CHURCH IN CRISIS: Vicar's race to raise £3,000 in a week
The modern bell tower at the church has been covered with scaffolding to commence work to remove a “very unpleasant” pigeon infestation.
However, plans to tackle two birds with one stone are under threat as the deadline to take down the scaffolding comes next week.
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Hide AdFather Nicolas Spicer, from St Paul’s, said there was a lot of curiosity about why the church had become a building site.
He said: “A number of people have been asking what is happening with the scaffolding at St Paul’s.
“The church council has had scaffolding erected after complaints about the number of pigeons which had forced themselves into the bell tower and made it home.
“It was getting very unpleasant in the surrounding area.”
However, Fr Spicer said, because the work was so expensive the church has exhausted its much-needed funds and is now appealing to the public for their generosity to help complete the work while the scaffolding remains in place.
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Hide AdFr Spicer added: “Unfortunately to find out what needed to be done we had to pay £2,500 to erect the scaffolding.
“Now at a cost of £3,000 the pigeons have been humanely removed and new wiring put in place.
“It was hoped that while the scaffolding was up the lights and bell system could be repaired and the tower painted. However, the Church Council funds have now been exhausted and we cannot afford it.”
St Paul’s hopes to invest in updating its lights and bell system and to paint the tower.
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Hide AdPainting alone is expected to cost £2,500, and further electrical work will cost £1,000
Father Nicolas Spicer said: “Unless we can find the money in the by Friday, October 14, the scaffolding is going to have to come down. We can’t afford the rent, and the opportunity to restore this community landmark will have been missed.”
Anyone who can help with donations or ideas of where to apply for funding, is asked to call 01909 472180.