Our church energy bills, just for December, were:

Our Lady Star of the Sea: Gas £2,829, Electricity £455
St Saviour: Biomass £125, Electricity £1,150
St Mary of the Angels: Gas £2,023, Electricity £137

Making a grand total of: £6,719 for the three churches for one month

St Saviour is much lower than St Mary and Our Lady because we only contribute 50% of the utility bills, with St Saviour’s Club picking up the other 50%. If the parish had to shoulder the total bills for St Saviour as a whole, St Saviour costs would be £2,550.00 and increase our bill for December from £6,719 to £7,994.00.

Sensitive to the differing circumstances of our community, I would like to suggest a second collection across the six Masses of the parish the weekend of the first Sunday of Lent, Saturday 25/Sunday 26 February 2023 to try to defray the almost 300% increase of energy prices. In the meantime, again, I appeal to any parishioners who might be able to make a one-off donation, to do so if at all possible.

With February coming, let us hope and pray for milder weather and keep in mind those in our parish and local community anxious about paying their own mounting utility bills this winter.