Ecclesiastical & Heritage World Issue No. 91

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COVER STORY

CONTENTS A brief history of artificial lighting at Ely Cathedral On the front cover of this issue is the octagon of Ely Cathedral in all its night-time splendour, thanks to a new lighting system designed by Light Perceptions. They are now working on a new scheme for the interior of the cathedral.

It’s the latest in a long series of artificial lighting schemes that have graced the cathedral for nearly two centuries. From gas to electric lamps, and now low-energy LED luminaires, it’s a fascinating history. That history is outlined by Light Perceptions’ own Bruce Kirk.

Read the full story on pages 10 and 11 Cover image by James Billings

5 Reflections NEWS 7 New HE tool provides an aerial view of England’s past 7 Apprenticeships will help develop Yorkshire churches’ digital presence 9 Inspections will assess condition of Scotland’s heritage sites 9 Nation’s favourite subject gets a new historic perspective CATHEDRAL CARE 12 The care of cathedrals is something we should all care about

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St George’s tames the dragon of poor sound Integration of ancient and modern is the aspiration Leicester embarks on a complete reordering Heating projects enable cathedrals to function as churches Roofing specialists help keep Durham’s jewel in good order Kentec’s new K-Mesh wireless technology wins praise for Chester Cathedral project Cathedrals must offer a welcome to everyone

ACCESS 19 Audit sheds light on improving access to cultural heritage sites

LIGHTING 20 And there was light: but carefully controlled 21 With historic lighting, you can replace or you can repurpose 23 Exterior lighting scheme is latest in a long line of special projects 24 Church regains control after obsolete lighting is replaced

REPURPOSING 36 How to modernise heritage sites and remain compliant ROOFING & LEADWORK 38 Get the roofing training that’s specific to your needs

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WESTMINSTER UPDATE 25 Parliament’s restoration programme will need an upsurge in heritage craft skills 25 Initial documents issued for Victoria Tower project HEATING 26 Heating specialist notches up a half century

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CHURCH PROJECTS 27 Co-ordination allows numerous repairs to be carried out at once

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Throngs of satisfied visitors heed CRE’s cry to ‘Go West!’

Thousands set to descend on Sandown

SOUND & AV SYSTEMS 31 AV’s institute meets again to mark anniversary 32 Thinking of an AV installation?

Here’s some advice...

33 Easter message is brought to life virtually by C of E 34 Spending a legacy on a sound system – what to upgrade?

35 Get the expert’s view on streaming

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Rise in thefts prompts insurer to reissue guidance Locally-made tiles allow a jewel of the Jewellery Quarter to shine again Reroofing project posed a slippery problem for NT’s bats Mastic asphalt: it’s versatile and green, and can be applied to roofs or floors

ACCESS & LIGHTNING PROTECTION 44 Parishioners’ kindness alleviates COVID restrictions 45 Summertime…and the lightning is striking!

BRICKS 47 Leading brick maker reiterates its sustainability goals WINDOWS & ROOFLIGHTS 48 Shedding some light on the new Part L Building Regulations 49 Steel windows – protecting our architectural heritage IRONWORK & METALWORK 50 Working parties will gain hands-on experience of ironwork restoration 50 Station ironwork to get a makeover

FIND THE PRODUCT OR SERVICE YOU NEED IN CHURCH & HERITAGE SUPPLIES FROM PAGE 51 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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THE JEWELS IN THE CROWN of church buildings are, of course, the cathedrals. Britain boasts an extensive collection of these fine buildings – from a variety of denominations. They present particular challenges for those tasked with their safekeeping as they perform a number of functions: they are administrative centres in addition to being among the most precious heritage assets; and they retain their primary purpose of being places of worship.

The maintenance of cathedrals therefore sits side by side with the need to keep pace with modern advances in the delivery of worship.

• One of the most noticeable advances in cathedrals’ facilities has been that of lighting. Advances in lighting in all ecclesiastical and heritage buildings can be viewed as a barometer of technological advance elsewhere. An example can be seen in the development of lighting schemes in Ely Cathedral, a fascinating account of which by Bruce Kirk of Light Perceptions forms our cover story. The firm has recently completed a new lighting scheme on the cathedral’s octagon, which graces our front cover.

• A number of other lighting schemes are also showcased in a special feature in this issue, including both ecclesiastical and secular heritage buildings. A notable consideration is that it is sometimes neither necessary nor desirable to fit new installations. Particularly in the case of secular heritage buildings, existing light fittings may be part of that very heritage and should be reused wherever possible.

• The reusing of existing components can also be applied in the case of a sound or AV system. Microphones or other elements may be serviceable and can offer considerable savings in terms of cost and, in these environmentally-conscious times, materials.

Fortunately, there are a number of highly-skilled designers and installers of both lighting and AV systems who have provided us with a glimpse of the kind of issues to be taken into consideration.

• With technology advancing apace, it is difficult to keep up with the latest developments. What seems state-of-the-art one year becomes mainstream the next. So it has been with the live streaming of services – the saviour of many religious services during the pandemic and now de rigueur in the eyes of many. While it may be possible to offer a basic streaming service without going into the technicalities, taking a little time to decide what is required from a streaming service – and why – can pay dividends.

• One of the attractive features of online services, brought to the fore following the lifting of COVID restrictions, is the extent to which the process increases inclusivity. People who cannot physically attend services can participate virtually.

In the case of heritage sites it is not that easy: access must be made as inclusive as possible in a physical sense. Where that is not possible, alternative methods for those with disabilities to participate should be sought.

• Making buildings accessible is one of the considerations when making any alterations to heritage buildings: energy efficiency is another.

And while it may seem attractive to see built heritage as somehow frozen in time – set in stone, so to speak – the reality is that heritage can only be kept alive if it has a purpose. Sometimes that purpose can be far removed from the original. Redundant churches, period properties and even cotton mills have been preserved by repurposing.

• In the case of churches, all the wide range of services and advice is helpfully available from time to time under one roof, at the various Christian Resources Exhibitions. The next edition of the highly-successful shows will take place in October, at Sandown Park in Surrey. In its own words the show offers ‘banners to Bibles, heating to seating, puppets to pulpits’. q

Chris Stokes

Editor, Ecclesiastical & Heritage World

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New HE tool provides an aerial view of England’s past [

HISTORIC ENGLAND has launched its new Aerial Photography Explorer, allowing users to search and explore an online map showing aerial photographs of England over the past 100 years. Aerial imagery provides a fascinating insight into the development and expansion of the nation’s urban centres and changes to the rural landscape. It can also reveal striking discoveries, such as ‘cropmarks’ showing hidden archaeology beneath the surface.

The new imagery available online for the first time includes the remains of ancient archaeology, such as a Neolithic long barrow near Broughton in Hampshire, the remains of Iron Age forts such as Pilsdon Pen in Dorset (pictured above) and medieval villages such as Old Sulby in Northamptonshire.

More recent features on show include Second World War anti-invasion measures such as anti-

aircraft obstructions at Hampton Court Palace in 1941 and images from the same year of RAF Kenley showing camouflaged runways.

Images of bomb damage in central Liverpool and the Albert Dock from 1941, 1946 (pictured right) and 1948, with flattened areas and buildings with roofs blown off, contrast with aerial images from 2017 showing the development of the area since.

Over 400,000 images from 1919 to the present day have been added to the tool, covering nearly 30% of England – about 15,000 square miles – allowing people immediate digital access to Historic England’s nationally important collection of aerial photographs. Around 300,000 of them are the work of Historic England’s Aerial Investigation and Mapping team. Established in 1967, the team takes photographs of England from the air to discover new archaeological sites, create archaeological maps and monitor the condition of historic sites across the country.

The remaining 100,000 images come from the Historic England Archive aerial photography collection, which numbers over six million images in total and includes important historic photography, including interwar and post-war images from Aerofilms Ltd and The Royal Air Force.

By opening up the images to the public through the accessible online tool, Historic England hopes that people will use it to research their local areas,

offering an insight into a century of changes and development. That will allow them potentially to make their own discoveries about their local areas. It will also provide industry professionals and local authorities with a useful resource to help planning, heritage projects and archaeological investigation.

Nigel Huddleston MP, Minister for Heritage, commented: “What better way to discover our shared history than through this fascinating new online tool which offers a bird’s eye view of our past. I can't wait to discover more about my local area and encourage everyone to explore the thousands of English sites from the last century.”

The Aerial Photography Explorer joins Historic England’s recently-launched Aerial Archaeology Mapping Explorer to offer an unparalleled insight into England’s archaeology and the nation’s development. q • The site can be accessed from the website at historicengland.org.uk/images-books/

Apprenticeships will help develop Yorkshire churches’ digital presence [

THE NATIONAL CHURCHES TRUST has awarded £2,000 to the Yorkshire Historic Churches Trust (YHCT) for a project being run in partnership with the Centre for the Study of Christianity and Culture (CSCC) at the University of York to create a series of digital technology apprenticeships for students and for exploring new ways of promoting the county’s churches in the future.

Over the past few years, many churches have sought to harness the power of digital technologies to share their history and heritage with visitors and local communities. From short entries on church websites to videos and social media, such technologies have the potential to encourage in-person and virtual heritage tourism, helping them raise awareness and support as they care for their buildings. However, technology develops rapidly and many churches may feel uncertain about what works best, how they can engage with those technologies and how to sustain them in the future.

The YHCT’s Digital Heritage apprenticeship scheme will invite interested churches across Yorkshire to an online workshop providing guidance on using digital heritage technologies to share their stories with different audiences. The workshop will showcase innovative ideas: from creating a social media presence online – and maintaining it – to writing effective blog posts or online guides, and producing short videos and 360º tours and panoramas.

Interested churches will then be paired with students, who will in turn be

mentored by CSCC and YHCT members to help co-design and co-create content for the churches over the course of this summer.

Claire Walker, CEO of the National Churches Trust, said: “We are delighted to support the Yorkshire Historic Churches Trust with funding for their digital apprenticeships project with partners the Centre for the Study of Christianity and Culture at the University of York. Churches are exciting and historic buildings. Engaging audiences through digital technology offers a great way of showing more people that churches are the jewel in the heritage crown.”

As well as the digital apprenticeships, the YHCT will be working on promoting a Yorkshire Churches Day, when every place of worship in the county is encouraged to open their doors and showcase the amazing history and heritage that can be found inside their buildings. It would be a day to highlight the variety, beauty, history and sheer wonder of Yorkshire’s churches and places of worship, encouraging visitors to step inside a local church, maybe for the first time, or explore new parts of the county.

Tom Ramsden, chair of the YHCT, said: “We are delighted to have been awarded this funding and by the formation of this exciting partnership.

The digital heritage project offers a fantastic opportunity to engage a new generation of church building enthusiasts, harnessing their interest in digital technologies and developing their skills to create sustainable, creative digital strategies and content for the wonderful historic churches of Yorkshire.” q www.ecclesiasticalandheritageworld.co.uk

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Inspections will assess condition of Scotland’s heritage sites

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AN INSPECTION PROGRAMME designed to assess the condition of some of Scotland's most significant heritage sites is currently underway.

Historic Environment Scotland (HES) is rolling out the new programme of tactile condition surveys in response to concerns over the deterioration of high-level masonry caused by several combined factors, including the materials used during construction, age, physical location and the effects of climate change.

Inspections and sample surveys conducted by HES last year uncovered a range of decay on high-level building fabric, creating a risk of falling masonry and potential injury. To protect staff and visitors, access has been restricted at many of the affected sites, though every effort has been made to enable visitor access where it can be done safely.

HES has created a system of indicative prioritisation which will inform the inspection schedule, with considerable preparatory work already underway.

Priority will be given to surveying sites where it is difficult to fully mitigate all risks to public safety, such as where the nature or location of a site presents a particular challenge or where adjacent land owned by a third party may be affected. They include Craigmillar Castle in Edinburgh (pictured). Sites where access restrictions are having a significant adverse community and economic impact will also be prioritised this year.

The surveys will provide a detailed and accurate picture of properties' condition and will inform a subsequent programme of repairs, conservation work, adaptation measures, interventions and new ways of caring for historic assets. The surveys are being undertaken by specialist HES technical staff and will be literally ‘hands on’.

Dr David Mitchell, director of conservation at HES, said: “This is a major programme of activity taking place across Scotland, involving a new approach to inspections and new skills requirements for our teams. Our changing climate since the 1960s has accelerated the natural process of decay and the nature and location of some properties makes them particularly susceptible.

“Our response to this situation requires us to evolve our approach and what we are finding will increasingly become an issue for many building owners across Scotland. We have developed an approach to allow us to prioritise sites based on health and safety first and foremost, as well as the benefits that properties generate for local communities.

“It is important to note that conclusion of a survey does not necessarily mean a property will re-open in full or in part right away – it is entirely dependent on what we find. Once a site is assessed and we have an indication of what the issues are, we will then make decisions on what happens next.”

While the surveys and subsequent remedial work are taking place, HES is exploring alternative visitor experiences. That includes partial access at some of the sites, where it is safe to do so, and opening up interior spaces with safety corridors and viewing platforms. HES is also creating more interpretative signage and performances, exploring the use of innovative technology and new audio tours, videos and trails to augment the visitor experience for 2022. q

Nation’s favourite subject gets a new historic perspective [RECORD-BREAKING WEATHER during the Victorian period has

been revealed following the digitalisation of millions of archived rainfall records dating back nearly 200 years, which were rescued by thousands of volunteers during the first COVID-19 lockdown.

The Rainfall Rescue project was launched by the University of Reading in March 2020 and offered members of the public a way of distracting themselves from the pandemic by digitally transcribing 130 years-worth of handwritten rainfall observations from the Met Office archives. Some 16,000 volunteers responded to the challenge, digitalising 5.2 million observations in just 16 days.

Ahead of the second anniversary of the project’s launch, on 26 March, the records were made publicly available in the official Met Office national record, extending it back 26 years to 1836.

The volunteers’ efforts have revealed some new records for extreme dry and wet months across the UK, as well as providing more context around recent changes in rainfall due to humancaused climate change.

Professor Ed Hawkins, a climate scientist at the University of Reading and Rainfall Rescue project lead, said: “I am still blown away by the response this project got from the public. Transcribing the records required around 100 million keystrokes, yet what I thought would take several months was completed in a matter of days.

“Thanks to the hard work of the volunteers we now have detailed accounts of the amount of rain that fell, back to 1836, as seen through the eyes of other dedicated volunteers from several generations ago. To put that in context, 1836 was the year Charles Darwin returned to the UK on the Beagle with Vice-Admiral Robert Fitzroy, and a year before Queen Victoria took to the throne.”

Notable details uncovered by Rainfall Rescue volunteers include the fact that the driest year on record is now 1855 (786.5mm) and the driest May on record in England was 1844 (8.3mm).

November and December 1852 were confirmed as exceptionally wet months – December 1852 now being the third wettest month on record in Cumbria (364.9mm) and November 1852 being the wettest month on record for large parts of Southern England.

Floods are known to have occurred in a number of locations at that time. They are known as the Duke of Wellington Floods as they started around the time of his state funeral in London. q

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COVER STORY

A brief history of artificial lighting at Ely Cathedral

By Bruce Kirk, director of Light Perceptions, specialist lighting consultants for historic buildings

Photography by James Billings

Light Perceptions has recently been appointed as lighting consultants to Ely Cathedral and, having designed a new scheme for the octagon – featured on the front cover of this issue – is now designing a new scheme for the interior.

