Time is running out to save Heywood’s clock tower

An estimated £17,000 needs to be raised in the next fortnight to repair the clock tower of St Luke's Church in Heywood – and the people of the town are asked to donate whatever they can to fix it before time runs out.

The clock was given to the town of Heywood many years ago, and belongs to the town, rather than the church.

In total, specialist repairs for the broken tower and the clock faces will cost £30,000 with the scaffolding due to come down in less than two weeks’ time.

So far, £13,000 has been raised, with £5,000 contributed from Heywood Township. Bucket collections, individual donations and Heywood fundraiser Restoring Hope have made up the remainder.

 

 

Jenny Kennedy, of Restoring Hope, said: “When we are shopping in Heywood, it displays the time, when our kids are in Heywood, the clock gives them the time. It is our clock; it belongs to our town.

“It’s on the church building, but it doesn’t belong to the church. It’s a local landmark, a meeting place and a point of reference.

“It needs to be fixed or even renewed. Let’s pull together to have it back up and running.

“If everyone can donate even just £1 each, we as a town could get this historical clock fixed.

“We only have two weeks to get it done or else the scaffolding comes down. That will make it more expensive and we definitely cannot afford that.”

Allison Bamford, of the church, added: “St Luke’s Church has to pay for all its own bills as it is not funded centrally by the Church of England. We are a small congregation of less than 40, so we really need all the help you can offer for our town.”

Online donations can be made via PayPal on the St Luke’s website (with a Gift Aid form to be emailed in):

Cheques payable to “PCC Of St Luke, Heywood” can be sent to Bamford Print Ltd, Unit 5, Cowburn Street, Heywood, OL10 2AJ.

Cash donations will also be accepted at Bamford Print.