Progress report – 1st December 2022.
See for yourself at the Open Morning – Saturday 10 December 10am – 12 noon
It will still be a few months before the building work is finished. To see what has been achieved so far and to whet your appetite as to what the building will offer, we are holding on Open Morning on Saturday 10th December from 10am to 12 noon. Please come to The Cornerstone first to register to visit the church. High viz jackets will be supplied; please wear sturdy shoes. There will be refreshments and an opportunity to talk about progress and how we will use the building when complete.
The pictures above and below are of things you won’t see quite like this when you come.
The pulpit in the middle of its repairs. People who came last time will recall that the pulpit had gained a big crack when an unexpected pipe had been wrenched out of place. The structural engineer advised us that it needed to be dismantled to ensure long-term protection of the fabric and safety for the preacher.
The floor for the mezzanine is now being constructed.
Work continues on the trenches and inevitably bones have been found. The archaeologist is on site and all are bagged up for reburial.
Thank you to all everyone who is giving to the appeal. During September and October we raised over £12,000. Gifts in November were £17,000 and we had a very welcome repayment of £8,000 of gift aid from HMRC (thanks to the many generous personal donations in the previous quarter). With the Town Council grant of £3,000 we have now raised £40,000: £80,000 still to find – one third of the way to our target. Please help us get there quickly – details of how to donate are on our web site.
Although the building itself is closed, worship continues in The Cornerstone on Sundays (8, 9.30 and 11.15am) and on weekdays (Tuesday and Wednesday at 10 am and Thursday at 9 am) and the bell ringers will have access to the tower again. There is still access to almost all the churchyard either through the lychgate in London Road or the double gate in Norreys Avenue. The memorials by The Cornerstone and by the vestry door can be accessed by arrangement with the Parish office.