This article describes some of the earlier artificial lighting schemes in the cathedral and explains what lessons have been learned from understanding the work of past designers.

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WHEN ELY CATHEDRAL was built a thousand years ago it would not have been expected that the building would be widely used outside the hours of daylight. Lighting technology had advanced as far as a combination of large central fireplaces, candles, rush lights (rush stalks soaked in melted fats) and flaming torches (timbers bound with rags soaked in fats). Such light sources would probably only have been used for reading or writing by the community, rather than for general illumination of the building – except perhaps for important feast days and festivals.

It was not until the 1800s that lighting technology developed gas and paraffin alternatives to the dirty, smoky and rather smelly combustion of oils and fats.

Gas lighting found its way into churches and cathedrals from around the 1840s. By the 1820s, gaslight cost around 75% less than oil lamps or candles, accelerating its development and deployment. By 1859, gas lighting was to be found all over Britain, supplied by around a thousand gas works which had sprung up to meet the demand. There was of course no National Grid. In Ely there were two main firms competing to supply the new fuels to the city. Nevertheless, the uptake was relatively slow; but we do know there was gas in the cathedral.

In 2021 the Cathedral Chapter set out a very carefully considered brief for a new lighting scheme, which is an essential starting point for such a complex undertaking.

Another factor that strongly influences the design development of this type of project is the extent to which lessons can be learned from the work of previous designers. In developing the scheme design, we took a long look at the current and earlier lighting schemes, and are indebted to the cathedral, and especially the Honorary Archivist who kindly provided a summary of the history of electric light in the cathedral and provided a series of images of earlier lighting schemes.

Fig 1

While electric lighting at Ely is well documented, there is less information on the cathedral’s gas lighting. There is a grainy image of gas lighting in the Lady Chapel (Fig 1 above) and there remain two gasoliers (long since electrified) in the sanctuary. Aside from

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this there are minutes of meetings encouraging the removal of the ‘dirty gas system’ and its replacement by a new electric lighting scheme in the 1930s.

The first references to electric lighting show wall lights (Fig 2 left) which seem to have been positioned at a consistent height throughout the head of the nave, octagon and quire.

There are helpful references in the minutes to ‘lighting the people rather than the building’ which describe the work. We also know that the Friends donated £80 in 1961 for the installation of high floodlighting Fig 3 in the quire to supplement the wall lights (Fig 3 right).

The 1930s wall light installation did not extend to the middle or west end of the nave. An image from 1973 (Fig 4 below) shows additional lights suspended across the nave that was certainly contrary to the philosophy of lighting the people not the building.

So we see three separate sets of electric light fittings, added progressively over some 40 years, each being a reaction to a specific need rather than Fig 4 part of what we would now refer to as a ‘holistic’ scheme for the whole cathedral interior.

That approach changed dramatically in the late 1970s when J M Waldron was commissioned to design a more complete scheme for the cathedral.

He devised a complete installation, combining theatrical and bespoke fittings for the triforium Fig 2

and clerestory levels (Fig 5 right) Fig 5 there are sketches of some of the fittings (Fig 6) and a wonderful perspective sketch highlighting the intended focusing of some of the lighting for the nave, octagon, transepts and quire.

Photographs also show part of the completed installation in the nave and quire (Fig 7 below).

The Walden scheme lasted just less than twenty years, being Fig 6 replaced in the mid-1990s by the current design, which used the best of the equipment available at the time. The designer was Graham Phoenix who had previously worked at Peterborough Cathedral and carried out other work in Southwell Minster and the Lady Chapel at Hereford.

The choice of luminaires in the early 1990s was quite limited by today’s standards. While there was some choice of smaller, low voltage spotlights for use in smaller areas such as the aisles and chapels, there were far fewer options for the type of higher-powered floodlights and spotlights needed at triforium level to illuminate the larger spaces such as the nave, octagon and quire. The high level fittings are large scale exterior floodlights with relatively short life mains-voltage halogen lamps. They are heavy and have large brackets of a much more industrial design.

For many of these spotlights to be able to light their intended targets they must ‘look over’ the triforium ledges and be cantilevered from mounting points fitted further back on the triforium (Fig 8 right). They are mounted on complex theatrestyle scaffolding structures that allow for long bars to reach from behind the arcading to the front edge of the triforium.

Comparative illustrations of the Fig 7 new scheme proposals compared to those of the 1990s show the differences in physical sizes of fittings (Fig 9 1996 & Fig 10 2021).

The lessons learned from past schemes tell us that the repeated

surface-mounted lights of the 1930s installation – almost down at eye level – would have been quite a distraction. Despite providing localised light for reading, they would not have illuminated the centre of the nave or octagon: hence the need for the high-level spotlighting added in 1961.

We also see that the floodlighting of the 1970s would have been a significant improvement at the time, but was very much limited by both the light sources available and the quality of the optics or reflectors used.

The spotlighting of the 1990s was a very significant step forward in the application of applied lighting design. Many of the principles applied are still valid today, but the result can be very significantly improved upon by deploying the more sophisticated luminaires and controls available to designers today.

Fig 8

Finally, in designing a new scheme for a cathedral, it is also vital to understand the way in which these important buildings need to evolve to meet current and future expectations. An obvious example of changing requirements is shown on the front cover image of the octagon, with the new lighting easily reprogrammed to portray the Ukrainian flag. q • For further information call 01494 899440 or visit the website at www.lightperceptions.co.uk.

Figs 1-10 courtesy of Ely Cathedral

Fig 9

Fig 10

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The care of cathedrals is something we should all care about [

THE MOST IMPORTANT COLLECTION of religious buildings in the UK are its many and varied cathedrals. As would be expected, the Anglican church has the largest number, with 42 cathedrals serving dioceses across England – plus one in Gibraltar – while the Roman Catholic Church has some 30 cathedrals across Great Britain.

The Episcopal Church in Scotland has its own cathedrals while the Church of Scotland’s ‘High Kirks’ – some nine in all – are often referred to as cathedrals and include such notable buildings as St Giles’s in Edinburgh and St Mungo’s in Glasgow.

There are also five Orthodox cathedrals in the UK. Among the 42 Anglican cathedrals, no fewer than 39 are Grade One listed. Their upkeep and maintenance is overseen by the Cathedrals Fabric Commission, whose powers and duties are set out in the Care of Cathedrals Measure 2011. They produce comprehensive guidance on the steps that dioceses can take to ensure their treasured possession is cared for and can be enjoyed both as a heritage building and as a place of worship by all.

In its User’s Guide to the Care of Cathedrals Measure, the Cathedrals Fabric Commission says: “In addition to their beauty and architectural significance, cathedrals generate more than £220m for the national economy, employ more than 7,000 people

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and benefit from the contribution of nearly 15,000 volunteers.

“They welcome more than 11 million adults (27% of the UK population) and more than 300,000 schoolchildren each year. And cathedrals do all of this while remaining in use for their original and central purpose: the worship of God. “The care and maintenance required to York Minster safeguard the existing fabric and contents of our cathedrals pose complex and everchanging challenges, and if cathedrals are to reach out to new audiences and serve the needs of each new generation they must also continue to develop.”

The Commission’s advice pages, which can be found on the Church Care section of the Church of England website at www.churchofengland.org, cover a multitude of subjects, ranging from conservation measures and applying for grants to do works to furnishings, lighting and sound equipment, visitor engagement and accessibility.

In this special feature we look at some projects carried out in our cathedrals by specialist craftspeople and suppliers as part of the seemingly Sisyphean task of maintaining our cathedrals and the facilities in them. A description of one of the most evident developments in cathedrals over recent centuries – the introduction of artificial light – provides our cover story and features on the preceding pages. q

St George’s tames the dragon of poor sound

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ST GEORGE’S CATHEDRAL in London, seat of the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Southwark, was built in 1848. Badly damaged during the Blitz of 1941, it was restored and reconsecrated in the following decade. The high, vaulted ceilings, numerous pillars, large leaded windows and expanses of smooth stonework, all present challenges to effective sound reinforcement.

Thanks to their long experience delivering quality house of worship AV installations, Cunnings Recording Associates were recommended to the Cathedral Dean as being able to help and, for the past five years, have

been carrying out a rolling programme of upgrades.

“The cathedral had an ageing sound reinforcement system, but it had never been properly commissioned which meant that the congregation had difficulty in hearing services clearly,” said the company’s Daniel Cunnings. “No delays or equalisation had been set up for any of the loudspeakers, meaning speech intelligibility was poor. As well as services the cathedral also hosts a range of other events but the existing system was not easy to operate, so another intention behind the upgrade was to allow them to use their audio facilities to their fullest extent.”

The cathedral commissioned a two-stage upgrade to the sound system, the first being to quickly and radically improve the sound quality for the spoken word. That meant replacing the existing audio processors and programming the right amount of equalisation and delay for each output. "The cathedral wanted the system to be as simple as possible to operate, so the use of automatic microphone mixing was essential,” added Daniel.

The second stage of the project saw new speakers and amplifiers installed to further improve the sound, and new wireless microphones to avoid unwanted interference. There are 25 loudspeaker locations throughout the cathedral covering the congregation, side chapel, choir, clergy and organist which have been replaced with aesthetically pleasing column loudspeakers to better control the sound and reduce reverberations.

A touchscreen control panel in the sacristy allows microphone levels to be individually adjusted as necessary although, for most services, the system is left to operate automatically. A wireless iPad control app allows comprehensive control of the system and eliminates the need for an analogue mixing console, which previously had to be brought in for music events and recitals.

The visual system was next to be tackled with new LCD screens installed below the loudspeakers on every pillar. The screens provide a clear view of the sanctuary to the congregation sitting in the aisles who would otherwise have their view obscured by the pillars. Two more screens in the sanctuary provide the same view to the choir. The organist benefits from a separate screen showing two camera views side by side. A simple control panel beside the organ allows him to choose which cameras are displayed.

Most recently a high definition camera has been installed at the rear of the cathedral to enable services and events to be streamed to YouTube. The camera is controllable from the sacristy and can zoom to show a close up of the ambo, wider views of the sanctuary or processions from the entrance doors. A dedicated streaming encoder allows live streaming to be started and stopped at the touch of a button.

“The cathedral team are very happy that the whole congregation can now see and hear the services clearly, whether online or in person,” said Daniel, “and we have been pleased to help take St George’s into a new era.” q www.ecclesiasticalandheritageworld.co.uk

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Integration of ancient and modern is the aspiration

[LOW CARBON CONSULTANCY MTA is a practice that specialises

in the sympathetic conservation of culturally significant buildings during the integration of modern services.

With over 20 years of experience, the team at MTA have a comprehensive understanding of the complex rivalry between historical architecture and modern comfort. With an aspiration to ‘repair rather than replace’ they aim

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to preserve the historic fabric of these important structures.

Projects have included new boiler installations, traditional and underfloor heating which includes experience of limecrete floors, environmental controls where important artefacts are stored and/or displayed, fire alarm and detection and lightning protection, along with internal and external lighting designs and communication systems.

MTA seek to achieve a seamless integration of light within a building’s structural composition by providing lighting schemes that complement and enhance the intended design, style and architectural features, while also being both functional and energy efficient.

As CIBSE-registered Low Carbon Consultants, sustainable engineering options are at the forefront of their work ethic.

MTA have worked on the cathedrals at Leicester, Wakefield, Arundel, Cirencester, Exeter, St David’s, Hereford, Rochester, Salisbury, Southwark, Westminster, Winchester and Glastonbury.

Other church projects include St Alfege’s Church in Greenwich, St John the Baptist in Cirencester, All Saints in Orpington, St James’s Priory, Cirencester Parish Church, St Nicholas’s Church in Radford Semele, St Jude’s in Brompton, Beaulieu Abbey Church, the Italianate Church in Wilton, St Mary de Crypt in Gloucester and many others. q

Leicester embarks on Heating projects a complete reordering enable cathedrals to [

THE MOST comprehensive project on a cathedral in the country at the moment is the reordering of Leicester Cathedral. Leicester Cathedral Revealed is a £12.7m project to put the building back into good order, create more space for learning, better manage visitor flow and improve the individual experience of being within the cathedral.

The cathedral spaces were hitherto inflexible and inadequate for current and future use. The infrastructure – lighting, heating and decorations – needs to be upgraded, and a tenfold increase in visitors to see the tomb of King Richard III has made the need more urgent.

To carry out the project the cathedral has been closed and emptied.

The project is also seeing the building of a new Heritage Learning Centre on the approximate footprint of the 1930s Song School, preserving the open space of Cathedral Gardens. Comprehensive archaeology is also being undertaken by the University of Leicester.

The latest element of the project to be embarked upon is the repair and restoration of external stonework on the south façade. An exciting part of that is replacing four badly weathered and deteriorated grotesques, to complement the fox and tiger grotesques installed in 2018.

Following suggestions from members of the cathedral community the new grotesques will feature a Leicester Longwool Sheep, Peregrine Falcon, White Boar and Wyvern to further represent local history and culture. q

function as churches

Llywelyn2000, CC BY-SA 4.0

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A NUMBER OF PROJECTS carried out in the ‘twenty-teens’ by specialist church heating installers Mellor and Mottram demonstrate the fact that cathedrals are functioning, working buildings as well as heritage assets – used on a day-to-day basis for worship. One of them was reminiscent of a TV ‘to the rescue’ documentary.

When the heating boiler at the Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Birmingham failed a few days before Christmas 2017, the cathedral authorities called on the Stoke-on-Trent company to carry out the installation of a replacement.

The Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Birmingham was established in 1980 in a former Catholic church, designed by J A Chatwin in 1873. It is dedicated to the Dormition of the Theotokos – the ‘falling asleep’ of the Mother of God – and to St Andrew.

The unit chosen to replace the boiler in the cathedral was a Remeha Gas 220 Ace (right), a free-standing, high-efficiency condensing boiler designed for commercial use. At the heart of the control system is a speciallydesigned microprocessor, with time and temperature controls supplied as standard and set and controlled by the end user.

The project also involved repairs to the pipework and its reconfiguration for the new boiler installation.

Some years previously Mellor and Mottram carried out a number of installations in North Wales, including at Bangor Cathedral (top) – without doubt one of the iconic buildings of the church in Wales. The diocese itself predates any in England – having been founded by St Deiniol in the sixth century – and the present cathedral was begun in the 13th, following the destruction of the previous building by King John’s troops.

The involvement of Mellor and Mottram was to reline the flues of the heating system. Although a relatively small-scale operation for the company, by stopping the damp resulting from the failure of the previous linings they helped preserve the significant and ancient building, as well as enabling it to continue to provide a comfortable environment for worshippers and visitors alike.

Around the same time Mellor and Mottram completed work, including plumbing and the installation of disabled people’s toilets, on St Giles Cathedral in Wrexham. q • For further information call 0800 644 6240 or visit the website at www.mellorandmottram.com. www.ecclesiasticalandheritageworld.co.uk

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Roofing specialists help keep Durham’s jewel in good order [ DURHAM CATHEDRAL has a rich

and varied history. Founded as a monastic cathedral at the beginning of the 12th century, it was built as both a place of worship and the home of a Benedictine community. Over the past century it has served a multi-use purpose and is a church of the Anglican Communion as well as being a shrine to St Cuthbert, the seat of the Bishop of Durham and a place of pilgrimage and spirituality.

A much-loved and cherished landmark in the North East of England, it also won the Reader’s Choice for Britain’s Best Building in a poll conducted by The Guardian, detailing its importance and recognition among the local community and wider public.

