Restoration Project 2011 to 2015

Further Updates...

... are available in the Parish Magazine, available in person, or by post.

Update June 2013

STATUES OF OUR LADY AND S. FRANCIS

Quite a few members of our congregation have noticed the deterioration, through age, in the statues of S Francis and Our Lady. S Francis is of a plaster composition and has been badly chipped, especially at the bottom, and the robes and the fracture to the finger on its left hand need attention. Previous work is less than satisfactory.

The statue of Our Lady is carved from wood and has in the past required treatment for woodworm which in turn has caused damage in places along the base of the statue. Paint ‘touch up’ has also taken place which is now not blending in with the original colours. The statue is unstable— please do not touch!

We have sought advice from a qualified restorer. Both figures have been assessed and the good news is that they can both be restored for future generations to enjoy. The work can take place within the church. The restorer is of the opinion that both figures are aged, and to vigorously clean or indeed do more than is really necessary to reduce the damage, would not enhance their beauty.

A quote is awaited of the work required. If acceptable, the restoration of both statues will take place this summer

The canopies above the statues require cleaning and an assessment as part of the full Restoration Project.

Update March 2013

RESTORATION PROJECT - UPDATE FROM THE PROJECT TEAM

WE ARE SURE THAT SOME OF YOU ARE THINKING that not much has happened since the start of the project but we have been working hard and have made considerable progress.

Our main achievement is the granting of a Faculty. We have been told by the diocese that this is a major step fonivard as once a Faculty is granted it can be extended or amended. Over the last year we have done a lot of thinking and pared down the original plan considerably. What do we intend to do in the first phase?

• A new floor
• A new heating system - hopefully before next winter
• Toilets
• Kitchen area
• Move the font possibly to where the pulpit is now

It has also been suggested that we put glass panels in the South doors and make the inner pair of doors self opening making it easier for wheel chairs and pushchairs to enter the church and more welcoming but this will have to wait until we have paid for the floor and the heating.

We should also like to put a glass screen from the edge of the balcony across the back of the church This will be able to be opened but will provide an ideal place for the Junior Church as they could be part of the service without being heard!

What has been done so far:

• The Sacristy has been tidied and painted
• The vestry has been painted
• There is a new office downstairs so it is more accessible .
• The old office has been made into a study for Fr David

Look out for our PHOTO-FEATURE in the May 2013 magazine! These changes have made it possible for the Office and thus the church to be open from Monday to Friday in the morning

What can YOU do to speed up the new floor and heating - help by raising some money!

Update mid May 2012 - Answers to Comments

Thank you for all of your comments. This leaflet intends to address the constructive queries.

Please bear in mind that the Quinquennial survey tells us that doing nothing is not an option, and the PCC would be irresponsible if it did not ensure that, while urgent works are carried out, preparatory work for future improvements is undertaken. As well as the requirements of the quinquennial report, which must be carried out, the PCC must also ensure that fire safety, the Disability Discrimination Act, as well as Health and Safety issues are considered.

Representatives from all areas of the church were invited to a meeting with our architect a few months ago (though un-fortunately some declined), and the suggestions all came from that meeting.

Many of your comments referred to the plan itself which, whilst we do have a larger and more detailed plan, was only put up in order to give an idea of the possibilities, and to show the suggested zoning for the heating, given that at present we are addressing Phase One which is only concerned with the floor, heating, font and pulpit. Subsequent phases will involve building toilets on the same level as the nave, the creation of a new accessible entrance to the church, preferably two meeting rooms, somewhere for the Junior Church, etc. There are no plans to ‘get rid of’ the south door, but to use it to enter a narthex which would, like a wide corridor, run along the outside south wall of the church, and lead to the new wider and more accessible entrance.

The Font

At present the font is situated in the Baptistry near the west door of the church It was probably placed here in accordance with ancient traditions of the new member having to be baptised prior to being allowed into the church ‘proper’. Also, before the advent of cars, the main entrance to the church was the west door. People would enter the church through the baptistry giving them an opportunity to be reminded of their own baptism. The increase in the use of cars, has meant that the south door leading from the car park has become the main entrance.

