It is no secret that the number of churchgoers is declining.

Whether it’s because our lives have become busier – or that we live in a mostly online-world – it seems that we have become disinterested in religion as a society. 

Local Priest in Charge, Rev Dr Lesley Hardy told me, “It makes me sad that people don’t feel able to take part in the life of the church, but I understand the pressures on people nowadays.”

“People seem much busier than they ever were before in my lifetime; I think this makes it harder for people to take the time to stop and think about their lives and what they believe.”

This has led to a significant decrease in donations and funding towards the upkeep of churches, causing some local churches to get creative with their fundraising initiatives. 

For example, St Andrew’s church – located in the village of Wickhambreaux, Kent – has been selling clothes to raise money.

For the last year, the St Andrew’s church committee has been asking locals to donate their unwanted clothes to the church, so they can be collected and recycled for a rate of 30p per kilo.

Organiser of the recycling clothes initiative, Caroline Rees, told me that “As of the 1st of August, we have raised £1,328.50 from 3490 kg of clothes.” 

She expanded, saying “This has gone a long way towards the upkeep of our historic church.”

However, the constant need for restoration means that this money is used up very quickly.

So, the St Andrew’s church committee decided to create a ‘Vinted’ account to sell some of the more valuable donations.

Mrs Rees explained, saying that “Some of the donated clothes are big brands and are certainly worth more than 30p a kilo.”

“It felt such a wasted opportunity to not sell them for a higher profit.”

People such as Mrs Rees show our churches’ significance in people’s lives – not just for religious purposes, but for a cultural and educational importance.

The care these volunteers show certainly makes one hold the church in a much higher regard.

Rev Dr Lesley Hardy said that “The church isn’t perfect but it is the way that we – as human beings – in time and place can express our love for God and learn more about God; that is extremely important for us, it’s good for us and it’s ultimately what helps us to be happy in our lives.”

Going forward, St Andrew's (Wickhambreaux), St Mary's (Stodmarsh), and St John's (Ickham) are now the IckWickStod pcc; they will all benefit from any funds raised from the 'Vinted' account. 

IckWickStod are part of the 'Little Stour' benefice along with Littlebourne and Wingham - all  are under Rev Hardy.