A Snippet of History
St. Mark's opened its doors in 1953 and immediately proved popular. On completion of the Halls in 1956, groups began to meet including Birdwood Nursery which continues here after more than 50 years. Linking corridors and rooms were added some 40 years ago and the kitchen and foyer about 20 years ago. (read more of our history here)
Our 2020 Vision Project?
Our mission is to reach out to and serve our local community, encouraging connections between people and opportunities to be part of our wider church family serving God's purpose.
Our aims are to continue to develop St Mark's place in the heart of the neighbourhood to meet local needs as they grow and change with the years and to encourage other community groups to use our premises. The many groups already meeting here include people of all ages and encompass a nursery school, lunch club, Girlguiding groups, drama, art and craft, singing and dance, pilates and keep fit.(view our Activities page here).
In 2012 we knew we had to undertake replacement of a leaky flat roof and modernisation of the kitchen and toilets but quickly recognised the potential to do more than just renovate.
Our community deserves the best and we devised the 2020 Vision Project to meet the needs of users, old and new, for safety, security and flexibility.
Church members and friends overwhelmingly supported outline proposals, an architect was appointed and planning permission granted in 2017.
What have we done?
In addition to the much needed refurbishment, this exciting project provides a new welcome and meeting area for all, a lovely new room for meetings and smaller worship services as well as a brand new kitchen and toilets, creating a building fit for purpose now and for the next generation. We hope that these improvements will create spaces for a coffee shop and further opportunities for people to get together.
Building work commenced at the end of April 2019 and was completed 6 months later.
How have we managed to do this?
Planning and fund-raising sub-groups of Church Council worked tirelessly over 7 years and were blessed by the support of so many individuals and groups without whom this project could not have succeeded and to whom grateful and heartfelt thanks are due.
Organisations which provided generous financial support through grants and donations include:-
Allchurches Trust, Beatrice Laing Trust, Louis Baylis (Maidenhead Advertiser) Charitable Trust, Garfield Weston Charitable Foundation, Joseph Rank Trust, Lions Club of Maidenhead, Methodist sources (Connexion, TMCP, Methodist Insurance, SE District, Thames Valley Circuit and local churches), Persimmons Homes, Prince Philip Trust, Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead, Shanly Foundation
FUNdraising events
When we started, we promised to put the FUN into Fundraising and we did that regularly with quizzes, concerts, lunches, BBQs, pantomimes, garden parties, treasure hunts, sponsored swims and raffles for huge Easter eggs and we'll continue to give enjoyment to many with more of these well into the future.
Barn Dance
Church Anniversary Lunch
Fun & Games
Garden Party 2018
Harvest
Old Time Music Hall
Stall at Charities Fair
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