HLF - CHURCH REPAIR PROJECT STATUS July
The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) sponsored work to make urgently needed repairs to St Swithun’s Church continues at a pace and in-line with the revised programme schedule, which should see the building open for use again in early October.
All the repairs to the Chancel roof beams are now complete, and the new roof-covering should be in-place by late July. The focus then switches to drainage improvements in an effort to stabilise the movement in the North Aisle and East Chancel walls. There are 3 parts to this work which has already started: first, the fitting of new, larger gutters and downpipes; second, the repair and sealing of the gutters at the base of the walls; and third, the construction of new 
underground drainage channels to route collected water into the dyke at the back of the Church, which itself feeds into the River Witham.
Temporary repairs will also be made to the damaged internal walls. These will undergo more permanent repairs in around 2 years time, once the seasonal movement of the building’s walls has been stabilised.
The PCC are still working hard to raise the £10,000 still outstanding to meet the cost of the Additional Chancel Roof Works, caused by death-watch beetle damage, which will cost a total of £52,000.
CHURCH PATH
A new Church Path constructed of beige bonded-resin, flanked by York Stone, was completed in the autumn of 2017. Additional lighting has also been added to the path.
ORGAN AND SPEAKERS
A project to overhaul the Church Organ and add additional speakers in the Nave was completed in the summer of 2018.
HEATING SYSTEM OVERHAUL
A major overhaul of the Church Heating System will be undertaken in September 2019.
CHURCH CLOCK
The Church Clock will receive a major servicing once the Church Repair Project is complete.
ATTACHED PICTURES:
- The New Church Path: Autumn 2017.
- The Nave Speakers: September 2018.
- The Melton Brass Band Concert: 6 October 2018.
- The Armistice Display: Autumn 2018.
- Church Service: Christmas 2018.
- HLF Delivery Phase Grant Announcement Press Day: 28 February 2019.
- Chancel Roof Death-Watch Beetle Damage: April 2019.
- HLF Project Fund-Raising Afternoon T
ea: 15 June 2019.