Many of you will have noticed the scaffolding on Chollerton’s church tower which has been in place since 29th September. The long awaited restoration work has now begun thanks to your donations to the Friends of Chollerton Churches and a grant from English Heritage. James Feeley, a local joiner and cabinet maker will construct a new cradle to support a second bell which has long been incapable of being rung due to the instability of the current, unsafe structure. Masonary work is also being carried out: The parapet walling and all four pinnacles will be taken down and rebedded and strengthened in their position. The original plan was to only take two of the worst affected pinnacles down, however following professional advice, it was decided to restore all four at the same time as this would cut the cost considerably, because if two had to be dealt with at a later date, the subsequent cost for scaffolding would be too big. In addition, slaters will take down the slate roof of the boiler house and reslate it with the existing slates where possible. Weather permitting, work is scheduled to finish by the end of October. On another note, we would like you to know that the Friends of Chollerton Churches have also funded the external painting at Chollerton and at Gunnerton, which is now nearing completion.
We are forging ahead with our fundraising campaign at it is very exciting to see such progress. May we take this opportunity to once again thank everyone who has contributed so generously to this worthy cause. If anyone feels in a position to donate, however great or small, please do not hesitate to contact our treasurer John Dickinson on 01434-681404 or per email on chollerton1@gmail.com , as every little bit makes a big difference. Many thanks for all your continuous support.
Friends of Chollerton Churches 