Monthly Report for the Heritage Lottery Fund October 2021
St Sylvester’s Church Renovation and Community Project, Chivelstone Parish, Kingsbridge
Work during October covered the external repair to the tower walls and the internal fix to the toilet/shower by Westcountry Stonemasons (WCSM). Work also focused on the cleaning and conservation of the pulpit by Humphries and Jones and implementing the Activity and Interpretation plans.
Tasks carried out in the Month
Project Administration
- General project administration and record keeping was undertaken.
Financials
- We continue to try to raise additional funds and have carried out the following;
- The Harvest Service and Auction at the Pigs Nose Pub raised over £600.
- Our application of a grant of £1000 from the Devon Historic Churches Trust was successful and we have received payment.
Heritage Works
- This month the Project Architect and Contract teams have covered the following work;
- The re-pointing of the tower is about three quarters complete and the remaining scaffold will be removed in about three weeks time. Due to various adverse weather conditions, agreed additional work and repair difficulties WCSM have been granted an Extension of Time until 10th December.
- Most of the structural window repairs are complete with some minor glass repairs and window guard fixing remaining.
- The lead work and rainwater goods to the north side of the tower are being fixed as the scaffold is lowered.
- Internal fit out to the toilet/shower has resumed and should be complete over the next few weeks.
- The glassdoor/screen to the west door has been fabricated as has the staircase, and will be fitted once the toilet/shower is complete.
- Humphries and Jones have completed the majority of the pulpit conservation and will return later in November to finish off.
- There have been no H&S issues and our adviser Health and Safety Associates is liaising with WCSM regarding the Health and Safety works file.
- The Architect is on site every week and in close contact with WCSM day to day.
- The ten months works valuation is complete.
- There are regular monthly progress meetings (zoom) between the PSC, Contractors and Architect/Consultants.
Communications
- The project website continues to be updated and we are still seeing a good level of hits.
- Instalments 13 and 14 of the Church Blog were issued in October.
- A video of Cleaning the Pulpit has been loaded onto our YouTube channel.
Community Engagement/Activity Plan
- With the lifting of Covid restrictions we are now able to implement the activities detailed in our Activity Pan.
- The Hard Hat Day on 4th October demonstrating the conservation of the pulpit was most successfull.
- In conjunction with our partner South West Maritime Archaeological Group (SWMAG) a virtual zoom talk on the Shipwrecks of East Prawle and Start Point and an update on the Renovation Project was held on 12th
- We continue to work on the development of the interpretation ‘tower’ panels with our consultant Smith and Jones and continue to receive and incorporate feedback from the community. We also have confirmation that SWMAG are also funding a fourth ‘tower’ to link in with the overall Interpretation concept.
- In conjunction with our Evaluation Consultant Christina Dixon we continue to ‘people survey’ all of our activities and have received well over a hundred surveys.
- A Project Progress Review of Activity and Interpretation was held on 20th October with the NLHF adviser Laura Hetherington and we received some excellent feedback and advice.
Volunteer Time
- Volunteer time this month was 89 hours mainly working on the Activities and Project Admin.