St John’s Church, Ranmoor, has launched a Save Our Spire appeal to raise money for much-needed refurbishments, including making repairs to its spire.

The church hopes to raise £1 million through local fundraising. A launch event was held on 1 March in order to showcase the aims of the appeal, and featured a choir performance.

St John’s Vicar Matthew Rhodes, said: “We’re planning to repair the spire, and would like to upgrade the building. We don’t have a refreshment area or accessible toilets and we’re hoping to add those.

“We’ve received a grant of £100,000 from Sheffield Church Burgesses and so far we’ve raised about £30,000 in donations.”

St John’s plays a vital role in the Ranmoor community. Frequent events are held at the church, including Morning Prayer every Monday to Saturday and Board Games Cafe.

Rev Rhodes said: “St John’s is nearly 146 years old and it was built for the owners of the steel industry in Sheffield. It’s a very prominent building on the Sheffield skyline and has a thriving congregation and a very strong musical life with an outstanding choir.”

The Save Our Spire campaign is part of a long-term development plan for the church called the Inspire Project. It aims to have completed phase 1, which includes the work to the spire and tower, by the 150th anniversary of the church in 2029. 

St John’s hopes to have raised enough money by 2026. Although there are multiple plans for the church’s repairs, the Tower and Spire remain a priority.

Alongside fundraising through grants and donations, the church will also be holding fundraising events over the next couple of years. 

Rev Rhodes added: “We’re just grateful for everyone’s interest and generosity actually. People have been very kind and we hope we can start the work before too long.” 

More information about St John’s, including upcoming events and further information about the Save Our Spire appeal can be found on their website.

You can also call 01142301199 to make a donation over the phone. You can follow St John’s on Instagram @stjohnsranmoor or on their Facebook page St John’s Church, Ranmoor to stay updated.