WORK is currently ongoing to make repairs to a Grade II-listed church in Kingstone at a cost of more than £30,000 - and it’s halved the church’s reserves.

St Edward’s Church, based on Racecommon Road, was built in 1902 in neo-gothic style.

The nave - the main body of the church where the congregation sits - has seating for around 400 people.

Remedial work is ongoing at the site with repairs being made to the roof and the mortar around the window.

But it’s not the first time that work has taken place at the church.

In 1999, £39,000 was spent on an extensive and urgent - because of public safety - restoration of the tower, another £5,000 was spent in 2015 to strengthen the tower balustrade.

It is one of two ‘Packer-influenced’ churches in the country.

John Gostelow, the treasurer at the church, anticipates the work is set to cost more than £30,000 - meaning the church’s reserves are going to halve.

He told the Chronicle: “The work ongoing is just some remedial work but it’s cost more than £30,000.

“The church’s reserves have been decimated - it’s half the amount of money we have left in there.

“We won’t be able to fund any more repairs now after this is done.”

At its 21st century peak, around 60 members would turn up to the church week in, week out - but John admits that’s no longer the case.

“Twenty years ago we had 60 people attending the church every week,” he said.

“Now we’re down to about 20.

“It fluctuates - some weeks we can have 18 and others we have up to 25.

“It’s happening at every church, not just this one.”

But it’s not just repairs that are a huge cost to the church - insurance for the building is around £600 per month, and that’s before the heating bill is taken into account.

He added: “We need help to keep up with general bills let alone repairs.

“At the moment we’re paying £600 for the insurance.

“Then in the winter months we’re paying a similar amount for the heating but that obviously drops in the summer months.

“It’s a lot of money.

“We also have to pay the Diocese fee which is over £20,000 which is for priests and things like that.

“We’ve ended up having to pay about 40 per cent of that because we can’t afford it.

“Even if every one of our congregation paid £10 it wouldn’t make that up.”

The church are now appealing to the community for more members and donations - and they’re hoping there’ll be a bumper attendance at their summer fayre on June 7.

“We’re wanting to get as many people there as possible,” he added.

“The event usually raises about £1,000 but the more people we can get there to raise money the better.

“But that’ll just be a drop in the ocean when it comes to running costs.”