New Church - January 2000
The Task Ahead
While a good deal has been achieved, it is now critical that we step up our fundraising efforts. The total cost of the project is £2.7M and we need to raise the outstanding £800,000 (which represents less than one third of the total project costs) quickly to avoid extra interest charges. If we fall far short of this target, we'll:
- be unable to build all the facilities planned. Although Bishop
Cormac has clearly expressed his wish that the whole building be
constructed now, the diocese has insisted that if, by the end of
Spring, we've not raised a significant proportion of the £800,000
now required, we'll have to reduce the project costs by £300,000.
This would mean losing: the sunken font, meeting rooms, the priest's
room, offices and making do with a less striking entrance
- have no option but to wait several years to re-instate the "lost
items". This would cost significantly more than if we were able
to complete the scheme in its entirety now
- incur interest charges as we'd need to borrow money to pay our
creditors
- have to give up the Church in Heathcote Road - possibly as early as Summer 2000 to release funds to pay the contractors' bills. This means that the parish would need to find alternative temporary accommodation until the new Church has been completed