Church to raffle Hambling painting for heating fund

A Grade I listed church is offering the chance to win a painting from renowned artist Maggi Hambling to pay for its new heating system.

St Mary's Church in Woodbridge, Suffolk, needs to raise about £200,000 after its boiler broke and needed to be replaced.

Nick Cottam, chair of the Friends of St Mary's Church, said the church wanted to install a low-carbon heating pump, which would also help toward the Church of England's net zero target.

To help partly fund this, the church is offering tickets to win a painting by Suffolk-born Hambling, which Mr Cottam hoped would raise £10,000.

"Our old gas boiler gave up the ghost last year and since then we've been trying to get the permissions and work out what system might work in our church," Mr Cottam explained.

"We're going for a low-carbon heat pump system which is going to cost something over £200,000.

"We set aside £100,000, we've raised about £30,000 and we're trying to raise the rest through a variety of methods, donations and fundraising.

"Father Nigel, our priest in charge, is very keen on art and he had a link with Maggi Hambling.

"She kindly agreed to donate the painting which we are now selling tickets for."

Hambling was born in Sudbury and is known for her sea paintings as well as her sculptures, including Scallop - which celebrates Benjamin Britten at Aldeburgh beach.

Tickets for the painting, called Fireworks Above the Sea, are being sold for £10 and the winner of the prize draw will be announced on 5 March.

Mr Cottam hoped if all the money was raised the new heating system would be in place by next winter, but he said it would be a "huge challenge".

"What the low-carbon solution will do is help preserve the fabric of the building and it is a real challenge to get these new systems in place, but once they are there, it will change dramatically the way we are able to use the church," Mr Cottam added.

"The church is the heart of the community and it will be good to send out signals that we are trying to follow the Church of England's net zero target."

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