All Saints Margaret Street.

Dear friends,

I am very pleased to share some important news concerning our Music fundraising campaign. Our PCC has received a very substantial legacy from the estate of Doris Sanders, a much loved and faithful member of our parish community who died in 2025.

Doris left us a very generous proportion of her estate, and I am pleased to announce that our PCC agreed when it met last night that a substantial portion of this gift in the realm of £200,000 should be earmarked for our music campaign.

This gift made by Doris in her will makes an enormous difference to our efforts to re-endow our Choir and Music Trust Fund. I can reveal, therefore, that once we add Doris’ legacy, the current grand total we have raised since we began our Music Appeal six months ago is now £439,216.62.

This is a magnificent accomplishment. We are half way through our year-long campaign and are approaching being half way to the goal we set ourselves of raising £1 million.

The exceptional generosity which Doris showed in making provision for All Saints’ after her death shows just how important it is that every parishioner makes mention of our parish in their will. Gifts like Doris’s reveal the huge difference you can make by leaving a legacy to the Music Trust after your death.

In addition to this significant leap ahead in the total sum raised, we have also seen a steady increase in the number of people who have subscribed as Music Patrons. We now have 42 Patrons, who, between them, contribute £1,049.31 each month to the Music and Choir Trust. This amounts to £12,591.72 per year.

I can also report that the total sum I mention above includes donations totalling $19,700 (£14,600) received through our American dollar account since the fundraising trip Fr Alan and I took to the United States in March. I want to say a particular word of thanks to all our American Friends and supporters who have responded to this campaign so generously.

I hope all this good news puts wind in our sails as we focus on the next stage of our Music campaign which revolves around a Bach concert given by Stephen Farr and Margaret Faultless on Friday 29th May 2026, and a Sunday devoted to celebrating our parish’s connection with Rachmaninov on 6th June 2026. You can book tickets for the Bach concert here, and I hope every parishioner will make a special effort to be there.

I want to say a huge thank you to all who have contributed in any way to the success of our fundraising campaign so far. Thanks be to God for what we have achieved with his help and in his Name. Let us pray for the success of the remaining events in our Music Fundraising calendar over the next six months, that our parish’s musical tradition, which is precious to so many of us, may be preserved, strengthened, and maintained for generations to come.

Fr Peter

Joint dinner with St Timothy’s, Winston-Salem: only 5 tickets left.

We look forward to welcoming a group of pilgrims from St Timothy’s, Winton-Salem, North Carolina, over next weekend, 9th-10th May 2026. Their Rector, Fr Steve Rice, will be our preacher on Sunday 10th May at our parish High Mass.

There will be a special joint parish dinner at Le Beaujolais restaurant on Saturday 9th May 2026. There will be a drinks reception in the Vicarage from 6.00 pm, and we will then make our way to Le Beaujolais in time for dinner at 7.30 pm. The cost of the dinner, which includes three courses, coffee, tip and wine is £65.

There are now only 5 tickets left for parishioners of All Saints’. To book your place, simply sign up and pay via this Eventbrite link here.

Rest Eternal grant unto them, O Lord

A Low Mass of Requiem for the repose of the soul of John Martell will be celebrated at All Saints’ at 12 noon on Tuesday 12th May. The Mass will be followed by drinks.

A High Mass of Requiem will be celebrated on Saturday 6th June at 2.00 pm at St Mary’s, Bourne Street, for the repose of the soul of Tony Hawkins. Parishioners of All Saints’ are welcome to attend.

Parish walks

Fr Alan will be leading a number of walks over the coming months, each around 10 miles and involving some climbs. Bring lunch. There will be a short pub stop on each, and the option of an early supper together at the end of the walk. Be in touch with Fr Alan to sign up or ask for details.

Saturday 13th June
Chiltern Hills. 10.27 Marylebone Station. Aylesbury Vale Parkway train to Wendover.

Saturday 25th July
Surrey Hills. 10.23 Waterloo Station. Dorking train to Box Hill & Westhumble.

Saturday 22nd August
Kent Downs. 10.34 Charing Cross Station. Ramsgate train to Wye.

Walsingham Pilgrimages 2026

You can now book your place on any of the three pilgrimages which will be taking place this year to the Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham:

National Pilgrimage: Monday 25th May 2026
£45 per head. Setting off 7.30 am from Margaret Street, returning to central London in the late evening. Sign up and pay here.

Weekend Pilgrimage: Friday 18th – Sunday 21st September 2026
Set off early afternoon on Friday 18th September; return late evening Sunday 21st February. The cost is £240 Friday and includes full board plus mini-coach from Kings Lynn Station. Please note that we travel up to Kings Lynn by train and pilgrims need to book their own train ticket. Please book your place and pay via Eventbrite here.

Advent Retreat: Friday 4th – Sunday 6th December 2026
This year’s retreat leader will be Bishop Peter Eagles. The cost of the retreat is £274.  We will set off around midday on Friday 4th December and travel by train to Kings Lynn, returning to Kings Cross on Sunday evening around 7.00 pm. Please note that pilgrims need to book their own train ticket. Please book your place here.

Attendance last Sunday

For your prayers

The Friends and Music Patrons of All Saints’ Margaret Street

3rd – Mark Allan, Martin Amherst Lock, Elizabeth and Robert Austen, Richard Ayling, James Babington Smith, Stephen Barber, Nigel Beanland, Jonathan Beck

4th – Dr William Benefield, Charlotte Black, Fr John Blackburn, David Blunden, William Bonnell, Fr Michael Bowie, John Bristow, Paul Brough

5th – Michael Brown, Dr Graham Burns, Derek Bussey, Katherine Butler, Adrian Carlton-Oatley, Zulette and Fr Norman Catir, Kate Charles, Stuart Chillingworth

6th – Sir Robert Chote, Sandy Christian, Roger Clark, Catharine Clarke, Camilla Collins, Graham Colville, Karolyn Cooper, William Cooper Bailey

7th – Peter Coulson, Steven Cox, Dr Yvonne Craig, Julie Cridland, Dr Ryan Nicholas Danker, Kirill Dashkovskiy, Christopher Davies, Keith Day

8th – Peter Dennis, Laura Denton, Dr Michael Duggan, Pamela Edwards, Linda Edwards, Jane Elliston, Dr Terrence Ellsworth, Richard Everton and Fr Philip Bevan

The sick

Jean Castledine, David Craig, Asuncion Gines, Fr Harry Hodgetts, Daniel Oliver, Ingrid Slaughter, Nanello, Shirley Thompson, Juliet Windham, Kay Benefield.

Recently departed

Nádasdy Ádám, Dame Averil Cameron, Anthony Clarke, Lord Clarke of Stone-cum-Ebony, Melanie Holdsworth, Carol Simmons, Warwick Whelan Pr, Martin Wright

Anniversaries of death

Services this week