20th March 2025

Construction of the new parish and community hall continued during the first week, with large holes being dug in the car park for the foundations. Gaz, the groundwork site foreman, remarked he was very pleased the hall was being built on gravelly sand. Unlike clay which expands and contracts in the summer, gravelly sand doesn’t move. The concrete for the foundations arrived on Tuesday and was pumped in by a contractor.

After the concrete had set, the bricklayers started to lay the breeze block foundations. By the 12th March most of the foundation walls had been built and large upright steel girders had been placed to start forming the frame of the building.

The demolition of the boiler house and kitchen began on Friday with the gas being turned off and the boiler removed. A consumer unit which protected the electrical sockets on the right hand side of the church was also disconnected. This means the church is now without gas heating and working sockets on the right, porch or gallery. The roof tiles were removed, and with the rafters still in place the rose window was visible. There was surprise when a digger unfortunately cut through the mains electrical cable to the church. National Grid were called out immediately, however the power was not on in time for Stations of the Cross at 7pm, which had to take place in candlelight, with torches used to read the meditations. The power was connected later that evening.