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Heritage Roofing
Heritage roofing - maintaining our iconic buildings
The UK is home to some of the most iconic buildings in the world, from stunning churches and cathedrals to historic stately homes. Each and every one of these remarkable feats of architecture requires regular maintenance to ensure they remain in the very best condition, allowing them to be enjoyed for generations.
Cathedral Care
Restoration and upkeep of cathedrals
There are some 42 Anglican cathedrals in the UK, not to mention 20 or so Catholic cathedrals. Cathedrals form the most important collection of historic buildings in England. The largest and most ancient are internationally famous, the smallest are usually among the most significant buildings in their region and even the most recent are architectural masterpieces.
Master Craftsmen
Championing our heritage with modern craftsmanship
Twenty years ago, English Heritage (now Historic England) published its first-ever Register of Buildings at Risk across England, which featured nearly 2,000 buildings and monuments that were ‘neglected, broken and unloved’. Recently Historic England was delighted to announce that over two-thirds of those buildings were now safe, in both urban and rural areas right across the country.
Traditional Lime
Lime: it’s better for buildings – and for the environment
It is now fairly well known that cement is not good for old buildings and that lime mortar should be used. But why? What are the advantages and what are the disadvantages? In order to begin to answer those questions it is necessary to understand the nature of traditional building, the process by which buildings used to be built, and how it differs from modern construction, the process by which we build today.
Audio Visual
Audio visual equipment in church buildings
This guidance is issued by the Church Buildings Council under section 55(1)(d) of the Dioceses, Mission and Pastoral Measure 2007. As it is statutory guidance, it must be considered with great care. The standards of good practice set out in the guidance should not be departed from unless the departure is justified by reasons that are spelled out clearly, logically and convincingly.
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CRE Events
After the Midlands, onward to Milton Keynes
"CRE Midlands reminded me of the giddy days when it first began – the venue was packed with exhibitors and visitors and there was a busy atmosphere. The whole thing looked great."
Insurance
You need to ensure that reasonable precautions are in place at your church to keep it safe for those who use it. To do this, you need to think about what might cause harm to people.
You will then need to decide if the precautions already in place are adequate. If they are not, you may need to identify further action to prevent any danger. When done formally, this is known as a risk assessment.
Church Maintenance
Church maintenance and repair: Calendar of Care
Just as prevention is always better than cure, maintenance is preferable to major repairs. But, such repairs may not always be avoidable. Church Care offers a monthly guide in our coming issues Starting in Spring
We can help you understand the common problems and areas that need your special attention, and give you tips for regular maintenance schemes.
Pest Control
Michael Palin warns of pest threat to churches
Michael Palin is supporting the future of the UK’s historic churches and chapels with a voiceover for a new animated film. The 80 second animation, produced for the National Churches Trust, highlights why churches are some of the nation’s best loved buildings.
Town Halls
The history of the great Victorian Town Halls of Northern England
From industrial squalor to civic pride, the story behind some of the most impressive buildings of the North involve a unique mix of economics, grand designs and noble sentiments within communities.
Lead Roofing
Lead is one of the oldest materials in the roofing industry and is still commonly used throughout the world today.
Lead roofing is a traditional roofing method which has been used in the industry for hundreds of years, and is therefore proven to be extremely reliable. Lead roofing, and sand-cast lead, in particular is ideal for old buildings such as churches or historical renovations, whereas milled lead roofing is a mass-produced alternative, used for precision and accuracy in homes and commercial buildings alike.
Lightning Protection
When lightning strikes are you protected against this act of God?
The issue of lightning protection in churches is one that has exercised this publication for many years. In this four-part series of spotlights on the issue we will be revisiting various aspects of the subject, beginning with an overview of current thinking.
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Safeguarding sanctuary: how to control the cost of church security
Steve Holland, managing director of Somerset-based Ace Defence Ltd, has been installing church roof alarms for over 10 years. Here he offers some advice on reducing risk while keeping the costs in check.