Additionally, Durham Cathedral has a firm dedication to conservation and is one of only a few cathedrals in Europe to preserve the original unity and integrity of its original design.

As such, it is the only cathedral in England to retain almost all of its Norman craftsmanship – and that is something those with an affiliation to the cathedral are particularly keen to maintain.

As a result, they have made a commitment to undertake any restoration work required to the most superior standard and as much in line with the Romanesque design and Norman construction as

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possible. Last year alone over £1.2m was spent on maintenance, repair and conservation work on the cathedral and its associated buildings, all of which was raised through fundraising efforts, donated by visitors or given as grants from Historic England.

Recently-completed projects include repairs to a boundary wall, a chair lift being constructed within the Monks’ Dormitory, a new sound system being installed and lighting improvements being undertaken.

Further work also included repairs to the Refectory, Great Kitchen and Library roofs and, when that was needed, the professionals at Leicester-based JTC Roofing were called upon for their expertise in cathedral roof renovations.

It was an honour for the team at JTC, and under the guidance of Christopher Downs, the architect in charge of the project, they undertook a range of roofing repairs, renovations and maintenance work, ensuring everything was kept in line with tradition.

That meant using sand-cast lead – as that was imperative in making sure the work was done in accordance with the rest of the Norman craftsmanship. The lead ranged from Code 6 to Code 8. The main work being undertaken involved using hollow roll technology and the team utilised hidden copper clips as the method of fixing – which were fitted using stainless steel annular ring shank nails.

A chalk slurry was applied to the underside of the lead in order to neutralise any acids leaching from the timbers – oak as used for the timbers being a prime source of tannic acids, which can leak out and corrode the underside of the lead and form deadly oxidation crystals.

Durham Cathedral is a perfect example of how the experts at JTC Roofing can, in conjunction with a team of architects and other field specialists, perform first-class historic roof restorations – particularly applying their care, attention and sensitivity to traditional design and craftsmanship. The highly-trained and experienced team at JTC worked incredibly hard to ensure the restoration and repairs they carried out were in keeping with the rest of the building and it is thanks to their efforts that the results were as exceptional as the building itself.

As specialists in all aspects of lead roofing, including cathedral renovations and historical repairs, JTC Roofing provide superior standard services at affordable prices. Their wide range of skills means they can cater to a host of individual requirements and can tailor their roofing service to suit specific needs. So, whether you are undertaking roofing renovations to a period property or simply need minor repairs to the roof of your home, there is nobody better company to call than JTC. q

Kentec’s new K-Mesh wireless technology wins praise for Chester Cathedral project [

mesh,” Brad explained.

K-MESH, a next-generation Brad’s colleague, operations wireless fire detection technology manager Byronn Alty, thinks that from from Kentec Electronics – a leading an engineer’s perspective, the new manufacturer of life-critical control technology is ‘phenomenal’. “We solutions – is winning deserved went to what we believed would be praise from the installer of a new the dead spots within the cathedral,” system protecting the historic he said, “and low and behold the Chester Cathedral. device started communicating with Brad Parker, founder of Charles the strongest radio signal expander Thomas Heritage Fire Protection, within its area. I would look at the was tasked with specifying and drawings and thought it would upgrading the wireless fire detection communicate with expander one, system previously installed in the and yet the device ends up linking to cathedral. The thick walls and Brad Parker fixing the K-Mesh device at Chester Cathedral expander two!” lead-lined roofs, along with the A further benefit to the mesh other challenges that come with a technology is that it is simple plug and play. “The cathedral has an building that can trace its roots back to 1093, meant Brad had to think outbuilding with an old bell tower so there needed to be a link between outside the box. the two,” Byronn continued. “This was an initial design challenge for us He opted for Kentec’s K-Mesh system, a technology that uses selfto think how we were going to get radio over there, but the new wireless healing and configuring mesh technology to deliver optimum levels mesh is just plug and play and it was just great to see it working. of reliability and performance. It also makes it easy to use, install “Even having used it only once, my confidence with installing, and commission – and ultimately provides robust assurance that fire programming and commissioning is now on a high, and that tells you incidents are detected and communicated immediately. It is available how easy it is to use.” as part of a complete fire detection system with Kentec-manufactured Brad Parker similarly describes K-Mesh as ‘wizardry’, saying: “My love panels, such as the renowned Syncro AS panel and in this case the of old heritage buildings made this project extremely enjoyable and award-winning Taktis panel. being able to use the new Kentec K-Mesh system and seeing it work at its A wireless translator module, which sits at the centre of the full potential, was a delight.”

K-Mesh system, is hard-wired to the fire alarm control panel loop Kevin Swann, managing director of Kentec Electronics, believes and communicates continuously with the wireless devices. Sensors wireless fire detection is the future. He said: “We are very pleased and are supplied in three variants – optical, thermal and multi-criteria – excited about our new K-Mesh system and seeing it installed in such an with the optical and multi-criteria sensors featuring adaptive signal important landmark is an honour and confirmation of our best practice. processing and double dust traps to prevent false alarms. Thermal It is fast to install and less invasive to a building’s structure and all of us detectors can respond to a fixed temperature threshold or detect a rate here at Kentec are committed to helping protect our heritage buildings of rise in temperature. Wireless sounders, call points and testing kits are and assets of national importance.” q also available within the range.

K-Mesh has a seven-to-ten-year battery life, which is approximately • A video of Brad Parker and Byronn Alty of Charles Thomas Heritage twice that of the industry standard. The technology is also fully Fire Protection discussing their hands-on experience installing the new expandable, and configurable from anything from two to 2,000 devices K-Mesh wireless fire detection system into the Grade 1-listed Chester so even the largest, most disparate and complex sites can now be Cathedral can be viewed at www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-TnAhPXtP4 protected wirelessly. Further capabilities include a communication range of up to 1,200 metres and immunity to hacking.

Due to the size of Chester Cathedral many expanders are needed, and with the K-Mesh system each expander has up to five redundancy paths connecting to the strongest expander, creating the mesh. Even the dead spots in the cathedral are able to communicate with the strongest radio signal expander within its area, so in case of an emergency, every corner of the building is covered.

“With the latest mesh technology, rather than one expander we can have three, four or even five redundancy paths and the signal connects itself automatically to the strongest expander to create the www.ecclesiasticalandheritageworld.co.uk

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Cathedrals must offer a welcome to everyone [

accessibility dimension, even if that is not CATHEDRALS ARE BEAUTIFUL historic their focus – new lighting, reordering or buildings and living places of worship and they toilets for example. should be open to – and able to be enjoyed – A named member of chapter should manage by all. proposals to carry out access works or to install Cathedral chapters have a responsibility, new access equipment. both as Christian places of worship and under The proposals should be developed in the Equality Act 2010, to make reasonable close discussion with the cathedral architect provision for access, including identifying and and archaeologist to make sure the impact dealing with any obstacle to accessing their of the work is understood and any necessary cathedral and its precincts. They need to take mitigation measures are incorporated from an reasonable steps to make it possible for a early stage. disabled person to use their services.

Hull-based access consultants About Access The advice given to all churches, which of advocate that architects and project leaders course includes cathedrals, is that they should should avail themselves of the services of an think about: access expert at an early stage.

• The access to the inside and In its guidance, the Cathedrals Fabric • outside of the building Commission recommends an even more • Accessing the toilets proactive approach: “The commission strongly • Accessing noticeboards encourages all cathedral chapters to carry out • Circulating in the churchyard and on paths an access audit of the cathedral, its precinct • Participating in the service or other Photo © Robin Stott (cc-by-sa/2.0) and ancillary buildings as appropriate, to • activities provide an accurate picture of access issues They should also consider if there is anything Access ramp up to Coventry Cathedral entrance and needs. that prevents or makes it unreasonably difficult “It also encourages all chapters subsequently to develop an access for a disabled person to get involved. If so, then reasonable steps must policy for their cathedral to provide a framework for managed solutions be taken to: to access issues such as carrying out work to the cathedral building, • Change or remove it precinct or ancillary buildings, and installing new access equipment; and • Offer another method to use the services to guide the development of specific proposals. This policy should be • Provide aids – eg induction loops, handrails, large-print sheets, etc reviewed and updated on a regular basis.” q Many types of works at a cathedral will have an access and

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Audit sheds light on improving access to cultural heritage sites As one of the 15 Great Lighthouses of Ireland – on an island which has a lot of them – Fanad Lighthouse proved a particularly interesting subject during a recent commission carried out by access consultants About Access for Donegal County Council. Some obvious challenges were encountered, but the team left convinced that none of the issues should deter people from enjoying a fascinating attraction.

About Access’s managing director Ian Streets tells the story.

[FOR A START, visitors need to be able to cover a bit of distance.

It’s maybe 500 metres from the car park to the ticket office and then the same again to the building. But there’s a route for cars to the bottom of the lighthouse and there is step-free access to the museum.

The tower itself is not so accommodating, with 76 steps to the top and no logical way of making the climb any easier. We’ve recommended making more of an effort to include an interpretation of the features at the top of the lighthouse in the displays at the bottom of the steps; but even without that there is plenty to see.

The three guest cottages are not accessible, but the issues can be remedied in one of them – where there is space to improve the internal layout and to move the entrance to the back, where there is step-free access.

Among the general aspects of the site we looked at are: getting there, signage, interpretation, the gift shop and the information panels between the visitor centre and the lighthouse.

You need a car, because the bus service is very limited; but

everything else is done very well and has great authenticity, which you would expect given that the tour guide is the lighthouse keeper, who is also responsible for maintenance and other duties.

We hadn’t carried out an audit on a lighthouse before, and you could say this one shed new light on some elements of our work. It’s still working and has an intriguing history – which includes watching for German boats approaching the adjacent Lough Swilly as a safe haven during the Second World War. The work was commissioned as one of a series of access audits to improve accessibility at cultural and heritage premises such as a cinema, theatre and library. The principles behind our work are transferrable to any community: ageing properties are an essential part of a cultural offer, and they should be as accessible as they can be.

It isn’t possible to open up every site because it’s clear that accessibility wasn’t on the agenda when some of them were designed and built. But our experience in Donegal demonstrates a greater awareness now, exciting opportunities and a big incentive – inclusivity forms a significant part of bids for funding.

All the sites we visited were accessible to some but not all. A common feature was a need to improve communication, because if you present people with enough information they can make their own decisions on whether it is worth a visit, avoiding disappointment and resulting in more happy customers. q • For further information on how About Access can help you and your properties, contact Ian Streets on 01482 651101, email ian@aboutaccess.co.uk or visit www.aboutaccess.co.uk www.ecclesiasticalandheritageworld.co.uk

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And there was light: but carefully controlled [

THE LIGHTING of ecclesiastical and heritage buildings is one of the subjects this publication has returned to again and again – with good reason: it is a dynamic industry that has transformed both places of worship and our built heritage.

In churches the ability to see what was going on and – as literacy bloomed in the 18th and 19th centuries – read the hymn book and service sheets enabled the population at large to take part in services as never before. Later, lighting schemes were developed to highlight features within the church. Now, electronic controls have enabled church services to become dramatic and musical events.

In heritage buildings lighting has followed a similar path. From illuminating the contents to dramatising the building’s historical context, lighting schemes have become ever more sophisticated.

With such buildings, however, there need be no rush to replace with modern lighting. In many cases, existing lights can be reused and may, indeed, be part of the heritage of the building.

Historic England has this to say about the subject: “Any examples of early gas or electrical light fittings that have survived should, wherever possible, be left in position and form a part of the new lighting scheme, if feasible.”

For people with a visual disability a good lighting scheme can

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boost appreciation of a place, providing it does not cause glare. The Pocklington Trust publishes advice on lighting design with visual impairment in mind.

Outside, lighting schemes have also developed apace. In the 1970s ‘son et luminaire’ presentations were widely advertised and were major events. Now, external lighting of churches and historic buildings can be manipulated at the touch of a button.

Historic England offers a caveat: “It should be remembered that external lighting can not only augment the view of a historic building, but if done badly can produce the opposite effect by enhancing the negative aspects. A building or location is like the face of an old friend; depending upon how the lighting is chosen and located it can produce either flattering or unflattering results.”

A relatively modern concern is the effect of light pollution on the environment.

Harrods London Historic England says: “Any scheme must not only illuminate but make the building or place more interesting, assist in making visitors feel safe by putting people back at the centre of all public spaces, help tell a story, boost the building or area’s identity and assist visitors in appreciating the night by only using light where needed.”

The advice seems to be that, as with many things in life, the essence of a good lighting scheme is careful control. q

With historic lighting, you can replace or you can repurpose Mark Harper, head of design at bespoke lighting designers and manufacturers Dernier & Hamlyn, explains why new is not necessarily best in ecclesiastical and heritage buildings

St Paul’s Cathedral interior (left) and the Pugin Room chandelier at the Palace of Westminster (right)

[

Our largest project of that type was at LIGHTING IN HERITAGE BUILDINGS the Palace of Westminster, which our team fulfils many functions. There’s the practical worked on for some 30 years – restoring illumination – and in those that are open to and manufacturing beautiful chandeliers for the public that includes a legal requirement for various areas, including the chambers in the emergency lighting. Then there is the aesthetic.

House of Commons and the House of Lords Empathetic and effective lighting can make or as well as many other important spaces. break the environment and the ambience of Sometimes our team works to repurpose a place. existing lighting for a new application. A great Our team of craftsmen have been making example of that is at the Old Royal Naval beautiful bespoke lighting since 1888 and the College in Greenwich. When new visitor fruits of their labours can be seen in a wide welcome facilities were introduced in the King variety of ecclesiastical and heritage buildings.

William Undercroft, a new public entrance was One of the most notable projects was required to be lit by historically appropriate creating and manufacturing bespoke external lighting. The designers proposed new lighting for St Paul’s Cathedral, which would over-door lighting to match existing entrances see chandeliers hung in the main body of and asked us to convert a lantern formerly the cathedral for the first time. The new mounted on a stone pedestal elsewhere on site fittings were produced to look as if they into a wall-mounted bracket fitting. That not could have been there since the cathedral’s only ensured architectural integrity, but also 17th-century beginnings, which was provided a cost-effective solution. achieved by our team working closely with the cathedral’s design team.

Designing and manufacturing bespoke chandeliers for one of the most important ecclesiastical buildings in the world is, of course, a great honour and an opportunity that is only available very rarely. What is more usual in our work is using archive imagery to inform replication of lighting that has disappeared over time or has been damaged to the point of being unrepairable.

Belfast City Hall

While at Belfast City Hall we designed and manufactured a range of fittings, including a 1.3 tonne chandelier, which is believed to be the largest chandelier in Ireland, to replace one that was damaged beyond repair when the building was bombed in 1941. The only reference material available was photography from the turn of the 20th century and it is not known what became of the original chandelier.

As costs become ever more in focus and with eyes increasingly on sustainability issues too, we are increasingly working on projects to restore existing lighting rather than manufacture from new.

For example, we refurbished and upgraded 14 of the light fittings at St John the Evangelist Church in East Dulwich, including restoring the gilding and adapting the fittings to accommodate energy-saving LED lamps.

And if you came to our factory today you would see our team working hard to restore and replicate almost 100 light fittings of various types for a 1930s public building that is set to reopen in the autumn after extensive refurbishment.