It is not possible for the whole congregation to participate in Baptisms with the font in its present position tucked behind large columns in the baptistry. This has resulted in a portable copper font often being set up in the Sanctuary, which whilst being serviceable, does tend to diminish the perceived importance of the sacrament.

It is proposed to move the font from its position near the west door to the centre of the nave. This re-establishes the importance of the Sacrament of Baptism as a "public rite" in which the family of the Church play an important part in the welcome of new members, and places it in such a position that the congregation will once again be reminded of their own baptism as they enter the seating area within the nave

Winchester Cathedral are going through the same exercise and are planning to move their font. Bishop David Stancliffe writes:- ‘At the moment, the font is largely hidden and difficult to use in worship effectively. The resulting reshaping of the nave would have enormous benefits. It gives a clear focus to the west end of the nave, making baptism visible and central to the congregation as well as to the visitor.’

The Nave floor and heating

It is proposed to remedy the dangerously uneven floor, as highlighted in the recent quinquennial report, by taking up the current 'granwood' tiles and replace them with Travertine tiles over a new underfloor heating system.

It is true to say that the present heating system is not very old but necessary repairs are not cheap, and whilst the current blown air heating system tends to heat the upper levels of the church, it is not efficient in heating the whole of the church, which cools quickly, and it is expensive to run. The last 10 years have seen significant advances in the technology required to heat a large space efficiently. The church space is too large and funds too limited to contemplate insulating the walls and roof, or double glazing the windows.

This proposal therefore, is for underfloor heating that provides warmth where the people are. Heating the whole area in this way will not create the convection currents which entail losing warmth to the upper reaches of the nave. So the air itself will act as an insulator reducing the loss of warm air through the upper walls and roof. We also aim to link this system with a heat pump, so using green, sustainable energy, and reducing our carbon footprint.

Whilst the old floor is removed it will also be sensible to install conduits so that when we reach the stage of increasing the number of sockets and improving the lighting etc, then cables can be run reducing any need to surface-mount them along the walls.

The Pulpit

The pulpit is rarely used in its current position. The last person to use it was Bishop Michael and he would have preferred to preach from the Sanctuary. As mentioned previously, the majority of the congregation enter the church via the south door, and on entry to the church, are met with a pillar, and an expanse of brown wood which is the pulpit, and neither the Sanctuary nor the chancel are visible. One of our servers has commented that the pulpit obscures the view of the priest of the worshippers sitting on the extreme south of the nave (and indeed vice versa).

We should be aiming to make the church welcoming for our congregation, both old and new, well into the 21st Century. This welcome should be apparent as they enter the church.

It is proposed to dismantle and remove the pulpit from its current location, to re-use the platform and panelling and provide in the sanctuary something more substantial than the legilium we currently use. This would re-assert the perceived importance of the word within the liturgy, improve vision of, and from, the Sanctuary, and also increase the seating by lengthening row length on the south side of the church.

The three main items of liturgical furniture representing The Word, and the Gospel sacraments of Holy Eucharist and Holy Baptism would then all be correctly perceived with equal status.

Finally, please be assured that the PCC that you have elected, are prayerfully and carefully planning towards ensuring that we as a congregation can continue to serve our community and Our Lord.

Do please have a look, study and comment on the plans and drawings on display in church. Please add your name and signature at the end of your comments. On display is a plan for the zoned under-floor heating and a sample of the proposed new tiles together with an explanation for moving the font and pulpit. This contributes to phase I of the restoration project that will also include a new under floor heating system and all the conduits and ducting for electrical and lighting cables. It is proposed to move the font to where it was intended to be—at the entrance to the nave where its simplistic beauty can really be appreciated. And the reasons for moving the pulpit? When you enter the Church through the South door the first thing you meet is a pillar and then the pulpit. The pulpit hides the view of the Sanctuary from those entering the Church. It is not proposed to dispose of the pulpit but to eventually place it in the Sanctuary as an ambo which can be used instead of the legillium.

These details are from the notice board at the back of the church

Why move the font? Fonts are often placed near the entrance to a church's nave to remind believers of their baptism as they enter the church. This was the case in our church as 81 years ago, worshippers would have entered through the west door. It is since the increase in the use of cars that the south door leading from the car park entrance has become the main entrance. It is proposed to move the font back to where it was intended to be - at the entrance to the nave.

