Marie Tidball MP calls to save Dodworth St John's Church in Parliament

Marie Tidball, MP for Penistone and Stocksbridge, raised the campaign to save St John's Church in Dodworth with the the Second Church Commissioner in Parliament.

Dodworth St John's Church is currently temporarily closed, and under threat of permanent closure due to urgent structural building work that is needed. A community meeting to discuss the issue was held at the Methodist Church in Dodworth in August, which Marie Tidball attended in support of the campaign to save St John's.

During the meeting the Diocese explained that it had been working with the Parochial Church Council (PCC) to explore closure and was intending to open a public consultation on this within a matter of weeks. Members of the Diocese have now decided to allow until the end of the year before opening a consultation to explore full closure options. Such a consultation would last between six and nine months.

In the Commons Chamber, Marie told the Second Church Commissioner, Marsha de Cordova MP, that she "attended [the] packed meeting about saving St John’s church in Dodworth" over the summer. She highlighted that the Church is a "a grade 2 listed building that has been at the heart of my community for over 180 years and wants to serve that community by providing more services to children and young people and to older adults to prevent loneliness."

Marie raised that "those in our community want to save [the church]", and that she is "working with them to reopen it and secure its long-term future to serve our community and our community groups, including by fundraising £250,000 and finding ways to meet the building’s ongoing costs."

The local MP asked the Church Commissioner to advise on her on accessing "funding and support from the Church of England, any other relevant funding pots for St John’s to ensure that this vital community space has a bright future."

In response to her question, Marsha de Cordova MP praised Marie's work as a "steadfast voice for her constituents and for St John's Church", and told the Commons:

[the church] "is clearly providing great support services for children and young people, as well as for adults. Churches are the cornerstones of our communities."

Marsha de Cordova MP pledged to write to Marie Tidball with further details about "funding opportunities and ways that the church can seek to raise funds locally to help, potentially, to save the church".

Following this, Marie has met with Marsha de Cordova, and has written a letter to the First Church Commissioner to request further information about funding and support available for St John's.

Marie Tidball, MP for Penistone and Stocksbridge, said:

"During the meeting over summer, I emphasised the strength of feeling in the room about protecting the future of our Grade-II listed building to the Diocese. I'm pleased they've decided to wait until the end of the year before opening a consultation to explore full closure options.

"We now have the time to bring our community together to see whether there is the will and appetite to save St Johns. Following the meeting, I've offered to facilitate a session to bring together a working group of local people to organise fundraising and community action to save our church and support the PCC.

"We need all hands on deck to save this local gem, so if you would like to take part in this meeting, or simply stay updated on my work to save the church, please sign up at https://www.marietidball.com/.../save-dodworth-st-john-s... or email me at marie.tidball.casework@parliament.uk.

"I was grateful for the response of the Second Church Commissioner in Parliament, and look forwards to hearing more from the Church Commissioner about what further funding and support is available from the Church of England. In the meantime, I will be meeting with Canon Keith Farrow to discuss how else I can help.

"Thank you to the amazing group of people who have already signed up to help. I'm looking forward to working together!