A VILLAGE church near Pembroke, which desperately needs £5,000 to stay open, is launching a pledge appeal.

Unless £5,000 is raised, St David’s Church, Hundleton faces measures being taken to close the church in this growing community.

The church is one of nine churches in Monkton Rectorial Benefice, serving Pembroke and the Angle Peninsula.

This year the church was faced with the challenge of raising more than £8,000 towards its share of paying for the cost of ministry in St Davids Diocese, along with over £1,900 towards the cost of running the Benefice.

At present the church is more than £9,000 in arrears, which must now be reduced by £5,000 before the end of the year.

The Friends of Hundleton Church is distributing pledge forms to anybody who is willing to make a gift to this campaign.

The sums pledged will only be collected if the target is reached.

UK taxpayers can Giftaid any money given, so that the Government increases the value of their gift by 25 per cent at no cost to those donating.

The appeal has got off to a magnificent start with an anonymous pledge for £1,000.

Appeal coordinator Morgan Allen said: “If we don’t raise the money it looks pretty bleak.”

He added: “There’s quite a lot of people that support the church but don’t go to church regularly; the main thrust of the appeal is from the friends of the church, people who don’t go that often but would hate the church to close.

“If we can get people to promise to make the payment; we’re not asking for the money yet; we think that would help our position with the church.

“If we get the pledges it will boost morale.”

Anybody interested in making a pledge is invited to contact Morgan on 01646 661288 or by email on morgan.allen@btinternet.com