Repair work to the roof of Sedgefield’s St Edmund’s Church has now been completed – almost two years after the ancient building fell victim to lead thieves and left church leaders with a bill for £35,465.56

The culprits were then condemned by emeritus warden Brian Mutch, who has special responsibility for church buildings in the parish of the Upper Skerne, as “avaricious individuals with no respect for centuries of local history”.

Specially-coated stainless steel, which is not as attractive to thieves, has been used to cover the centuries-old timbers so that work can now begin on renovating the interior walls which were badly marked by water seeping through the exposed roof.

The cost of the repair has been met in part through insurance cover, grants and donations from The Friends of St Edmund's, local organisations and many individual well-wishers.

The Upper Skerne’s Team Rector, the Revd. Geoffrey Short (pictured) said this week: “Like many churches, we have a constant struggle to meet our financial commitments and it is heartening to see how the local community has rallied round to help us find the extra money needed for the repairs. It shows how much they value St Edmund’s and want to preserve it for the generations to come.”

 

Article courtesy of Ron Eyley

 

Page added 26th September 2019