All Saints, Sandon

 Sunday 24th November 2024

 A Talk after Morning Prayer

by

Ken Pemberton 

 NATIONAL LOTTERY HERITAGE FUND

HELLO, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON’T KNOW ME, I AM KEN PEMBERTON, AND I CHAIR THE HERITAGE COMMITTEE SET UP BY THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL TO PROGRESS THIS PROJECT,

WHICH IS

DON’T PANIC, I SHALL ONLY SPEAK TO YOU FOR 10 MINUTES 40 SECONDS

 MAKING AVAILABLE THE HERITAGE OF ALL SAINTS SANDON WHILST SECURING ITS FUTURE HERITAGE 

THIS PROJECT IS MAINLY SPONSORED BY NATIONAL LOTTERY HERITAGE FUND, WITHOUT WHICH WE COULD NOT DO IT.

THE OUTCOMES OF THIS PROJECT ARE GOING TO BE A MILESTONE IN THE CONSERVATION OF THIS BUILDING AND ITS HERITAGE AND ALSO AN EXCITING TIME FOR ALL OF US

 WHILE WE MIGHT HAVE LIKED TO INCLUDE CONSERVATION WORK ON MORE ITEMS WE TOOK ADVICE FROM OUR PROJECT CONSULTANTS, GREENWOOD PROJECTS OF LICHFIELD, AS TO THE OVERALL BUDGET AND WHICH OTHER PROJECTS WE WOULD BE COMPETING  AGAINST IN THE UNDER £2M NLHF PROGRAMME TO ARRIVE AT THESE ITEMS WE HAVE INCLUDED.

WE START FROM THE FACT THAT THIS BUILDING IS LISTED GRADE 1 FOR ITS ARCHITECTURE AND INTERNAL FEATURES BUT THESE HAVE DETERIORATED OVER THE DECADES, AND

 TO OVERCOME THIS WE HAVE NOW ARRIVED AT THE DELIVERY STAGE, OF REJUVENATION

 HAVING GOT THROUGH:-

THE EXPRESSION OF INTEREST, AND

 OVER THE LAST 2 YEARS THROUGH

 THE DEVELOPMENT PHASE.

 OVERALL THE PCC HAS BEEN PURSUING THIS FOR 12 YEARS,

 WE ANTICIPATE SIGNING THE CONTRACT WITH NLHF THIS COMING WEEK TO CARRY OUT THIS DELIVERY PHASE. THAT WILL BE TO FULFILL THE APPROVED PURPOSES WHICH I WILL GO THROUGH.

THE TOTAL COST IS £726,174 OF WHICH THE PCC WILL RECEIVE A GRANT OF £558,268.

 DON’T BE ALARMED ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE IN THESE 2 FIGURES. THIS IS MADE UP OF

RECLAIMABLE VAT £90.906,

GRANTS ALREADY PROMISED BY 4 PRIVATE TRUSTS £31,850,

VOLUNTEER TIME £42,000 (THE VOLUNTEERS DO NOT GET PAID BUT THEIR TIME SPENT WE CAN CLAIM FOR), AND

THE PCC IS UNDERWRITING THE BALANCE OF £3,150 BUT THIS IS EXPECTED TO BE COVERED BY FURTHER PRIVATE TRUST GRANTS

SO WE CAN SEE THAT IT IS A MAJOR PROJECT FOR THIS LISTED GRADE 1 CHURCH.

 BUT FIRST OF ALL WE MUST THANK ALL THE VOLUNTEERS, SOME FROM OUTSIDE THIS CONGREGATION, WHO HAVE ENABLED US TO IMPRESS THE NLHF AND FOR THEIR GENEROSITY OF SPRIT IN ALL THE ACTIVITIES WE HAVE PURSUED. I FEEL THAT IT HAS BROUGHT US MUCH CLOSER TOGETHER AND PROVIDED OPPORTUNITIES FOR COMMUNITY CONTRIBUTIONS, WHICH I AM SURE WILL CONTINUE.

 SO WHAT IS IT ALL ABOUT?

WELL ITS PRINCIPALLY TWO STRANDS, AS THE TITLE OF THE PROJECT SUGGETS

  1               MAKING AVAILABLE THE HERITAGE OF ALL SAINTS, TO A WIDER AUDIENCE. (WE  HAVE NO FOOTFALL OTHER THAN WALKERS ) AND

2               SECURING ITS FUTURE HERITAGE , WHICH MEANS THE FABRIC AND ARTEFACTS

WHAT DOES THIS ALL MEAN?

