A joint legacy of £32,000 from Laurie and Margaret Edwards to St Margaret's in Ormesby led to a full refurbishment of the church including new lighting.
Construction in St Margaret's Church Ormonsby

Laurie and Margaret moved to Ormesby, Norfolk in the 70’s when Laurie retired as a Chief Engineer in the merchant navy. They were very active in the church and other local organisations with Margaret as a Churchwarden a stalwart of the Mothers Union and Laurie as a lay assistant at Holy Communion and Chairman of the local Probus club.

Sadly Margaret passed away in 2002 but Laurie with support from friends, neighbours and the church community continued to attend church. Laurie lived for many more years but passed away after a short illness.

PCC Treasurer, Geoff Freeman received a letter from their Solicitors not long after Laurie's passing, with details of a legacy to St Margaret's. The church was to receive 1/8th of their estate residue which amounted to approximately £32,000. 

A Wonderful Opportunity

St Margaret’s had never had large historical reserves, and this was a wonderful opportunity to embark on a major refurbishment in the church. The project involved completely replacing the out dated and inefficient lighting with a
new state of the art system that was 50% cheaper to run.

Scaffolding covered the church from top to bottom and, with guidance from the architect cleaned from the topmost roof beam to the heating ducts in the floors. All timber was then treated and stained and the wall surfaces that had been repaired (loose plaster) were painted with an approved coating.

When the scaffold came down what a difference! St Margaret's held a flower festival to show the completed works to the community, raising a further £2,500 for future projects. 

Flower Festival at St Margaret's Church Ormonsby

 

Our Kind Benefactors

The PCC wished to have something in church to remember Margaret and Laurie with, and after discussion purchased two brass acolyte candles which are in use whenever there is a service.

They are simply inscribed in remembrance of the two kind benefactors: Margaret and Laurie Edwards.

‘I know that Margaret and Laurie would have been very pleased that we, the PCC have been good stewards of their legacy, gained benefit from it and improved our building which they loved so much.’

St Margaret's Ormonsby

Source URL: https://www.churchofengland.org/our-faith/lasting-gift-your-church/amazing-gift-case-studies/st-margarets-ormesby