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COVER STORY

CONTENTS Medieval Tewkesbury is steered into the digital revolution When Tewkesbury Abbey church had its lighting system replaced, the PCC also took the opportunity of commissioning a state-of-the-art sound system. The contractors chose a solution from Italian manufacturer RCF, having seen it successfully deployed in other world famous heritage buildings, including St Mark’s Basilica in Venice.

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5 Reflections

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SOUND SYSTEMS 9 Event showcases benefits of modern technology in places of worship 11 Specialist buildings need specialist audio systems 12 Tourtalk wireless audio solutions 13 RIBA Awards success for Sound Space Design 13 Flexible spaces for community gathering 14 New sound and lighting company has over 80 years experience!

14 Are you hearing the sermon twice?

NEWS 15 Aura Conservation complete re ordering project at listed church

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Cuts to heritage spending not as savage as feared More museums to gain ‘operational freedom’, free entry to remain Partnership will deliver stonemasonry NVQ Waterloo bicentenary exhibition extended Cooke Plough carefully restored Scotland’s new heritage body consults the people Report published on Clandon Park fire

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Lead industry announces its leading players And the winner is...

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FIRE 40 40 41

Fire: a major threat to life, limb and irreplaceable artefacts Advanced panels installed in historic Bath Empire Fire door assemblies – compliancy explained

BRICK 42 The importance of old fashioned brick making 43 Tradition helps brickmakers to awards success 25 26 26

Recycled lead from batteries can now be used in building Two years on from the Scrap Metal Dealers Act – what has changed?

Thefts continue, but traceability can deter

ROOFING 29 The Heritage Roofing Register propels contractor to victory 30 Heritage roofer takes top skills title 30 NFRC celebrates impressive membership milestone 31 New VMZINC roof for Grade 1-listed church on World Heritage Site

MASTER CARVERS 44 These craftspeople are a cut above the average 45 Now you can shop online for handcarved decoration STAINED GLASS 47 Stories in glass – the medieval tradition endures

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CHURCH SUPPLIES & SERVICES 33 The pinnacle of technical innovation and design in church lighting 34 Lighting up St Matthew’s 35 Introducing the Gallery Stacking Chair exclusively from Rosehill 37 Four decades of experience lead to repeat success

CRE EVENTS 38 ‘Brummegem’ provides a warm welcome for CRE Midlands 39 Onwards and upwards: CRE heads south

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Mark your event with a stained glass commission New home for scouts’ stained glass window

CHURCH & HERITAGE SUPPLIES 49 Classified Section

Richard Shepherd – Business Development Manager Advertising enquiries: Tel: 07429 516265 Email: richard@dmmonline.co.uk All other enquiries: Tel: 0161 710 3880 Fax: 0161 710 3879 • 61 Lower Hillgate, Stockport, Cheshire SK1 3AW Copyright Ecclesiastical & Heritage World. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be copied, reproduced or transmitted in any form without prior permission of Ecclesiastical & Heritage World. Views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the publisher.

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[IN ALL THE great panoply of the medieval church, there is perhaps nothing so breathtaking as the huge windows in the

cathedrals of Europe: from the sublime Rose Window of Chartres to the Great East Window of York Minster. One such marvel is the so-called Poor Man’s Bible window at Canterbury. It is named that because it depicts several Bible stories, enabling them to be conveyed to an illiterate population. Thus it was that the Gospels and the Old Testament could be communicated to those who could neither afford nor make sense of the written word.

That, at bottom, is what all the soaring architecture, magnificent artefacts and intricate decoration is all about – communicating the message.

• Being heard is a big part of that message. Clergy no longer shout from the rooftops: they are amplified and their voices must be heard in as clear a fashion as possible. That is easier to achieve in a new building than in a massive stone edifice.

So when Tewkesbury Abbey church had its lighting system replaced the PCC took the opportunity of commissioning a stateof-the-art sound system. That system is the subject of our cover story in this issue.

The contractors, Sound Advice Installations, have at the helm a leading member of the Institute of Sound and Communication Engineers, or ISCE. ISCE has in its membership the technical wizards who can transform the sound in a church, adding clarity to both speech and music. They can also advise on loop systems for the hearing impaired.

Another ISCE member is Richard Hughes of Richard King Systems. Richard recently organised an event in Chester to demonstrate the benefits of modern sound technology for places of worship.

• Sound systems are also one of the big draws in the series of Christian Resources Exhibitions held up and down the country.

The latest was a one-day, so-called ‘pop-up’ version in Eastbourne. Although it was only a one-day event, it packed a lot in.

Even more spectacular was the CRE Midlands show in Birmingham, a two-day affair. One of the highlights was a coaching session on stand-up for the clergy led by veteran TV comics Bobby Ball and Don Maclean.

The Eastbourne event was the final CRE of the year and it all starts again next May with the main event, CRE International, taking place at Excel in London.

Another of the attractions at CRE is the presence of expert heating installers. Churches are notoriously difficult and expensive to heat and the attention of a specialist installer can make all the difference. Stuart Mottram explains some of the kit involved.

• Saving energy is of course a major concern for all of us, with the Church of England having founded its own campaign – Shrinking the Footprint. It is entirely apt, then, that a major supplier of that typical church roofing material, lead, should be a leader in developing a method of recycling the lead from car batteries – which uses 85% of the metal that is produced – for use in building. ALM are, of course, also the long term sponsor of the Murdoch Award and Murdoch Sponsors Award which were announced in October.

Another ancient building material is brick, in use for around 9,000 years. Despite advances in brick production, there is still a need for traditionally-made bricks for restoration and renovation purposes, particularly among the stock of listed buildings. In the next issue of Ecclesiastical and Heritage World we will be looking in depth at this versatile building material. q

Chris Stokes

Editor, Ecclesiastical & Heritage World

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COVER STORY

Medieval Tewkesbury is steered into the digital revolution [

IN 2010, WHEN the PCC of Tewkesbury Abbey was considering the installation of an environmentally-friendly LED lighting system, it saw the opportunity simultaneously to rectify the problems it had been having with its sound system – which was becoming unreliable and unintelligible – while taking advantage of the new cabling infrastructure.

Sound Advice PA Installations Ltd, run by ISCE luminary Jon Hunnisett, submitted the successful bid and were awarded the contract.

The company are specialists in installing systems in places of worship and John based his proposal around a vertical steerable array (VSA) solution from Italian manufacturer RCF, having seen it successfully deployed in other famous heritage buildings such as St Mark’s Basilica in Venice.

The installation of the VSA installed in Tewkesbury’s Grade One-listed medieval church would be carried out under the watchful eye of the Diocesan Advisory Committee (DAC). It would have to be sensitively installed in view of the building’s long and rich heritage.

In fact, the Abbey Church of St Mary the Virgin (to use its correct name) dates back to the Normans. It is the second largest parish church in the country and a former Benedictine monastery. Although the abbey was founded in 1087 by Robert FitzHamon, kinsman of William the Conqueror and first Norman Baron of Gloucester, building of the present church did not start until 1102. It was consecrated in 1121.

Jon Hunnisett and Sound Advice PA Installations Ltd have worked on many projects with RCF: apart from installing column speakers in houses of worship they have fitted many conference systems in commercial meeting rooms and council chambers.

“They are a great company to deal with,” said Jon. “We always get excellent support, including the technical expertise in Italy to back us up.”

In this case the back-up came from an in-house project manager from RCF, who provided the measurements and analyses.

That gave the project team the acoustic background in which to design their series of VSA2050, VSA1250 and VSA850 columns – referring to the 20, 12 and 8 units in each column respectively – in a six-zone system

incorporating the main nave, choir and Lady Chapel.

In another zone – the ambulatory which runs around the perimeter behind the altar – they were supplemented by eight passive CS6940, powered by a pair of RCF UP8504 quad channel power amps. That is a column speaker system Jon has used on many occasions in the past – and which features in Westminster Abbey.

Jon Hunnisett continued: “This time around I didn't want a large number of distributed speakers with separate delays so much as minimal equipment that would provide a lot of options with more versatile delay and EQ options. I had heard VSA and knew it would tick all the boxes while still hitting the price points.”

So, in addition to the CS6940 with its high directivity, he specified a total of six of RCF’s flagship VSA2050 powered and steerable vertical array columns (four for the nave and

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two for the high altar), five VSA1250 (for the choir, the font and Lady Chapel) and a pair of VSA850, which sit under two of the larger VSAs at the sides of the aisle at the front of the nave. While the VSA2050s handle the long throw focus over a 20m distance, the VSA850s cover the near-field. The two VSA1250s, installed on pillars facing the font, provide independent local coverage for specific services.

The DAC were already aware of the power and flexibility of the preset beam patterns, as the Sound Advice team had earlier provided a VSA demonstration to the entire abbey church committee.

“We put one speaker up and they were enormously impressed,” Jon Hunnisett remembered. “As a result, the Faculty funding was immediately approved.

“The trick was to use the loudspeakers in conjunction with the excellent natural acoustics of the space to amplify the sound, rather than try to overpower the reverberation.

There are a number of attributes that make the multi-amplified RCF series – in which each VSA2050 contains 20 RCF 3.5in neodymium full-range transducers and 20 class D 50W digital amps, and so on – so impressive. Its success is based on the power of the digital signal processors, or DSPs, which process the audio signal sent to each speaker for controlling its vertical acoustic dispersion.

That enables it to address the audio signal to the listening area, rather than scattering acoustic energy to ceilings and empty floors, which creates unwanted reflections affecting speech intelligibility in buildings with high reverberation times, such as churches.

The speaker offers vertical coverage selectable within a 10°-30° range, with steering angle selectable within a 0°-40° range. Frequency response is 100Hz-18kHz, with best steerable directivity control between 150Hz-6kHz. The values measured at the end of commissioning by the RCF team, using the latest analysis software, make interesting reading.

The average STI values – which measure speech intelligibility – were recorded as: 0.57 (nave), 0.59 (choir) and 0.56 (Lady Chapel,

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ambulatory), with a 40dB background noise correction factor enabled. At the same time, the RT60, or reverb time decay, average value over different measurements on octave bands revealed 4.85 secs at 125Hz, 4.63 secs (250Hz), 4.44 secs (500Hz), 4.18 secs (1KHz), 3.36 secs (2KHz), 2.08 secs (4KHz) and 0.94 secs (8KHz).

When it came to the visual impact of the system, the decision had already been taken to leave the speakers in factory finish white, rather than apply a custom stone finish that would see them disappear into the stone columns on which they were mounted. The same was not true of the cable runs, on 12-metre drops from the triforium above. They have been painted to blend invisibly into the background.

Those physical demands were nothing, however, compared to the challenges of providing highly sophisticated control that could nevertheless be managed intuitively from a remote Crestron interactive touch tablet. Even clergy in a medieval abbey are nowadays expected to sign up to the iPad/ remote tablet generation.

All the controls are housed in a remote 32U rack, with the architecture based around three Symetrix DSP Radius digital 12x8 matrix

devices, giving 36 input channels (including CD player and recorder) and feeding 24 output channels. That issues relay commands via the processor.

As Jon Hunnisett explained: “There was not a manual slider available which would meet the requirement, so we spent 10 days programming all the zones so the matrix could be controlled over wi-fi, with individual input control and volume control for the outputs.”

For the speaker coverage it is simple, as graphic representations of each zone appear on the tablet, clearly showing masked areas that can be selected for sound coverage, depending on the service rota.

“For example,” explained Jon, “for the Lady Chapel the remote touch screen would tell the DSP to access certain outputs as required.

Behind the scenes a lot of programming has taken place to achieve this.”

The iPad also contains an app for the radio mics so that the control panel will show whether any of the five lapel mics are muted or not, as well as the status of the rechargeable batteries. Those radio mics are complemented by two condenser microphones – for the lectern and pulpit – hardwired to the equipment rack.

