Brave bishop and MP take fundraising to new heights (From Oxford Mail)

Brave bishop and MP take fundraising to new heights

9:30am Saturday 4th February 2012 in Wantage

Wantage MP Ed Vaizey, right, and Bishop of Oxford, the Rt Revd John Pritchard

AN MP and a Bishop were lifted towards the heavens to get a bird’s eye view of a village church bell tower in need of repair.

Wantage MP Ed Vaizey and Bishop of Oxford, the Rt Revd John Pritchard, were elevated in a cherry picker to get the special view of the 200-year-old St John the Baptist Church in Kingston Bagpuize.Villagers are preparing a £75,000 fundraising drive to replace oak beams damaged over the years by weather and birds.

Mr Vaizey said: “It was a wonderful view and it was a great idea to highlight the campaign.

“The tower is very rotten and certainly does need repairing.

“It’s long overdue. It is a fine church and the fact people are rallying around to make sure it is preserved for the next 200 years is great.”

The pair were serenaded by the church choir who sang to calm their nerves as they were raised 30 feet to the top of the tower.

The Rev David Pickering, priest in charge, said: “This has been a fantastic start to our fundraising campaign.

“Ed Vaizey and the Bishop were such good sports to go up in the cherry picker.

“Now the hard work starts.

“We have to raise £75,000 in the next two years to put the bell tower right.

I went up to have a look at it for myself and indeed it is truly in need of repair.”

The fundraising campaign will be officially launched with an Oxford Fiddle group concert on Sunday, February 26, in the village hall.

Picture: OX50153 Richard Cave