Why move the pulpit? When you enter the Church through the South door the first thing you meet is a pillar and then the pulpit. The pulpit hides the view of the Sanctuary from those entering the Church. It is not proposed to dispose of the pulpit but to eventually place it in theSanctuary as an ambo which can be used instead of the legillium.

The current position of the font by the west door.

artist impression of the proposed link from the hall to the church

The interregnum is not a time to sit back...this period presents a challenge to the family of S. Francis, and we must see it as a time for growth

THE RESTORATION PROJECT TEAM are meeting monthly plus additional meetings should matters arise, or a new quote has been received for work within the project; for example, heating experts to give quotes and suggestions; floor specialists consultations and other technicians as advised by our architect, Philip.

In Committee it has been decided to form sub committees to support the Concerts and Events taking place. Another group will be involved in fund raising – a very important part of our project and as such will be involved in the publicity for the events and other fund raising projects. Can you help us here? Please!

Two members of the team are working together to look at problems with flooring and advise the committee on additional costs that may arise due to the unforeseen nature of the under flooring stability and new heating systems. It is very important that the committee keep a tight rein on pricing and expenditure. Various Charities are being investigated and bids to be sorted – a clear vision and firm decisive action will be required if we are to succeed with support from outside of the church.

Continuing work with the church floor is ongoing and we are sure many of you have noticed not only humps and bumps, but also new flat areas, temporarily covered with secure boards. Things became so bad that action had to be taken due to the tiles rising by day and then becoming broken, an accident waiting to happen. However on a positive aspect we now have areas whereby flooring experts and heating engineers can view the under floor to advise on what needs to be done and costings involved.

Photographs show the church floor with tiles removed (damaged area only disturbed) and the enormous roof space.

Our Architect is arranging for pictures of various areas of the church to be available for display shortly and any comments you may have will be discussed and considered. Please keep and eye on the notice boards at the back of the church!

Dean has finalised the mission statement that we will use on all Restoration Project correspondence:
“Our vision is to restore our church, to make it fit for the purpose of serving our local community in the 21st century whilst preserving our established Catholic heritage within the Church of England”.

The quinquennial report stated that the roof needed insulating – two of our team members climbed to the roof space were astounded at how dry the internal timbers of the roof space were, even after 81 years of age and no insulation! Members from the Winchester Diocesan Advisory Committee (DAC) visited the church on Monday 26 April to meet with our Architect and members of the Restoration Project Team . The DAC were very impressed with the work that had been done in preparing for this meeting and for the realistic time scale for the project which will bring church and community much closer together; the working title ‘The Charminster Link’ is one that will keep this mission in all our minds. The DAC appreciated the careful planning of the work to be undertaken and supported the style and colour that would so much enhance worship here at S. Francis of Assisi. It is likely that work to replace the floor and heating – phase I of the project - would get underway later this year once the faculty has been granted. Our submission will be on the table for the DAC’s next meeting on May 28 will have to be in by May 2.

On Saturday 17 March Christchurch Music Centre gave an exemplary performance and with the age group being so young, an excellent evening all around. The conductor, Martin Faulker, and young people made us laugh as well as enjoying wonderful music. We raised a further £261.50 with a raffle and serving of refreshments to the family and friends who supported the evening. Our next Concert is on the 14 April with the young chaps from BSB “Blues Boys Band” providing an evening of jazz music – please come and support and have an enjoyable evening, we promise you fun!

S Francis of Assisi Restoration Project Bank Account is now open at Barclays Bank CastlePoint. With the support of Social Committee and PCC we have a bank balance of £6,768.87 as of 7 March 2012.

Continued monthly updates will be available via the magazine and any suggestions or ideas for fund raising are always welcomed.

Anthony did an excellent job with his jumble sale and please support his Car Boot event.

The restoration committee will have a table or car boot solely for selling to boost our Bank balance. Our vision has commenced with positive thinking With God Nothing is Impossible!

Phase 1 The whole scheme is broken down into phases. The first phase for which the application for a Faculty has to be in by May 2nd is for the floor. This will also include the heating system, the conduits for elec- tricity, moving the font and the pulpit.

