Lighting Project Update
Installation of Our Replacement Lighting Update - 3rd July 2025
When writing the update for the July edition of the Parish News, I reported that we had reduced our funding gap to £14,000 from £38,000. By the time that edition was published we had reached full funding and the editor helpfully added a Stop Press to note this. In addition to the amazing support from you all, we made 6 grant applications to Trusts and Foundations, 4 of which were successful. We also received an anonymous donation to fund the spotlights for the roof bosses in the nave and chancel, which are not lit at present, and which were an additional, optional item. The other optional item, lighting the statues in the south and north aisles can also now be progressed.
The outline of the programme for the installation is:
Start Date – Monday 4th August. Natural England have informed us that no work can be done at ceiling level except in the west tower until Monday 15th September, due to the maternity roost of bats in the church, they visit every summer.
Target completion date – Friday 13th March 2026
Break for Christmas – Thursday 27th November or Friday 5th December, depending on progress. The contractors will leave and take their equipment with them.
Storage of equipment – all of the new light fittings will be locked away in the boiler room until they are installed. The contractor’s mobile scaffold tower will be stored at weekends, covered with sheeting, in place of two pews against the north wall of the church.
Each weekend. The church will be “handed back” to us each Friday with all equipment tidied away so that weekend services can continue normally.
Approximate more detailed programme:
4th August to 12th September: Work includes installing the control electronics in cupboards at the west end of the church, shelving out these cupboards to make space, re-cabling the choir stall lights, running a cable across the organ loft and fitting the new lights in the west tower, running a data cable across the steps at the west end of the nave.
15th September to 17th October: Fit new lighting in south and north aisles.
20th October to 27th November: Fit new lighting in the nave.
5th January to 6th February: Complete nave works if required, fit new lighting in chancel.
9th February to 6th March: Fit new lighting in north and south chapels.
9th to 13th March: Test and commission.
The existing lighting will be removed when work starts in each area and temporary lighting will be provided during the period when the new lights are being fitted.
For Christmas we may have the new lights in both the side aisles and nave with controls which are just a simple on/off switch.
For the period of the installation the following services and activities have been moved to the parish rooms: Tinies, Wednesday Morning Prayer, Wednesday 9:30am Holy Communion, and Silent Prayer.
Work will stop for funerals and weddings.
There will be a display in church from late August onwards which I will endeavour to keep up-to-date to show progress and, of course, updates on the church website and in the Parish News. If you have any questions at any time, please do not hesitate to ask.
Steve Hasler
3rd July 2025