WELl, THE FIRST OBJECTIVE, MAKING AVAILABLE THE HERITAGE, IS LISTED BY THE FUND IN ITS APPROVED PURPOSES WHICH WE SUBMITTED AND THEY NOW REQUIRE US TO ACCOMPLISH.

I ‘LL GO THROUGH THESE AS THEY ARE  A GOOD SUMMARY.

THEY ARE:-

•                TAKE PROACTIVE MEASURES TO BE INCLUSIVE, REMOVE BARRIERS TO ACCESS AND REACH NEW AND DIVERSE AUDIENCES THROUGH THE DELIVERY OF THIS PROJECT.

 •                CREATE AND INSTALL INTERPRETATIVE MATERIAL, INCLUDING EXTERNAL NOTICE BOARDS, POP UP BANNERS, QR CODES LINKING TO THE NEW WEBSITE, PRINTED MATERIALS, WAYFINDING SIGNAGE, AND PADDLE BOARDS FOR GUIDED AND SELF-GUIDED TOURS.

•                HIGH VISIBILITY ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF  NATIONAL LOTTERY HERITAGE FUND ON SITE, ONLINE AND IN ALL ACTIVITIES, AS WELL AS USING OUR PROJECT TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND THANK NATIONAL LOTTERY PLAYERS.  

(ALL OUR VOLUNTEERS HAVE THIS UNIFORM PAID FOR BY NLHF).

•                APPOINT PROJECT TEAM FOR THE DELIVERY PHASE, INCLUDING NEW ACTIVITY COORDINATOR.

•                CREATE DIGITAL OUTPUTS INCLUDING FULLY INTERACTIVE BURIAL RECORD; 360 DEGREE TOUR; PHOTOGRAPHY RECORD OF THE PROJECT

•                DELIVER ACTIVITY PROGRAMME INTENDED TO ENGAGE NEW AUDIENCES, PARTICULARLY YOUNGER PEOPLE, TO SAFEGUARD THE CHURCH'S FUTURE. INCLUDING TOURS, HERITAGE TRAIL, MOD FAMILY ACTIVITIES, SCHOOL RESOURCES AND VISITS, HERITAGE OPEN DAYS, BIO BLITZ ACTIVITIES, AND MOD SPACE FOR REFLECTION.

WE KNOW WE WERE PARTICULARLY SUCCESSFUL IN HOSTING PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS—MANY OF THE CHILDREN HAD NEVER BEEN IN A CHURCH

THE NLHF SEE THE NEED TO GET MORE PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THE CHURCH, BECAUSE THEY WANT THEIR INVESTMENT TO BE SEEN AND AVAILABLE FOR AT LEAST THE NEXT 20 YEARS

 •                CONSIDER AND ADDRESS LONGER TERM SUSTAINABILITY OF THE CHURCH THROUGH ONGOING VOLUNTEER RECRUITMENT TO DELIVER ACTIVITIES, AND FUTURE INCOME GENERATION TO SUPPORT MAINTENANCE AND ACTIVITY BEYOND THE PROJECT.

AGAIN DOING EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO ENSURE THE SURVIVAL OF THIS CHURCH

WHILE THE NLHF DOES NOT GIVE GRANTS FOR RELIGIOUS PURPOSES WE CAN ALL SEE THAT THESE ACTIVITIES WILL HELP US. SO DON’T LET US THINK THESE ARE IMPOSED ON US, RATHER THINK LETS GET BEHIND THEM AND MAKE THEM A SUCCESS. THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO HAND ON A THRIVING CHURCH.

•                APPOINT EXTERNAL EVALUATOR

THE SECOND OBJECTIVE,  SECURING ITS FUTURE HERITAGE, INVOLVES THE CONSERVATION AND REPAIR OF VARIOUS FEATURES

 FOR LEGAL REASONS WE HAVE TO PROVIDE THE BUILDERS AND CONSERVATORS WITH DESIGNATED AREAS OF WORK AND THESE WILL BE FOR DESIGNATED PERIODS OF TIME. THIS WILL BE TO ENSURE THAT WE CAN STILL PROVIDE EXCELLENT FACILITIES FOR WEDDINGS AND FOR OUR WEEKLY SERVICES.

 ·      UNDERTAKE CONSERVATION REPAIRS AND REPOINTING TO EXTERNAL STONEWORK.

