St Luke's, Cobholm

Determined Cobholm residents are drawing up plans to save a much loved church after meeting to pledge their support to the historic place of worship.

Campaigners have met twice in the last week to discuss how they can keep St Luke’s open, after urgent repairs temporarily closed the building.

The diocese has said the church needs an estimated £100,000 spending on it, which in “reality” the church was unlikely to be able to raise.

But residents have not been dissuaded by the six figure bill and are now organising a meeting with church chiefs to thrash out fundraising ideas.

Simon O’Leary, from neighbourhood development programme Make It Happen, has helped steer residents with their plans.

He said: “They want to start a conversation with the diocese to ascertain what the options are and what opportunities there are to co-fund and get the building open and used again.

“Residents want to help raise the £100,000, they don’t want it to go. It was Cobholm residents who raised the money to build the church and again in 1960 when it was bombed to rebuild it, so they feel it’s their church.”

Mr O’Leary said campaigners are also keen to discuss taking on the building themselves if the diocese take the decision to close it.