Progress report – 12th January 2023
The floor covers a bit more of the screed every time you go into the building. At the East end it now covers the whole width of the centre aisle exaggerating the diamond pattern which echoes the Victorian tiling.
More intricate work is also starting around the base of each pillar, so the large wooden protective structures have been removed and replaced by layers of bubble wrap.
The stone masons have also been busy moving all the massive floor memorials into place before the stone is laid around them. The lifting device (above) is for the smaller stones. The larger ones need the heavy lifting gear that we showed in our progress report last May. It is back in use again. These two memorials either side of the South porch door make for a grand entrance, to what will be a big storage cupboard for tables and chairs , with outer doors (as in Georgian times) .
We don’t however have all that much to store there yet. We have so far been able to buy 40 chairs from the special donations but we need at least 100 more. If you have not already done so please make a donation for a chair – or even better two or three.. They can be dedicated in memory of a loved one or an event. Its easiest to pay by BACS to All Saints PCC Wokingham Sort code: 40-47-09 A/c No: 91342061, with your name and the word CHAIR as the reference. Every £268 donated enables us to buy one chair. All the details about the chairs, the method of dedication and the design etc, are on the website here.
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 have access to the tower. 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.