The pulpit will be converted into an ambo which means that it will once again be in regular use. The font will return to where it was intended—at the entrance to the church nave to remind believers of their baptism as they enter the church. The majority of our congregation no longer enter through our West door so do not pass the font.

The moving of the font and pulpit are being included in this first phase as once the new floor is laid there is no wish to dig it up again!

Our last letter described the necessary restoration highlighted in the quinquennial report. This was linked with the desirability to achieve a complex which will serve our congregation and the community for many years to come. For example, if we have to dig up the floor it makes sense to improve our heating system and to look at ideas for reorganising our space for maximum usage.

To provide for as many needs as possible we will not only need to ensure the restoration and development of the church but also the church hall including a new build link between the two buildings to form a Restaurant/Cafe with catering standard kitchen which will serve both Church and Hall, be a facility for the local residents, and provide income for the Church. This will be a separate project following on from the church.

The Restoration Project Committee have been authorised as a body responsible for the restoration and development of the church and the church hall, and report to the PCC. There have already been discussions not only in the committee but with local schools and other users who have expressed a keen interest in the project. We may also commission a feasibility study, and engage the services of a professional fund raiser, but most of all we need the full co-operation of our own congregation and their support in raising the funds we will need from our own resources.

This is a massive project designed to take the church well into its second century. You will always be kept up to date with the progress of the project through notices at church, the Magazine, and displays on the boards at the back of the church. If you have any questions, comments or ideas please speak to the committee and let us know.

This was a busy day but good. We had a surprise visit from a specialist from the DAC (Diocesan Advisory Council) to look at the floor. At the same time associates of our architect were taking accurate measurements to draw up a plan of the church and Philip, our architect was present together with a heating engineer.

Out with old—in with new! Thanks to Roy, Dean, Barbara and Fr David for cutting, humping and moving chairs out and in!

With God anything is possible

We, at Saint Francis of Assisi Church, are planning a major restoration. The floor of the Church has to be replaced so it was decided to make the most of this necessity and create a shared space; a workable church for our 21st century together with a usable space for the wider community. We are planning to insulate the roof, put in a new heating system, improve the lighting, include toilets and a cafe besides meeting rooms and more comfortable chairs. We are aware of the importance of our ministry to the local community and would welcome suggestions from the community.

Whilst working to raise the necessary money for this exciting project we shall continue to support mission projects at home and abroad.

For over eighty years, the Parish Church of St. Francis of Assisi, Charminster, Bournemouth, has served the people of the area, and from further afield. The word of God has been preached, the sacraments have been administered, and the way of eternal life has been made plain.

Our work although based on prayer, is not confined to the spiritual. We minister to a wide variety of physical needs within the community. Our hall is the base for work with a range of ages from babies to pensioners, and we have now reached the stage where we are unable to fulfil all the requests made for the expansion of our work.

Expectations have grown, and the years have taken their toll, so that our buildings are no longer fit for purpose. Health and safety requirements make it urgent for us to restore and upgrade our facilities to bring us into line with the requirements of the 21st century.

The recent quinquennial inspection confirmed that the floor is a potential trip hazard due to the disintegrating tiles and humps. We now therefore need to provide new flooring with under floor heating, preferably sourced by a heat pump (air or ground), loft insulation, lighting, and sound system, as phase one, and of crucial importance in order to comply with current legislation. This first phase will cost in the region of £300,000.

In addition we will provide kitchen and toilet facilities within the church, and completely redecorate throughout. This second phase will cost in the order of £400,000. This work will bring the church into line for wider usage, both for sacred and secular use.

The church is already used by the Bournemouth School for Boys for assemblies and also for some examinations and also by Bournemouth School for girls, and Queens Park Infant and Junior schools We intend to develop a music school, with a community children’s choir, and organ and instrumental tuition. Because of the high usage of the Parish hall the church is already used for overflow with the Lunch, and supper clubs, children’s dance classes and Zumba classes.

The church hall is also in a sorry state of repair with the facilities unchanged since it was built, and so we intend to build a new hall with state of the art facilities and linked to the church.

It is our aim to establish a centre of excellence for the arts, and for the day to day prayer life of the church in a building which is restored to the highest standards, to serve the community and congregation for many more years to come.

For all of this our target is £1.5 million, and we approach this in the knowledge that “with God nothing is impossible”.