An audio feed is also sent to the new induction loop system, but as RCF’s Phil Price notes: “Some people may be reluctant to use aids, even though they may be hard of hearing, but now they can hear every word of the sermon. Another interesting fact about the new sound reinforcement system is that if there is choral music at low level, the sound appears to come from the choir itself rather than from the speakers.”

At the survey stage Jon Hunnisett realised that the pillars down the nave tilted slightly and he had to decide whether to follow the line of the pillars with the steerable columns or take a true vertical approach, which he eventually opted for with the aid of a laser level.

He could scarcely be happier with the implementation. “The new set-up offers twoway interactivity – and with all the DSP preprogrammed and the beam steering computer optimised by the RCF specialists, anyone who can tap a button can now use this.” q

Event showcases benefits of modern technology in places of worship [IT DOESN’T SEEM long since the norm in churches was either a very basic

sound system or no audio assistance at all. With technology advancing at an ever increasing pace, so is the appetite and expectation for harnessing the potential benefits technology can provide.

Held on 4th November, at the Abode Hotel in Chester, Church Sound Chester was arranged by Richard King Systems with the aim of showcasing the potential benefits of modern technology in places of worship. The wide range of technologies covered on the day included: • Professional audio – great sound for every seat in your church • Audio loop systems – loop system assessors approved by ISCE • Audio visual – another powerful tool for communicating in the worship environment • Digital hymnal – a solution to regular and reliable hymn accompaniment • Acoustic treatments – for areas with poor acoustics and high reverberation • Digital signage – communicating visually can be a powerful tool • Stage and architectural lighting – for performance areas or architectural purposes There was host of information available with the aim of bringing these differing fields of technology together in one environment for existing and potential clients.

Visitors attended from across Cheshire, Merseyside and North Wales with the benefits of engaging with an ISCE member being given ‘front of stage exposure’ Building on the advantages of keeping industry standards high, audio enquiries were covered in detail by ISCE members Richard and John Hughes. In addition to their ISCE membership, the ‘Hughes brothers’ are also registered on the ISCE Hearing Loop Assessment Scheme and so loop discussions were appropriately expert in content.

As well as one to one consultations at the event, bespoke sound demonstrations were also provided and visitor feedback was very positive… “It was good to meet up with you on Wednesday, we all had a great time,” and “It was ideal to see your equipment in one place, and have the opportunity to experience it. My wife was particularly taken by the Hymnal!”, were just two of the comments.

Speaking to Ros Wigmore, ISCE secretariat manager, after the event Richard said: “Membership of ISCE is definitely an aid for prospective clients in evaluating who to engage for their audio requirements.”

Richard King Systems have over twenty five years experience in sound system installations and an extensive portfolio of successful projects, including refurbishments and new build, completed on time and within budget. A recent customer reported: “Our system is proving to be an excellent investment in resources.”

Their ethos of team work and co-operation creates dividends in their ability to respond to clients’ needs and interpret requirements to create bespoke, yet cost effective solutions.

Blending aesthetic constraints with the capabilities of modern technology and a wealth of experience working in ecclesiastical and heritage buildings, Richard King Systems are frequently the preferred audio and visual partner. q • For further information on how your project could benefit from involvement with Richard King Systems tel 01691 661161 or visit www.richardkingsystems.co.uk.

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Specialist buildings need specialist audio systems [ANY ARCHITECTURALLY OR

acoustically demanding building which requires sound or communication systems needs input from experienced audio specialists to ensure the right products and design input are incorporated into a new or upgraded system.

Members of the Institute of Sound and Communications Engineers (ISCE) are professionals from the field of audio – especially public address, voice alarm, sound system, audio frequency induction loop system, audio-video or acoustics – who maintain a code of conduct in professional activities.

Membership includes consultants, manufacturers and specialist installers who are all able to engage with an end user or their architectural advisors to develop and deliver solutions in even the most demanding of buildings. Contact with members in most areas of the UK is available via its website or the secretariat.

As a learned society, the institute is keen to share their knowledge and expertise with others working in the industry and offers a wide and varied programme of training courses for both members and non-members, from beginners to advanced, with the focus of the training on important technical and standards issues.

The organisation also arranges an annual event ISCEx, which next year is returning to the picturesque rural location of Coombe Abbey, outside Coventry, and will bring consultants, specifiers, installers and manufacturers together, under one roof. Following the AGM during the afternoon of Tuesday 8 March with a networking dinner and entertainment in the evening, the exhibition and seminars will take place on Wednesday 9 March 2016. q • Further information about ISCE members and their services, ISCEx2016 or the Institute’s training programme, please contact Ros Wigmore on 0118 954 2175, email ros@isce.org.uk or visit www.isce.org.uk.

The audio-visual and sound system at Christ Church in Thame, Oxfordshire was installed by ISCE member Brian Latham of Electronic Audio Systems Ltd www.ecclesiasticalandheritageworld.co.uk

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Tourtalk wireless audio solutions [TOURTALK IS A portable short-range wireless system used to

transmit an audio message from a presenter to an audience. The presenter speaks into a radio microphone transmitter and the audience use lightweight receivers to hear the message. Tourtalk systems are used by places of worship and heritage sites around the UK and abroad.

As the system is completely portable it requires no installation and can be set up within minutes with no impact to the building’s aesthetics. As the receivers don’t rely on line-of-sight transmission, the system can be used discreetly and cover large areas, including balconies. Tourtalk systems are used for many applications including guided tours, hearing support and simultaneous interpretation.

Guided tours The Tourtalk system is used to ensure a tour guide can be heard by their tour group, whether inside a cathedral or outdoors at a historical site. The guide can speak at a comfortable level into a lapel microphone connected to the transmitter. The visitors are each issued with a receiver and headphones.

They can then adjust their own volume to hear the guide’s voice. As each transmitter and receiver is supplied with a belt-clip and lanyard, the system can be used hands-free.

Not only does the Tourtalk system help to keep the group focused on what is being said, it reduces the strain on the guide’s voice.

The guide can also connect a smartphone to the transmitter to play a pre-recorded commentary about the site’s history.

Hearing support Tourtalk systems can be used to assist hard-of-hearing people who struggle to hear a message due to distance, background noise or poor acoustics.

To assist any members of the audience who are hard-of-hearing, an audio output from a sound system can feed a stationary transmitter.

The hard-of-hearing person is then issued with a lightweight bodypack

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receiver with either a neck loop (to work in conjunction with their hearing aid on the ‘T’ program) or an earphone. The individual can then adjust their personal volume to a comfortable level.

These systems are ideal for venues that require a portable solution as they can be quickly and easily set up with a temporary sound system for each event.

Simultaneous Interpretation Simultaneous interpretation is becoming more common for organisations due to the increase in international guests visiting heritage sites and multi-cultural places of worship.

The Tourtalk system can be set up within minutes of arriving at a venue, and can accommodate up to twelve different interpreters (languages).

Interpreters can be used to enable members of the congregation to hear the preacher’s message in their mother tongue. Each interpreter is issued with a bodypack transmitter and microphone, they then listen to the preacher and interpret what is said into their assigned language. The sensitive headband microphone allows the interpreter to whisper the message, so as not to strain their voice or disturb other people in the vicinity.

The members of the congregation who require interpretation are each issued with a bodypack receiver and earphone before the service. They then select the appropriate channel for their language and adjust their personal volume.

The Tourtalk system has forty channels (twelve of which can be used simultaneously) and a range of up to 120m. The system can be operated licence-free anywhere within the EU. q • Tourtalk™ is a registered trademark of ISCE member Sound Induction Systems Ltd, a family business who have been trading since 1986. For more information please visit www.tourtalksystem.com.

RIBA Awards success for Sound Space Design [SOUND SPACE DESIGN are proud to

have acted as acoustic consultant on two RIBA award winning projects this year.

Island Pavilion and Bridge at Wormsley Estate, with architect Robin Snell and Partners, won in the South Region. The pavilion (below) will be used for entertaining during the summer months of opera, including dining, receptions, art exhibitions and music recitals. Sound Space Design provided room acoustics advice and performance planning services.

In the London Region, The Light at Euston | Friends House (below right), a refurbishment of the headquarters of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) in Britain, won a RIBA Award.

Completed in 1926 and winning a RIBA bronze medal for architect Hubert Lidbetter, the building is now Grade II listed and comprises over 6,000 square metres of accommodation.

The largest space in the building – the Large Meeting House, now open as standalone venue The Light – seats over 1,000 and was designed to host the four-day Britain Yearly Meeting held two years out of three. The space is also used by numerous Quaker committees as well as commercial hires to mainly public and third sector organisations.

Together with the architect and Anne Minors Performance Consultants, Sound Space Design developed a refurbishment scheme for the Large Meeting House that better suits the needs of Quaker worship, conference and performance use while also improving accessibility and sustainability.

The acoustical goals included very low background noise, good speech intelligibility

for both un-amplified and amplified events, and negligible disturbance from outside noise - particularly traffic noise from Euston Road outside, rain noise on the roof light and from other activities within the multi-use building. The acoustical impact of the large pyrimidal ceiling was tamed with careful choice of form, build-up and material specification.

Having won a RIBA medal in 1926, it is especially apt that the refurbished building won again in the 2015 RIBA Awards for the London Region. q

Flexible spaces for community gathering [

IN THIS FORTHCOMING series of articles Sound Space Design will be looking at how increased flexibility of lighting, acoustics, seating, audio and video in worship spaces can generate more community participation and additional income streams.

Churches are often the biggest gathering space in a community, village or town and are the centre of social life. They are therefore used for many more kinds of activities other than worship and Sunday school, including: • music – orchestra, community choir, recitals and rehearsals • meetings and political hustings • community drama performances • book groups and hobby groups • lectures and screenings However, a single, inflexible space will struggle to provide appropriate acoustics, lighting and seating for such a wide variety of uses. Indeed, some of these uses might be avoided because the space available makes it too hard or unsatisfactory. For instance lectures may not be enjoyed in a church that has too much echo or reverberation.

With an adaptable space and flexible technical systems, the church can better support the requirements of each event, leading to higher quality, more engagement and greater participation.

For example, for worship during the morning, the priorities might be full seating with the acoustics and sound system tailored for excellent speech intelligibility and lighting appropriate for reading music and quiet reflection. While for an evening orchestra performance, a lively acoustic system with artistic lighting would be preferable. Flexible systems enable the function of the space to be changed while maintaining its unique character.

In future issues these articles will look at case studies where inexpensive, flexible systems have increased the quality of events for the benefit of the community. q • Sound Space Design is a studio specialising in the design of acoustics, seating, audio and video for performing arts, education, worship and heritage buildings. For more information visit the website at www.soundspacedesign.co.uk.

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New sound and lighting company has over 80 years experience! [

EXHIBITING FOR THE first time at the recent CRE Midlands event were a new company in the sound and light arena – new in name but with over 80 years experience in the industry!

In February this year Northern Stage Services acquired Lancelyn Theatre Supplies and Lancelyn Lighting to create National Stage Technology – a UK-wide stage, sound and lighting solutions provider. Northern Stage Services, Lancelyn Theatre Supplies and Lancelyn Lighting have between them over 80 years’ experience in the industry with an enviable reputation in the market place.

Northern Stage Services built its reputation on its creative flair and wealth of experience working on large, specialist projects across theatres, education, hotel and leisure and local authority buildings. Established in 1980 it has become one of the UK’s fastest growing stage, sound and lighting solutions providers.

Lancelyn was established in 1970 when founder Scirard Lancelyn-Green purchased redundant dimmers from Alexandra Palace – once home to the BBC news studios. It soon became a premier retailer and installer of theatre and stage supplies across the southern regions of the UK. We will be looking at some of the new company’s projects in our next issue, but for further information in the meantime visit www.national-stage.co.uk. q

Are you hearing the sermon twice?

[MANY PEOPLE DO hear the sermon twice because of echo and

reverberation. In reverberant churches it is sometimes impossible to really hear what the preacher is actually saying but, fear not, often there is an electronic solution to the problem.

