Here's a report on our current building projects for St Mary's Church
Tower roof. The repair and replacement of the tower roof is a major project and could cost up to
£100,000. Our architect has prepared detailed repair specifications and has invited suitable
contractors to tender for the work. At the same time, we have begun the process of obtaining formal
approval (Faculty) from the church authorities to undertake the repair. The tower is one of the
oldest parts of the building and it is essential that the repairs preserve the historic features. When
contractors have submitted their quotations for the repairs, we will be better placed to decide the
extent of fundraising needed, much of which will be directed at charitable trusts.
Audio Visual improvements.
We have been given approval for installing LED TV screens and
speakers and grants have been obtained from the Diocese and from Sheffield Church Burgesses
Trust. The new equipment has now been installed and we look forward to using these
in most of our services and other events.
Eco Church.
In line with Church of England policy, we are taking action to make sure that the church
building and churchyard are environmentally-friendly. We introduced temperature and humidity
sensors into the building some months ago along with better thermostatic controls. These should
help to reduce our carbon footprint. We have also spoken to a landscape adviser about how to
make our churchyard more attractive to wildlife and we have introduced some new features. We are
also considering whether to install Electric Vehicle Charging Points in a couple of our car park spaces.
Friends of St Mary’s Church.
Work is continuing to set up a Friends Group to allow our local
community to engage in preserving the history, architecture and natural environment of the building
and surroundings. We have been considering the exact nature and role of this Group and its link
with other community groups including the Beighton Villages Development Trust. The next step will
be to invite people who may be interested in joining the Friends to find out more.
Maintenance and repair work.
On an ongoing basis, there will be a number of tasks and small
projects to repair any damage to the building and churchyard. Some of these will have been
identified in the five-yearly inspection of the building carried out by our architect. Recent examples
of these were the need to repair the damaged wall of the lych-gate and the repairs to the interior
wall of the porch. Many repairs arise as a result of weather conditions however; for example, storm
damage to trees and roof slates. Routine maintenance tasks are listed in an annual plan and include
work such as carpet cleaning, health and safety checks, and grass cutting. We are grateful for the
support of volunteers for much of this and the support of groups such as Community Payback.
Report dated September 2024 by Ken Whetter