In summary, new bespoke lighting for heritage buildings can be the best solution for some; but in many cases the more cost-effective, sustainable and historically accurate way will be to restore or repurpose what already exists. q www.ecclesiasticalandheritageworld.co.uk

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Exterior lighting scheme is latest in a long line of special projects [

CHURCH LIGHTING specialists Lighting Dynamics UK have recently designed and installed a dynamic and exciting ‘colour change’ exterior lighting project at the Roman Catholic Church of St Edward in Selly Park, in the Archdiocese of Birmingham.

The church was designed in decorated gothic style by Henry Thomas Sandy of Stafford and the nave opened on 13 October 1902 by Edward Ilsley, Roman Catholic Bishop of Birmingham, and Samuel Webster Allen, Roman Catholic Bishop of Shrewsbury. The builder was William Bishop of King’s Heath.

The sanctuary and side chapels were built between 1925 and 1926 to a design created by George Bernard Cox, of Harrison and Cox, and the builders were John Bowen and Sons of Balsall Heath. The western end of the church was completed in 1936.

Working in close liaison with the parish priest, Fr Denis McGillycuddy, and to a comprehensive and specific design brief, modern RGBW LED luminaires with very precise optics were selected, supplied and installed for the project. All of the LED luminaires are linked to and controlled by a small modern touch screen control panel, which allows a selection of different colours to be chosen to illuminate the complete exterior of the church building for numerous and varied ecclesiastical occasions throughout the year.

The touch screen control panel also incorporates astronomical sunrise/ twilight and lunar phases to be set for the local geographical location.

The result is an exciting and vibrant illuminated church building which makes a truly outstanding statement for both the local community and all members of the congregation.

Lighting Dynamics UK have long been established as one of the UK’s premier companies specialising in the interior and exterior lighting of cathedrals, churches and other places of worship, across all religious denominations. The company is dedicated to offering a totally independent, creative, imaginative, unbiased lighting design, as well as an in-depth consultancy service and, where required, the supply of all associated or specified lighting equipment.

Since its conception the company has established a reputation for creating practical and architecturally sympathetic lighting schemes.

Wherever possible, discreet lighting equipment is specified and installed to produce suitable levels of illumination and to highlight both ecclesiastical details and any special architectural features.

Company principal Gerry Browne explained: “Our comprehensive ranges 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 and styling, to mention but a few.”

The company has also launched and continue to develop an extensive family of the very latest bespoke, high-quality ‘commercial grade’ LED luminaires, specifically designed for all types of ecclesiastical lighting tasks. The extensive range of LED products, along with many related LED luminaire lighting accessories, now takes their overall lighting

portfolio to the next level of technical innovation.

‘Colour change’ lighting, linked to DMX or DALI controls, is also proving popular for selected church interior and exterior illumination applications.

The company also has an unrivalled knowledge and expertise of all modern intelligent dimming and smart lighting control systems.

While popular systems such as DSI, 0-10V and DALI all have their respective advantages and disadvantages, the company is also proficient in utilising both alternative wired and wireless lighting control systems.

The company’s entire team all believe that this is a very exciting time in the further development of church lighting, especially with such a great and diverse range of modern light sources now available.

Gerry Browne continued: “It has been established that most customers are increasingly looking for someone with the flair and experience to provide a quality lighting design, whilst also specifying top-grade, high-quality ‘commercial grade’ lighting equipment and controls that will provide longevity, reliability and overall flexibility for their specific ecclesiastical lighting upgrade project.”

However, achieving the optimum lighting design solution is a long-term process which involves educating, informing and demonstrating to all members of a specific project team what can be achieved.

The need to be energy conscious In this modern age it would appear that the never-ending increasing number of new energy regulations is only surpassed by the cost of energy itself.

Gerry explained the way in which Lighting Dynamics are conscious of those issues. “Whilst modern easy internet access is now widely available, with the lure and attraction of all types of lost-cost LED products, many end user clients have tremendous difficulty in differentiating between the various price points available online or locally, and in particular understanding the prime differences between high-quality ‘commercial grade’ LED luminaires and their counterpart short-life, poor-performance, low-cost alternatives.

“The issue is further compounded when modern LED light sources need to be dimmed and be linked to any form of separate lighting control systems. Lighting Dynamics UK has, if required, a fully-qualified team of NICEIC-registered electricians to carry out the installation of our interior and exterior lighting systems to current electrical standards and regulations.

“The team is extremely experienced with working within all types of ecclesiastical buildings, including and especially those with listed status.”

The company provide a bespoke design service for each individual church lighting project, be it interior or exterior, from initial meeting and informal discussions, right through to final focusing and commissioning of the completed project. In short, Lighting Dynamics UK can provide the complete lighting service. q www.ecclesiasticalandheritageworld.co.uk

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Church regains control after obsolete lighting is replaced

[

AFTER HAVING SUFFERED for many years with a failing lighting system, St. Andrew's Church in Bedford contacted CLS Electrical Services Ltd for assistance. The church had lived with half of the church in darkness after their LEAX lighting controls began to fail, which resulted in temporary lighting stands being used.

The existing controls were obsolete, with spares and replacement parts no longer available since LEAX ceased trading some years ago. That – along with the fact that temporary solutions were becoming increasingly unsuitable – led to CLS being tasked with finding a replacement control system, while keeping the existing light fittings already installed throughout the church.

Firstly, it was necessary to carry out a re-lamping session, to replace any failed lamps and update everything to dimmable LED lamps throughout. The

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LEAX lighting controls were then removed and a new Mode Lighting Evolution system installed. Existing containment and wiring were re-used following a full inspection, helping to keep costs to a minimum. A Wi-Fi router was also installed, allowing remote programming and operation of the lighting using a mobile device, and any number of lighting scenes to be created and recalled. Two control plates were installed, allowing the recall of 20 lighting scenes, and a visitor switch was installed to operate the lighting upon entrance to the church.

On completion of the installation work CLS carried out a training session with members of the church, showing them how to make changes to the lighting system in the future. Lighting scenes were also set up according to the requirements of the church. Finally, after many years they have a fully-working lighting system that is simple to use and offers the versatility that this busy church needs. q

Parliament’s restoration programme will need an upsurge in heritage craft skills [

HUNDREDS OF NEW heritage craftspeople and conservation specialists will be needed to fill roles in traditional crafts ahead of the essential work to restore the Houses of Parliament buildings.

Heritage plasterers and carpenters, stonemasons and historic window restorers are just some of the jobs that will be in high demand throughout the restoration programme, and a national Skills Assessment of thousands of suppliers and training providers has found that many more specialists will be needed in some areas.

Falling demand over decades has led to a smaller heritage and conservation industry that will need to be boosted ahead of the UK’s largest-ever restoration programme to save the Palace of Westminster.

In some areas, such as heritage plastering, research suggests that more than a third of the specialists currently working in the UK will be needed in the complex programme of essential work to restore the building. The restoration programme could also need as many as 34% of all heritage window specialists in the UK. The Houses of Parliament Restoration and Renewal Programme (R&R) will be working with heritage and conservation organisations over the coming months and years to encourage people into those specialist professions and contribute to the restoration.

The restoration programme is committed to social mobility, diversity and developing skills for people across the UK as it completes the first phase of the project. A first group of apprentices has already joined the restoration teams, and an internship partnership with the Social Mobility Foundation is on-going.

Other specialists from across the UK are already involved with the extensive programme of surveys which have been taking place since

last summer to build a detailed understanding of the buildings as the detailed and costed restoration plan is developed.

Mike Brown CBE MVO, chair of the Houses of Parliament Restoration and Renewal Delivery Authority, said: “Restoring Parliament will create thousands of jobs and apprenticeships across the UK, but this will hinge on getting the right numbers of skilled people to work with us.

“This Skills Assessment has allowed the Houses of Parliament Restoration and Renewal Programme to identify areas of shortage and engage with our key industries and training providers to create new jobs, apprenticeships and training opportunities which will be vital to the restoration of one of the world’s most widely recognised buildings.”

Through a joint Heritage Client Group that includes Historic England, CADW, Historic Environment Scotland and others, R&R will work with heritage and conservation organisations to explore a range of initiatives to encourage more people into high-demand professions.

Historic England’s chief executive Duncan Wilson said: “The restoration and renewal of the Houses of Parliament presents an unprecedented opportunity to address long-standing heritage skills construction shortages in England and the wider UK, focusing on areas of greatest need such as plastering and joinery.

“The Hamish Ogston Foundation Heritage Building Skills Programme managed by Historic England is already training people in these skills in the North of England, but there is need for even greater investment across the whole of the country. We look forward to working with our existing network of training providers to explore how models of excellence might be extended.” q

Initial documents issued for Victoria Tower project [

THE PALACE OF WESTMINSTER'S Victoria Tower Fabric Safety Project has reached an early milestone with the publication of the market engagement documents, which will inform the project's procurement process.

The exterior masonry of Victoria Tower, which is the tallest tower in the Grade One-listed Palace of Westminster, is deteriorating and represents a health and safety risk. The root cause is exposure every year to the freeze-thaw cycle. Storm conditions, which are occurring more frequently, continue to weaken the structure further.

Mitigation measures are currently in place, including a protective safety deck at the base of the tower. The only way to eliminate the risk is to repair the tower's stonework, which is what the project will do.

The next step for the project, which is very early in its timeline, is the procurement of works with a view to publishing an Invitation to Tender later this year. Work on site is expected to start in 2024.

Jake Vaughan, executive sponsor for the project and House of Lords Reading Clerk, explained: “Victoria Tower is a key part of one of the country's most iconic and recognisable buildings. Extensive repairs to its stonework are needed to make sure that this 98-metre-tall tower is safe for all.

“Interim safety measures have been put in place, but these works are vital to Victoria Tower's long-term future. The benefits of the work are expected to last for more than 30 years.

“Also, as custodians of part of the UNESCO Westminster World

Heritage Site, Parliament has a legal duty of care to prevent the tower from deteriorating further.”

The complex project to repair the 160-year-old tower will involve the full scaffolding of the tower. Subject to further detailed analysis, it is expected to be completed in 2029 and cost in the region of £170m.

The project's scaffolding will also be used to complete conservation work on the window glazing, cast iron roof, rainwater drainage system and flagpole. That will save money by eliminating the need for future scaffolds to carry out those works. q www.ecclesiasticalandheritageworld.co.uk

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Heating specialist notches up a half century [ ESTABLISHED IN 1972,

Photo © Danny P Robinson (cc-by-sa/2.0)

Argonaut Heating Ltd is proud to be celebrating 50 years of successful trading in the commercial heating, ventilating and air conditioning sector – as a specialist contractor for churches and other ecclesiastical and heritage buildings.

Many of the ecclesiastical and heritage buildings the team work in are listed buildings which require specialist knowledge for heating installations, boiler replacements, repairs and upgrade works.

Over the years Argonaut has carried out work on all types of heating in church buildings of all ages, types and sizes in the London, South East and East Anglia areas. Much of that work has been on high-profile projects, including in London at Sir Christopher Wren’s masterpiece St Mary-le-Bow, Cheapside – the church of the famous Bow Bells – and St Mark’s Church Regent’s Park in Camden (above left). Installations and upgrade works have also been carried out at Holy Trinity Church, South Woodford, and at Belsize Square

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Photo © Andrew Smith (cc-by-sa/2.0)

Synagogue, Belsize Park, among numerous others in the London and surrounding areas.

The company’s engineers have recently completed a project at Reading’s Minster Church of St Mary the Virgin (above right). The original Reading Abbey was built on the site and consecrated by Thomas Becket in 1164. Stone and timber from the ruins of the abbey were used in the restoration of the minster in the mid-16th century.

As well as working in ecclesiastical buildings, Argonaut Heating Ltd also have a number of clients in prestigious buildings in central London, including a number of elegant gentlemen’s clubs: the Cavalry & Guards Club in Piccadilly, the Turf Club in St James’s and The Garrick Club in the heart of London’s West End. As experts in church heating systems, the team at Argonaut provides cost-effective and efficient design, installation, repair and maintenance services. With their wealth of experience, the engineers understand the problems involved in heating churches, community centres, halls and other places of worship and regularly carry out boiler replacements, repairs and heating system upgrades.

The main problem in heating a church is the age of the building.

Since the majority of church buildings are old and well established – often having additions built at a later date – they have a mixture of old heating systems presenting problems and are slow to respond in heating up a cold church. The old heating systems frequently try to heat buildings quickly at short notice for a variety of services and uses, so that the congregation are comfortable and in a warm and welcoming environment. More modern churches, built in the 1960s, often had electric heating systems installed which are expensive to run.

Argonaut Heating Ltd’s engineers are experienced in working in a variety of ecclesiastical building types and pride themselves in solving heating issues that other contractors are unable to find solutions for. All members of the team are fully qualified, reliable and committed to excellence in health and safety, thus ensuring that all installations and repairs are carefully carried out in compliance with the latest regulations. They enjoy long-term working relationships with many of their clients and much of the work comes from referrals.

The company offers free site visits, giving clients advice and free quotes on the most efficient and cost-effective heating solutions for their ecclesiastical buildings. q

Co-ordination allows numerous repairs to be carried out at once [

TWO CONTRACTS were recently undertaken together as a chancel, damaged misericords and small single project at the Grade One-listed church of St Mary in Aylesbury. areas of missing floor tiles.

The works included stonework repairs, repointing, leadwork repairs, A project was put together that would window restoration, the introduction of isothermal glazing, furniture address urgent stonework repairs at specific, and flooring repairs, as well as renewal of the boiler flue and various concentrated areas – which gathered other sundry works. together and incorporated other necessary St Mary’s is a nationally important church. works which could sensibly be undertaken using The ancient edifice has Saxon origins and has shared access scaffolding. Having scaffolding at undergone many visible periods of growth, specific areas would allow for works other than alteration and restoration – resulting in the the primary need to repair stonework. characterful and imposing church we see Generally, much of the clerestory stonework today. The church dominates the town centre was badly weathered and decayed, with several of Aylesbury and is situated in a walled areas missing and others cracking away from churchyard ringed by historic buildings the walls. Some jamb and arch stones were which, in effect, creates a setting akin to a clunch (chalk), which had decayed by more by cathedral close. than half the stones’ depth, while in other areas The 2015 and 2020 quinquennial inspections the stones were cracking and pulling away

by Daniel Benson of Ablett Architects from the walls. All the window surrounds were highlighted several serious issues on a general carefully surveyed and detailed drawings were level, including unsafe stonework on the made of the different profiles. clerestory walls and aisle parapets, buckled The project had a long gestation period, glass in the chancel windows and defects to which allowed for thorough investigations and the lead roofs. Other issues more specific to research by the architect to inform the detailing the fabric of the church included a stone gable and specifications. That included analysis cross – taken down as unsafe a few years of the walling stone and identifying suitable previously – an unsafe and unlined boiler replacements. A source of the The new stone cross in situ on the chancel gable flue and badly decayed chimney and, in the correct walling stone was found at a disused quarry on a nearby farm.

For replacement ashlar stone, Hartham Park stone was chosen for durability, the existing being a combination of different stones, including very soft clunch.

Funding for the work was made possible by the happy convergence of several events, including a successful fundraising drive by the parish, the obtaining of a substantial grant from the COVID Recovery Fund and the Church Commissioners’ commitment to their liability for chancel repairs.

The project drew together a team of specialists and experts with whom the architect was familiar and had worked with previously on other, similar projects.

The structural engineer was Robert Wallbank, who advised on the existing structure which could, for the first time in decades, be examined up close. The buckled and fading chancel windows were fully surveyed and restored by Martin Johnson Stained Glass (York) Ltd. The heating and flue lining works were overseen by David Gadsdon of Environmental Engineering Partnership.