Talking to a colleague from Ecclesiastical Insurance recently, I learned that metal theft claims have fallen dramatically in recent years. That is in part due to the work of Ecclesiastical in promoting the installation of roof alarms. But with only a small proportion of vulnerable churches protected there is still work to be done. One of the issues is often the cost, but there are ways to save money and sources of funding that can help.
Cathedral glaziers remove 145-year-old Pre-Raphaelite stained glass window for restoration
Salisbury Cathedral’s stained glass team led by Sam Kelly, head glazier and conservator, have begun the painstaking process of removing a 19th century window designed by the Pre-Raphaelite artist Sir Edward Coley Burne-Jones and designer and craftsman William Morris, 145 years after it was first installed.
Featuring two huge figurative designs - Angeli Ministrantes (Angels Ministering) and Angeli Laudantes (Angels Praising) by Burne-Jones - that sit within Morris’s elaborate acanthus leaf design that reflects the medieval grisaille or grey painted windows elsewhere in the Cathedral, the windows were not well received by the Cathedral’s clergy at the time and what should have been a series of windows by the Pre-Raphaelite duo stopped at one.
Future of Amotherby Church secured – thanks to The Yorkshire Historic Churches Trust
The Yorkshire Historic Churches Trust (YHCT) is welcoming funding applications from places of worship across the county for repair, restoration and maintenance work. Due to the generous donations and legacies received last year, the Trust is actively encouraging churches to apply for the next round of funding.
The application deadlines for 2024 are Friday 8 March for consideration at the April grants committee and Friday 23 August for consideration at the October grants committee. For guidance and how to apply please go to: www.yhct.org.uk/grants
Paramount praises new 40m Hinowa as a ‘gamechanger'
National spider lift rental specialist Paramount Platforms has become the first access hire company in the UK to take delivery of the new Hinowa 40.18 Lightlift Performance IIIS.
Access Platforms Sales (APS) has supplied the company with the tracked spider boom - now the largest in the Hinowa range, with a maximum working height of 40.2 metres.
Stella Rooflight launches ‘The Ultimate Guide To Conservation Rooflights’
Stella Rooflight has launched ‘The Ultimate Guide to Conservation Rooflights’. Authored by industry experts, the independent Guide is intended to assist those looking to specify conservation rooflights by providing a wealth of knowledge and practical insights into what can often be a complex and confusing market.
The Guide covers everything from advice on bespoke conservation rooflights, through to guidance on glazing specification, the implications of large rooflight installations, rooflight maintenance tips, guidance on planning and building regulations and much more.
Church renovation project transformed by Clement’s steel doors
Clement Windows Group has manufactured and installed a large, bespoke, striking steel door screen and feature steel window for St Paul’s Church in Ireland Wood, Leeds.
The steel screen incorporates a pair of double doors, providing light and airiness. Both the door set and the new steel window are made from Clement EB24 steel sections which include double glazed, argon-filled glass units. The fenestration is polyester powder painted RAL 7016 (Anthracite Grey) and features pull handles with satin stainless finish.
Careful conservation allows candelabra to shine again
The Church of St Michael and All Angels is in Skelbrooke, a small village to the north of Doncaster, beside the A1 trunk road. The church is listed Grade II by Historic England, with a chantry chapel recorded on the church site as early as 1338.
Some elements of a medieval church survive, including some stone arches between the chancel and chantry chapel. They were bricked up during the reformation in 1549 and are some of the few early features to survive a serious fire that destroyed much of the church building in 1870.
Important CSCS Card update from NCTS
Part of the Construction Leadership Council’s drive for a fully trained and competent workforce, the Industry Accreditation CSCS cards, which were issued through the Grandfather Rights period from 1st Jan 2020 will expire on 31st December 2024. Please note the current CSCS cards cannot be renewed.