(THIS WILL BE A QUITE EXTENSIVE AREA AROUND THE SOUTH SIDE, AROUND THE LOWER PARTS OF THE TOWER AND OTHER LIMITED AREAS. THIS MAY INVOLVE SOME SCAFFOLDING).

•                CARRY OUT IMPROVEMENTS TO THE SURFACE WATER DRAINAGE TO INCREASE CAPACITY.  (THE EXISTING SOAKAWAY UNDER THE YEW TREES HAS SILTED UP. THE OBJECTIVE IS TO LOWER THE MOITURE CONTENT IN THE SANDSTONE WALLS OF THE CHANCEL TO REDUCE DAMAGE TO THE PAINTINGS,)

•                UNDERTAKE CONSERVATION REPAIRS AND STABILISATION WORKS TO ERDESWICKE MONUMENT, THE FOUR CHEST TOMBS AND CONSERVATION REPAIRS AND STABILISATION WORKS TO THE CHANCEL WALL PAINTINGS.

 (CLEANING INCLUDED)

·      UNDERTAKE CONSERVATION REPAIRS AND STABILISATION WORKS TO STAINED AND CLEAR GLASS WINDOWS,

 (THE STAINED GLASS WINDOWS AT THE WEST END OF THE NAVE AND THE EAST END OF THE LADY CHAPEL WERE PUT IN 1845.  BUT THE PACKING HOLDING THE GLASS INTO THE LEAD TRACERY IS AT THE END OF ITS PRACTICAL LIFE, IE OVER 150 YEARS, AND HAS DETERIORATED AND THE GLASS IS SLUMPING DOWN. THAT’S WHY THE NOTICES SAY PLEASE DON’T SIT THERE. THE WORKS WILL ENTAIL PHOTOGRAPHING THE WINDOWS IN DETAIL, REMOVING THEM, PROBABLY INVOLVING TEMPORARY SCAFFOLDING, BUT THIS SHOULD BE CAPABLE OF BEING ACCOMPLISHED DURING A WEEK AND NOT INTERFERE WITH SERVICES AND THEN TAKING THEM TO THE CONSERVATORS WORKSHOP,

•                 UNDERTAKE CONSERVATION REPAIRS AND STABILISATION WORKS TO THE  ROYAL COAT OF ARMS OIL PAINTING. THIS WILL BE TAKEN AWAY TO THE CONSERVATORS STUDIO AND WILL LIKELY NECESSITATE THE TEMPORARY REMOVAL OF 1 OR 2 PEWS AND THE RADIATOR TO GIVE ACCESS FOR HYDRAULIC LIFTING GEAR. THIS SHOULD BE CAPABLE OF BEING ACCOMPLISHED DURING A WEEK AND NOT INTERFERE WITH SERVICES.

WITH ALL THIS CONSERVATION AND BUILDING WORKS GOING ON THERE WILL BE A NEED FOR CLEANING BEFORE SERVICES. WE ARE THINKING THAT PROFESSIONAL CLEANERS WILL BE EMPLOYED, CERTAINLY BEFORE WEDDINGS.

WHAT ABOUT THE TIMESCALE

WE SHALL BE RETAINING THE PROJECT CONSULTANTS, THE DESIGN TEAM OF ARCHITECTS AND THE DIGITAL CONSULTANT, BUT WE WILL BE GOING THROUGH THE TENDERING AND APPOINTMENT IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS OF THE ACTIVITIES CONSULTANT, THE EVALUATION CONSULTANT AND OUR CO-ORDINATION AGENT

THE PRGRAMME AT THE MOMENT SHOWS THE MAIN ACTIVITIES STARTING IN  ABOUT APRIL AND THE BUILER AND CONSERVATORS STARTING ON SITE IN MID JULY, BUT WE CAN UPDATE YOU AS WE GO ALONG. ON COMPLETION WE ANTICIPATE HOLDING SOME FORM OF OPEN CELEBRATION.

SO THERE YOU HAVE IT IN SUMMARY.     

WHAT AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE CHURCH

 IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS PLEASE SPEAK TO ME OR JANET OR ELIZBETH OR NIGEL OR GRAHAM

BUT I WILL END BY PARAPHRASING PRESIDENT JOHN FITZGERALD KENNEDY

ASK NOT WHAT THIS PROJECT CAN DO FOR YOU,,,RATHER ASK WHAT YOU CAN DO FOR THIS PROJECT.

THANK YOU