Help Restore St Martin’s Church After Fire Damage

In April 2026, our beloved church, St Martin’s Church suffered a devastating fire which began in the Old Sacristy and spread into part of the roof above the Walsingham Chapel.

Thanks to the swift actions of the emergency services and volunteers, the main body of the church was saved. We are incredibly grateful that our parish family can still gather for worship. However, the damage left behind is significant, and the cost of restoration is far beyond what our small parish can manage alone.

We are now launching the St Martin’s Fire Recovery Appeal to help restore and protect this historic church for future generations.

## Why Are We Raising £150,000?

St Martin’s is a historic listed church building, which means all repairs and restoration work must be carried out carefully and to specialist standards. The costs involved are much higher than those for an ordinary building.

The fire caused:

- Damage to part of the church roof structure

- Significant smoke damage throughout affected areas

- Damage and contamination affecting parts of the church organ

- Damage to Christmas decorations, the parish Nativity set, and stored seasonal items kept in the Old Sacristy

- Damage to electrical systems and church storage areas

- Ongoing cleaning, restoration, and repair costs

In addition to repairing the damage already caused, we must now also invest in protecting the church from future incidents. This includes:

- Installation of a modern CCTV security system

- A full fire detection and alarm system

- Intruder alarms and improved building security

As a listed building and an important part of the history of Fenny Stratford, these repairs require specialist contractors, heritage materials, and professional restoration work.

Why St Martin’s Matters

For generations, St Martin’s Church has served the people of Fenny Stratford and Milton Keynes through worship, baptisms, weddings, funerals, pastoral care, food support, community events, and local heritage activities.

This church is not only a place of worship — it is part of the history and identity of our community.

Despite the fire, services continue, and the parish remains active and determined to move forward with hope and faith.

How You Can Help

Every donation, no matter the size, will help us:

- Repair the fire and smoke damage

- Restore damaged areas of the church

- Improve security and fire protection

- Preserve a historic listed building

- Keep St Martin’s open for future generations

Donations can also be made directly to St Martin’s Church through Parish Giving, including the option to add Gift Aid, which helps increase your donation at no extra cost:

Parish Giving – St Martin’s Church Fenny Stratford

Even if you are unable to donate, you can still help us enormously by sharing this appeal across Facebook, WhatsApp, community groups, and other online platforms. Sharing is completely free and can make a huge difference in helping us reach more people and preserve our church for future generations.

From all of us at St Martin’s Church, thank you for your kindness, prayers, and support during this difficult time.

God bless.

St Martin’s Fire Recovery Appeal

Fenny Stratford, Milton Keynes