Dame Judi Dench supports fundraising appeal to help restore Warwick's iconic church tower

Dame Judi Dench has given her support to a campaign that is trying to restore the iconic tower of St Mary’s Church in Warwick.

The St Mary's Warwick Campaign 2023 aims to preserve and restore the tower, which can be seen from miles around.

Campaigners have been rallying over the last few years to raise the money needed for the project.

Now Dame Judi Dench has lent the campaign her support with a video asking people to back the fundraising drive.

In the video she says the church is a place that is very dear to her and that it needs restoring badly.

On the Justgiving page, a spokesperson from the campaign said: “Familiar to all of us living and working in and around Warwick, our tower has stood tall and proud since 1704, but is now in urgent need of repair.

"Warwick District Council declared it a dangerous building and we took urgent steps to protect the public from falling masonry.

"The protective scaffolding will remain in place until restoration is complete.

“We have already secured £900,000 of the £1.4 million we need.”

They added: “The people of Warwick gave generously to build this tower after the devastating Great Fire of 1694. You can now help us with a final push to repair it for the next 100 years.”

To donate go to: https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/stmaryswarwickcampaign2023