Conwy teens raise £2,000 for St Mary’s Church tower restoration

Two teenagers from Conwy have raised nearly £2,000 for the restoration of St Mary’s Church tower after organising and running a series of community fundraising events.

Oliver Groves and Macauley Knight, who set up O&M Community Events, arranged an Easter Fayre which raised £875. Combined with a Christmas event last year, the total now stands at just under £2,000.

The pair, both aged 15, have taken the lead in bringing local people together, planning and delivering events themselves. Their work has drawn stallholders, volunteers and visitors, helping to build wider support for the project.

They first organised a Christmas Fayre at Neuadd Ni community hall in December. The event included 15 stallholders selling crafts, art, honey and cakes, along with raffles and a tombola, raising £881.57.

Chris Roberts BEM, Director of Music in Bro Celynnin, said: “We are grateful for the enthusiasm and commitment of these two young men.”

Lynne Jones, founder of Bags of Love food bank, said: “As a church, we are proud of these two young men who have raised the profile of the restoration fund to a new generation.”

The West Tower, which is more than 800 years old, is in poor condition, with water damage, worn stonework and vegetation growing inside. Originally part of a Cistercian monastery founded in 1186, it remains one of Conwy’s oldest historic structures.

St Mary’s Church recorded more than 21,000 visitors last year, making it one of the most visited sites in Conwy.

Work to make the tower safe and watertight is due to begin soon, supported by a £60,000 grant from the National Churches Trust.

Oliver said: “We’ve really enjoyed organising these events for the Tower restoration appeal, which is why we set up O&M Events. We are now preparing a summer fair.”

Macauley added: “We would love to do more community events and we are currently planning a harvest festival and a Christmas fair.”