A CHURCH in Charminster forced to close as a result of flooding could reopen by Easter.

St Mary the Virgin has been closed since January 2014 after it was battered by severe weather.

The storms swamped the church with at least five inches of standing water after the River Cerne burst its banks.

Most services were held in the village hall whilst approval was sought for repair work.

This was granted during the summer but the church will remain closed until it is completed.

Jane House, a churchwarden, said: "We are hoping the church will be open for Easter next year.

"It's an important festival for the church.

"Hopefully for us it's going to be important because it is going to be the opening of our renovated church."

Jane said the repair work will focus on the church's stonework and flooring.

She said: "We are hoping to start the work very soon which is the renovation of the stonework that was damaged from the floods.

"We are (also) taking out the parquet flooring and we are replacing it with stone with underfloor heating.

"It will be a lot more energy efficient for the church.

"Although the bridge has been rebuilt and they are doing other flood prevention work the floods in the church was actually caused by the high water table."

The church has received various grants to go towards the cost of repairs but £50,000 still needs to be raised, according to Jane.

She said: "The church has been closed for some time. During that time income from weddings and funerals we wouldn't have been getting at all.

"The clergy have had to carry that out in other churches."

Jane has been working alongside other parishioners to organise fundraising events, like the Christmas fair held at the village hall yesterday (Sunday 0612).

She said: "It's a major undertaking for us. We've been given this opportunity and we want to do the best for the future.

"We feel that putting in this new form of heating and flooring will make it more manageable after a flood but also easier for us to use the church for outreach and hospitality.

"It will make the church much more flexible and useable."

Whilst future fundraising events are being planned, Jane urged anyone with a connection to the church to donate money towards the project.

For more information on how you can donate to the project, please email vicar@stmarys-charminster.org.uk or call The Vicarage on 01305 262477.

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