The patronage scheme was first introduced back in 2012
The Patronage Scheme was setup to help with the maintenance of the churchyard, the croquet lawn in front of the church and the car park next to the church entrance, plus the many mature trees in the surrounding area. Patrons give an annual donation, sometimes commemorating an important event in their lives - a birthday, wedding anniversary, a baptism or the death of a family member or friend.
The Church yard has been a place of peace and solace to many, especially over recent years and the lawn area at the front of the church is beginning to be understood as a community facility. The Church has used it to bring the community together for events such as the annual garden party, a jazz evening and rummage sales, alongside regular coffee mornings when the weather is fine. More recently we have welcomed groups of children from the village school who have used it as an additional area for both recreational and learning activities. We are open to ideas for other events that we could hold there. We would also love organisations in the village to use it for their own events.
(Obviously ensuring they were appropriate for the location and did not cause problems for our neighbours!) The car park is also used daily by many walkers and of late parents collecting children on fine days from the school.
We are so grateful to our Patrons and if they knew about them, the many people who enjoy this lovely place, would be too. All the activities above are possible because of them.
We hope that you may feel able to support this scheme and if you wish to include the name of the person or the event that you are commemorating and the date, please include the details on the Patronage Scheme application form. We are not suggesting a specific figure to be paid each year but whatever you are able to give will be most gratefully received. You can, of course, commemorate more than one special occasion and give a gift for each of these.
If you are an income tax payer the Church will also receive an additional 25p from the Inland Revenue for every £1.00 that you give, at no extra cost to you, if you tick the Gift Aid box on the application form. If you wish to help the Church and the Community by joining the Patronage Scheme, please print and complete the form and send it to:
Mrs Margaret Knifton, Morley PCC Treasurer, Smithy Farm, Morley, Ilkeston DE7 6DF