We are very pleased with the results of the porch repairs and refurbishment of the Chancel door. The Victorian porch is now strengthened, watertight and everyone can enter the church without fear of falling stone and the life of the porch has been significantly extended. Safe access into the church will enable more of the wider uses and improvements planned for the building.
Many thanks to the stonemason, John Lister from Owlsworth IJP, and our church architect, Zoe Sawbridge from Acanthus Clews Architects. If anyone would like their contact details, please let me know.
Thank you to everyone who donated to the fund-raising campaign. The on-line giving page is still open if you wish to contribute. Also, thank you to the National Churches Trust for the grant.
During the works, our Church Architect reported the following (and provided the latest photos):
We are now sure of the failure, and that it was due to poor workmanship and materials. The stonemason found that the mortar content of sand to lime was too high, and the decorative stonework was thin with patch infilled behind.
It really was in danger of collapsing!
Thank you to everyone who has donated to the fund-raising campaign. You can still contribute through our online giving page.
click here to donate towards the cost of the repairs
Many thanks to all of those who responded to the call last year to keep St Edmund & St George Church open. The additional fund raising and increased regular giving has helped to cover our core costs – electricity, insurance, etc. But, as with all old buildings, there are maintenance issues and the current major priority is the porch.
We have now completed all the most urgent repairs to the church identified at the Quinquennial Inspection in January. Next on the list will be repairs to the window in the western end of the nave followed by redecoration throughout the church.
click here to donate towards the cost of the repairs
The church is an important part of our village landscape and has been for over 900 years. In addition to worship, baptisms, marriages, and funerals it provides a quiet space for contemplation, reading and prayer for everyone – whatever religion or none! We are a fully inclusive church. The PCC intend to provide an improved inner space to enable more wide-spread use and will be restarting the book club and stocking basic food items when regulations allow. It is also hoped that further musicals will be held in the building such as the successful concerts in 2019.
The porch is also the planned site for the village defibrillator.
We could not fulfil our vision, learning to love as Jesus does, without the generosity of so many people who provide their time, talents and financial support to the life and ministry of St Edmund & St George Church. Regular giving helps us to plan our mission and ministry and special appeals help us to pay for essential repairs.
If you would like to support our church by giving regularly or making a one off donation you will find the details on our Fund Raising Page.
St Edmund & St George Church is funded entirely by Hethe Parish. We do not receive any funding from the central church – in fact we pay a contribution to the Oxford Diocese and towards the cost of our clergy and support.
