to cover the cost of the repairs.

The prizes in the raffle include three separate stays at five-star hotels in central London, a Christmas wine selection, tickets to Badminton Horse Trials, Cirencester Town tickets, and handmade jewellery.

Each of the prizes has been donated by someone from the village.

Hugh praised the generosity of the those who are helping, saying: “It’s just a group of local residents who heard the church was at risk and came together to help protect it.”

Hugh stressed that the group currently fundraising are not necessarily people who  attend the church, and that anyone who wishes to help save the historic building is welcome to get involved.

If the raffle raises more than the required £6,000, the surplus would be used on other repairs needed to the old church.

Hugh added: “We’d like to improve the heating, which is a few ineffectual radiators. We also need to install running water and loos if it’s going to be used much more as a community building.”

There are seven or eight services in the church each year and attendance usually varies between 30 and 100.

Raffle winners will be drawn at the All Saints Christmas Eve carol service in Leigh at 7pm on Christmas Eve.

For more information on the plans to save the church, go to http://leigh-village.co.uk/allsaintsapp.html

To help the fundraising, call Hugh on 01285 860488 or email him at hugh@waterhay.co.uk