Many people over the last few months have been asking the same question in Acol and in the Parish “does anyone know what is going to happen to St Mildred’s?” Well, we are very pleased to inform you that we are in a position to answer that question with, what we hope, is a pleasing outcome.

As many of you are aware, St Mildred’s church closed in January 2024 due to health and safety issues over the condition of the roof. Because of challenging financial pressures within the Parish, the Parochial Church Council (PCC) reviewed its estate and undertook a consultation exercise in which the closure of St Mildred’s Church was proposed. The tiles falling from the roof meant that we were forced for health and safety  reasons to close the church. We worked with the Diocese of Canterbury to find a solution because following consultation the PCC still believed that closing the building was needed to help create a sustainable Parish for the future. During this closure period, we were approached by Mr Robin Ling, who, because of his family history with St Mildred’s and Acol, asked if he could purchase the church and retain it as part of the community. After a number of meetings, Robin’s hopes came to fruition and he now is the owner of St Mildred’s.

Although Robin and his family now own St Mildred’s for the future, he is really keen that the building is not only a community hub, but can continue as a place of worship.

You will be seeing a lot of work going on there over the next few months as Robin intends to bring the building up to the twenty first century. There will be toilet facilities and as well as a kitchenette. The gardens will be landscaped and the Garden of Remembrance maintained.

We really hope that you as well as we do, find this prospect very exciting.

Rev. Mark Ham, Priest-in-Charge

Rev. Jim Barber, Curate