Restoration Project


Dear friends of the Unitarian Church Restoration Project,
I'm writing to let you know that the time has come for us to wind up the Restoration sub-committee, which was set up in June 2001 to raise funds to restore the church building. As you know, most of that work has now been completed, though there are some remaining matters to be attended to, not least of which is the provision of disabled access to the building, which is now being dealt with by the Management Committee. There is also some additional work to be done in relation to re-wiring and lighting installation. It was felt at the last meeting of the sub-committee that its major work of fundraising had been completed, and that any remaining electrical or lighting work, and any future restoration work (such as the restoration of the stained glass windows, for example) should be handled by the Management Committee. We are recommending that the special restoration bank account be kept open for continuing donations for this work. Current income to the account comes from a variety of sources: contributions from people holding events in the church, collections made at baptisms, funerals and weddings, one-off individual donations and regular direct debits from individuals.
We on the committee would like to thank you most sincerely for your regular donations. We remember well the early days when we found it hard to imagine that we could raise enough to do what was needed. But with your loyalty and assistance, as well as the help of many others, we managed it.
With kind regards,

Doireann Ní Bhriain and George McCaw



What splendid news!
You and George and all the other members of the Restoration sub-committee deserve huge congratulation for your magnificent achievement in so successfully raising the funds required to restore the church building. You have put in a vast amount of dogged unstinting work, which at times must have seemed both daunting and endless, and all in a spirit of willingness and cheerfulness that left me, for one, constantly lost in admiration.
The beautiful building we've inherited means so much to all of us that to have it safeguarded in this way seems like a dream come true. But dreams don't come true all by themselves, and magic wands are - sadly - in short supply, so without you and the committee we would all still be back where we were in 2001. Thanks to your vision, optimism, determination and sheer hard work, we are now in a very different position indeed, and I would like to send you and George and all the members of the sub-committee my heartfelt appreciation and thanks.
With all best wishes,

Jennifer Flegg.




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