The Friends

Preserving and enhancing St Mary's for everyone

Help us look after our beautiful church

A photo of people having fun in a meeting

The Friends of St Mary's Church

Who are we?

The Friends of Ottery St Mary Parish Church was inaugurated in 1952 by a small group from the Parish Church. The organisation became a registered charity (No. 1084453) on 10th January 2001. Our Patron is the Lord Bishop of Exeter.

Our aims

We are a charity that seeks to advance the Christian Religion and to assist with the maintenance and improvement of the church fabric, fittings, monuments, furniture and ornaments.

How we fund raise

We have approximately 30 to 40 Life members and 50 to 60 annual members who pay a yearly subscription. In addition, over the years, we have received generous donations, legacies and retiring collections from funeral services. Membership is open to all who love and value this church, whatever their religious beliefs and wherever they live.

Members are always invited to attend our Annual Festal Evensong and the October Annual General Meeting and receive a copy of our accounts.

We arrange numerous fundraising social functions/events during the year – for example wine and cheese evenings, wine and raspberry /strawberry events, afternoon cream teas, and food raffles.

Each year, The Friends arrange and steward a very successful Christmas Tree Festival over five days in the Church and this raises a good amount of money.

We also have trips out for members to places of religious interest (e.g. minsters and abbeys). The Exeter Cathedral Choir have visited the Church on many occasions for our Annual Festal Service, at our invitation.

Some examples of how our fundraising has helped Ottery St Mary Church over the years include the purchase of Lady Chapel kneelers and padded seats for the choir stall; help with buying an electronic keyboard; re-carpeting of the church Nave area, and the Choir and Vicar’s vestries; a safe for the Church Office; side aisle altar frontals and backdrops; a new flag (St. George) and rope. We also contribute towards larger projects such as re-ordering sections within the church and plans for new facilities. Annually we also contribute towards the electricity used to floodlight the Church.

Contact Us

For further details or any questions .....

  • Chairman

    David Roberts

    01404 813961

  • Hon Secretary

    Carol Bennett

    01404 812031

  • Hon Treasurer

    Arthur Passey

    01404 813615

Apply to join The Friends

Join the friends form

* please treat as gift aid donations all qualifying gifts of money made from the date of this declaration & in the past 4 years. I confirm that I have paid or will pay an amount of income tax &/or capital gains tax for each tax year (6th Apr-5th Apr) that is at least equal to the amount of tax that all the charities (including churches) & Community Amateur Sports Clubs that I donate to will reclaim on my gifts for that tax year. I understand that other taxes such as VAT & council tax don't qualify. I understand the charity will claim 25p of tax on every £1 I give.