Membership

What we do

The role of The Friends is simple. It is to raise funds to keep Ramsbury's much-loved Grade I listed building in good repair and enhance its facilities not just for now but for our children and grandchildren.   In the past, the cost of maintaining a church fell to just a few people; but these days, the whole community needs to shoulder the responsibility.  You can see the details of some of the repair and enhancement work we have helped fund on the Projects page.

Members of The Friends benefit in the following ways.

• This historic church is physically the focal point of the village and the venue for many community events.  Members know that their contributions are all helping to keep it in good repair.  Everyone, whether an active church-goer or not, can take real pride in it.
• We are a sociable group and have the opportunity to meet socially at least once a year.  We hold our AGM in early summer, in a stunning Ramsbury garden - the official business is kept as short as possible, leaving the rest of the evening for us to enjoy a drink, canapés and each other's company.
• Members have priority booking for all the events and concerts at Holy Cross which are organised to contribute to The Friends' funds.
• There is a regular newsletter containing information about future projects and activities.        

We have three types of Membership and there are different ways to pay.   By having many Members, mostly paying modest subscriptions, we raise much of the funds needed to help meet both planned and unexpected capital expenditure on our beautiful community asset.  Some of our Members choose to donate at a higher rate (details below).  

Membership is open to anyone who cares about Holy Cross, wherever they live.  Whilst most of our Members live in or near Ramsbury, we also have Friends with a historic or family connection to the village.

Membership types:

• Individual annual membership - £15
• Joint annual membership (at the same address) - £25
• Life membership -  £500

All new members: Please complete our Membership Application Form.  The form includes a Gift Aid declaration if you are a UK taxpayer and would like to supplement your contribution at no extra cost to you. 

Ways to pay:

• Direct Debit: Setting up an annual Direct Debit is the easiest option for ongoing support, for both you and us.  It can be done using the Membership Application Form above.  Please note that, under the current arrangements with our bank (CAF Bank), a physical signature is still required, which we can collect from you at a convenient time.  You can cancel your Direct Debit at any time by contacting your bank or building society.  
• Bank Transfer / Standing Order: If you would like to use either of these methods, our bank details are given below. 
• Cheque: Cheques need to be made payable to "The Friends of Holy Cross" and sent / delivered to: The Friends of Holy Cross, c/o Church Room, Back Lane, Ramsbury, SN8 2QH

Subscriptions will be due for renewal twelve months from the date of your first payment.

Bank details:

• Account type: Business
• Bank sort code: 40-52-40
• Account number: 00028915
• Account name: The Friends of Holy Cross Church Ramsbury
• Reference: your surname

Donations and higher subscriptions

Our annual membership subscriptions are modest, to enable as many people as possible to be involved in supporting this treasured village asset.  

• Some of our Members (and non-Members) give support by making one-off donations.  This can be done directly into our bank account (details above) or via our website's Donate page, where donations can be marked as anonymous, if you prefer.
• Members may also supplement their support by increasing their Direct Debit payments - and these can be paid annually, quarterly or monthly.  

Everything is gratefully received and is added to the funds available for capital works on the church.

Legacies

A legacy is a great way of giving money which you might not be able to do whilst you are alive, but which may only be a small percentage of your final estate.  As a charitable bequest, it also has tax benefits! 

A legacy is very easy to arrange when you are making a will (or adding a codicil).  The gift should be made to The Friends of Holy Cross Church, Ramsbury, charity number 1164366 - it is very important that you quote the name of the charity and the charity number correctly.  If it's helpful, you can speak to our Chair Ian Smith who will be very happy to discuss it with you entirely confidentially.  His contact details are on our Contact page.