The main contractor was Universal Stone Ltd, whose team of expert masons demonstrated the skills and craftsmanship for which the firm is known.

Within the chancel area, misericord repairs were undertaken by Gavin Dingle of D & F Polishing, who even gave a tutorial to the parish volunteers on how to refresh and polish woodwork generally.

The successful completion of the work on time and on budget was a testament to the planning and subsequent attention to the processes on site. The whole project was commemorated by the Bishop of Buckingham, the Rt Rev Dr Alan Wilson, who publicly rededicated the new stone cross on the chancel gable – which represented a visible testament to the success of the larger project – in a public ceremony.

Instrumental to the success of the project was the inspirational leadership of the rector, Fr Doug Zimmerman.

The project is a lesson in sustainability. The historic church has been successfully repaired and made secure for successive generations to appreciate and enjoy, and it will be able to continue its mission as a focus for worship within the Aylesbury community. q www.ecclesiasticalandheritageworld.co.uk

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Throngs of satisfied visitors heed CRE’s cry to ‘Go West!’

[

AS COVID-19 restrictions are lifted, churches have to learn a whole new way to present Sunday worship. So said Simon Thomas (pictured above left), a former Blue Peter and Sky Sports presenter, at the opening of the Christian Resources Exhibition at Westpoint, Exeter on 23 Feb. “When you are leading a service or preaching online it is difficult to decide whether to look at the congregation or the camera; but unless you look at the camera, those watching cannot feel fully involved,” said Simon. “If you forget about your online audience very soon you will not have one.”

Helping churches to develop broadcasting skills was one of the key themes of the exhibition, with many visitors attending practical seminars on related subjects. Simon also talked about the death of his wife, Gemma, from acute myeloid leukaemia – four days after being admitted to hospital in 2017. Subsequently, he launched the Gemma Thomas Fund to raise awareness and money for research. He is now president of Blood Cancer UK.

“I want to make sure that more people are made aware of the signs and symptoms of all blood cancers, so we can improve early diagnosis and give people a fighting chance,” he said.

Simon paid his first visit to CRE at Sandown Park as a 12-year-old, having been taken by his late father, a vicar. “The event has advanced so much,” he said. “There is something here for every aspect of church life. It really is a must for Christians.”

CRE South West attracted 1,521 people – 1,257 of whom were visitors – which delighted the organisers after the impact of COVID-19.

“Running an event in the face of a pandemic is a nerve-wracking experience, so we are grateful to all our loyal exhibitors and visitors,” said CRE owner Steve Goddard. “In fact, the atmosphere last week was as upbeat as we have ever known, with a sense of release and purpose after two years behind closed doors.”

Many exhibitors expressed delight at the way the show went – not least the positive response from visitors.

Tim Moyler of Agapé UK said: “There is no other way we could have reached so many leaders and organisations in just two days.

Many said our Living & Telling course was just what they were looking for. Our national director was amazed at how many unexpected and fruitful conversations she had.”

Their comments were endorsed by visitors.

Liz Moore, a life coach, said: “I just want to say a huge thank you to all. The event was very well set out and organised; the seminars engaging and informative. It was lovely to network with people I hadn’'t seen for a long time – and new people, too. Well done, CRE!” Rev David Coffey of Upton Vale Baptist in Torquay told BBC Radio Devon: “It’s fascinating to see the number and range of exhibitors at CRE. It reminds you how churches of all denominations form a huge marketplace. Gone are the days churches can go it alone.”

Simon Preece, a church warden at St Andrew’s, Kenn in Devon, said: “I was so excited and almost overwhelmed by it all with people so willing to exchange ideas.” q

Thousands set to descend on Sandown [

THE NEXT INCARNATION of Christian Resources Exhibition will be CRE National 2022 – taking place at Sandown Park in Esher, Surrey, on 11-13 October.

Sandown Park is a great venue for Europe’s leading annual exhibition of Christian resources. Just 15 miles from central London, the venue is easily accessible by rail (25 minutes from London Waterloo to Esher) and road (M25 and A3). Parking is free for exhibitors and visitors.

Said event organiser Steven Goddard: “We look forward to welcoming thousands of people, for whom Sandown Park is familiar and easy to access. Join hundreds of local church leaders, officers and anyone involved in Christian work and ministry, in a day of discovery – of new ideas and resources, specialist advice and inspirational worship and teaching.

“Around 200 organisations will be waiting to meet you, offering everything from banners to Bibles, heating to seating, puppets to pulpits. CRE provides you with a great context for networking and creative thinking. It really is your one-stop shop for church supplies, resources and ideas.”

The exhibition will be open from 10am to 5pm on 11 and 12 October, and from 10am to 4.30pm on 13 October. Getting there is made even easier – and greener – by a courtesy bus that will be available between Esher railway station and Sandown Park racecourse during the opening times. q www.ecclesiasticalandheritageworld.co.uk

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AV’s institute meets again to mark anniversary

[ON 23 MARCH the Institute of Sound,

Communications and Visual Engineers (ISCVE) wound up its 20th-anniversary ISCVEx event at Coombe Abbey Hotel and Country Park near Coventry.

Held annually, ISCVEx is open to members and non-members and is a mixed programme including a manufacturers and distributors exhibition, networking and seminar events.

The event is preceded by ISCVE’s Annual General Meeting and Members' Day, which this year saw the appointments of Neil Voce as president and Jim Smith as vice-president – both for a term of three years.

The Members’ Day this year also included a fascinating seminar from guest speakers Dr Mike Edwards and Mr Harry Coade of Sound Matters: Listening, for a better world: using sound, and the art of listening, to create a brighter future. The presentation was received with lots of enthusiasm and interest from those present, after which guests headed into the evening for ISCVE’s annual networking dinner event.

Three seminars and an exhibition of 38 industry manufacturers and distributors followed on the second day, starting with John Adeleke, MD of Ampman Audio Services, presenting the Hopkins-Baldwin Lecture: Can our industry profit from a

sustainable circular economy?.

Adam Harvey, solution architect for AV & Digital Media at the University of Hertfordshire, and David Amann, audio visual & multimedia specialist at the University of Cambridge, presented the Warren-Barnett Memorial Lecture on Audio Visual in Higher Education, which was followed by Gus Marcondes, technical

training manager from EMEA and Julian Carro, solution sales manager at Audinate, presenting the ISCVEx Lecture highlighting the consolidation of audio, video and networking within commercial installations and live applications.

ISCVEx 2022, back for the first time in-person since 2020, was stacked with meetings, presentations, exhibits and networking opportunities.

Neil Voce, newly-appointed president of ISCVE, commented: “The last few years have been really challenging for everyone both personally and in business. ISCVE members and supporting members always enjoy ISCVEx, so the show has been a real pleasure. It felt really good to be meeting up with everybody again.”

The event’s organiser, Ros Wigmore, added: “Our last ISCVEx was in 2020, so it was fantastic to be back together after such a long time. We strive to keep ISCVEx as a very personal event and have really missed meeting up with our members and potential new members over the last few years. The energy and enthusiasm at this event have been brilliant and we’re really pleased to confirm the dates for ISCVEx 2023.”

That event will take place on 22 and 23 March next year. For more information visit iscve.org.uk. q

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Thinking of an AV installation?

Here’s some advice...

Over the years, APi Sound & Visual have installed simple-to-use sound and projection systems in many churches, village halls and heritage buildings.

The team at APi pride themselves in making technology work for people.

Specialising in the design and installation of projection, sound and streaming systems, they are also installers of hearing loop systems and CCTV. In this first of two Q&A sessions, APi’s managing director Andy Pidsley explains how he worked his way up through the industry and offers some tips on choosing and funding a system.

How long have you been working in the AV and sound industry?

I’ve been interested in electronics for as long as I can remember – which started by taking many things apart as a child! I then studied and became an associate member of the Institute of Acoustics (IOA) and full member of the Institute of Sound and Communications Engineers – holding further qualifications in acoustics and building acoustic measurement from the IOA. Having been involved in operating church sound equipment for over 40 years, I started APi Sound & Visual in 2003 after 14 years in the AV industry.

How do you choose an accredited AV specialist with the appropriate qualifications and experience to perform an installation inside a church?

For me, one key question to ask any potential AV specialist is whether they are familiar with the church and heritage environment. These are buildings

with thousands of years of history, so you need to be certain they are going to respect and care for the building during the installation. As an advisor on the Exeter Diocese, I understand the faculty process and make sure my team are trained and have the right tools to be able to mount screens onto columns without using any permanent fixings, for example.

What advice would you give to anyone looking to install a new audio-visual or sound system?

Something that I always speak to clients about during a site survey is how they would like to use the system and what it needs to do for them. I have seen too many examples of systems that have been installed and on paper are incredible, but actually it doesn't work for the people who are using it.

We always make sure that our clients have the training they need after an installation to get up and running with their new system, and provide ongoing support to them for the lifetime of their equipment.

I would also recommend using a supplier who can offer a warranty and excellent aftercare. At APi Sound & Visual, installations benefit from our own three-year warranty, providing peace of mind to churches.

Do you have any tips for clients looking to secure funding for their AV equipment?

The good news is there are a number of potential sources of funding which could help to support any sound and visual equipment you require.

Unfortunately, many have restrictions as to how the equipment is used, amongst other criteria, and these will vary dependent upon each grant.

It is therefore always advisable to contact each organisation before submitting a full application to see if your project is a good fit and likely to be successful. Most organisations will be honest with you and tell you if your bid is worthwhile pursuing and spending time on.

The team at APi can supply a list of potential funding streams from a variety of grants, which offer funding to churches – such as AllChurches Trust and the Joseph Rank Trust. q • Please contact the team at APi if you require a quote as part of your grant application or would like to discuss your AV requirements. Call 0845 557 8350 or visit www.churchsoundsystems.co.

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Easter message is brought to life virtually by C of E [A POWERFUL virtual reality

service produced by the Church of England enabled an online congregation to be ‘present’ at the very foot of the cross during Holy Week.

Prayers at the Foot of the Cross, filmed in the 12th-century Chapter House of Bristol Cathedral, featured a mixture of prayers and music from the choir of Bristol Cathedral as well as moments of silent contemplation.

A replica of the Icon of the Cross from the Taizé Community, an international centre for pilgrimage and reconciliation in France, was the central focus in the service. The virtual congregation were able to move their perspective to being ‘present’ at the foot of the cross during the service as members of the cathedral congregation came forward to pray and paused in contemplation.

The service, with a 360º view, included spatial audio which allowed the virtual congregation to experience the different acoustics of the Chapter House as their outlook changed.

Introducing the presentation on 12 April, the Dean of Bristol, Mandy Ford, said: “We hope that people will join us in this powerful and simple act of silent contemplation and prayer in the beautiful surroundings of the Chapter House. All are welcome to join us through this service and ‘stand at the foot of the cross’ whether they have prayed before or not.

“We hope they might experience the healing presence of Christ in a troubled world.”

During the service, the Canon Missioner for Bristol Cathedral, Jonnie Parkin, invited people to pray in solidarity with the suffering Christ and all who suffer throughout the world.

He said: “The Icon of the Cross in Taizé has for decades been the focus of prayer every Friday by groups of young people drawn from across the world.”

The 17-minute act of worship used liturgy from Common Worship: Daily Prayer. It can be accessed on any computer or device, with or without special VR equipment. The service featured music from the RSCM publication The Way of the Cross: a Passiontide sequence of words and music by Peter Moger and David Ogden, which includes David Ogden’s setting of the Trisagion (‘Holy is God’) and Orlando Gibbons’s hymn Drop, Drop, Slow Tears.

The service was the second full VR service to be released by the Church of England, following the Blessing of the Light service from St Stephen Walbrook in the City of London – which has received over 400,000 views on YouTube. A series of Advent Carols were also recorded in VR at St Martin in the Fields Church in London last year.

The service can be viewed on YouTube at youtu.be/fAnYc-abtFk. q

www.ecclesiasticalandheritageworld.co.uk

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Spending a legacy on a sound system – what to upgrade?

by PAUL DOUGHERTY, managing director of Blaydon Communications Ltd

[

RECENTLY WE WERE CONTACTED by a local church who had kindly been left a legacy and needed some advice. The sound system in the church had not been touched for many years so it was decided that a beneficial use for the money would be to upgrade the sound system.

Our initial visit to the church was mainly a fact finding mission to determine what the expectations were of the proposed system. Once we knew what was expected we could work back through the technicalities of achieving the desired outcome without having to ask any technical questions.

After assessing the existing system, and listening to the issues being experienced with intelligibility, it was decided that we would put forward a cheeky proposal and see if we could get away with mounting some speakers on the rood screen. After all, this central position in the church is an ideal acoustic position to broadcast from. Just think, for hundreds of years preachers and clergy have stood in that position and provided clear audible sermons to the congregation, so it makes sense to put speakers there to do the same job. The problem is you rarely get away with it, but this time the clarity of the sound system was deemed important enough for the proposal to be accepted.

With the upgrade of the loudspeakers accepted, new loudspeaker cabling and a new amplifier was required too. After 30 plus years of service the amplifier had certainly served its time!

To offer potential cost savings, we completed an honest assessment of the microphones, and although the cabling did need replacing, the microphones were in reasonable condition and from a good manufacturer, so they were excluded from the main work for budget purposes. An option for new

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microphones for the pulpit and lectern were offered as an extra and, as it happens, the legacy must have been quite generous as it was decided that there was enough money to replace the cables and the microphones too.

To be honest, this level of upgrade would have certainly proved a wise investment, but even after the main bulk of the work was accounted for there was still money left in the pot for further enhancements. This was put to good use by upgrading the wireless microphone system. The old system was operating on an illegal frequency, but an offer to retune the system was included in the initial proposal.

To upgrade the wireless solution, we offered a licence free, but fully legal system, which included charging pods that the microphones would simply drop into when not in use. The inclusion of a headset microphone for the belt pack transmitter upped the clarity level again, as having a microphone close to your mouth is the best solution for any reverberant space. It also offers a fixed level of audio irrespective of how animated the clergy become. There is a downside of course – it will always be sure to pick up their singing too!

The old system had limited media capabilities, with the only offering being that of a CD player. Although that’s a lot better than some churches that still use cassette, it is still a long way off covering the multitude of potential sources of audio on the market today. To bring the media options up to date, an optional extra of a multiformat unit covering CD, USB, wired aux and Bluetooth was put forward and accepted.

So, in answer to the question what you should spend your money on, here’s our opinion. In the first instance, you shouldn’t spend any money until you’ve received some good advice from a reputable company. In our industry that advice is often given free of charge with the provider just being grateful for the opportunity to put forward a proposal for consideration.

The next step is to consider what is wrong with the old system and why it is wrong? Those elements of a sound system with moving parts are often a good place to start. Loudspeakers become less efficient, and microphones too, as internal parts degrade over years resulting in poor frequency response and output – basically they sound worse.

Although moving parts in loudspeakers, microphones, cassette decks and CD players will degrade, don’t forget about the electronics too. Components, solder joints and volume controls also suffer with age resulting in poor audio reproduction. If the budget is there, try and replace the electronics as well.

Radio microphones are a nice extra if the budget is there, but often these microphones aren’t left out in the open so are slightly better than their wired counterparts that are left in the cold day in day out. If you can afford to replace them, then happy days, but it is a place you could possibly save money.

