The Winspire Project 2024
|
In 2016 St Michael’s Church launched “WinSpire”, a fundraising campaign to raise money to repair the stained glass windows and the spire. We prioritised the windows in the West end of the church, which were in particularly bad repair, and from the funds raised we were able to have these removed, cleaned and repaired by specialists and replaced.
Following a break in the campaign, occasioned partly by the Covid pandemic, we are now seeking to raise further funds to replace the wooden shingles (tiles) on the spire, and repair the peal of six bells and the clock, which has been out of action for several years. |
|
|
In addition to applying to grant-making bodies, we need to raise a significant amount of money through donations and fundraising activities.
To make a donation, please click on this link https://givealittle.co/c/r9V3bCe8QNjoHohOZHDue or scan the QR code. This will take you to a secure site where you can donate an amount of your choosing, and include GiftAid if you so wish. |
|
More about the Spire, Bells and Clock
The present church building was commenced in 1853, though there has been Christian worship on the site since at least 1220. The church Spire, with its bells and clock, is a distinctive and prominent feature of the neighbourhood.
The peal of six bells is rung on Sundays, for weddings and special occasions, including bellringers’ events from the Deanery and further afield. Local residents are familiar with the sound of the bells being rung at the bellringers’ regular Monday evening practice. However, due to wear and tear, the ringing of the bells has had to be restricted for safety reasons, and will in due course need to cease completely unless urgent remedial work is carried out.
The hourly striking of the clock, which was another feature in the local community, has unfortunately been missing for several years due to its age (1870), and we would very much like to restore it to its former glory.
The Spire is covered with wooden tiles known as shingles, which have become seriously degraded over decades due to aging, wear and tear and degradation by nesting birds. We propose to replace the existing cedar shingles with new, more durable oak ones, as originally used when the spire was built 170 years ago.
The complete project of spire shingles, bells and clock will restore this prominent and iconic part of our beautiful building for future generations to enjoy, so that this place of worship which has played a part in the lives of many in our community will continue to be a source of pride for our town.
The peal of six bells is rung on Sundays, for weddings and special occasions, including bellringers’ events from the Deanery and further afield. Local residents are familiar with the sound of the bells being rung at the bellringers’ regular Monday evening practice. However, due to wear and tear, the ringing of the bells has had to be restricted for safety reasons, and will in due course need to cease completely unless urgent remedial work is carried out.
The hourly striking of the clock, which was another feature in the local community, has unfortunately been missing for several years due to its age (1870), and we would very much like to restore it to its former glory.
The Spire is covered with wooden tiles known as shingles, which have become seriously degraded over decades due to aging, wear and tear and degradation by nesting birds. We propose to replace the existing cedar shingles with new, more durable oak ones, as originally used when the spire was built 170 years ago.
The complete project of spire shingles, bells and clock will restore this prominent and iconic part of our beautiful building for future generations to enjoy, so that this place of worship which has played a part in the lives of many in our community will continue to be a source of pride for our town.
How does the repair of the Spire fit in with our Mission?
St Michael’s is an Anglican Church which seeks to offer a welcome to people of all ages and backgrounds. We are fortunate to have a beautiful church building, which is the home of a vibrant community that seeks to serve the people of Sandhurst and surrounding area in a variety of ways.
As a church, we believe that our mission to serve the people of Sandhurst and area includes the provision of a sacred space for worship and prayer, and so recognise our responsibility to care for our glorious and historic building. At the same time, our mission includes serving people through the work of specialist paid staff, such as our Family Worker (whose work complements that of the Rector), retired clergy, and volunteers. This is part-funded from a Mission Fund deriving from historic donations, and we are reluctant to deplete this fund by spending it on repairs to the building. We are therefore seeking to raise additional funds through local fundraising and applying for grants so that we can attend to the urgent and necessary work to preserve the church building for future generations.
As a church, we believe that our mission to serve the people of Sandhurst and area includes the provision of a sacred space for worship and prayer, and so recognise our responsibility to care for our glorious and historic building. At the same time, our mission includes serving people through the work of specialist paid staff, such as our Family Worker (whose work complements that of the Rector), retired clergy, and volunteers. This is part-funded from a Mission Fund deriving from historic donations, and we are reluctant to deplete this fund by spending it on repairs to the building. We are therefore seeking to raise additional funds through local fundraising and applying for grants so that we can attend to the urgent and necessary work to preserve the church building for future generations.
Progress Report September 2024
The article below is from the September 2024 Newsletter
| winspire_2024_9.pdf |
Upcoming Fundraising Events
