A church has praised the generous support they have received for a massive re-roofing project. 

Scaffolding went around the exterior of the church, bell tower and parish house at St Thomas' in Neilston last week, with those involved working tirelessly to prepare for the beginning of work starting on the roof this week.

The project is scheduled to last 20 weeks and will hopefully be completed by the beginning of December, weather permitting.

As we reported in May, the indicative figure for the works is £200,000, with the diocese asking the parish to try and raise £100,000 towards this via donations, grants, and fundraising initiatives.

(Image: Newsquest)

Father Jonathan Whitworth told the Glasgow Times: “Fundraising has been going well.

"The entire parish has been completely moved by the generosity of people from parishioners to friends to benefactors from further afield.

“We have had all sorts of small donations and then some larger ones.

“I think people have taken ownership of it and they know its their parish and she has a long history and it now falls on us to make sure she has an even longer one so it’s been quite something.”

Anwar Rafiq and Father Jonathan WhitworthAnwar Rafiq and Father Jonathan Whitworth (Image: Newsquest)

In June the church held its first garden fete since the 1960s with all monies raised going towards the roof replacement works.

This month, Neilston resident Anwar completed the 21.5-mile Dundee Kiltwalk for the project, coining in at least £1,600 and counting.

The dad-of-two, who is a veteran of ten Kiltwalks in aid of local causes, was invited to mass on Sunday, August 18 so that the church community could thank him for his generosity.

Fr Whitworth described his support as “absolutely incredible.”

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The church launched the fundraising project for the new roof earlier this year after a quinquennial survey of the parish estate and multiple building inspections determined that both the church and parish house must be re-roofed as a matter of necessity.

The news followed a large volume of water ingress throughout both buildings during the winter months.

The current roof, which dates back to the second half of the 19th century, is scotch slate which is no longer quarriable, so the church has had to go for something that is like for like.

“A team of 20 slaters are doing the roof renewal so it’ll be both the church and parish house being done simultaneously,” added Fr Whitworth.

(Image: Newsquest)

Throughout the works, the parish will stay open as normal, however, the car park will be closed to provide a base of operations/storage facilities for the contractors.

A pedestrian walkway has been established to provide continued access to the hall for various events and groups.

To donate to Anwar's JustGiving page click HERE.