Never buy cheap, always spend wisely. If you can’t afford to do everything, then do what you can now and budget for the rest later. Buying all cheap kit so you can do everything at once really isn’t a sound investment. q

Get the expert’s view on streaming [ SINCE THE FIRST

national lockdown in 2020, live streaming of some form has been high on the agenda for most churches. With so many options to choose from, an easy-to-understand guide became essential.

Such a guide was published by church streaming specialists DM Music. It carries a wealth of information to help churches in choosing the right live streaming solution for them. Here we offer a digest of that guide.

Internet connection The first thing everyone is going to need is a fast, reliable broadband connection, ideally with an upload speed of 6-10Mbps or more. The easiest way to check that is to use Google’s speed test feature. Some platforms support streaming in standard definition – an option for upload speeds below 6Mbps.

Streaming platform You might want to do a bit of research into which is best for you; however, for the majority YouTube and Facebook Live are the two main contenders. They’re free to use and, if you don’t mind the odd advert, could be just what you are looking for. Most churches will typically link from their website to either their Facebook page or YouTube channel for viewing. Both of these options also allow for social interaction and engagement.

An alternative approach is to use Zoom for meeting online as a church congregation. Many will have used Zoom for other meetings during lockdown periods. However, using it for Sunday services can be a lot more challenging.

That sound should not go back through the church speaker system, as it is likely to cause feedback.

Encode Finally, you’ll want to decide how you will get your video and audio content to your chosen streaming platform: will it be via hardware or software?

A stand-alone ‘hardware‘ box solution can provide an extremely straightforward, robust option, which can start/ stop an encoded stream at the push of a button – or even be programmed to start the stream on power up. It doesn’t therefore require a PC for operation.

Using a computer to encode can be relatively easy through ‘software‘. It can also be low cost – if you have a reasonably powerful computer available and use free software like OBS. However, you may need to purchase additional hardware to capture video from an AV system, camera or other computer onto your streaming computer.

DM Music also recommend that, if a church is considering taking the plunge into live streaming, they should read their Before You Start Streaming Quick Expert Guide. The company believes it is essential to the way the subject is approached. q

Cameras Next, you’ll want to think about what type and how many cameras you want in your system. The choices you make here will have an impact on the interfacing hardware required before any images reach your live stream.

Fixed cameras are perfect where the same shot is required every time. If what you’re trying to capture isn’t fixed, or you need to zoom in or out during a service or event, then a PTZ camera could be what you are looking for. You will need someone to operate a PTZ camera or, at the bare minimum, switch between preset shots.

Multiple cameras can allow for a much more professional looking live stream. Switching between cameras could be done via hardware such as a video mixer, switch/scaler or in software.

If there is already an AV system in the church you might want to think about using existing cameras if they are suitable, or making sure any new cameras can be used for local viewing in the church if required.

Audio Audio is crucial to any live stream and its importance cannot be overstated. If you have an existing PA system then a feed taken from that may be enough to get you up and running. Combine that with the video signal and you’re almost ready to go. Many streaming encoders and video mixers have an analogue audio input, so you can also combine audio and video that way. If you don’t have a PA system then you may want to look at investing in a wired or wireless microphone to capture audio from the service or event.

In order to create a sound that makes it feel more like actually being in church, one or more ambient microphones will be needed. www.ecclesiasticalandheritageworld.co.uk

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How to modernise heritage sites and remain compliant

By David Woodall, area manager of the Assent Group and Oculus Building Consultancy

[ THERE ARE AN INCREASING number of heritage and

ecclesiastical sites around the UK being used for different purposes to the ones that they were originally intended.

From old churches being turned into flats, listed buildings being divided up to make hotels or offices or even new builds being added on to old sites to enable dual use functionality. The key is making the very best use of the space that is available to us whilst protecting our heritage, and this cannot all be done by treating these buildings as museum pieces.

Changing the use of a building from that for which it was intended to something completely different does present some challenges when it comes to ensuring that the new layout of the building is compliant with the relevant building regulations. You may think that this would be simple as you are retrofitting an old building with up to-date materials which are all designed to adhere to the most stringent of requirements. The reality can often be far from that with The 1840, St George’s Gardens in SW17, for homes that blend heritage with buildings being divided up in ways that require extensive fire modern style. Photo by Matt Tyler Photography compartmentation, issues around acoustic performance, the requirement to thermally improve the property and, in some cases, looking to change the use of a listed or ecclesiastical building can the requirement to provide improved access. be ensuring that they meet the thermal requirements of the building One of the main challenges facing a developer or owner who is regulations. Quite often you are taking a previously unheated space

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The Shalom Centre was once a church. Now it is a Community Resource Centre at 395 High Street North, Newham, London. and turning it into habitable accommodation, for example stables and outbuildings being converted into living accommodation or where a building is subject to change of use.

The guidance suggests the thermal elements should be upgraded but does allow flexibility given the historic nature of the building. On a practical level, building control surveyors have the flexibility to green light ‘reasonable’ upgrades that do not damage the fabric or the character of the building as it states in the Approved Document L1b.

Historic England has provided some additional guidance around specific energy efficiency measures that can be found on the website at historicengland.org.uk/advice/technical-advice/energy-efficiencyand-historic-buildings.

The conversion of redundant churches into dwellings is also becoming more commonplace and with that comes its own challenges. They are obviously subject to the same thermal requirements as outlined for historic buildings, but a developer should also consider the fire separation and safe escape routes.

This is one area where the controls are rigorous and all current guidance must be adhered to as it protects life in an emergency situation. There are, however, some alternative routes to compliance (equivalence) that can allow a safe route given a particular feature or characteristic of the building which may be causing design issues.

There are some interesting and innovative solutions currently being delivered around the UK that are enabling churches to remain open despite dwindling congregations. We are currently working on a project in Herefordshire where a sleeping pod is being constructed in a rural church. The aim of this development is to bring in a small amount of money which can help to fund the general upkeep of the church. This is a Grade 2*-listed church and so is very impressive inside and worth the investment to enable it to remain open. The considerations to factor in here were the need to introduce some heating to the two-storey pod, sited at the back of the church, and the resulting requirement for insulation. The pod is

constructed so that it doesn’t touch the walls of the church.

The project has had the added dimension of needing to maintain the use as a church when the pod is not in use. This solution means the structure can be used as one or the other – never both at the same time – and that has created some additional thought needed around the resulting fire and general access requirements for both uses. When being used as an accommodation pod it needed a suitable fire escape including a safe route out in the event of a fire in the church and the pod couldn’t impede on the access and escape needs of the church congregation. We also had to factor in the need for suitable fire brigade access through the churchyard and early discussions with the fire brigade have helped resolve that issue.

For any project, including work on heritage and ecclesiastic sites, early engagement with the building control provider is key. This enables early discussion with other key stakeholders, such as the fire brigade, to get additional opinions on proposals before the plans progress too far and too much money is spent in order to avoid wastage. The Building Regulations do provide some flexibility in the guidance of what is and is not acceptable around non-fire related upgrades to buildings and an experienced building control surveyor will be able to work with the developer to find alternative solutions that still enable the original vision for the work to be completed.

One final consideration, working with historic listed buildings will invariably require involvement with the Listed Building teams within local authorities. Sometimes this is where a project can meet some resistance as the requirements for upgrade and desire for improvements meet the need to protect the building to avoid any unsuitable works. It’s important that the building control provider is consulted even at the design stage as they are often able to spot the potential issues that may cause a design to be rejected and offer guidance on how the design can be altered to create a more sympathetic solution whilst still adhering to the latest guidance. q www.ecclesiasticalandheritageworld.co.uk

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Get the roofing training that’s specific to your needs [

NATIONAL Construction Training Services (NCTS) is a training provider for the roofing industry, offering skills and development to anyone who requires access to specialist training across many roofing disciplines, whether they’re a beginner ready to make the next move in their career, an experienced tradesperson looking to improve in a niche or someone who would simply like to gain more confidence.

Their professional and progressive courses are designed to inspire and educate roofers across the UK. They work with roofing federations, training groups, manufacturers and employers from across the industry and can offer a variety of comprehensive courses to fit with all needs – no matter what the skill level.

NCTS currently offers training in two key locations within the UK. Their primary facility in Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire, offers training in areas that include hard metal roofing (copper, zinc and stainless steel) and lead sheet as well as slating and tiling. The second centre is a newly-opened, state-of-the-art academy in Salford, Greater Manchester, and is fullyequipped with everything needed to learn the art of roofing.

They have experienced, fully-qualified tutors in both training facilities, which also feature full-scale simulated training rigs and are wellequipped with the latest tools and equipment.

NCTS have recently announced that specialist applied-skills programme (SAP) funding is now available on a selection of courses.

Funded through the CITB, the specialist applied-skills programmes are 18-month long new entrant training programmes. They lead to an NVQ qualification and are considered by trade associations and employers as ‘sector apprenticeships’. With SAP funding, trainees receive a contribution of up to £5,000, leaving a small contribution from the employer. SAP funding is available on the following courses: • NVQ Level 2 and Heritage Level 3 in Leadwork • NVQ Level 2 and Heritage Level 3 in Hard Metals • Heritage Roof Slating and Tiling Level 3

CITB have also introduced the ‘Travel to Train’ scheme to help employers with the costs of sending SAP candidates on training. It includes up to 80% of the cost of accommodation, travel and meals, meaning the employer only needs to contribute 20% of the cost.

The grant is available to those registered with CITB who have directly employed full-time staff on the payroll and fulfil the funding eligibility requirements of the CITB’s National Specialist Accredited Centre. They must also be registered with CITB and meet the general grants ‘T&Cs’ as well as the specific grant requirements. q • For information or queries contact jo@ncts.org.uk or call 01992 801914.

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Rise in thefts prompts insurer to reissue guidance [ IN APRIL church insurers Ecclesiastical

reissued its guide for churches on combatting metal theft. While thefts from church roofs declined during the COVID pandemic, with restrictions on movement deterring thieves, the combination of the lifting of the regulations, the economic downturn and the continuing high price of metal has led to a steep increase in thefts.

Jo Whyman, risk management director at Ecclesiastical Insurance, said: “The last two years have seen a drop in claims, but we believe that the UK-wide lockdowns have played a part in this.

“There is a risk that the continuing economic downturn in the UK and high value of scrap metal could see an increase in theft of metal from historical buildings such as churches, which is why it is vital that they take steps to protect their premises from unscrupulous offenders.

“Theft of metal can have a devastating impact on churches and heritage buildings.

“Aside from the cost of replacing the metal, further damage can happen as a result of exposure to the elements which

can cost thousands of pounds.

“It is vital that churches take steps to protect themselves from thieves and follow our guidance which is available through our website.”

According to the guide, the types of metal that are stolen from churches include lead, copper and stainless-steel roof coverings.

Other areas such as roof flashings, copper lightning conductors and lead rainwater pipes have also been targeted.

Churches should take steps to avoid making themselves an easy target, while using deterrents such as security lights and CCTV. Particular care should be taken while any building works are in progress: scaffolding, building equipment and ladders left around the church will make life easier for thieves. Roof alarms are also effective. Some measures are a condition of insurance by Ecclesiastical, such as the use of SmartWater. q

www.ecclesiasticalandheritageworld.co.uk

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Locally-made tiles allow a jewel of the Jewellery Quarter to shine again [AN AWARD-WINNING restoration project on the Grade Two*-listed Argent Centre in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter has included matching tiles from nearby Brierley Hill-based Dreadnought Tiles.

Originally known as the Albert Works, the Argent Centre was designed by J G Bland and built in 1863 as a pen manufacturing centre consisting of rows of workshops overlooking an internal square courtyard. It is believed that the original building had two impressive corner turrets looking out over Legge Lane, which were truncated sometime after 1945.

The recent restoration project, led by Oliver Architecture and grant aided by Jewellery Quarter Townscape Heritage, has brought prominence and stature to the building at the entrance to the Jewellery Quarter, faithfully restoring the roof and masonry and reinstating the turrets to their original design, according to old Victorian engravings.

Philip Waghorn of Oliver Architecture explained: “It is not known when the corner pyramidal turrets were removed, or if they were ever built. We have only found sketches and engravings with no photographic record.”

On close examination the engravings from 1863 showed bands of ornamental club tiles with plain clay tiles and elaborate decorative finials, and Oliver

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Architecture sought to rebuild them to match the original design as closely as possible. Dreadnought clay tiles are made locally and with their traditional single camber shape and natural clay colour were found to provide the most authentic match. Dreadnought were also able to match the shape of the ornamental club tile. Their sanded red/ blue blend tiles were selected – a natural mixture of red and blue hues – as they best represented the subtle colour variation that tiles in the 19th century would have had.

The turrets presented many challenges for contractors Midland Conservation, who found that the bases were not square and that each roof slope would therefore have a different pitch and width – making it very difficult to set out the tiles and to ensure their proper alignment. It also meant that the proposed arris hips would not work and a new lead gutter detail was created instead.

Each turret was then finished with a new stainless steel finial at the apex, specially made to match the design in the 1863 image in the engraving.

Andrew Cornwell of Midland Conservation explained: “Thankfully, with the expertise of Oliver Architecture Ltd, Dreadnought Tiles and our site team we have managed to create two turrets that properly reflect the 1863 image and the original splendour of the Argent Centre.

The stature of the Argent Centre within the Jewellery Quarter has now greatly increased following the recreation of the turrets and extensive conservation repairs to the elevations.”

The success of the project in restoring the building, and in particular the historical elements, has been celebrated by the Victorian Society and awarded the 2021 Birmingham and West Midlands Group Conservation Award.

Stephen Oliver MA (Cantab) DipArch RIBA AABC, for Oliver

Architecture, commented: “Oliver Architecture is thrilled to be awarded the 2021 Victorian Society Birmingham and West Midlands Group Conservation Award for our work leading the design team on the Argent Centre, one of the most iconic buildings of the celebrated Jewellery Quarter. The restoration of the corner turrets, together with roofing repairs and conservation of stonework, allows this Grade Two*-listed building to speak again as a gateway to the Quarter. We are proud to have been part of this grant-aided project.” q

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Reroofing project posed a slippery problem for NT’s bats

[WHAT DO YOU DO if your new roof tiles are too slippery for your

resident bats to cling on to? That was a puzzler for the custodians of the National Trust’s Oxburgh Hall during the on-going roof restoration project.

A total of 14,000 new black-glazed pantiles were laid on the roof last summer. They were chosen to look the same as those used over two centuries ago, which had become weatherworn, cracked and damaged.

Historic records revealed that 50,000 pantiles and 800 ridge tiles from Holland were needed in the 1770s to replace the originals. The new tiles, sourced from the UK, are larger so fewer are needed.

However, the black glaze on the new tiles was found to be too slippery for the property’s resident bats, which were sliding off the roof. Looking for a solution, bat experts carried out tests, which found that a coating of paint mixed with sand of different sizes enabled bats to grip with the tiny claws on their thumbs and feet and to climb easily to the safety of the rooftop roosts.

Throughout the reroofing project measures have been taken to ensure that the bat populations which use the hall will still have access to their roosts after the work is finished. Surveys found a total of six bat species flying close to the house, but it is brown long-eared, common pipistrelle and soprano pipistrelle bats which roost in the building. The brown longeared bats use attics and roof spaces, and all three species use crevices under roof tiles, ridge tiles and lead flashing.

David White, the National Trust’s project manager, said: “Our survey carried out by local bat experts found numerous signs of brown long-eared bats in the attics and roof spaces right across the hall. There were signs of a maternity roost in the past, but the current use has been as day and night roosts for numbers of brown long-eared and common pipistrelle bats.

