Fundraising efforts are continuing for vital repairs to one of Cornwall’s oldest churches.

Mousehole Methodist Church needs £500,000 worth of refurbishment after an attack of dry rot which led to the building being closed for safety reasons.

Services have been held in the Sunday School next door but the church council has said it would have to sell this off to help raise money for the repairs.

The Methodist Church was opened in 1784 by the Rev Joseph Taylor, extended in 1813 and rebuilt in 1833, as the congregation grew.

It contains a commemorative area inside the chapel to the bravery of the crew of the Solomon Browne Lifeboat, with a table, made from old seats, displaying the name of the crewmen and the insignia of the RNLI.

A Justgiving page has been set up but so far only around £700 has been donated on it.

Church treasurer Sylvia Pezzack said a number of donations have been received, but there is a long way to go and finding sufficient funding is proving an issue.

She explained: “The Methodist head office has advised the Sunday School be sold with rentable parking in the car park owned by the church. This received a number of objections as these spaces are already being rented by local residents.”

It was suggested if the building is turned into holiday flats, the spaces will only be used for a couple of weeks in the year.

Rev Matt Fugill has told the congregation he will discuss the matter further with the church leaders.  

Meanwhile a major fundraising day is planned for December 17 in the Sunday School rooms. 

From 11am-7pm there will be various stalls, refreshments, a tombola and Santa’s grotto, as well as an exhibition depicting the history of the Mousehole Methodist Church and the Mount Zion Church, which is now a private house. 

A Justgiving page has been set up and more information is available via the Restoration of Mousehole Methodist Church Facebook page.