Middlesex-based Christian Fabrications Ltd use expensive test equipment to determine the acoustic properties of the building and then install equipment, a 31 band graphic equaliser, to neutralise the frequencies at which the church is resonating.

Managing director Geoffrey Yates explains: “Often we will say to a priest that ‘we need to find out what your church is doing to our sound’. Frequently the existing main amplifier can be retained – not only does this ‘operation’ substantially improve clarity but it also reduces feedback.”

Since October 2004 it has been mandatory for all buildings, including churches, to install induction loop systems and this is another field in which Christian Fabrications excel as Geoffrey Yates, a BBC trained engineer, is himself hearing impaired.

In the last 42 years Christian Fabrications have installed nearly 7,000 systems and would be very pleased to include your church on their long list of very satisfied clients. q • For further information please call Geoffrey Yates on his direct line 020 8482 5948 or visit www.christianfabricationsltd.co.uk.

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Aura Conservation complete re-ordering project at listed church

[IN OCTOBER, Stockport based Aura Conservation completed Phase 2

of a ÂŁ365k contract as principal contractor to carry out internal re-ordering works to the Grade I Listed Church of All Saints in Winterton, Lincolnshire.

Aura completed Phase 1 in October 2014, which included roofing repairs

and consisted of a new roof to the south aisle, south tansept, vestry and north porch. 40% of the old roof was stripped and new replacement felt, battens and insulation was installed to the existing rafters. This was followed by re-slating in Westmoreland Burlington Slate and the replacement of old rainwater goods to include new cast iron gutters, downpipes and brackets.

Phase 1 included emergency masonry repairs to 30% of the plinth course and stabilisation of the south transept tracery window.

Phase 2 consisted of the removal of wooden pews to create a spacious community area. The majority of the work involved the formation of a new heritage room with reinstatement of doorways, clergy vestry and parish room along with the construction of a new mezzanine floor with oak soffit within the bell tower to replace the previously old and unsafe gantry.

The ancient stone flooring was taken up and replaced with a sub-base of breathable limecrete, encasing a new, long awaited under floor heating system followed by a newly laid Ancaster weather bed limestone paving to complete the floor to 75% of the church. Two of the three newly created rooms have a new underfloor heating system and all three were laid with a new engineered oak flooring to the architect’s specifications.

Half of the perished internal lime plaster was removed and new lime plastering carried out to the vast majority of the church to include the nave, tower, parish room and heritage room.

The majority of the project was funded by HLF with partnership funding making up any shortfalls, from a variety of funding organisations. q

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Cuts to heritage spending not as savage as feared [THE CHANCELLOR’S Autumn Spending

Review confirmed that the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) will face a cut of 5% in real terms to its funding. In the context of cuts to other departmental budgets, the result was described as ‘excellent’.

As a consequence, Historic England – an ‘arm’s length’ body of DCMS – will see a cut of approximately £2.2m, or around 10%, to its baseline in the four years to 2020. Responding to the news, its chief executive Duncan Wilson said: “The government has recognised the significance of Historic England’s role in caring

for our spectacular historic environment, and we are grateful for this. We fully appreciate that we have been given some protection in comparison to many other public sector bodies.

“We can’t afford to lose the momentum that the launch of Historic England has created.

A 10% cut is not an insignificant challenge, and other aspects of today’s news will create further challenges for us as we care for the historic environment during a time of change.

But public recognition and support for our mission is high, and we intend to press on with

vital initiatives to increase our impact.

“This settlement will enable us to support the English Heritage Trust during its first years of operation, while it becomes financially selfsufficient. This is very welcome news.

“We will also ensure, for the future, that the immense value of heritage is fully recognised in the national growth and renewal agenda.

With our many partners and supporters, we will ensure that the buildings and places we all care about play their part in England’s future.” q

More museums to gain ‘operational freedom’, free entry to remain [ IN ITS STATEMENT on the Spending Review, the DCMS

announced the extension of the ‘operational freedoms’ for national museums announced in the 2013 Spending Review, which are to be made permanent.

The measures, which allow a number of national museum institutions to manage their own staff pay, procurement and financial management, are to be extended to the British Film Institute, the National Army Museum, the National Museum of the Royal Navy, the Royal Air Force Museum, Historic England and the Churches Conservation Trust.

The Chancellor also announced that funding for museums and galleries will be maintained so they remain free to the public. A pot of £5m will go to Manchester Museum to create a new South Asia gallery in partnership with the British Museum.

According to the DCMS statement: “This measure enables these important institutions to become more self-sufficient and continue providing efficient and high quality services.”

Secretary of State John Whittingdale declared: “This is an excellent settlement that highlights the great contribution of our sectors in creating jobs and helping grow the economy.

“Our national museums will remain free to enter and we will continue to preserve our cherished heritage sites for generations.” q

Manchester Museum is set to receive £5m for a new gallery

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Partnership will deliver stonemasonry NVQ [

STONETRAIN, the training division of Stone Federation GB, has announced a new partnership with the Building Crafts College in Stratford, East London, for delivery of the Specialist Apprentice Programme (SAP) Heritage Skills Level 3 in stonemasonry.

Developed by a number of natural stone heritage, conservation and repair experts, the SAP involves 20 days of off-site training delivered on a day-release basis. For CITB registered companies the programme is fully grant funded. Companies do not have to be levy payers to qualify for funding support and upon achievement of the L3 NVQ successful candidates will be eligible to apply for a CSCS Advanced Craft Gold Card.

The training embraces a wide range of subjects, including the historical background to the materials, tools, equipment and techniques used on stone buildings dating from Roman times through to the present day. Included are the causes of decay to stone and mortar and the failure of stonework, and the appropriate methods of undertaking sympathetic repairs.

Off-the-job training sessions are combined with employer-led, supervised on-the-job practical application of the knowledge gained. Candidates will gain comprehensive knowledge of building conservation, repair and restoration. The training modules will be flexible to facilitate the on-the-job demands of the employer’s core work.

In addition to the 20-day SAP, Building Crafts College will be able to offer two specialist upskilling programmes, one of five days and a second of 10 days. q

• For more information contact Ian Major at StoneTrain, ian.major@stonetrain.org.uk, or Nigel Gilkison at the Building Crafts College nigel.gilkison@thebcc.ac.uk.

Waterloo bicentenary exhibition extended [

ENGLISH HERITAGE HAS announced that it has extended the duration of its Waterloo 1815 – The Battle for Peace exhibition at Wellington Arch, installed to mark the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo. The exhibition was due to close in November, but because of its popularity has been extended until 24 March 2016.

Since opening in April, the exhibition has seen over 41,000 visitors and its popularity doesn’t appear to be waning. It tells the story of the build-up, events and aftermath to one of the most important battles in English and European history: the Battle of Waterloo.

Objects on display include the sword the Duke of Wellington carried at Waterloo, his handwritten battle orders on scraps of vellum and an original pair of ‘Wellington boots’. The leather boots that Wellington had custom-made for campaigning were much admired and imitated. Adapted over the years to new materials, they remain popular today.

English Heritage’s Josephine Oxley, Keeper of the Wellington Collection at Apsley House and Wellington Arch, said: “Wellington Arch – the monument to the Duke and his famous victory – is the perfect venue in which to tell the story of Waterloo and explore its significance and its legacy. We are glad to have welcomed so many visitors to see this fascinating exhibition and are pleased to extend the closing date so that even more people can see it.” q

Cooke Plough carefully restored

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EARLIER THIS YEAR Shrewsbury-based Heritage Project Contracts were appointed by the Lincolnshire Museum of Rural Life to undertake the careful cleaning and conservation of a locally important plough, manufactured by John Cooke & Son, that had survived in an original, unrestored condition.

It was cleaned to remove loose corrosion layers back to a sound surface, preserving all the original surviving paint layers, before being protected with a layer of microcrystalline wax. It was then returned to the museum for display.

John Cooke & Son were noted manufacturers of horse drawn ploughs based in Lincoln and the museum has a number of ploughs attributed to Cooke in their collection. Based in the listed former barracks built for the Royal North Lincoln Militia, it houses a comprehensive social history collection celebrating the culture of Lincolnshire since 1750. q • For further information on the comprehensive conservation service offered by Heritage Project Contracts visit the website at www.heritageprojectconracts.com. www.ecclesiasticalandheritageworld.co.uk

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Scotland’s new heritage body consults the people [

ON 1 OCTOBER a new lead body for Scotland’s heritage – Historic Environment Scotland (HES) – came into existence, bringing together Historic Scotland and The Royal Commission on Ancient and Historical Monuments Scotland.

The new body has over 300 properties in its care, ranging from Edinburgh Castle to hidden gems up and down the country, as well as extensive archives and collections. Its employees have skills ranging from conservation to aerial surveying, allowing the new body to play a key role in helping to deliver Jane Ryder OBE, chair of HES Scotland’s first ever Historic Environment Strategy, Our Place in Time.

HES has launched a public consultation on its proposed corporate plan. The consultation will run until the week commencing 8 February.

Commenting on the consultation, the chair of HES, Jane Ryder OBE, said: “The historic environment is a living, breathing part of the fabric of Scotland and as Scotland’s new lead public heritage body Historic Environment Scotland touches people’s lives in many different ways, whether you are one of more than three million annual visitors to an HES attraction or one of the 60,000 people who work in the sector.”

Fiona Hyslop, Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Europe and External Affairs, commented: “The historic environment lies at the heart of our cultural identity and plays a key role in defining who we are and our place in the world. As well as being central to telling the story of our nation, the historic environment already helps to support more than 60,000 jobs, contributes well over £2 billion a year to Scotland’s economy, and contributes to the wellbeing of our communities.

“Scotland’s heritage belongs to everyone, and this consultation gives people all over the country a chance to shape how our new heritage body, Historic Environment Scotland, will work over the next three years.” q

Report published on Clandon Park fire [

THE NATIONAL TRUST has commented on the report published by Surrey Fire and Rescue Service into the cause of the fire at its Clandon Park property.

The Trust announcement said: “The fire broke out at our 18th century mansion Clandon Park, near Guildford, Surrey, on 29 April 2015.

Trained staff evacuated all visitors safely and noone was injured. A well-rehearsed salvage plan enabled a significant number of valuable items to be saved from the collection.

“Investigators have concluded that the fire was accidental and the probable cause was a defect in an electrical distribution board located in a cupboard in the basement.

“None of our staff would have been able to identify this as a potential issue. The fault had not been detected during a number of previous professional checks by electricians.”

The Trust went on to describe how the fire had spread from the basement through the lift shaft, voids and into the roof. The wind blew the fire from one side of roof to the other, which then burned down to the floors below, causing damage to 95% of the house. q

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Lead industry announces its leading players [

AT THE BEGINNING of October the Lead Contractors Association announced the winners of its two prestigious awards for leadwork.

The Murdoch Award and Murdoch Sponsors Award are presented each year in recognition of the very best in leadwork design and installation, carried out by the specialist members of the LCA. The presentation took place during a dinner at the Fawsley Hall Hotel near Daventry. Chair LCA consultant Ian Harvey (left) receives the Murdoch Sponsors Award on behalf of Leadwise Contracts Ltd of the judging panel was the man for the tile replacement leadwork at Stormont Castle, Northern Ireland who inspired the awards, Richard the design and workmanship that was evident throughout each project.

