Repairs to the roof of St John’s Church Hall in Trowbridge start on Monday, March 31.

The roof has been leaking since January and the work will cost £30,000. Churchgoers are fundraising to help pay for it.

Canon Christopher Brown, 69, who served as St James’ Church rector between 1988 and 2009, sold signed copies of his book A Time to Laugh – a book of reflections – at St John’s on Sunday as part of the campaign.

His wife, Julie Brown, also held a tabletop sale and the pair raised £400.

Last Thursday, the church received a grant of £5,000 from Trowbridge Area Board and they’ve already been given £10,000 from the Hills Group’s Landfill Community Fund.

The work is expected to take about two weeks and donations are still being sought.