Restoration News

In August 2005 the Project Director said:

ONE YEAR ON!
COME AND SEE

What a twelve months of highs, lows – and an unbelievable amount of faithful inspired work by so many different people. Do visit - especially when we are open for tours. On the outside, nothing much may have changed. Inside you will find so much work in progress: detailed proposals for the buildings and their future, new findings on their story and significance – and a chance for you to have your say on all that we are doing.

We are now on the last lap of preparing our full application for HLF Stage 2 funding. We have to submit a very large and detailed document in order to access the main funding won last year in Restoration. This will be complete by early October, alongside the required applications for planning and listed building consent. If all goes well, approval might be in early spring 2006. Only then will main funding be released to enable us to prepare detailed tender documents and appoint our contractors. This means an anticipated start date next July and completion by Christmas 2007/2008 will be brilliant!

But we shall not be sitting around in the mean time. We have much to do to raise other funding, to develop the Project and all its programmes – and to continue our research into the buildings, their story and their uses within the larger story of Kings Norton, past, present and future.

I am grateful beyond words for the energy and wisdom of so many committed people in the Restoration Office, in the small army of guides, in all who turn up to shift furniture for surveys, to organise and support events and to work through Friends and Project Board to help us grow with confidence. Church Council members are heavily involved – and have been constant in their support, resource and acceptance of responsibility alongside so many others.

Our partners in the Restoration Fund, Heritage Lottery Fund, English Heritage and Birmingham City Council are also invaluable.

With our buildings remaining open for visitors until the end of October this year, and possibly a couple of months from April next year, now is an ideal time to bring your friends and neighbours to have a look around before we start the building work. You will be very welcome any Wednesday or Saturday when tours are conducted by our volunteer guides at 11a.m. , 12 noon and 1p.m.

Canon Rob Morris - August 2005

Stage 2 Submission