Race against time in church restoration
Restoration project should secure village church for future generations
A church restoration project has become more than a community effort - turning into a race against time to have the building ready for a Christening just days away.
It became clear St Mary’s at Greasbrough needed attention when it could not accommodate all those attending last year’s Remembrance Sunday service, due to problems caused by a leaking roof.
Locals rallied to the cause, with businessmen Scott Brunt and Lee Blagdon, of local firm Spartan Site Solutions leading the initiative, with support from KCM Waste Management and Captain Chris Barnes, of the Royal Yorkshire Regiment.
They raised around £16,000 for the work and the project was helped along with free labour and support from scaffolding firm 360 Scaffolding.
The roof has now been sealed - with trees which had sprouted also removed, with the team moving inside to patch damaged plasterwork and redecorate the walls, all under the stewardship of church officials.
But they also have a challenge to have the decorating done, scaffolding removed and seating back in place in time for a Christening service due to take place on Sunday September 6.
They expect to meet the deadline, but only with a workforce willing to put in 12 hour shifts - or longer - to get the job done.
Their efforts have won praise from Rotherham Councillor Robert Elliott, who said it had been “a big, big, job”.
Part of the cash was raised by Spartan Site Solutions, with KCM holding a charity football match against South Yorkshire Police at New York Stadium to raise more, which was split between the church project and helping homeless military veterans.
Scott, who has also helped ensure the village working men’s club has survived, said: “They are the heart of the community, if they go, what is there left for people?”
Their community spirit has seen Remembrance Sunday attendance boosted significantly in recent years.It is hoped the restoration work at the church will help to keep its place in the community for many years to come.
Cllr Elliott said: “This building belongs to Greasbrough Parish, it belongs to the people of Greasbrough”.
They are also involved in work to trace details of all those buried in the churchyard, so they can be remembered with a plaque, after headstones were removed in the 1960s.