Church members are desperate to raise £44,800 for roof repairs and hope a community concert will help.

People working with the St Mary-at-Finchley Parish Church, Hendon Lane, are desperate to fix the roof of the grade two listed building, as buckets are often needed to catch the water when rain starts seeping in.

Professional singer Alison Fisher is director of music at the Church and has been organising a series of four annual concerts for the past eight years to raise money for anything the church has needed.

Ms Fisher, 51, said: “At the moment, we are raising money for the roof because we need a lot to repair it. We raised money for our organ years ago, and now we have to cover it each time it starts raining to protect it, and even put out buckets to catch water.

“We try and organise different types of music concerts, as we find people do come for the type of music that is played, and the community has been so supportive. It is a free concert, and we just ask for people to donate what they can.”

The next concert will host South American piano/guitar duo, and Italian Clarinettist, Luca Luciano on Saturday May 21.

Church members have raised money for several charities over the years and their previous historic fashion show in 2010, raised £2,000 towards a church organ restoration appeal.

At the time, the money raised from donations was put towards renewing the electrics and repairing the leather bellows in the church's historic pipe organ.

Charity events had raised more than £100,000, but now, the church turns has turned their attention to its roof, and more money is needed.

The Church has applied for a grant from the places of worship grant scheme, and a summer car rally has been planned.

Frances Musker, a former lecturer at the Victoria and Albert Museum will also host another historic fashion show later this year.

For more information on the concert and upcoming events, visit www.streetlife.com under the Finchley area or visit stmaryatfinchley.org.uk.