STAFF and volunteers at a 130-year-old Brentwood church are within touching distance of raising the £55,000 to repair the building's leaky roof.
Just £6,000 is now needed to pay for the restoration of the southern side of the roof of St Thomas of Canterbury church, in St Thomas Road.
The completion of this work will mark the conclusion of a seven-year project to restore the building to its former glory.
Father Colin Hewitt, the vicar of the church, said: "Because the south side of the roof has less weather on it, it was left to the end, but now it needs replacing. "We've already had leaks – water's starting to come through.
"We've got some beautiful items in the church that need preserving, and with weddings coming up, all of these need to be watertight."
The church has already received many donations from its congregation, national charities and members of the public.
However, people do not need to give much, as Mr Hewitt explained.
"People give little bits and that's really good," he told the Gazette.
He added that, as the church had to gain permission from both English Heritage and the Diocese of Chelmsford, the project must be finished by the middle of this year.
For more information about the appeal, or to make a donation, you can call the church centre on 01277 201 094.