St James Church, Staveley

St James Church, Staveley At St. James' we are a church family of all ages who seek to grow in our faith and to draw others to the love of Jesus.

In our worship we use a blend of hymns and worship songs, seasonal and all age services and encourage lay involvement.

07/09/2026

Reverend Olivia here:

I am absolutely gutted to be writing this.

On Saturday my alarm was set for 5.15am, ready to take on my final training walk. I woke at 4.45am with my gallbladder rumbling. It happens often enough that I have a routine. Take a Buscopan, drink some water, wait. If it continues, grab a codeine. Let it settle.

So, I took a Buscopan, ate a banana, and off I set on my walk. Because if I took a day off every time my gallbladder flared, I would rarely leave the house.

A beautiful walk with beautiful friends. As we got to Waterhead, I said I actually don’t think I can keep going. So we stopped and my husband came to pick us up. I took codeine. Slight relief. And then suddenly the pain was worse.

This week I am supposed to be taking on my 24-hour Reston Scar challenge to raise money to help save St James’ Church. I have trained for it. I’ve planned for it. I’ve talked about it endlessly. So many people have sponsored me, encouraged me and offered to help. I’ve become quite emotionally invested in proving to myself that I could actually do it. I felt ready for it.
But this weekend I ended up in A&E. I’m home now with various prescriptions and under instructions to rest.

As much as I desperately want to tell myself that I’ll be fine in a week and can just get on with it, the sensible reality is that attempting to walk repeatedly up and down a fell for 24 hours when my body is already under duress is not a good idea.
So, with a very heavy heart, I am having to postpone the challenge.

I really am devastated. This isn’t me quietly feeling relieved that I don’t have to do it.

But I also know that trying to prove how determined I am by doing something genuinely stupid with my health would be reckless.

This is a postponement, not a cancellation. Reston Scar isn’t going anywhere. St James’ still desperately needs our help. And when my body is ready, I will do the 24 hours I promised.
To everyone who has already donated, shared, volunteered, encouraged me, trained with me or told me I’m completely mad: thank you.

I’m so sorry I can’t do it at the weekend.
But I haven’t given up. The mountain will wait. And I’ll be back. ❤️

05/09/2026

Due to unforeseen illness, today’s sing a long is cancelled.

Don’t worry, we will reschedule.

01/09/2026

The sun was setting on Reston Scar when Rev Olivia Haines started wondering how many times she could walk up it in a single day.

On Sunday 13 September, at 11.30am, straight after leading morning worship, she finds out. Olivia is Team Vicar in the South Lakes Mission Community, and she is walking from St James’ Church to the summit of Reston Scar and back, again and again, for 24 hours. Every lap is 1.4 miles and 425 feet of climb.

St James’ has been closed since May 2025, just four months after Olivia arrived, when a survey found the spire leaning and the lychgate unsafe. The congregation has worshipped in the village school and the Roundhouse Theatre ever since.

Putting it right is not a small job. Free-standing scaffolding has to go up around the spire, every piece of masonry has to come down and be labelled for reuse, and a new frame has to be built before it all goes back together. The lychgate needs new foundations before it can be rebuilt.

Repairs are estimated at around £300,000. Grants should cover most of that, but only once the parish raises its own share of up to £30,000. £4,500 has come in locally so far. Olivia hopes the walk will bring in £10,000.

In her own words: "I texted a couple of friends who thought I was an idiot, my husband rolled his eyes and my churchwarden laughed nervously. But within a week it had become a thing."

Teams of walkers are joining her in shifts, particularly through the night, and the village school hall stays open for shelter and food stops.

Sponsor the walk: https://www.justgiving.com/page/24-hour-spire-challenge

Address

Brow Lane, Staveley
Kendal
LA89PH

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm
Saturday 9am - 5pm
Sunday 9am - 5pm

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