Anyone who was issued with a CSCS card during that process, will have to consider renewing now to allow enough time to complete a formal assessment.
Luceco lights up Luttrellstown Castle
Luttrellstown Castle Resort near Dublin is a luxurious venue for elegant hospitality and entertainment, combining the original 15th century castle, 567 acres of parkland, and a championship golf course with an alpine lodge-style clubhouse. It is the perfect location not only for golf, but also for weddings, garden parties, business meetings and conferences.
Movement for Good awards is back – nominate a heritage charity
Ecclesiastical and Benefact Group’s Movement for Good Awards is back. Now in its sixth year, the awards are giving charities across the UK and Ireland the opportunity to receive £1,000.
The Movement for Good Awards will once again see more than £1million donated to good causes and from today, people can quickly and easily nominate a charity online at www.movementforgood.com.
The Movement for Good Awards has donated over £5million to charities in the UK and Ireland since the initiative started in 2019.
Steerable speakers prove the solution to intelligibility issues
The Church of St Mary and St Joseph, Poplar (pictured), is a Grade Two-listed building designed by celebrated architect Adrian Gilbert Scott as part of a project associated with the Festival of Britain. It was constructed between 1951 and 1954 and is a powerfully imposing structure.
Historians report that the building was regarded as old fashioned when it was built, but that it is now appreciated architecturally for its workmanship, materials and design. It is widely considered to be Adrian Gilbert Scott’s finest church.
Britain’s heritage attractions suffer rise in graffiti, anti-social behaviour and verbal abuse, new research finds
New research commissioned by specialist heritage insurer Ecclesiastical has revealed heritage organisations are a prime target for vandals as a third (32%) were defaced by graffiti during the past 12 months, up 9% on the previous year.
The survey of 500 heritage decision makers found a third (32%) suffered anti-social behaviour, up 3%, and three in 10 (30%) reported experiencing verbal abuse towards staff and volunteers from visitors, up 4%.
Reclaim Audio shortlisted for Festival Supplier Awards 2024
Reclaim Audio, a pioneer in socially conscious loudspeaker manufacturing and home to the groundbreaking GreenWaves solar-powered amplifier, has been named as a finalist in the prestigious Festival Supplier Awards 2024. The company is shortlisted in the Best New Product/Service of the Year category. The Festival Supplier Awards is now in its ninth year and were developed to recognise, reward and promote best practise in the outdoor event and festival sector.
Christmas services need great music!
Finding good, reliable organists or musicians for church services is becoming increasingly difficult for churches of all denominations. The Hymnal Plus is the ultimate worship music solution - an ideal digital hymnal system to fill the gap for those who have no instrument or simply want good traditional digital church music.
Are you safe working at height compliant?
The working at height regulations cover all occupations and places of work, placing duties on the employers, employees, self-employed and persons who control the work of others.They apply to every work place and all occupations, including volunteers who offer their services at ecclesiastical and heritage sites, stately homes, castles and even zoo’s.
The regulations clearly state that works must be planned, organised and carried out by a competent person.
Large audio-visual project brings big success
Set in the heart of Oxfordshire, St Mary the Virgin - a beautiful, large Grade 1* listed parish church - was a sizable project for APi Sound & Visual. The church’s presence in the town has been steadily growing, and they now have a large regular congregation both in person and online.
As with any large project, APi’s Andy Pidsley had a lot to think about when it came to designing the new audio-visual system.
Window commemorates safe delivery of endangered child
Stained glass artist Wayne Ricketts describes a commission for a window to give thanks for a miracle
I was commissioned to design a stained glass window for the Roman Catholic Church of St Sebastian and St Pancras in North West London by Andrew Agbarakwe, a worshipper who wanted to donate it to the church to give thanks for the safe delivery of his child after a difficult pregnancy. The window was to depict Blessed Cyprian Michael Iwene Tansi, a Nigerian priest and Trappist monk who was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 1998.
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