Murdoch, long-time technical officer of the LCA. Leadwise Contracts were then declared the winners of the Murdoch Richard paid tribute to the very high standard of the entries for the 2015 Sponsors Award 2015 for Stormont Castle in Northern Ireland. competition. He noted that this year there had not been any large-scale, A description of the project said: “In a role reversal of recent trends, lead extravagantly decorated entries which might have stood out and distracted sheet replaced a failing stepped tile design in a project that relied heavily the judges, so all entries were subjected to particularly close scrutiny, down upon close teamwork between the architect and the traditional crafts.” to the very fine details, in order to Martin Cahalan of Leadwise expressed the company’s delight in being determine the deserved winners. involved in a project on such an iconic landmark. The work itself was on the He again thanked Associated front sloping pediments and was necessitated by a longstanding failing in the Lead Mills for continuing their existing stepped tiling arrangement. long-standing sponsorship of the Turning to the Murdoch Award, Richard noted the presence of two quality Murdoch Award, in support of the leadwork ‘heavyweights’ who regularly reached the finalist stage. They were LCA’s quality standard ethic. All D Blake & Co (twice previous winners) and Norman & Underwood. Up the main Murdoch Award finalists against them this time was Lead-Tech Roofing, who in 2013 had won the were hosted by Associated Lead Sponsors Award and were now going after the main prize.

Mills for the evening as part of their Again, he said that the projects were not eye-catchingly spectacular, with sponsorship.

SWG Roofing Ltd were Sponsors the focus more on precision detailing and consistent setting out, but in all He also thanked them for Award finalists for this dome and cases completed with fine workmanship. their foresight in introducing the spire on top of a glass lantern at While the judges had applauded the unusual pitched roofing over a thick Murdoch Sponsors Award in 2006 a private house in Esher stone substrate at Borthwick Castle by D Blake & Co and the work carried out for projects under five tonnes, which had since given some of the smaller LCA members the chance for wider recognition.

The Sponsors Award was presented first. The shortlisted projects were a dome with unusual weatherings from N Lee & Son, the tile replacement leadwork at Stormont Castle by Leadwise and a dome and spire from SWG Roofing. Richard again commended the consistently high standard of both

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And the winner is...

[LEAD-TECH ROOFING of Surrey were named as winners of

Paul Mulry of Lead-Tech Roofing Ltd with the Murdoch Award

by Norman and Underwood on the flat roof at Staunton Harold Church, in their unanimous view it was the large flat and pitched roofing and cladding project completed by Lead-Tech Roofing at Ryger House in London that deserved to be the winner of the 2015 Murdoch Award.

Barry Smith, managing director of Associated Lead Mills, expressed his delight that this year’s awards in both categories had featured ‘new blood’ challenging the more established LCA members.

“It’s great to see new faces coming through for these awards,” he said.

“Not only does it show that anyone stands a chance of being a finalist or even winning if their work is good enough, but also that the craft of working with lead is alive and well and in very good hands.”

Both winners will be presented to the wider roofing industry next May N Lee & Son were Murdoch at the UK Roofing Awards, when LCA Sponsors Award finalists for awards will feature alongside the full their work on the dome at range of roofing categories. q St John’s Church, Oxfordshire

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the Murdoch Award 2015 for this large flat and pitched roofing and cladding project at Ryger House in Mayfair, central London.

The company were appointed, through the main contractor 800 Group Ltd, to install all the roof timbers and new code 6 lead to the crown flat roof, the 70 degree mansard roof and the vertical sections, including code 6 lead to dormers and associated flashings.

A factor which helped the company secure the contract was that, as members of the Lead Contractors Association, they could offer the LCA 25 Year Guarantee on workmanship and materials. q

Recycled lead from batteries can now be used in building [LEAD’S HERITAGE AS a product at the

heart of UK construction is beyond doubt and its place as a roofing, flashing, rainscreen and heritage material is secure.

Perhaps surprisingly, however, around twice as much material is used in contemporary architecture and housebuilding as in conservation and restoration.

For all types of project, however, long design life, sustainability and the metal’s malleability are all elements in its favour, enabling it to be used for the most intricate detailing and decorative ornamentation.

Lead enjoys an enviable record in terms of recycling and embodied energy, to the extent that it has a BRE Green Guide A+ rating. Even so, in terms of the route to market for rolled lead sheet, the existence of a British Standard – BS EN 12588 – means that supply and procurement has traditionally been commodity driven and while the Standard provides a defined measure of quality, it doesn’t differentiate between the sources of the raw material or the proportion of recycled material used.

Scrap lead recovered from building projects is straightforward to recycle, but the process is more complex in other industries. That is particularly so with car batteries, for which the economics of lead’s extraction are far less favourable – although disposal facilities are becoming more widespread. To put some perspective on the problem, lead accounts for less than 58% of a battery, but around 80% of lead produced worldwide is used in their production. Building projects account for just 6%.

Traditionally, therefore, the tonnage of unrecoverable material sent to landfill has been and seemed set to continue to pose a huge problem for local authorities. Thankfully, that need no longer be the case, due to an initiative by Envirowales – a company within the 2iM Group – which not only reuses lead from batteries but recovers around 96% of their constituent parts. That includes its casing and electrolyte fluid (mainly sulphuric acid).

The ‘splitting’ process extracts metal solids, sulphurised paste and polypropylene, leaving only polyethylene – which accounts for around 4%. That, too, is the focus of a research programme to find a viable means of reprocessing it.

For the rest, desulphurisation enables sodium sulphate salt to be extracted for use as a bulking agent in detergents, glass manufacture and even animal feed under a Feed Materials Assurance Scheme (FEMAS).

With the high demand for construction products which demonstrate high sustainability, 2iM and Envirowales have taken the unprecedented step of marketing their Envirolead brand as a specifiable product.

Envirolead carries all of the benefits of standard rolled lead and is manufactured no differently; but, crucially, it has an unprecedented chain of custody and no reliance on ore extraction. For the first time, that gives architects an opportunity to capitalise on one of the most efficient forms of recycling, while guaranteeing that the product chosen has the lowest possible environmental impact.

The scale of extraction is large, with batches of 300 batteries (around 4 tonnes) being used in a process which eliminates any risk of ground or air contamination. Reclaimed material is smelted and refined along with mill waste and scrap and then cast into slabs for the production of rolled lead sheet. As well as providing lead for use in construction, the resulting material is supplied to Royston Specialist Cast – another 2iM company – for the production of sash weights, lead bricks, radiation shields for nuclear and medical environments, ballast and even ammunition.

Envirolead is supplied to those industries, in addition to a nationwide network of builders’ and roofing merchants, through 2iM Group distribution centres operated by Associated Lead Mills Ltd and Jamestown Metals Ltd. The recycling of lead enables the metal to be produced using only around one third of the energy needed to produce from ore.

Around 20% of existing demand is still supplied as new lead, but as car production worldwide is forecast to continue its upward trend, current energy saving projections are likely to be exceeded. Specification clauses for Envirolead are already available through National Building Specification’s NBS Plus resource and a CPD presentation has been produced to highlight the benefits of specifying lead manufactured exclusively from such a tightly controlled resource.

With an almost limitless supply of batteries for re-use, the supply chain for lead’s role in construction is set for a major and what seems likely to be a permanent shift, for the benefit of the environment. q • 2iM (International Industrial Metals) is an umbrella company formed by a number of established businesses to provide customers with a total supply package for lead and other metals.

The constituent companies include Associated Lead Mills Ltd (ALM), which supplies lead sheet to specialist leadworking companies and sponsors the LCA’s Murdoch Award and Murdoch Sponsors Award. For further information call 01942 444100 or visit the website at www.associatedlead.co.uk. www.ecclesiasticalandheritageworld.co.uk

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Two years on from the Scrap Metal Dealers Act – what has changed?

[OCTOBER SAW THE second anniversary of the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013. The Act was introduced as a result of a Private Members Bill, itself a direct response to the level of metal theft taking place at that time, estimated to have been costing as much as £770m per year.

At the height of the offending, the theft of live trackside cabling from the rail network was causing significant transport delays and having impacts far beyond that network. In addition, emotive items such as plaques from war

memorials and public art were being pilfered.

The Government pledged £5m to a special Metal Theft Task Force – a proactive unit led by the British Transport Police which co-ordinated multi-agency activity across the country. Best practice was rolled out in the shape of Operation Tornado and scrutiny fell onto the recycling industry, where some had shown scant regard for the origins of the metal they were buying.

It is generally accepted that a major driver behind metal theft is a willingness by some

to buy stolen metal for profit. Traceability of both the metal asset and the transaction often thwarted criminal investigations and the 2013 Act has certainly helped with the latter if not the former. Removing the ability to reward thieves with cash is seen as a major benefit by all but a few within the recycling industry. The legitimate market has shown an ability to adapt and compliance is seen as a positive element in conducting an ethical business.

Thefts continue, but traceability can deter [DESPITE THE UNDOUBTED success

having to find new and creative sources of of the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013, there revenue.” is an on-going problem with the theft of Lead has been used as a roofing lead from church roofs. In October it was material for millennia. On a historic reported that no fewer than 12 churches building it is often a major feature, having in Suffolk alone had suffered lead theft a visual impact on the local environment between July and September. and streetscape. It is also a ‘green’ The thefts were reported by Trace-inmaterial, with a long lifetime, low carbon Metal, the Yorkshire-based company that footprints and almost 100% recyclability. supplies an innovative method of marking “Keeping the lead on the roof is clearly metal. the preferred solution,” says John Minary, The company commented: “This might managing director of Trace-in-Metal. not set the alarm bells ringing if compared Fixing lead sheets to the substructure to the frequency with which lead was is not easy, as the metal expands and The roof of St Peter’s and St Paul’s in Lavenham stripped of stolen before the introduction of the Act, contracts with changing temperatures. its lead – photo courtesy of church warden Graham Pattrick but for the communities around the local Having volunteers keeping vigil over the church it is a serious and sad situation. If a church has not installed a roof church and its lead during night-time is unrealistic. Villagers in Stratford alarm, insurance pay-outs are capped at £7,000, which in most cases kept watch over St Mary’s for five nights – when neighbours were away on covers only a small part of the repair costs.” the sixth, the thieves moved in.

Among the victims, St Mary’s Church in Stratford had most of the lead The effectiveness of a roof alarm depends on the response time of a taken from the roof of the nave and over 34 bays. The replacement cost is security company or the police. Travelling time to a rural church could estimated at £25,000 - £35,000. Lead with a scrap value of £3,000 was mean that both lead and thieves have long gone by the time protection stolen from the medieval Church of St Mary in Combs – repairs here will arrives. take up to five years and will cost in the region of £150,000.

As the company explained: “Once unmarked lead has left its home it is Only when rainwater started gushing down the walls of St Peter’s and almost impossible for law enforcement agencies to prove its provenance.

St Paul’s in Lavenham did the congregation realise that the lead of their Legislation in the form of the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013 has been of church roof had been taken. The hard work to raise funds is now underway little help to the parishes that have been targeted recently.” to pay for new lead, at an estimated cost of over £10,000.

The innovative solution offered by Trace-in-Metal seeks to keep the It is not only Suffolk churches that have been targeted. Trace-in-Lead lead on the roof. By infusing existing lead with coded markers that survive reported that, in Northamptonshire, between nine and 12 tonnes of lead meltdown, the lead can be traced back to source throughout the metal’s was stolen from the roof of St Mary's Church at Great Bringham, with All recycling ‘food chain’. Marker-specific installation data is kept on a Saints’ Church in Lilbourne having a similar quantity removed. At Holy secure database which can be accessed by the police. The Trace-in-Metal Trinity in Darlington the priest in charge, the Venerable Nick Barker, slept in protection system provides alerts to scrap metal dealers should any thefts of the church for a fortnight to provide added security in case thieves attacked marked lead take place in their area, giving them the tools to refuse to buy the building again. stolen lead.

