Community appeal launched to restore historic church windows in Foolow

A Grade II listed church is inviting people to sponsor a frame of its windows as it attempts to raise £8,000.

The Friends of St Hugh’s Foolow has launched a new fundraising campaign, Let the Light Continue, to support the urgent restoration of the historic windows at St Hugh’s Church in the heart of the Peak District village of Foolow.

The campaign invites supporters to “Sponsor a Frame”, symbolically sponsoring a window frame and contribute towards the repair of the church windows and protect St Hugh’s. 

People who sponsor a frame will have the opportunity to be acknowledged on the charity’s website. One-off donations, regular gifts, and legacy giving are also welcomed. 

For more than 130 years, the windows of St Hugh’s Church have filled the building with soft, welcoming light - illuminating services, weddings, baptisms, funerals, and countless quiet moments of reflection for local residents, walkers, and visitors. 

Throughout the year, St Hugh’s offers walkers and other visitors a place to rest and recharge over tea and coffee.  From Sunday 5 April 2026, there will be a display of spring flowers and Easter bonnets.  Further information about the fundraising campaign and other opportunities to support St Hugh’s are available on the charity’s website: https://www.thefriendsofsthughsfoolow.org/.

Now, age and weathering mean the windows require specialist conservation work to prevent further deterioration.

As a Grade II listed building, any restoration must be carried out by skilled craftspeople using traditional materials and techniques in line with strict conservation requirements. 

Some of St Hugh’s windows were donated in memory of loved ones.  This project does not involve replacing this historic glass.  The restoration focuses on repairing and strengthening the original frames, helping to safeguard these memorial windows and the stories they carry.

The Friends of St Hugh’s Foolow is the independent charity responsible for caring for the fabric of the church. St Hugh’s Church receives no automatic funding from government or the diocese; all conservation, repair, and maintenance work is funded entirely through voluntary donations, grants, and community fundraising.

Toni Wilbourne, a Trustee of The Friends of St Hugh’s Foolow said:

“St Hugh’s is more than a church - it is a place of welcome, rest, and quiet beauty for villagers and visitors alike. Every donation, no matter the size, helps us protect this special building and ensure that its light continues to shine for future generations.”

Any surplus funds raised will be retained by the charity and used to support the ongoing maintenance and preservation of the church building, in line with its charitable objectives.