KEEP ST CHARLES CHURCH OPEN

A GoFundMe page has been created by members of the congragation at St Charles Church in order to keep the church open. A target figure of £20,000 has been set and it is hoped that the majority of this can be raised before winter sets in so that the heating system can be repaired.

Fr Martin Dowd said, "There is a unanimous, strong feeling that we wish to keep St Charles’ Church open
and that it is vital to proceed with the installation of a new boiler as soon as possible. The cheapest
quoted price is £11,808.00 we hope will be able to raise the money quickly. Many thanks for donations already received and pledged in our efforts to raise what we need to complete not only the heating, but also the weatherproofing and repairs to the walls at the back of the Sanctuary."

Resident Susan Yates said, "St Charles Borromeo is nearly ninety years old. Like most ageing churches it is becoming increasingly expensive to maintain with a relatively small weekly congregation to subsidise this upkeep. Now our heating has failed and the building has extensive damp. We need to raise this very large amount urgently to buy a new bolier and heating system. If we can't raise it by winter, we face the real prospect of the doors closing for good. Even the smallest donation will go some way to keep our church open this winter and in the future."

Cllr Ken Moss said, "In the grand scheme of things, it is a comparatively small amount of money to raise and I am very keen to try and help the church achieve this. St Charles plays a big part in Rishton life and Churches Together so it would be extremely sad to see it close."

The GoFundMe page for St Charles Church can be found here:

GoFundMe - St Charles RC Church, Rishton