HIGHLIGHTS FROM NEWS IN 2008
(scroll down to get each item)

Re-roofing completed

Disappointment in Scarecrow competition

Signs of deterioration

Patching up the old

 

Re-roofing the church

Our church building is over 140 years old and we are committed to renewing it externally and internally over the next few years. Fortunately our spire - the highest building in central Dawlish - is in good condition but in 2007 we realized that the roof was in need of urgent replacement. With help from the URC Synod we were able to place an order for total replacement at cost of £155,000, of which £35,000 was for scaffolding (more than the cost of the slates!).

Scaffolding
For Health & Safety reasons scaffolding had to be erected inside the church as a 'safety net' for those working on the roof, so for four months the interior of the church took on a look of a vast parcel. Encasing the building in scaffolding proved to be a work of art as the photographs showed. But with our "Business as usual" banner we were able to continue using the building, even hanging Christmas decorations from the scaffolding.

Slating
Work continued until mid-May when the roof was completed. The minister, Revd Roger Whitehead, commented "No one looks at roofs and few realize the cost and work involved, so there is not the satisfaction you get from doing new work which everyone can see and which brings immediate and obvious benefit. But it is a job well done, and now we can get on with the interior."

Interior changes
We took the opportunity to change the colour scheme in side the church. To see what was done, click here.

 

 

For current news click here

For news from other years click here

For editions of spire click here

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wrapped in polythene

A seagull's view

Even scaffolding inside the church!