MEMBERS of the community are preparing to mark one year since a devastating church fire in Mudeford.
Residents, church wardens and elected leaders will be joining for an open-air service outside Mudeford All Saints Church on Sunday, July 16.
The gathering, which is open to everyone, will take place at 10am on the green across the road from the church.
It will provide an opportunity for the community to come together to mark the one-year anniversary of the church fire.
As reported, the historic building became engulfed in flames on the evening of Thursday, July 14, 2022.
At its peak, there were more than 50 firefighters tackling the blaze alongside 12 fire engines, two water carriers and the aerial ladder.
Police closed the road and manned a cordon, while crowds of people gathered to see the incident unfold.
One resident watching with tears in her eyes said: “I know it’s just bricks and mortar but it’s memories burning too.”
The fire left the church a charred mess, with huge damage caused to its roof and interior.
Although work was done to make the building safe, it has been out of use ever since, and its users have been forced to find new homes.
However, speaking to the Daily Echo in June, Churchwarden Chris Green revealed architects have been working on a ‘like for like’ design for the church’s rebuild.
The project is expected to cost around £2.7m, and the 'like for like' rebuild will be covered by insurance- although any improvements or changes will need to be funded by the church.
Chris said the rebuild could begin at the end of the year, and she is “optimistic” it will be done by December 2024.
A new ‘rebuilding’ tab has been added to the official Mudeford All Saints Church website, which sheds light on the motive behind the rebuild.
It reads: “We want to rebuild the church to the same original design as the Victorian building as far as possible.
“We are investigating how best to remember the many people who have contributed to the beautiful building.
“We are working to create a better community centre for wider community use.”
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