The Church Watch programme enables the Parish Church to be open and available to the public from Tuesday to Sunday inclusive. For 2023, the Church Watch season will last from April to the end of September. We currently have a team of over 40 church watchers, most of whom live in and around Chalfont St Giles. We would like to welcome more people into the team.
​Volunteers are welcome for the 2023 season.
Duties include:
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Doing a two hour shift at least once per month. Available shifts are 10-12 noon; 12-2pm and 2-4pm.
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Opening the Church
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Welcoming visitors
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Getting visitors to sign the Visitors Book
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Answering queries (training on the history and artefacts in the church will be provided)
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Conducting mini-tours if requested, to point out some of the unique historical artefacts
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Closing the church after the last shift
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We are considering offering coffee and biscuits as a free service to visitors in 2022
Church Watch is about people and friendship
A heart warming story from Rachel Leonard on Friday 23 July. In Rachel's words:
"... This morning I only had one visitor but so worth it. It was an elderly gentleman with his very small dog who told me that had been married in the church in 1966, just a week before the World Cup final. It then emerged that his wife had died last November so he was marking his wedding anniversary by visiting the church. He sat quietly for a while but then we had a really good chat and he was telling me all about the village as he was growing up. Apparently he camped last night and had been really cold!
It makes you realise how worthwhile church watching is."
If you would like to volunteer, please contact Tony Ferguson on 07769 361 795 or e-mail tony@ibl.ie