October
2010
On
the contract front, the tender documents were issued to five contractors who
claimed to be interested in our project and to be able to meet the timetable
projected. One of the five is Kingerlee who did the 2001/2002 redevelopment
project work pretty well to quotation and on time. All of them have experience
of working with listed buildings. The results will be imminent by the time you
read this and the report for November should advise the contractor and agreed
dates.
Ian
Thomson had discussions with the Heritage Lottery Fund and found that they will
not assist with work on Halls or Spires. We suspect that the latter is because
they would be inundated otherwise. They claim that spires are not essential but
we suspect that getting permission to remove would be virtually impossible.
However, we are still awaiting the report from the spire inspection so detailed
consideration of what has to be done there will not happen for some time.
Ian
has also been in touch with Summerfield Trust who do assist with Halls provided
they are of community use and our long list of regular hirers should assist in
proving that. Their next deadline for submissions is end September 2010 and we
are in discussion with them to try and ensure that our submission complies with
their requirements. I had to submit a costing breakdown for the Hall similar to
the one I brought to the church meeting in April, before we decided to
accelerate and extend the work.
In
the meantime Synod have approved a grant of £20,000 towards our costs. £2,500
of that was approved as a contribution towards the flat roof repairs earlier
this year but not claimed as the contract was never completed to the
satisfaction of the property committee and the architect. In addition the
solicitors for Mary Atkinson have advised us that they will shortly release a
significant payment on account and that might have arrived by the time you read
this.
Prestbury
celebrated 125 years a few years ago with special cushions for their chairs. Our
125 year special, as it is now that period since the sanctuary construction, is
this batch of renovations. Warden Hill has only got to 50 this year with its
recent celebrations having originally been set up by Highbury Congregational
Church as a development project in the 1960's but they have many other things to
remember this year with due to their forming a partnership with St Christopher's.
I have been in contact with most organisations who are being directly affected by the loss of the Hall for several months. In general they will be relocated into the sanctuary so chairs will be cleared away after our Sunday service and put back for the next one. However Toddlers and Bumps & Babes will have particular storage problems and how to overcome that is still under consideration. A few meetings will be lost because of reduced flexibility and the Friday night Scottish Country Dancing will decant to the Reddings for the winter but other Scottish Society activities will remain.
As
I write plans for the next fundraising event is finalised with an evening with
Martin Hayes, the apple man who has a regular stall on Saturdays in season,
demonstrating something of interest to all on apple juice and cider tastings and
puddings on the last Friday at 7.00pm in October.
David Black