“We have worked with bat experts to create a new roost in the nearby bell tower and installed bat boxes in the trees on the north terrace to provide alternative roosting places whilst the roof work takes place. Currently the bell in the bell tower can’t be rung, so as not to disturb the bats.”

The builders have ensured there will be 32 new bat openings around the roof - some under the ridge tiles, some lower on the roof under pantiles and others on the dormer windows. The roof tiles near the openings have been given the specially developed bat coating. Several of the roosts have carefully designed gaps in the roof lining to allow brown long-eared bats to get into the attics and roof voids.

The project to repair the roof started when a 150-year-old dormer window unexpectedly collapsed in 2016, exposing a structural weakness in the roof of the hall. As well as resolving the structural problems, the roof has been repaired, all 14 dormers that were added in the 19th century have been dismantled and rebuilt and the 27 distinctive chimneys, made with moulded hand-made bricks, have been rebuilt.

The project has been made possible thanks to National Trust supporters, as well as generous grants from the Heritage Stimulus Fund (part of the Culture Recovery Fund), the Wolfson Foundation and the National Lottery Heritage Fund. q

Sussex Leadcraft Ltd

T: 01273 584754 M: 07837 773584 E: sussexleadcraftltd@gmail.com Unit 26, The Ridings, Telscombe Cliffs, East Sussex BN10 7EF

• Historic • Ornamental • Heritage • Conservation • Restoration

Vintage Leadwork and Roofing

T: 07730 233116 / 07983 982170 E: info@vintageleadworkandroofing.com W: vintageleadworkandroofing.com 25 Pelsall Lane, Rushall, Walsall WS4 1NA

Martin-Brooks (Roofing Specialists) Ltd T: 0114 244 7720 E: mb@allroofing.co.uk W: www.martin-brooks.co.uk

Ross Street, Darnall, Sheffield, South Yorkshire S9 4PU

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Mastic asphalt: it’s versatile and green, and can be applied to roofs or floors [ MASTIC ASPHALT is an ideal

building material for a vast range of construction applications – both new build and refurbishment projects – where a smooth, seamless, durable surface is required. It offers effective waterproofing for roofing and tanking and acts as a tough working surface in flooring and paving applications.

What is perhaps less well known is that mastic asphalt is one of the most sustainable and greenest building materials currently available. It is carbon neutral – a massive bonus for any building owner anxious to show their green credentials – and when it has reached the end of its useful life it can be recycled or used as roof screed, minimising the impact on the environment.

Over 10 years ago the mastic asphalt Before sector became the first industry in the world to achieve the CarbonZero standard. Mastic asphalt is green, recyclable and gives an A+ performance every time.

In a recent project Howard Evans Roofing were asked to renew the

failed fibreglass-covered steps to a busy communal area at a store in Bristol. The issues with the steps had been causing major leaks and closures of two of the aisles.

The site team stripped off all the old coatings – three in total – then cut chases into the brickwork and primed all surfaces using a high bond primer.

They then applied two coats of mastic asphalt to all upstands and treads, using a recreational asphalt. Due to heavy foot traffic the steps were finished with a heritage grey solar reflective paint and road carpet treads to ensure longevity and give an aesthetically pleasing finish.

Mastic asphalt is more commonly associated with roofing applications and can be applied to form a continuous waterproof covering over flat, sloped or curved surfaces. It can be worked around pipes, roof lights and other projections to provide a completely seamless membrane. It can be applied to most types of roof decks, including concrete, timber and profile metal; on warm roofs, cold roofs and inverted roofs. And it is manufactured in the UK. q

After

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Parishioners’ kindness alleviates COVID restrictions [

THE TOWER and spire of St Thomas’s Church in St Helier, Jersey, stand approximately 196ft above ground level. They are constructed from Brittany granite and are of mid-Victorian Gothic design – and are on the main public highway into the town.

The spire houses the main cross beam that supports an ornate cast iron cross. Four steel rods are hooked under small decorative openings. The cross beam and rods provide compression for the spire stonework.

After the church was struck by lightning, Stokeon-Trent company Rafferty Specialist Access Services Ltd were asked to undertake a review of the existing lightning protection system. That was in 2019.

A risk assessment revealed that the existing lightning protection system fell short of what was required in accordance with BS EN 62305. Rafferty’s were employed to install a modern system. During those works it became apparent that serious problems existed with the spire stonework and the cross steelwork.

The church employed Colin Smith Partnership (CSP) to project manage the works. The initial concern faced by Mark Cashion of CSP and Nick Rafferty was the potential danger to life due to the unstable stonework and unsafe steelwork. In addition, stone finials on the spire were rocking on their stems: the dowels and bonding mortar had completely perished.

The original 1880s steelwork was heavily corroded. Swift action was needed to avert a major incident.

The following companies are all specialists in Lightning Protection Systems:

In January 2020 Rafferty’s designed a scaffolding that was capable of protecting the church and the public, allowed the work to be completed without incident and was more cost effective than a full scaffolding from ground level. The scaffolding was commented on by members of the Jersey government as being an achievement to be admired.

Then the COVID virus struck. While everything had been made as safe as possible, the loose stones and corroded steelwork were still in place and needed immediate repair. However, the project had to stop until clear guidance had been received.

Thanks to a massive effort by Canon Dominic and Mark Cashion, Rafferty’s were back in Jersey at the end of June 2020 to remove the cross steelwork and repoint the internal stonework. The steelwork supporting the cross was replaced with stainless steel and the cast iron cross refurbished and gilded. The external spire stonework was fully repointed and the top section rebuilt.

For certain stages of the works the men had to remain on church property. The kind response from the parishioners and church members went beyond what anyone could expect. Home-cooked food was delivered daily; it was a kindness that will be remembered in Rafferty’s history.

Canon Dominic commented: “The scaffolding really was a work of art and will be long remembered by the locals and myself. Rafferty’s will be a name forever associated with St Thomas’s Church, Jersey.” q

Testing & Installation

E: contact@harrisonlp.co.uk

T: 01325 464464 W: www.harrisonlp.co.uk

2 Lakeland Estate, Faverdale North, Darlington, County Durham DL3 0PX

Direct Strike Ltd

Lightning Protection and Earthing Solutions • Lightning Protection • Inspection & Maintenance • BSEN 62305:2011 • Consultancy & Design Services • Supply & Installation • Earthing Systems • Height Safety & Fall Arrest Systems • Surge Protection

Lightning Strike Ltd Lightning Protection and Earthing Specialist for Churches and Historic Properties • Lightning Conductor Testing • Earthing Systems • Earthing System Testing • Surge Protection • Safe Strike ESE Systems • Soil Resistivity Testing

E: enquiries@directstrike.co.uk W: www.directstrike.co.uk

T: 01158 752686 M: 07581 266493 E: info@lightningstrikeltd.co.uk W: www.lightningstrikeltd.co.uk

18 Canberra Road, Gretna, Dumfriesshire, Scotland DG16 5DP

452 Watnall Road, Hucknall NG15 6FQ

Rafferty Lightning Protection

Horizon Specialist Contracting Ltd

Head Office: 01461 337951 Rep of Ireland: +353 45 913 129

70 years experience in the steeplejack and lightning protection industries • Surveys • Risk Assessments • Design and Installation to BSEN 62305 • Specialist Earthing • Annual Testing, Inspection & Maintenance • Surge Protection

T: 01782 834567 E: enquiries@rafferty1949.com W: www.rafferty-steeplejacks.com Nash Peake Works, Tunstall, Stoke-on-Trent ST6 5BT

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With over 28 years experience our in-house design team are trained and certified to the current British & European Standards BS EN 62305:2011 for Lightning Protection Systems and BS 7430:2011 for Earthing.

• Lightning Protection Systems and Surge Protection Design • Testing and Inspection surveys • Steeplejack maintenance • Fall arrest safety systems

T: 0115 965 7400 E: sales@horizonsc.co.uk W: www.horizonsc.co.uk Unit 7, Burma Road, Blidworth, Nottinghamshire NG21 0RT

Summertime…and the lightning is striking! [

WITH SUMMER in the offing there is actually a greater risk of thunderstorms and lightning strikes. That is because they occur in specific conditions, requiring two basic elements – moisture and rapidly-rising warm air. High humidity combines with warm temperatures to create a large amount of warm, moist air that can form a thunderstorm as it rises into the atmosphere.

Adrian Brown of lightning protection experts Lightning Strike Ltd has researched the causes of the increase in storms and explains it in his blog.

In summer, says Adrian, the number of hours of sunlight is higher than during the winter, meaning the sun is heating the earth for a longer period of time. The laws of physics state that warm air will rise: an important factor for thunderstorms, as the warm air can rise for miles, creating a towering cumulonimbus cloud.

Cumulonimbus clouds are also known as thunderclouds, Adrian explains: “They are usually characterised by their anvil shaped, icy top and can exist throughout the entire height of the troposphere.

“The troposphere is the lowest region of the earth’s atmosphere, extending to a height of around 6km to 10km from the earth’s surface, as far as the lower boundary of the stratosphere.

Cumulonimbus clouds are the only clouds that can create hail, heavy rain and thunderstorms.

“Thunderstorms develop when the atmosphere is unstable.

When warm air exists underneath colder air, it cools and condenses as it rises, forming small droplets of water. When the upward surge of warm air is rapid, the resulting water vapour quickly forms a cumulonimbus cloud. This type of cloud can form in less than one hour.”

That explains the thunderstorm; but why does lightning form?

Adrian goes on to explain: “When the warm air continues to rise, larger droplets are formed as the smaller ones combine. They will then freeze to form crystals of ice. When the droplets get heavier and can no longer be supported by the updraught of air, they will fall as hail. When the hail moves in the cloud, it rubs against smaller, positively-charged ice crystals, thus picking up a negative charge. This leads to a negative charge forming where the hail collects at the base of the cloud and a positive charge forming at the top of the cloud, where the lighter ice crystals gather.

“The negatively-charged hail is attracted to the earth’s surface and when the attraction is too great, the negative and positive charges will come together, resulting in a flash of lightning – also known as a lightning bolt or a lightning strike.” q • To read the full blog visit www.lightningstrikeltd.co.uk/blog

LIGHTNING PROTECTION

Wiltshire Steeplejacks

• BS EN 62305 2012 • System Installation • Upgrading • Remedial Work • Testing • Earthing • Materials Supply

E: sales@earthingequip.com W: earthingequip.com

Trading for over 40 years, we specialise in: • Lightning protection systems • BS EN 62305 & BS 6651 • Earthing and resistivity testing • High maintenance work • Flagpoles • All rope access work • Full architectural surveys & cover meter surveys T: 01225 761330 M: 07973 397770 E: wiltssteeplejack@aol.com W: www.wiltshiresteeplejacks.co.uk

G & S Steeplejacks Ltd

Lightning Protection Services

Earthing Equipment Supplies Southern Ltd is a well-established, ATLAS accredited, company offering a wide range of lightning protection services. ATLAS is the UK governing body for lightning protection. 30 years trading.

• Free Lightning Protection Quotes • Free Lightning Protection Risk Assessment • Risk Assessment Calculations • Soil Resistivity Testing • Surge Arrester Quotes • Site Visits

T: 0118 976 0239 / 07502 934466 Lavender House, Church Lane, Arborfield, Nr Reading RG2 9JA

Over 30 years experience in the Design & Installation of Lightning Protection Systems.

• Annual Testing • Surge Protection • Inspection & Maintenance • Height Safety Systems

and Lightning Conductor Engineers

The Coach House, 5 Court Street, Trowbridge, Wiltshire BA14 8BR

North(Head office): 01461 800323 South: 01582 511036 N.E: 01914 661145 E: info@lightningconductor.co.uk W: www.lightningconductor.co.uk

Churches, Schools, Hospitals, Universities, Colleges

South West Lightning Protection T: 01761 437796 M: 07974 184449 E: graham@gnssteeplejacks.co.uk W: www.gnssteeplejacks.co.uk

T: 07807 334441 E: south@lightningconductor.org W: www.lightningconductor.org

Unit 3, Bath Business Park, Peasedown St John, Somerset BA2 8SF

Airport Business Centre, 10 Thornbury Road, Estover, Plymouth PL6 7PP

Cuttings Lightning Protection, Steeplejack and Flagpoles

The UK’s largest independent Lightning Protection & Earthing contractor

Providing lightning protection services since 1978 Installation, maintenance and testing of lightning protection systems, utilising rope access systems for safe access.

• Cathedrals • High Rise Office Blocks • Towers • Schools • Churches • High Rise Residential Blocks • Sports Centres • Hospitals

Design, installation and maintenance

A C Wallbridge & Co Ltd T: 01722 322750 E: mail@wallbridge.co.uk W: www.wallbridge.co.uk

T: 020 8371 0001 E: info@cuttings.co.uk W: cuttings.co.uk

Unit 7, Centre One, Lysander Way, Old Sarum, Salisbury SP4 6BU

• Lightning Protection • Earthing Services • Surge Protection

• Height Safety Services

Offices in London, Sussex, Essex and Bristol.

10-12 Arcadia Avenue, Finchley Central, London N3 2JU

www.ecclesiasticalandheritageworld.co.uk

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Leading brick maker reiterates its sustainability goals [

CLAY BRICK SPECIALISTS the Michelmersh Group has released its 2021 Sustainability Report.

The report offers an insightful and detailed account of Michelmersh’s established sustainable practices and its plans for achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

Announcing the publication of the report on 26 January, the company said: “Michelmersh is determined to continue being the sustainable face of clay brick manufacturing and with the support of its chief executives, its dedicated Sustainability Group and Net Zero Steering Group, it has already undertaken numerous projects to minimise its environmental impact and increase its already efficient production methods with state-of-the-art technology, reporting systems and quality standards.”

Coming off the back of its successful ‘THINK LONGER’ campaign, the group has released a timeline of progressive goals dedicated to reducing the carbon emissions created by brick production. With renewables such as solar already supplying electricity at its facilities, its efforts are redoubled with the use of rainwater harvesting methods, as well as leading the industry with its reduction of plastic packaging.

Michelmersh is also championing the use of circular solutions where possible in its production line, whereby clay waste and other recycled materials can be put back into the production process, while also being recyclable once the building has reached the end of its life. That further reduces the group’s impact on the environment by reusing waste and continuing to extend the life of its products.

Clay brick is a most durable product, with extensive longevity, and will prolong the expected life of a building – resulting in a lower carbon footprint for every year of use. Brick can often be reused and recycled to live a second or third life, benefitting numerous generations. With brick’s low level of maintenance and operational carbon, coupled with the group’s efforts to decarbonise its production and therefore the embodied carbon, the full life cycle assessment of Michelmersh’s clay bricks will be significantly reduced and there will be no product that is as environmentally friendly in the construction market, the group believes.

Michelmersh has further extended its sustainability values by helping to create innovative new products through off-site construction methods that allow architects to use brick in more challenging, less accessible circumstances while, importantly, being fit for purpose, non-combustible and A1 rated for use above 18 metres.

The Sustainability Report also details the group’s investment in its culture, staff and environment. Staff are encouraged to undertake sustainability training programmes to further their potential, knowledge and motivation for positive change, and have currently achieved gold status with the Supply Chain Sustainability School. Mental health first aid support skills have been gained by all senior managers and the business takes health and safety very seriously as an overarching principle to the company’s operations, supported by a dedicated reporting system.