According to Trace-in-Metal: “There is little doubt that congregations “Even if lead has been shredded or melted,” added John Minary, “the are decreasing and therefore the cost of maintenance and repairs will markers remain intact and traceable, providing law enforcement agencies have to borne by fewer and fewer parishioners. Allowances for expenses support in their fight against metal theft. This provides a strong deterrent following any theft of lead is not a recurring post in the parish budget – to those willing to buy stolen lead. With the ’next generation’ lead marking such emergency expenditure will be hard to cover for many small country system Trace-in-Metal can help keep the lead where it belongs – on the churches. The importance of these historic buildings to the communities is roof – and help guardians of historic buildings and churches use their time demonstrated by the way people do join forces to raise funds and they are and effort to continue preserving our heritage.” q

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Two years on, there is little doubt that the Act has helped in the reduction of metal theft, although to what extent will always be open to discussion. Crime and its causes are never straightforward, and any reductions in offending must always be viewed in the light of the excellent proactive enforcement that took place and the motivation of the criminal in committing the crime. Copper prices are currently at a low level, mainly as a result of the slowdown in China, and the correlation between price and levels of offending is generally accepted.

There is also little doubt that recorded metal theft has fallen – by as much as 36% according to figures published by the Office for National Statistics in November last year. However, the crime is still a perceivable problem across the country and across different sectors. One change that has resulted from the introduction of the Act is a move from opportunist offending to offences being committed by more organised criminal gangs.

So, while we no longer see cases involving the theft of small amounts of flashing or plaques from memorials, we have witnessed offences that involve the theft of huge amounts of sheet lead. Such crimes must by their nature be planned and have logistical support, with established routes in place for the disposal of the stolen metal. The Act has done little

to dissuade these offenders, with churches suffering disproportionately.

The Metal Theft Task Force also now exists in name only, with enforcement activity being embedded into normal police business.

Commenting on the impact of the Act and prospects for the future, John Minary, managing director of Trace-in-Metal, said: “It will be interesting to see what the enforcement picture

looks like in another 12 months time. The Office for National Statistics is due to publish the latest annual metal theft figures shortly and they will make interesting reading. Hopefully, scrap metal prices will remain flat. Any increase in global demand for metals may well see the trend reversing; and with further cuts in police budgets to come, these may well make enforcement activity unlikely to happen.� q

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The Heritage Roofing Register propels contractor to victory [

THE UNIQUE REGISTER of Heritage Roofing – developed by the National Federation of Roofing Contractors (NFRC) – proved to be the catalyst behind one roofing contractor not only being appointed to work on a key heritage project in Wales, but also to scooping the 2015 UK Roofing Award for Heritage Roofing.

Jordan Heritage Roofing Ltd, based in Derbyshire, was appointed alongside Slate & Stone Consultants to renovate Penmaen Cottage – a grade two-listed farm building located in Snowdonia National Park. The roofing company guaranteed the confidence and expertise vital for this project by being featured on the National Heritage Roofing Contractors’ Register. The register provides a listing of roofing companies that have the vital skills and experience necessary for the repair and renovation of specialist heritage roofing projects.

With part of its 18th century roof collapsed, Penmaen Cottage was on the ‘at risk’ register and was seen by Cadw – the Welsh Government’s historic environment service – as an opportunity to create an exemplar roof, by ensuring traditional local roofing details in the park were sustained, as well as providing a dedicated training programme throughout the process. Upon completion, the project went on to win the 2015 UK Roofing Award for Heritage Roofing.

Ray Horwood CBE, chief executive of NFRC commented: “When it comes to selecting contractors for key heritage work, this project is a prime example of the prestige and credibility carried by The National Heritage Roofing Contractors’ Register. In addition to ensuring that cultural heritage preservation is restored on buildings such as Penmaen Cottage, the register guarantees the highest standard of roofing expertise and knowledge.”

Richard Jordan of Jordan Heritage Roofing Ltd said: “The Heritage Roofing Register gives local companies with the relevant expertise and training the chance to grow their business and expand their work on key heritage projects. It provides a professional platform that offers high visibility to architects, specifiers and local authority conservation officers.”

Richard added: “We are delighted that Penmaen Cottage demonstrates the correct approach to roofing conservation, and now provides training for other professionals and slaters. However, winning the 2015 UK Roofing Awards was the ultimate accolade.”

Designed to ensure that the roofs on some of the UK’s most precious buildings are restored to the highest standards possible, The National Heritage Roofing Contractors’ Register provides an exclusive listing of only those roofing companies that have the vital skills and experience necessary for the repair and renovation of heritage projects. q • For further information on The National Heritage Roofing Contractors’ Register visit www.nfrc.co.uk/join-the-heritage-register.

Penmaen Cottage, a key heritage project in Snowdonia National Park, that helped Jordan Heritage Roofing Ltd scoop the 2015 UK Roofing Award for Heritage Roofing. The National Heritage Roofing Contractors’ Register was the catalyst behind this success. www.ecclesiasticalandheritageworld.co.uk

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Heritage roofer takes top skills title [

IN NOVEMBER, a young roofer from a member company of the National Heritage Roofing Contractors’ Register netted a national title for the trade in the SkillBuild competition – the annual competition to find the best young craftspeople.

One of the categories in the competition is Roofing (Slating and Tiling) and the winner this year was Donal Harkin of Londonderrybased D Harkin and Co Roofing.

Donal trained at the Northern Ireland Roof Training Centre, where his tutor was Gordon Penrose of Penrose Roofing. Coincidentally, the two companies are the region’s only members of the Heritage Roofing Contractors’ Register.

The competition was held on 19–21 November at the NEC in Birmingham. SkillBuild comprises 10 specialist craft occupations and is run by the Construction Industry Training Board, with the endorsement of WorldSkills. The Roofing (Slating & Tiling) category has been managed by the National Federation of Roofing Contractors for a number of years.

Over the course of three months, from May to July, young roofers from around the UK took part in heats to find this year’s finalists.

In the final, competitors had just 2½ days to finish constructing the competition piece following the detailed marking plan and adhering to health and safety regulations by working safely and maintaining a tidy work area.

Donal’s success follows in the footsteps of his elder brother Stephen, who scooped the national award in 2011 and went on to achieve Bronze in the IFD World Roofing Championships last year. q

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NFRC celebrates impressive membership milestone [

THE National Federation of Roofing Contractors (NFRC) has reached 1,000 trade members for the first time. The roofing company who helped them to reach this milestone, DPM Industrial Roofing (UK) Limited based in Stokeon-Trent, has followed in the footsteps of other like-minded companies who sought to join a reputable and established trade association.

NFRC has seen a steady increase in membership over the past several years, with the number one reason for joining being an enhanced reputation with clients and homeowners. The primary aim of NFRC is to promote quality contractors and quality products – key priorities that both clients and homeowners are looking for when seeking contractors for their projects.

NFRC provides members with access to a broad range of training services, as well as current technical and health and safety advice and partnering with other leading industry bodies to set the standards for best practice and workmanship – not only benefiting members but also raising the profile of the entire industry in a market that is still seen to be rife with ‘cowboys’.

With the ever-changing construction environment, NFRC will continue to adapt to meet the demands on the industry and provide only the very best support to its members as it continues to grow. q • For further information visit www.nfrc.co.uk.

New VMZINC roof for Grade 1-listed church on World Heritage Site

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AS ONE OF the nation’s most precious Victorian architectural gems, the Grade 1-listed Saltaire United Reformed Church in West Yorkshire, built in 1859, is a unique example of Italianate religious architecture.

Renovation work on what was the spiritual centre of the model village, focussed on the mausoleum in which Sir Titus Salt and his family are buried.

Saltaire is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and work on the mausoleum roof involved hand crafting of a new ornamental, stamped natural zinc roof

by VMZINC craftsmen.

The zinc panels were then handworked and folded on site by restoration specialists Norman and Underwood, a VMZINC@Work Partner, to ensure they matched the curvature of the stonework.

Zinc was used to replace lead in order to remove the threat of theft following the approach by Overton Architects to English Heritage.

The result is a restoration which is considered to have brought the building back to a standard not seen for more than a century. q • For more information call 01992 822288, email vmzinc.uk@umicore.com or visit www.vmzinc.co.uk. www.ecclesiasticalandheritageworld.co.uk

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The pinnacle of technical innovation and design in church lighting

Holy Trinity Roman Catholic Church in Sutton Coldfield is a recently completed project where both interior and exterior lighting was installed

[LIGHTING DYNAMICS UK (incorporating Ecclesiastical Lighting),

Other completed projects of interest include interior lighting upgrades at St Clydawg Church, Clodock and the associated St Michael’s Church at based in Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands, continue their development as Michaelchurch Escley – both Herefordshire churches have listed building one of the UK’s premier companies specialising in the interior and exterior status. lighting of cathedrals, churches and other places or worship.

Gerry Browne, believes that this is a very exciting time in the further Lighting Dynamics is dedicated to offering a totally independent, development of church lighting, especially with such a great and diverse creative, unbiased lighting design and consultancy service and, where range of modern light sources now coming on stream. required, the supply of all associated and specified lighting equipment.

He has found that customers are increasingly looking for someone with the The company has a long established reputation for creating practical flair and experience to provide a quality lighting design, whilst also specifying and architecturally sympathetic lighting schemes and, wherever possible, top grade lighting equipment and controls that will provide longevity, discreet lighting equipment is specified and installed to produce suitable reliability and overall flexibility for their specific ecclesiastical project. levels of illumination and to highlight both ecclesiastical details and any special architectural features.

Their comprehensive range of modern, energy saving, long life lighting equipment is manufactured from the highest quality materials and takes into consideration many important factors such as reliability, durability, optical performance, overall efficiency, size, style and ease of maintenance – to name but a few.

The company continues to develop a brand new family of the very latest bespoke ‘commercial grade’ LED fittings, specially St Michael’s Church at Michaelchurch Escley, Herefordshire before (left) and after Lighting designed for all types of ecclesiastical lighting Dynamics UK undertook the lighting upgrade. Photos courtesy of Mr Philip Stewart tasks.

“In the main,” he said, “clients no longer wish to see their completed “This range of products has been under development for some church lighting project looking like an extension of somebody else’s considerable time and takes our overall lighting portfolio to the next level lighting showroom or lit with industrial style floodlights to resemble a of technical innovation,” said company founder, Gerry Browne. “We also railway marshalling yard, but it is a long term process which involves have an unrivalled knowledge and expertise of all modern intelligent educating, informing and demonstrating what can be achieved.” dimming and lighting control systems.”

Lighting Dynamics UK has, if required, a fully qualified team of Lighting Dynamics has a significant number of very prestigious church NIC EIC registered electricians to carry out the installation of their lighting projects currently in progress with a large number at advanced interior and exterior lighting systems to current electrical standards and stages of planning and design. regulations, providing the complete lighting service.

Their recently completed church projects include Holy Trinity Roman They currently cover all areas of the UK and Ireland and provide a Catholic Church, Sutton Coldfield, where both interior and exterior very bespoke service for each individual church lighting project, from architectural feature lighting was installed. It is a modern style building initial meeting and informal discussions right through to final focusing with high level arched windows and a beautiful wooden ceiling and commissioning. q reminiscent of the ceiling depicted in Leonardo Da Vinci’s The Last Supper. www.ecclesiasticalandheritageworld.co.uk

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Lighting up St Matthew’s [

ST MATTHEW’S CHURCH in Weeke, near Winchester was originally built towards the end of the 12th century as a chapel for the farming district then known as Wyke.

For over a century this little church was subordinate to the larger churches which served Winchester’s sprawling population until times changed dramatically after the Black Death in 1348.

As many as half of the city’s citizens died in the plague and, with the decline in population, the suburbs and their churches fell into ruin and in the 15th century new plans had to be made for the remaining families.

The chapel was then restored, enlarged and designated as the parish church. Despite having a capacity of only 60, for nearly 500 years the parish church of St Matthew’s was perfectly adequate for its small rural community.

It remained the sole parish church until 1872 when, with the growing number of parishioners, the foundations for a sister church, St Paul’s, were laid in nearby Fulflood.

In 2014, following a periodic inspection of the electrical system within the church, it was decided that the existing wiring and lighting installations were falling behind modern standards and becoming increasingly inefficient and difficult to maintain. The

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PCC consulted church lighting and design specialists Anthony J Smith (Gloucester) Ltd and after several visits a suitable solution was found.

