AMERICANS were among the first overseas visitors to Stratford-upon-Avon, birthplace of William Shakespeare.

Washington Irving visited here in 1817 and his famous Sketchbook describes the house in which the playwright was born, the town and Holy Trinity Church. 19th-century Presidents John Adams, General Grant and Jefferson Davis all visited the church. There is an American Window in the church unveiled in 1896 by the US Ambassador as a mark of goodwill from the citizens of the United States.

And since then, some of our most generous support has come from the United States, both from scholars and statesmen, and from regular visitors and enthusiasts for Shakespeare: students and theatre-goers.

Now we are asking our American friends for help again. Will you join us in trying to preserve and enhance Shakespeare’s church for future visitors and lovers of his work?

If you would like to help the Friends there are several ways you can do this…

• Become an Annual American Friend using the button on the left.
• Become a Life Long American Friend for only $1,000. Click Here
• Make a donation to the Friends using the button on the left after entering the value of the donation you would like to give.
• Remember the Friends in your will.
• Come to Holy Trinity Church, Stratford-upon-Avon and experience for yourself the history, the heritage and the present-day worship in this magnificent building.

If you are a US citizen and would like to make a tax-effective donation the Charities Aid Foundation America will accept your gift and forward it to us. For further details click here.

Project Shelter Shakespeare
Objective:  Help ”Shelter Shakespeare” by raising funds to assist in saving the 800-year-old Holy Trinity Church, in Stratford-upon-Avon, where Shakespeare was baptized and is buried with his wife Anne Hathaway. Major funding is needed for repairs and renovations to Holy Trinity Church.

Project History: Project Shelter Shakespeare was started at Muncy Junior/Senior High School, Muncy PA, in January of 2007.  The project began with Mr. Matthew McCrone and Mrs. Karen Shaffer’s ninth grade English class during the yearly Romeo and Juliet unit. Mr. McCrone read an article online about the deterioration of the church, discussed the problem with his students and Project Shelter Shakespeare was born.

Project Plan: High school students across the United States who are studying Shakespeare will be asked to donate one dollar each to help in the renovation of Holy Trinity Church. The ninth grade English class at Muncy will send out several dozen letters nationwide to randomly selected English teachers. The letters explain Project Shelter Shakespeare and ask students to help with the renovations of Holy Trinity Church by donating one dollar each, or holding a fundraiser. The class and teacher are then asked to forward the letter to several randomly selected schools, asking for help to “Shelter Shakespeare.”

For more information about 'Project Shelter Shakespeare' please visit:
www.tiny.cc/ProjectShelterShakespeare686

Shakespeare Round Table of Bowling Green, Ohio
Generous Americans have been fundraising for the Friends of Shakespeare's Church. Among them are the Shakespeare Round Table of Bowling Green, Ohio, whose trip to Stratford-upon-Avon in their centennial year aroused their interest and concern for the plight of Holy Trinity Church. This certificate commemorates their achievement.