Michelmersh’s commitment to minimise its environmental impact continues with the care and attention to detail of its production facilities post-extraction. Restitution of sites is of paramount importance: the group works hard to ensure any remediation programme works harmoniously in conjunction with local community and housing plans or bio-diversity action plans. To ensure both the social and environmental value of Michelmersh’s land assets, the group seeks external specialists to advise on how to reintroduce and encourage further flora and fauna to an area, with a unique localised plan based on the site-specific

challenges and communities. The introduction of freshwater sources, ground regeneration and natural colonisation allow for those sites to become thriving environments that local communities can enjoy well into the future. Good examples can be explored further within the report, such as Freshfield Lane’s ancient woodland and Floren’s freshwater lakes and reserves.

The group’s overarching goal is to achieve net zero by 2050, and it believes the introduction of industry-altering practices such as the switching of fuel sources and innovative carbon capture and storage technologies will bring that target within closer reach. Significant projects on the horizon will considerably decarbonise the clay brick manufacturing process, firmly continuing to establish clay brick as one of the most sustainable building products to specify.

Additional commitments by Michelmersh to go ‘above and beyond’ to ensure it produces the highest-quality product with the lowest ecological footprint will continue through its net zero strategy and in-depth sustainability improvement programme, ensuring Michelmersh’s place as the most sustainable company in the industry.

The group’s joint-CEO Frank Hanna is optimistic about its sustainable future. He commented: “Michelmersh has dedicated substantial investment, research and passion into our sustainability strategy and will be keeping our customers updated on our efforts and commitment to implement a continuous programme of improvements.

We often lead the industry with innovative initiatives, and we feel our goal to successfully achieve net zero carbon neutrality by 2050 is very much underway.

“Though we expect to achieve this goal more quickly than anticipated, we will be monitoring closely the impact of our new initiatives before reassuring our customers that this goal is achievable nearer in the future. As we continue to embrace additional sustainable technologies and processes, we are excited to bring our customers on board this journey with us, to demonstrate that clay brick continues to be the most beautiful, durable and sustainable product for construction.

“We are proud to be Britain’s sustainable brick specialists, but more importantly we are excited about our positive contribution to enhancing the long-term aesthetics and quality of our built environment for future generations.” q • To download the full Michelmersh Sustainability Report, visit the website at www.mbhplc.co.uk/sustainability. www.ecclesiasticalandheritageworld.co.uk

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Shedding some light on the new Part L Building Regulations A major part of the UK’s commitment to meeting its targets for carbon reduction is being driven by a tightening of the Building Regulations surrounding energy efficiency standards for homes. Here, Stella Rooflight director Paul Trace addresses the new rules for rooflights and thermal performance, beginning with why they are needed.

[

THE Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government argues that by making our buildings more energy efficient and embracing smart technologies, we can cut energy bills, reduce demand for energy, and boost economic growth while meeting our targets for carbon reduction and maintaining healthy environments.

As such it has introduced ‘The Future Homes Standard’ to ensure all new homes achieve a 30% improvement in energy efficiency standards by 2025. The new Building Regulations aimed at achieving these targets will comprise five new Approved Documents, which will come into effect in June 2022.

What do the new regulations state?

For rooflights, skylights and roof windows (of which the definition is crucially important), the relevant consideration is the thermal transmittance. This is measured as a U-value in units of W/m²K, which stands for watts per square meter, per degree Kelvin.

The lower the U-value the more efficient the construction is at keeping heat flow through the structure to a minimum. The new regulations deem the worst acceptable U-values to be 2.2W/m²K for rooflights and 1.6W/m²K for roof windows.

This is where the definition of the terms and roof window prove crucial in determining how they should be tested and what the relevant U-value should be for each.

According to the Approved Document the following definitions apply: Rooflight: A glazed unit installed out of plane with the surface of the roof on a kerb or upstand.

Also sometimes referred to as a skylight.

Roof window: A window installed in the same orientation as, and in plane with, the surrounding roof.

Therefore, while we might refer to our product as a rooflight or skylight, the official terminology for a conservation rooflight, which is designed to sit flush within a roof line, should be a roof window.

According to the Approved Document, the U-values for roof windows should be calculated based on a vertical position. For rooflights, U-values should be calculated based on a horizontal position.

Rooflights v roof windows – what’s the difference?

To correctly assess whether an element meets the new limiting U-value figure, the U-value must be calculated for the element in the appropriate plane – either horizontal or vertical. Now this makes a big difference, as testing the same product in either a horizontal or vertical position will make a significant difference to the resulting U-value figure. With the vertical position providing a much lower (better) U-value figure.

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What is the best U-value that you are likely to achieve?

It is important to understand that there is much ambiguity surrounding rooflights, skylights and roof windows and the U-values quoted by various manufacturers. The much-coveted U-value figure has become a powerful sales tool for those claiming to be ‘the best performing’ or ‘most thermally efficient’ rooflight on the market and you will often see figures advertised that are misleading at best – at worst, completely untrue!

U-value calculations for roof windows and rooflights must be undertaken by an approved UKAS accredited product certification agency, who will calculate accurate thermal performance figures based on the individual make up of components in the product’s construction.

Given that Stella use only the finest quality materials in our manufacturing process – from the highest specification glazing, to our high quality

handmade hardwood liners, through to the best quality rubbers and seals – we are confident in claiming that our roof windows are among the best performing on the market, with our triple glazed, fixed product achieving a U-value of 1.1W/m²K.

Exemptions for historic and traditional dwellings While it is not always the case, it stands to reason that the majority of conservation rooflights are installed in traditional properties, barn conversions and listed buildings. If your project involves such a property, you may find that there are exemptions to these new regulations.

The Approved Document states that the energy efficiency of historic and traditional dwellings should be improved only if doing so will not cause long-term deterioration of the building’s fabric or fittings.

New extensions to historical and traditional dwellings should comply fully with the energy efficiency standards, unless there is a need to match the external appearance or character of the extension to that of the host building. In which case, the work should comply with standards in the Approved Document to the extent that it is reasonably practicable.

In determining whether full energy efficiency improvements should be made, the building control body should consider the advice of the local authority’s conservation officer.

Additional guidance is available in Historic England’s Energy Efficiency and Historic Buildings: Application of Part L of the Building Regulations to Historic and Traditionally Constructed Buildings. q • If you would like to know more about rooflights, roof windows and thermal performance contact Stella Rooflight on 01794 745445, email info@stellarooflight.co.uk or visit www.stellarooflight.co.uk

Steel windows – protecting our architectural heritage [

GENUINE STEEL WINDOWS are being specified on a regular basis more frequently now than at any time during the past 30 years.

Architects, planning officers, designers and property owners are becoming increasingly aware of the many benefits that steel windows have to offer – not least their robust strength and stunning good looks.

This revival in the specification of original steel windows has its roots in the growing trend to restore and preserve the finest of our old buildings rather than demolish them and construct new ones. Planning regulations in the UK concerning the protection of our architectural heritage are rigorous: indeed, they are seen worldwide as an example of how the best of the past can be conserved and found new uses for in the modern world.

All buildings require alteration from time to time and religious buildings are no exception. Churches are often of real significance to a local community, providing a valued link to its history and identity. Redundant church buildings can offer a myriad of exciting conversion opportunities, but as they are often listed or in Conservation Areas, any change of use must of course adhere to strict planning guidelines.

A fine example is The Sanctuary in London, which has been impressively converted into four luxury apartments and one stunning new build house. A 19th-century listed building – formerly St Paul’s Church – The Sanctuary sits in a prominent position at the top of St John’s Hill in Battersea. Owners, The James Laurence Group, worked with the London Borough of Wandsworth’s Planning Department to agree how best the historical building should be restored and provided with a new lease of life.

specification. Clement’s EB20 range of steel windows was specified to best replicate the original windows, while simultaneously improving the thermal efficiency which was so important for the building’s residents.

The slim, elegant sections of EB20 allowed the creation of the beautiful club and arch heads seen in the pictures which add to the charm of the wonderful historic building.

The modern steel window, which if bought in the UK is generally made entirely from source-recycled material, is available with any number of performance options. They include compliance with the latest thermal guidelines contained in Part L of the Building Regulations, robust hard-wearing surface coatings in a choice of RAL colours and sturdy security devices.

So, today the steel window really does have a part to play in protecting our strong architectural heritage: functional but stylish in a way that other materials such as aluminium and plastic just cannot match. q • For more about Clement Windows Group call 01483 643393, email info@clementwg.co.uk or visit www.clementwindows.co.uk

Clement was chosen to supply all the steel windows and conservation rooflights. The bespoke demands of the project (above) necessitated the use of two steel window ranges, sometimes within the same aperture, in order to achieve the precise look required. Both W20 and EB24 were fitted to create the beautiful new windows, which include club head patterns.

The combination of steel’s elegant sightlines and the large panes of glass that can be used due to steel’s inherent strength made steel windows the popular choice for the project. Not only do the windows provide a great look, but they also flood the building with natural light, giving the impression of more space. The Sanctuary was included as a case study for the Heritage England report, Heritage Counts.

Other churches that are in need of restoration but will continue to be used for their original purpose also require sympathetic refurbishment in order to retain aspects of their architecture or historical connections.

For example, Mount Saint Bernard Abbey (pictured top) is home to the Cistercian order of Saint Bernard. The Abbey, in Charnwood Forest in Leicestershire, opened in 1844 after a donation from John, 16th Earl of Shrewsbury, enabled a permanent monastery to be built on the site. The most famous architect of the Gothic Revival, Augustus Pugin, offered his services for free and designed the beautiful building which still stands today.

Grade Two listed, the monastery is of great architectural significance and therefore enormous sensitivity was required on the part of Clement when the company was approached to replace the original metal windows, some of which were more than 170 years old.

A great deal of thought and planning went into deciding the correct www.ecclesiasticalandheritageworld.co.uk

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Working parties will gain hands-on experience of ironwork restoration [THIS SUMMER sees the first in a planned

series of working parties by the National Heritage Ironwork Group on the site of Nettleham Hall in Lincolnshire, where the Grade One-listed gates and railings, dating from the early 18th century, are on Historic England’s Heritage at Risk Register.

NHIG plan to follow the conservation of the gates over several years via working parties led

by Fred Suffield of locally-based Anwick Forge, a graduate of the NHIG Bursary scheme.

The gates and piers at Nettleham Hall are attributed to Francis or William Smith of Warwick and were constructed around 1720.

The series of working parties present an ideal opportunity for anyone interested in conservation blacksmithing to ‘get some hands-on experience’. They are equally relevant and open to anyone who works in the field of built heritage or has a general interest.

Participants will work under supervision alongside professional blacksmiths and conservators.

The first working party will take place over the weekend of 1-3 July and will be one of exploration and discovery. The party will break into teams for site excavation, site investigation and condition reports. All being well, the next

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working party would focus on site dismantling and removal.

In a statement the NHIG said: “We are very grateful to the Ironmongers Company and the

Radcliffe Trust for offering grants towards this pilot scheme and enabling us to trial a new way of delivering ironwork conservation training.

To find out more visit nhig.org.uk/events. q

Station ironwork to get a makeover [ORNATE VICTORIAN IRONWORK is being

repainted as part of a restoration project at Great Malvern railway station. The pillars support platform canopies that are being renovated as part of a £4m investment by Network Rail.

The station was opened by the Worcester and Hereford Railway in 1860 and was awarded Grade Two-listed building status in 1969.

Despite being 162 years old, the station has retained many of its original Victorian features – including the elaborate cast-iron girders supported by impressive sculptures of floral arrangements (pictured).

Lawrence James, Network Rail’s scheme project manager, said: “It’s great to be returning to Great Malvern again and investing a significant amount to improve this picturesque station and secure its future for the next generation. Working on the canopy roofs and repainting the ironwork will not only benefit local people but also tourists who travel to the area and nearby Malvern hills.” q

ANTIQUE FURNITURE RESTORATION

ARCHIVE STORAGE BOXES

ARBORICULTURAL CONSULTANTS

BATHROOMS

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BELLS CARVERS – MASTER CARVERS ASSOCIATION

CLOCKS BOOK & PAPER CONSERVATION

BUILDING CONSERVATION & RESTORATION

BUILDING SERVICES

DAMP SPECIALISTS

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DISABLED ACCESS

DISASTER RECOVERY

HYMNODY

ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING

JOINERY

EXHUMATION SERVICES

LANDSCAPING

HANDMADE FURNITURE

LEADED LIGHTS

HEATING SPECIALISTS

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LEADWORKERS – LCA MEMBERS

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LIGHTING

LIGHTNING PROTECTION

Wiltshire Steeplejacks

and Lightning Conductor Engineers Trading for over 40 years, we specialise in: • Lightning protection systems • BS EN 62305 & BS 6651 • Earthing and resistivity testing • High maintenance work • Flagpoles • All rope access work • Full architectural surveys & cover meter surveys T: 01225 761330 M: 07973 397770 E: wiltssteeplejack@aol.com W: www.wiltshiresteeplejacks.co.uk The Coach House, 5 Court Street, Trowbridge, Wiltshire BA14 8BR

Lightning Strike Ltd Lightning Protection and Earthing Specialist for Churches and Historic Properties • Lightning Conductor Testing • Earthing Systems • Earthing System Testing • Surge Protection • Safe Strike ESE Systems • Soil Resistivity Testing

T: 01158 752686 M: 07581 266493 E: info@lightningstrikeltd.co.uk W: www.lightningstrikeltd.co.uk 452 Watnall Road, Hucknall NG15 6FQ

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Lightning Protection Services

North(Head office): 01461 800323 South: 01582 511036 N.E: 01914 661145 E: info@lightningconductor.co.uk W: www.lightningconductor.co.uk

Lightning Protection, Steeplejack and Flagpoles

Providing lightning protection services since 1978 Installation, maintenance and testing of lightning protection systems, utilising rope access systems for safe access.

• Cathedrals • High Rise Office Blocks • Towers • Schools • Churches • High Rise Residential Blocks • Sports Centres • Hospitals

A C Wallbridge & Co Ltd T: 01722 322750 E: mail@wallbridge.co.uk W: www.wallbridge.co.uk Unit 7, Centre One, Lysander Way, Old Sarum, Salisbury SP4 6BU

LIVE STREAMING

Direct Strike Ltd

Lightning Protection and Earthing Solutions • Lightning Protection • Inspection & Maintenance • BSEN 62305:2011 • Consultancy & Design Services • Supply & Installation • Earthing Systems • Height Safety & Fall Arrest Systems • Surge Protection

Head Office: 01461 337951 Rep of Ireland: +353 45 913 129

E: enquiries@directstrike.co.uk W: www.directstrike.co.uk 18 Canberra Road, Gretna, Dumfriesshire, Scotland DG16 5DP

South West Lightning Protection T: 07807 334441 E: south@lightningconductor.org W: www.lightningconductor.org

Airport Business Centre, 10 Thornbury Road, Estover, Plymouth PL6 7PP

Testing & Installation

E: contact@harrisonlp.co.uk

T: 01325 464464 W: www.harrisonlp.co.uk

2 Lakeland Estate, Faverdale North, Darlington, County Durham DL3 0PX

LIME & LIME PLASTERERS

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METALWORK FTMRC

ORGANS

SOUND, AUDIO VISUAL & LOOP SYSTEMS

RAINWATER SYSTEMS

ROOFING

ISCVE

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STAINED GLASS

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STAINED GLASS

TRAINING

TRANSPORT & STORAGE

STONE & STONE SUPPLY

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