In October 2001, the parishioners of one of Croydon’s oldest churches launched an ambitious appeal to raise £500,000 to restore the building and help preserve it for generations to come.

Two determined years on, Croydon Parish Church on Church Street is £144,000 closer to reaching its target and is £40,000 away from completing the project’s first phase.

The extensive roofing work that needs to be carried out must be done now in order to protect and preserve the grade one listed building.

Its vicar and parishioners are determined to ensure future generations can benefit as much from the church as others have done over hundreds of years.

Reaching the appeal’s half-million target is a lengthy and daunting feat, but the vicar of Croydon Rev Canon Colin Boswell says his congregation remains undeterred and has demonstrated remarkable support and dedication to the cause.

He said: “There has been a church at the site of Old Town for more than 1,000 years and Croydon dates its own beginnings from the year 960 when the first record of the priest of Croydon is noted.

“The church is still here for all the people of Croydon.

“We want to continue to be an important part of the life of Croydon and we are committed now to the restoration of our beautiful grade one listed building.” So far parishioners alone have raised an impressive £50,000 and the appeal has been significantly boosted by a £94,000 donation from English Heritage.

There is a shortfall of £40,000 to complete phase one but Mr Boswell is hopeful that community involvement can help them meet their target.

He added: “After this phase we still have a further £300,000 to raise.

“We very much want this church to be here when we are not. It is somewhere to bring our joys and sorrows.

“We must undertake this work so there is a church for the people of the future and I ask you to give all the consideration that you can to being part of this exciting project.” Anyone interested in making a donation should call the parish office on 020 8688 8104.