South Gloucestershire | Archive | 2005 | October | 14
From the archive, first published Friday 14th Oct 2005.
COALPIT Heath was in celebratory mood this week following a weekend of events to mark a mammoth anniversary of the village church.
St Saviour's Church is 160 years old and churchgoers were certainly pleased to tell as many visitors as possible at an art and local history exhibition on Saturday and Sunday.
The festivities kicked off on Friday evening with a cheese and wine evening in the church hall and the opening of the local history exhibition and an art and craft display in the church itself.
The exhibition opened again on Saturday and continued the following day with many members of the community enjoying the displays around the hall.
A concert was held after the exhibition on Saturday evening with local harmony group Tapestry providing entertainment and proving a great success with the audience.
The celebrations also tied in to raising funds for the church roof which needs vital repair work.
More than £1,300 was raised over the three days but Churchwarden and exhibition organiser Trevor Thompson told the Gazette that the event was not all about financial gain.
"The spirit of the event was wonderful and it really brought the village together," he sad. "Lots of local groups got involved including children from the Manor Primary School and we would like to thank all of them for their help."
A service held on Sunday was attended by the Bishop of Bristol the Rev Michael Ball and Mr Thompson told the Gazette that everybody had enjoyed. "The whole event was very well attended and was a huge success so we are very pleased," he added.
Last year more than £4,000 was raised to go towards replacing the church tiles which have been on the roof since 1845.
Tiles have already been sponsored by 800 people who paid to have their name or a message to a loved one written on new tiles on the roof.
Half the church roof tiles were replaced 16 years ago but the other half, originals dating back to 1845 when the church was built, have rusted and are gradually slipping off. The 159-year-old slates will now be replaced.
Rev Colin Lunt said at the time: "It will cost more than £200,000 in total and will take a lot of scaffolding and health and safety checks."
The project was given a massive helping hand in the form a £152,000 grant from English Heritage and the Heritage Lottery Fund but money is still needed to complete the work.
"It's like a bottomless pit but we are getting there," laughed Mr Thompson.
© Newsquest Media Group 2008