During an on-site demonstration, the PCC were presented with a system which used the latest generation LED light fittings combined with a flexible switching and dimming arrangement. It would meet the needs of the parishioners and also be efficient enough to allow all-day illumination for visitors.

Following a successful faculty application, the company’s experienced engineers arrived at St Matthew’s early in 2015 to carry out a sympathetic installation – there was minimal disruption to the church with services being allowed to carry on as normal.

With such a small church, the challenge of disguising and concealing the new wiring system within the fabric of the building was always going to be difficult, but the team carried this out in a manner that is virtually undetectable and allows the fine architecture to stand out.

The new lighting installation provides separate up- and downlighting which, combined with independent illumination of the liturgical focal points in the church, allows for the provision of different lighting arrangements to create the required ambience for many types of event or service.

The new lighting was blessed during a service in September for which Reverend Canon Peter Seal wrote a special prayer in which he said: “The new lighting enhances the beauty of our beloved church, not least on weekdays when visitors can feel welcomed by the light that greets them. We give thanks to those who inspired and managed the project, to all who raised money and made generous gifts and to the contractors Anthony J Smith (Gloucester) Ltd who were a delight to work with.” q

Introducing the Gallery Stacking Chair exclusively from Rosehill [ ROSEHILL FURNITURE GROUP

have specialised in manufacturing quality contract furniture for the ecclesiastical market for over 30 years. Their products are covered under a minimum 5 year guarantee and are made to order to satisfy the customer’s own specifications and needs.

Rosehill provide an extensive variety of finishes and intelligent solutions to help accommodate any budget and space constraints, providing excellent value and quality that meets the demands of each specific client. You can view their products in thousands of churches throughout the UK, Europe and beyond.

After an increasing demand for an easy to maintain, all wooden chair they are pleased to launch The Gallery Stacking Chair.

The Gallery Stacking Chair is a premium seating choice for modern church use. Designed to be incredibly lightweight, the specialised construction uses minimal materials with

the maximum strength, comfort and style.

With functionality at the forefront of the design, the construction of the moulded plywood shell makes The Gallery Stacking Chair extremely hard wearing which is perfect for use in public environments. Tested to EN 1728 and EN 16 139 this product complies with British and European strength, durability and safety standards.

The well balanced design features a slender profile and ergonomic curves to provide you with an elegant and comfortable solution.

Beautifully moulded, the plywood body is available in a choice of natural wood finishes to compliment any existing interiors. The standard finishes include: • Birch • Oak • Walnut • Wenge • RAL Colour Places of worship need to be much more flexible now more than ever before to accommodate extra services and community events. The Gallery Stacking Chair conforms to these needs with a stacking capability of 15 high on the floor. The Transport Dolly also allows easy movement and storage of the chairs. As an optional extra you can add linking devices to secure the chairs in fixed rows if required.

For increased comfort, seat and/or back pads can be added. Rosehill offer an extensive range of fire retardant fabrics

so you are able to create a bespoke finish that is in keeping with your building environment. q • Contact Rosehill to discuss your requirements in more detail, request a quotation or sample and to get advice from their helpful sales team on the wide range of furniture they offer. Tel 0161 300 5649 or visit www.rosehillfurniture.co.uk.

www.ecclesiasticalandheritageworld.co.uk

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Four decades of experience lead to repeat success [

WITH WINTER FIRMLY established, the shortcomings of some heating systems in churches are becoming ever more evident to congregations and clergy alike – and heating churches is a specialist business requiring specialist knowledge and often specialist appliances.

One company that can offer that specialist knowledge and equipment is Stoke-on-Trent based Mellor and Mottram. Founded over 40 years ago as a commercial heating firm, the company is still family-owned and run by managing director Stuart Mottram. They have installed more than 600 systems in churches to date – in at least one example for more than one generation of clergy!

The huge variation in church buildings means there is an equally large range of heating systems. In essence, however, they fall into two basic categories: traditional wet systems using boiler and radiator, and warm air systems using heater units. In some cases the project may involve just the replacement of a boiler utilising existing pipework that is in perfectly good order.

Stuart Mottram explained: “Many of the churches where we have carried out work have had just a simple boiler installation, which may be an oil boiler or gas-fired boiler.

The gas-fired option is still possibly the best as the new ones are condensing units.”

The advantage of condensing units is that they offer a capability to ‘modulate’ gas consumption – slowing the fan as the building heats up. Where two boilers have been installed the start-up can alternate, or sequence, adding to efficiency.

A spectacular example of the efficiency such as system can provide was featured on the

Holy Trinity in Littleborough

front cover of the last issue of Ecclesiastical and Heritage World, in the shape of Holy Trinity in Littleborough, near Rochdale. An efficiency of 95% has been achieved using such a system. Moreover, modern technology allows the system to ‘learn’ the best way to sequence.

Modern technology also allows the installation of low surface-temperature radiators. These enhance the safety of the installation. In many cases they can be painted to blend into their surroundings,

Pictured above is the ground source heat pump installed at Denbigh Castle (left)

as in the case of St John the Baptist’s in Knaresborough.

An alternative to the wet system is the use of gas-fired fan convector heaters. These are more often installed in more modern churches, where there is access to the outside walls for flue fittings – often not an option in the case of listed buildings, where the fabric must be preserved.

Increasingly, a third option is being chosen by churches looking to ‘shrink the footprint’, as the Church of England puts it. These are often in the form of heat pumps: ground or air sourced. It is also an option being considered for other heritage buildings.

One of the most prestigious and groundbreaking of such projects was the new visitor centre at Denbigh Castle in North Wales, where Mellor and Mottram installed both ground source and air source heat pumps. They are part of the steps taken to reduce the carbon footprint of the new building, both in its construction and operation. Even the plant room housing the system utilised recycled materials.

The project is just one example of the ability of Mellor and Mottram to apply their considerable experience and expertise in the installation of heating systems in churches, possibly the most complex heating installations, into other historic buildings and heritage facilities. It is an ability that has kept them ahead of the game in the industry. q www.ecclesiasticalandheritageworld.co.uk

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‘Brummegem’ provides a warm welcome for CRE Midlands

Some of CRE Midland’s exhibitors included (l-r) Anthony J. Smith (Gloucester) Ltd, Juliet Hemingray Church Textiles and Fullers Finer Furniture

[THE LATEST STOPPING place for the highly successful series

of Christian Resources Exhibitions (CRE) was Birmingham’s NEC. The venue hosted CRE Midlands from 7-8 October and included a unique exhibition of Christian resources, with over 180 exhibitors. An extensive range of books, music and other resources were available to buy, together with the latest multimedia equipment, with expert advice on hand.

In addition there was a full seminar programme, with over 40 practical and resourcing seminars.

The show was given added ‘pizzazz’ by the presence of veteran TV

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personalities and comics Bobby Ball and Don Maclean, who performed together on stage and coached clergy in the art of comedy at the Stand Up for Jesus workshop on 7 October.

“It's the first time I've ever been and it's fantastic, there’s so much here.

I'll definitely be back,” said Bobby Ball, who is still in huge demand for TV work at 71 years of age.

“If you laugh you can't worry at the same time,” he quipped. “It's a very big gift we've got, making people laugh. We're proud of that.”

Don Maclean, who is also a Papal Knight, echoed the sentiment: “Some people think humour devalues the message. I've spent years fighting against

Also exhibiting were CRE regulars Mellor & Mottram (left) and Lighting Dynamics UK po-faced Christians. I think they do more harm to the faith than anything else. They say you can't mix humour and religion, which is ridiculous.”

Maclean has co-written and stars in a new play, Brummegem Pals, which tells the story of best mates Jackie Moore and Danny Arrowsmith. The pair responded to Lord Kitchener's call for volunteers in 1914 to join his 'new army’.

The show was opened by Bishop Dr Joe Aldred, who also attended the Stand Up for Jesus event. “I will look out for truth with a spin on, a story with a surprise at the end, and try to deliver not just a punch line, but a punch word,” he said. “I now understand how comedians paint pictures in people's heads and use incongruity – for example a dog driving a car – to make a point.”

While the principal thrust of the exhibition and seminar programme was the availability of resources for promulgating the Christian message, a distinct proportion was concerned with equipping and maintaining the church building itself. Heating and seating systems, sound and lighting,

specialist architects able to carry out the all-important quinquennial inspection and, of course, the broad spectrum of trades able to carry out repairs and restoration were all represented.

Richard Shepherd, business development manager at Ecclesiastical and Heritage World, was among the many visitors to the show.

Said Richard: “These events are always worth a visit, even if only for the pleasant and friendly people there. The usual variety of stands all have one thing in common: the Christian spirit and goodwill. My experience is always of very professional and trustworthy experts in their respective fields.” q

Onwards and upwards: CRE heads south [

THE FINAL Christian Resources Exhibition of 2015 was an edition of its increasingly popular ‘pop-up’ version. This time the oneday show – an innovation for this year – was at the King’s Centre in Eastbourne, a modern and well-equipped conference and exhibition centre owned and operated by the church that is based there.

There was very much an emphasis on the practical issues of running church buildings among the exhibitors. In addition to the wide range of equipment on offer, there were stands from two organisations that help churches and other not-for-profit organisations maximise their own resources.

New Way UK Consultants – which operates primarily in the construction and civil engineering sectors – helps organisations in the charitable sector to make effective grant applications.

Spokeswoman Angela Gilbert explained: “We support charitable organisations in securing commercial finance for social enterprises.”

Helping churches to save on their energy bills is the goal of Andrew Silley, who is also offering a prize of £75 for the charity chosen by the winner of his ‘Silley Challenge’ competition.

“My name may be Silley, but wasting money on energy bills is stupid,” said Andrew. One clergyman who knows what Andrew can do is Rev Steve Coulson, whose church in Kennington in London is saving £7,000 a year on its energy bill after he met Andrew at CRE International and invited him to tender for the gas and electricity contracts.

Also on offer at Eastbourne was a full day of seminars on a range of issues, together with the ever-popular Entertainment Time with comedian Paul Kerensa, who also presented interviews on the Spotlight Stage.

Next year’s series of CRE events will begin with CRE International at ExCeL in London. This major expo of church resources will run from 17-20 May. CRE will also be returning to the South East with a regional exhibition next autumn. That will take place on 12-13 October in Maidstone. q www.ecclesiasticalandheritageworld.co.uk

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Fire: a major threat to life, limb and irreplaceable artefacts [ONE OF THE risks that most haunts owners and operators of public buildings of all kinds is that of a fire. The threat to life and safety fire poses is hard to understate, let alone the damage that can be caused. The law states that all public buildings must be the subject of stringent fire safety precautions.

Of course, it is common sense rather than any legislation that dictates all necessary precautions are taken against fire in any building. Fire in historic buildings, however, can be particularly damaging – leading to the destruction of artefacts that are, literally, irreplaceable.

In an article published by the National Building Specification, Peter Barker of Chiltern International Fire writes: “Under the requirements of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment (FRA) is required for all premises other than private dwellings. For historic

buildings it is of paramount importance that a well-structured and properly implemented fire safety management plan accompanies the FRA.” Minimising the damage that can occur in case of a fire is one thing, but prevention is – as always – better than cure.

Peter Barker has this to say on the issue: “Preventing a fire in the first place is the obvious ideal situation and is the first stage of physically assessing the risk of fire within any building.

“Identifying measures to reduce the risk of fire in historic buildings makes eminent sense, as remedial measures can often be put in place almost immediately. Some approaches can be relatively inexpensive and involve minimum intervention in the fabric of the building.”

In the particular case of churches, Ecclesiastical Insurance points out that the risk of fire is much greater when the building is undergoing repair or a restoration project.

On a more sinister note, churches are particularly prone to arson attacks, more so when the church operates an ‘open door’ policy. A fire may be the result of sheer vandalism or to cover up evidence in a theft.

