Thousands of pennies (and loose change) are being collected in the village of Goathurst near Bridgwater ready for the Spend a Penny Challenge at the church of St Edward, King and Martyr. On May 26 from 17:30 the children of the village are going to attempt to surround the entire church perimeter with the collected coins.
The feat is all in aid of raising money for a much-needed toilet and servery at the church to provide better hospitality for visitors and worshippers. It will mean parishioners and visitors alike can ‘spend a penny’ without having to rely on the support of neighbours facilities. St Edward’s Church is a place for locals to gather, somewhere get-togethers can take place in a safe and warm environment, however, events are sometimes limited by the lack of facilities – meaning water for drinks has to be brought to the church in bottles and people have to walk to another building to use a toilet.
Brenda Smith is the Churchwarden at Goathurst, she says, "At St Edward's we see this project as an integral part of our mission and outreach to the wider community, seeking to bring the church building back to the community by facilitating greater use. Goathurst may be without a school, shop, post office or pub, but it is blessed with a wealth of history and heritage. Nearby Halswell House and Park are closely linked to the church. Since 2019 we have welcomed hundreds of visitors to our unique Village Heritage Trail and regularly welcome other interested groups (for example the Somerset Heraldry Society and The Sacred Churches of Somerset tour). However, providing hospitality is extremely difficult without a toilet and servery facilities."
The church building is much used and much loved by the Goathurst community; it is a place of worship, but it is also used by the local toddler group and plays a central part in local events such as Heritage Day Visits, alongside Halwell House. In recent years the community came together to help fund the restoration of the church bells and replace lead stolen from the roof. The money raised together with various grants meant extensive work on the Grade I listed building could take place. It's hoped the proposed extension will mean the church is "more accessible to the elderly, more user friendly for all ages, more attractive and welcoming for visitors/ visiting groups interested in its wealth of history and heritage and more able to sustain its use for both the village and the wider community in the future."
The Spend A Penny project was named by a local family who held a fundraising cream tea in their garden. People have begun saving their pennies in specially made toilet roll collecting tubes and will be invited to join the village children laying out coins around the perimeter of the church. There will also be a barbecue and games as part of the celebration.
For further details about our attempt to surround the church with change or about the SAPP in general please contact Revd Nicki Bradford or Churchwarden Brenda Smith