St Margaret's PCC runs a variety of events which both bring the community together and raise funds either for the church's ministry or for its repair and maintenance.

This year we  held a Soup & Snowdrops event in February and a Summer Fête on J's Meadow at the end of June.

Most recently, a great team put together a re-enactment of a significant event in village history. On 27th July 1174 the forces of the rebel Earl Bigod met those of King Henry II near the church at Syleham: Bigod was forced to submit to the king and to forfeit his castles.  The re-enactment involved processions, a costumed drama and guests and helpers in appropriate dress served appropriate refreshments. An accompanying exhibition in the church traced parish  history.  The day was a great success and raised about £1600 for church funds.

This will be used towards paying for the repairs and maintenance required by  our latest Quinquennial Inspection, for which we need to find about £17,000.  With local fund-raising and generous grants from the Suffolk Historic Churches Trust, Round Tower Churches Society and the Benefact Trust, we now have the funds required and work is planned to start in September.

St Margaret's will as usual participate in the Suffolk Historic Church Trust's annual Ride & Stride event on 14th September.  We may not have any riders or striders participating on our behalf  (though we would love to hear from any volunteers!) and so may not benefit financially but we shall be open to welcome visiting cyclists and walkers during the day.

Our next fund raising event will be our Harvest Supper at the Village Hall,  on 28th September; and  on 9th November there will be a repeat of the July exhibition in the church, accompanied by a talk by a local historian.  Funds raised then may be put towards an earlier project, restoration of the commandment boards which was put on hold in favour of updating the lighting in the church.  

We have in the past benefited from external support from other grant making bodies:  AllChurches Trust, Garfield Weston Foundation, Suffolk Historic Churches Trust, Round Tower Churches Society,  The Ganzoni Trust and The Scarfe Charitable Trust. There have also been some generous personal donations.

For further information, contact Churchwarden  [email protected]