According to Ecclesiastical Insurance: “The consequences of a blaze can be overwhelming in terms of damage to property, injury and even potentially loss of life. It can also mean months of closure while repairs are carried out. Services will have to be held in other churches while outside user groups will be compelled to find alternative premises, or will close down due to lack of facilities. A devastating situation – but one that can in most cases be avoided.”

The company’s website, at www.ecclesiastical. com/churchmatters/churchguidance/ fireguidance, carries a number of videos with useful information. q

Advanced panels installed in historic Bath Empire [GLOBAL INTELLIGENT FIRE systems manufacturer, Advanced, has

been chosen to protect the historic Empire Hotel in Bath.

The historic Grade II-listed building is located close to Bath Abbey and Pulteney Bridge and was used as a Royal Navy postal sorting office from World War 2 until 1990, when it was converted into retirement apartments and restaurants.

The contract for the installation was awarded to the team at Tann Synchronome, who specified the latest MxPro 5 panels from Advanced.

MxPro 5 fire panels are the leading multiprotocol choice and are renowned for their world-beating quality, reliability and flexibility.

Will Jones, project manager for Tann Synchronome, commented: “We suggested the MxPro 5 to First Port, the managing agents, as we find it the best panel when we are installing on existing cables. In particular, we find the diagnostic mode allows us to demonstrate to ourselves and the client there are no device communication issues”. The MxPro 5 has full diagnostic tools built in, including an on-board oscilloscope.

MxPro 5 panels can be used in single loop, single panel format or easily configured into high speed, 200 panel networks covering huge areas and tens of thousands of field devices. Advanced’s legendary ease of installation and configuration and wide peripheral range make it customisable to almost any application and it is found in challenging and prestigious sites around the world. The MxPro 5 panels installed at The Empire are among Advanced’s best performing fire systems and one of the few available approved to EN54 2, 4 and 13.

Phil Calvey, regional sales manager for Advanced, said: “Our MxPro 5 panels lead the multiprotocol market and offer the performance, reliability and flexibility needed by a site such as this. The ability to utilise existing wiring loops is also a major time and cost-saving feature in a complex project like this one. The Empire in Bath is a highly prestigious building and it is now well protected thanks to an MxPro 5 powered network.”

In total, 340 individual components were installed in the new system, which is built around a four-loop MxPro 5 panel. The

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installation covers the main Empire building, the in-house cinema, fitness centre, snooker room and hair salon, as well as two restaurants on the ground floor.

Emma Nicholas, spokesperson for First Port, commented: “This is one of our most prestigious properties and a landmark building in Bath, so it requires the highest quality fire systems. At the same time, however, we need to keep disruption for our residents to an absolute minimum, which is why the MxPro 5 panels presented an ideal solution.”

MxPro offers customers a choice of two panel ranges, four detector protocols and a completely open installer network that enjoys free training and support.

Advanced is a world leader in the development and manufacture of intelligent fire systems. Its legendary performance, quality and easeof-use sees its products used in prestigious and challenging locations all over the world, from single panel installations to large multi-site networks. Advanced products include complete fire detection systems, multi-protocol fire panels, extinguishing control and fire paging systems. q • More details can be found on the website at www.advancedco.com.

Fire door assemblies – compliancy explained

By JEREMY FRENCH, technical director at Prestige Fire Door Services Limited

[

WHETHER YOU ARE buying new doors to fit into existing frames, want to upgrade your existing doors or maintain them, when referring to fire doors we should keep in mind the term ‘assembly’. The assembly is the collective term for the array of components, of which the door leaf is one, that go to form these fire safety systems.

All components of the assembly – be it the timber door leaf, hinges or seals – are required to be integrated correctly in order to establish a self-closing or locked shut valve in the wall of a fire resisting compartment. Simply put, these ‘valves’ in our fire walls allow access to areas such as plant rooms or give occupants the freedom to move around a building – yet, along with the building fabric, they prevent fire and smoke from migrating outside of an originating compartment into adjacent areas.

The humble timber-based fire door is perhaps taken for granted by those who use them daily, but those with the responsibility for fire doors as part of their professional life should be aware of their fragility and intolerance to faults.

Building owners and managers, in other words responsible persons, can be prosecuted under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 for negligence with regards to fire safety in their buildings. Custodial sentences and/or fines have been imposed on individuals found guilty under this process.

All new fire doors available in the UK shall have passed a relevant test at

a United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) accredited test laboratory and will have an identifying label attached. As part of the accreditation process the testing body will issue technical data sheets that are publicly available outlining permissible usage of the product.

As referred to earlier, the door core or leaf is only part of the assembly – there is also essential ironmongery, intumescing products, a supporting frame, locks, handles and mandatory signage, amongst other items, that all combine to form the functioning assembly. It is a minimum requirement that the assembly replicates the performance of the product used in the UKAS test which would have been an exactingly prepared sample.

At this stage, realisation of the performance on site is perhaps theoretical as there is plenty that can happen to the supplied products en route to a working door assembly. To ensure that at least the minimum potential of this fire safety product is realised in the working door assembly, suitably trained installers are the best option. Conveniently, UKAS also have third party accredited installer schemes such as the Loss Prevention Certification Board’s LPS1271 standard.

Installation ought to be carried out using contractors accredited to this or other similar UKAS approved schemes.

With the advent of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, fire doors have become formally acknowledged as fire safety systems, and so are now being viewed in a different context – akin to fire alarms and suppression systems. Increasingly, therefore, procurement from builders merchants and installation by general builders will mostly likely not meet the building owner’s legal obligations. Third party accreditation in all aspects of works, most importantly maintenance and installation, should be the default approach when improving existing buildings.

This is not to say that projects within third party schemes do not experience problems, but these issues are picked up during the inspection process, corrected and signed off accordingly. This method of working also produces valuable data for inclusion in operation and maintenance documentation, allowing audit trailing which is becoming an ever increasing requirement and best practice for those in facilities management. Importantly, this approach will also take facilities management practices a long way to meeting their obligation under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, in particular Article 17 which deals with suitable and sufficient maintenance.

A niche aspect of timber fire door manufacture and upgrading is producing replica doors for heritage projects. The latest materials and manufacturing processes can combine to produce new certifiable fire door assemblies that appear to be of considerable age. Techniques often centred around upgrading glazing using modern safety glass can be employed to produce rated fire doors using the majority of the original door – and so best meeting heritage concerns.

The photograph above is an illustration of the upgrading of a Victorian door assembly by Prestige Fire Door Services using single sheets of glass and ‘planting on’ replica oak glazing bars to replicate multiple panes, which in themselves would have no potential of meeting the minimum fire burn through standards.

In summary, development and testing has allowed us to buy timber-based fire doors which, as long as they are installed correctly, will provide the required levels of protection ongoing. This outcome should not be taken for granted so the key will almost certainly be partnering in a culture of teamwork between organisations that have specific knowledge and experience. q www.ecclesiasticalandheritageworld.co.uk

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The importance of old fashioned brick making

By GRAHAM IRVING, managing director of Bovingdon Bricks

[IN RECENT YEARS many historic crafts

and trades have gradually declined or been separated from mainstream building in the face of the demand for mass production and more cost-effective processes.

Modern brick making, in particular, has developed far beyond its small-scale regional origins. Today’s enormous high-tech factories have the capability to produce immense quantities of perfectly uniform and colourcontrolled bricks through fast, efficient, fully automated processes.

However, as technology continues to advance, traditional craftsmanship is in danger of becoming lost in time.

The heritage of brick making as we know it goes back to the 14th century, when most English towns had their own brickworks and, due to the bulky nature of the clay, the bricks were often made by hand on site. In those days, it was very much a seasonal business. The clay would be dug locally in the late autumn and then left out in the fields during the winter to sour (a process by which the weather would break down soluble materials), then in spring through to autumn the bricks were made.

Originally, the clay was mixed by hand and then later, during the ‘age of mechanisation’ ‘pugged’ in pug mills or wet pans (depending on whether the clay was dense or soft), which

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would have been horse powered and eventually steam-driven in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The pugs of clay were then moulded and dried naturally on ‘hacks’ (boards) in the open air until they were ready to be fired. The whole process could potentially take up to nine months.

Bricks from one part of the country would have a completely different colour and texture from those made in another area, because of the chemical differences in the local clay, the type of sand used in the mould and the colour of that sand. The appearance of the bricks would also be influenced by differences in hand moulding, the fuel used for the firing and the temperature and position of the bricks in the kiln. All these variable factors would have contributed to the rather quirky and irregular character of much of the historic brickwork across the British Isles.

Unfortunately, with the exhaustion of some of the local clay reserves and the need for fully automated volume production, not to mention the severity of this recent recession, many small-scale regional brick works have had to close down. This has left the industry with fewer craftsmen capable of making bricks of real historic character.

Hertfordshire, for instance, was once a thriving brick making region. However, where there used to be over fifteen brick works, only Bovingdon Bricks now remains. The company continues to use traditional methods of brick making in order to produce unique and unpredictable characteristics, which cannot be achieved through modern production techniques.

Essentially, its traditional wet mud processes have not changed substantially since the brick works was founded in the 1920s. The clay is still dug locally (though not by hand) and the soft pugs of clay are mixed in a Victorian styled wet pan dating from 1935, before passing through rollers to crush any flint or debris. The pugs are then thrown into wooden moulds and dried for three to six days in gasfired drying sheds before being stacked, again by hand, in the kilns.

Unlike modern production methods, there is very little artificial or mechanical intervention.

Even the old berry machine, which delivers the pugs of clay onto the bench for the handthrowers, dates back 80 - 90 years.

Importantly, the natural irregularity and colour of the bricks is not determined by the stains, pigments and sophisticated weathering techniques used by modern manufacturers nor are the bricks tumbled to achieve a reclaimed appearance. The character is created by the technique of each individual brick maker and the intensity of the heat and fluctuations in air-

flow in the kiln. This is even influenced to some degree by day-to-day changes in the weather conditions.

Bovingdon is one of the few brickworks to still use an open top ‘updraught’ Scotch kiln of the sort that was popular in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Not dissimilar to the old ‘clamp’ styled kilns, it is rectangular in structure, with fire holes at the side.When the kiln fires at temperatures of 950 - 1400°C, the bricks at the centre where it is hottest develop a dark hue and those on the edges come out in lighter shades. Random ‘kiss marks’ are also created naturally, where the bricks touch each other, depending on how they have been stacked. These historic methods produce Berry Multis of great character with cracks, creases, folds and a richness of colour that can range from flaming orange through red and purple to a subtle grey brown.

Traditionally made bricks are not only an important link with the past and the conservation of our historic buildings, but their unique character also enhances contemporary buildings, ultimately contributing to the architectural environment of the future. q • For more information, contact Bovingdon Bricks Ltd on 01442 833176, email info@bovingdonbricks.co.uk or visit the website at www.bovingdonbricks.co.uk.

Tradition helps brickmakers to awards success

[ THE NEXT ISSUE of Ecclesiastical and Heritage World will

feature a major delve into the world of brick, terracotta and other clay products and their place in our built heritage.

Nowadays, the manufacture of bricks using the erstwhile handmade methods is preserved by a few specialist companies, who carry out spectacular restoration projects around the country as well as using bespoke handmade bricks for new projects in ancient settings. Two such companies were among those to receive accolades for their work at this year’s Brick Awards, which were announced as this publication was about to go to print.

The awards, which showcase the best in new-build brickwork as well as restorations and recreations, are made in a range of categories. Run by the Brick Development Association, and compered this year by television personality Nick Knowles, they are the brick industry’s Oscars.

Preserving the tradition of brickmaking has thankfully allowed some of the names from the past to survive. No fewer than five of these names were combined in the 1990s into a single entity in the shape of Michelmersh Brick Holdings PLC. The company united Blockleys, Charnwood, Freshfield Lane, Michelmersh and Hathern Terra Cotta – all specialist companies with long histories.

Michelmersh was delighted to collect no fewer than four of the accolades presented at the ceremony, held at The Hilton on London’s Park Lane. The British manufacturer won Best

Refurbishment Project, Best Public & Education Building, Best Housing Design Award and the BDA Chairman’s Award.

Commenting on the companys’ awards success, Frank Hanna, group commercial director, said: “We are extremely proud to receive such recognition across a wide range of technical, craft and building categories. These awards are testament to our workforce’s commitment to maintaining our high standards of products, customer service and unrivalled attention to detail. All these attributes combine to make our bespoke products the choice materials of acclaimed and renowned architects across the UK.” Another award-winning project – indeed it is a multi-award winning project – involved recreating the Belvedere and Queen Elizabeth walled garden at Dumfries House (pictured top), a project that was masterminded by Prince Charles. The bricks were made by the York Handmade Brick Company, a leading independent brickmaker based in Alne.

The company’s reward was the prize for Best Outdoor Space in the awards. Chairman David Armitage commented: “It involved creating 47,000 bricks which fitted in perfectly with the ravaged boundary wall of the walled garden, as well as unique specials for the Belvedere Folly and the Education Centre at Dumfries House.

“Huge thanks are due to the management team and employees at York Handmade for their imagination, enterprise and hard work, which all combined to make this award possible.” q

Award winning projects for Mickelmersh were (l-r) Richmond Adult Community College (Best Refurbishment Project and Best Public & Education Building), Trafalgar Place (Best Housing Design Award) and Eight Artillary Row (BDA Chairman’s Award) www.ecclesiasticalandheritageworld.co.uk

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These craftspeople are a cut above the average [AT THE END of the 19th

century there were literally thousands of craftspeople employed by companies specialising in carving in wood and stone. The style of the Victorian era was for florid and sumptuous ornamentation and an explosion in public and church building had led to this great wealth of craftsmanship.

At the same time the emerging trade unions had created a trend among employers to form A carved oak cornice, corbel, bracket and blind tracery in a library by Houghtons of York (left) and a panel their own employers’ bodies carving in lime in the style of 17th-century carver Grinling Gibbons, by Matthew Pack to negotiate: one such was the experience. To join, one has to submit a portfolio of recent work and Master Carvers Association, founded in 1897. to have been in business for a minimum of five years. The committee For many years the association represented companies employing reviews each application for membership.” carvers; however, in 1992 the rules were changed to enable individual Wherever there is a national event or celebration, there has probably self-employed carvers to become members. In 2009 a further change been a carving commissioned to honour it – and that piece is almost created a new category of member: carvers and other professionals always made by a member of the Master Carvers Association. who have a particular interest or contribution to make to professional Notable projects have included the installation of 20th century martyrs carving. above the west door of Westminster Abbey and the design for the 50p Writing in this publication in 2012, MCA secretary Paul Ferguson coins commemorating London 2012. explained: “All members are professional carvers with years of

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Now you can shop online for handcarved decoration [

As the last century progressed the demand for carvings on public buildings decreased and much of the work of Master Carvers became associated with conservation or restoration projects.

The association has assembled teams of carvers to undertake large or prestigious jobs where a number of skilled carvers are required. One such team worked on the fine restoration of the Carlton House Trophies at Windsor Castle, which had been damaged in the fire.

The team not only had to patch and re-gild carvings that had been damaged, but in some cases completely recreate missing trophies from photographs.

Carving is one of the oldest art forms and today is carried out extensively by hobbyists and students. This aspect is also nurtured by members of the Master Carvers Association with their teaching and demonstrations.

The Master Carvers Association awards an annual prize at the graduation ceremony at the City & Guilds Art School for the most outstanding carving in wood or stone. This year the winner of the £300 award was Amelia Crowley-Roth for her carved and gilded mirror and games table. She is pictured above receiving the prize from MCA president Hugh Wedderburn.

Among the members of the MCA who are companies employing craftspeople are Houghtons of York: a well-established, family-run business who specialise in high-quality joinery and woodcarving.

Their commissions include new build, restoration, conservation, repair and maintenance and their client base ranges from private residences and small parish churches in the local area to cathedrals across the country, the National Trust and English Heritage.

The company proudly proclaims: “Our small team of highly skilled architectural woodcarvers invite commissions for the hand carving of architectural mouldings, ornamental chimneypieces, overmantles, overdoors and pediments, swags, drops, pateri, corbels, coats of arms and tracery work.”

For a number of Master Carvers it seems that carving is in the blood and that could be said of MCA member Matthew Pack. From an early age it was a craft he had wanted to be involved in, so upon graduation he followed his father Neil into the trade.

He progressed into being a very versatile carver and was also given the opportunity to learn gilding from another master craftsman, Mike Vigor. So over the past two decades Matthew has specialised in the restoration of fine period giltwood furniture for the antique trade, as well as carrying out all kinds of carved wood detailing and restoration. q

AGRELL ARCHITECTURAL CARVING, one of the world’s foremost custom woodcarving workshops run by Master Carver Ian Agrell, recently launched its own product line, Astor & Mallet. Through its online store at www.astorandmallet.com the company offers a wide range of decorative mouldings, appliqués, rosettes, corbels, capitals, panels, finials and other architectural elements – all hand-carved to the highest quality.

Other companies may claim their products are hand-carved, but that's rarely the case. Typically, machines do the bulk of the work and then the piece is sometimes cleaned up by hand. It never looks right. Astor & Mallet never uses machines to carve its products – and it never will. From start to finish, the company uses the same hand tools and techniques handed down through generations of artisans. Only hand-carving produces the authentic design, crisp detail, elaborate undercutting and organic flow that discerning customers demand.

All items are made-to-order, which means each individual ornament is designed, laid out and then hand-carved by a highly skilled craftsperson.

As a result, Astor & Mallet can produce decoration in a comprehensive range of sizes that CNC manufacturers can’t.

For example, the company offers moulding profiles sized in increments of one eighth of an inch. That means you no longer need to force your design to suit pre-manufactured products – instead, shop for exactly what you need. And, although made-to-order hand-carving is time-consuming and labour-intensive, Astor & Mallet guarantees you’ll receive your order within 10 weeks. q

• For further information visit www.mastercarvers.co.uk.

A selection of MCA members can be found in our ‘Church & Heritage Supplies’ classified section on page 51, under the MCA logo. www.ecclesiasticalandheritageworld.co.uk

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Stories in glass the medieval tradition endures [ONE OF THE glories of Canterbury

Cathedral is the great stained glass window known as the Poor Man’ Bible window – a huge medieval work with over 20 panels depicting scenes from Old and New Testaments. It is thought to have been constructed in the 13th century from parts of previous windows.

From it, the term ‘poor man’s Bible’ has come into the language to refer to artefacts found in churches which were used to inform and educate an illiterate population in the message of The Bible. It can refer to carvings, mosaics, statues or any illustrative format.

Arguably, however, the most impressive of these pictorial Bible studies are the great stained glass windows that illuminate medieval churches and cathedrals throughout Europe. Many, like the window at Canterbury, convey a number of Biblical themes within one single entity; others illustrate a single story by carrying a narrative.

Nowadays stained glass is still used to illustrate notable events, both Biblical and historic. Local events are commemorated by the

This festive stained glass window was commissioned for a church in Windsor Royal Berkshire. It was designed and created by Barry Davis of Reading-based Leadcraft Stained Glass Studio commissioning of a window. Churches are no longer the sole repositories for these illustrations – many public buildings have stained glass windows adorning their elevations and pubs or even private houses have fine examples.

In churches, notable local parishioners are often commemorated, as are anniversaries or visits of dignitaries. In fact it could be argued that, just as the windows in a church once acted as a source of instruction, they now act as a kind of local history resource.

Where new windows have a Biblical theme, it is often in a less figurative and more abstract form, with great swathes of colour providing bright illumination of the inside of the church.

Like their medieval counterparts, however, certain motifs remain and are universally recognisable. q

The magnificent East Window of St. Patrick’s Chapel at Glastonbury Abbey was created by Bristol-based Wayne Ricketts Stained Glass

Detail of the East Window at St Helen’s Church in Gumley, Leicestershire by Wiltshire-based Andrew Taylor FMGP

• You can find a stained glass expert in your area in our ‘Church & Heritage Supplies’ classified section from page 58.

Chester-based Recclesia Ltd successfully completed highly complex conservation work to the medieval stained glass of the chancel at the Grade 1 listed St John the Baptist Church at Kinlet, Shropshire www.ecclesiasticalandheritageworld.co.uk

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Mark your event with a stained glass commission [

DO YOU HAVE a forthcoming event or special anniversary in your church? An exciting commission in glass would be an excellent way to mark the event and will provide a striking feature for generations to come.

Is there a new glazed partition at the back of the church to separate a refreshments area?

Could a visual connection be made to the rest of the church by incorporating a newly designed stained glass window as part of the glazed screen?

Bristol-based AP Stained Glass Design and Restoration undertake both new commissions and

repairs of all sorts to church and chapel windows, matching the original as closely as possible.

Proprietor Andrew Patch explains: “With numerous churches and chapels being converted for residential use, I have produced special designs for new windows to suit the wishes of the owners. In one, a new opening was permitted in a thick outer stone wall and a 20 sq ft window was made in three sections, fitted and then supported by stainless steel set into the stonework. This was then viewed ‘Grand Designs’ style across a new oak staircase and landing and had elements of relatively plain

The stained glass itself was cleaned, partially re-built and the broken artwork repaired, before being fitted into the frame.

Day-light strip lighting tubes provide fantastic light passing through the window. q

glass so the view beyond could still be enjoyed.”

On another of the company’s projects, the entire large chapel was being converted into apartments and the original diamond leaded windows, although in a bad state of repair, were to be retained. Each window in turn was renovated with new sections being made and fitted to replace badly damaged or missing portions.

Various hopper windows were refurbished and converted to plain glass with a hit and miss brass ventilation disc inserted in the middle of the opening portions (pictured). The former open triangular side cheeks of the hoppers were glazed to help control draughts. q

• For further information visit the website at www.cheshirestainedglass.com.

• For further information visit the website at www.apstainedglass.co.uk.

New home for scouts’ stained glass window [

WHEN THE LOCAL scout hut in Middleton, Greater Mancester was being demolished, a new home for the scout window of 1924 was required. St Gabriel’s, the local church, was chosen to be that home.

Cheshire Stained Glass had removed the window from the hut and stored it until a final decision about its future was made.

Their proposal to install the window into a back-lit casement within the church was accepted. A hardwood frame was designed and built to accommodate the window and a pine plinth was created to blend in with the panelling around the church.

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ANTIQUE FURNITURE RESTORATION

BAFRA

ARBORICULTURAL CONSULTANTS

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ARCHIVE STORAGE BOXES

BUILDING CONSERVATION & RESTORATION

BUILDING SERVICES BELLS

CANDLES

BLACKSMITHS

BRICK MANUFACTURERS

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CARVERS

CLOCKS MASTER CARVERS ASSOCIATION

DISABLED ACCESS

ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING

EXHUMATION SERVICES

CHURCH HEATING

FENCING

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FIREPLACES

FURNITURE

LEADWORK

GILDERS

LCA JOINERY

LANDSCAPING

LEADED LIGHTS

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LECTERNS

LIGHTING & SOUND

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LIGHTNING PROTECTION

LIME

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PAINT STRIPPERS

METAL THEFT PREVENTION

ORGANS

PLUMBING & HEATING CONTRACTORS

PAINTERS

PAINTING CONSERVATION

RAINWATER SYSTEMS

ROOFING

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FTMRC

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ISCE

ROOF TILES

SECURITY

SOUND & AUDIO VISUAL SYSTEMS

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STAINED GLASS

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TESTING AND CONSULTANCY

STEEPLEJACKS

STONE TRAINING

TRANSPORT & STORAGE

STONE SUPPLY

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