Hard Hat Tours: Behind the scenes of an exciting restoration project
Wednesday 26th October 2022An exciting opportunity to go behind the scenes of a remarkable restoration project is set to begin today.
Over the coming weeks, members of the public are being invited to book their place on series of events that offer the rare opportunity to learn more about the restoration of the iconic St John the Baptist church in Rochdale.
The church has been awarded a number of grants from various funders, including the National Lottery Heritage fund, Viridor, Benefact Trust, National Churches Trust, Wolfson Foundation, The Prince of Wales’s Charitable Fund, Churches Conservation Foundation and Manchester Guardian Society Charitable Trust to carry out the vital work.
Attendees will be able to learn more about the origins of the church, its design and influences, as well as why it’s been given a listed status and placed on the at risk register.
During the visit, guests will also learn more about why there is a need for extensive repairs and why certain parts of the building have been more severely affected than others.
Visitors will even be able to see the action first hand and watch experience mosaic specialists as they work to repair and clean the church’s magnificent mosaics.
There will also be an opportunity to see work being carried out on the exterior of the dome, view the external scaffold design, and also have an opportunity to go up in the spider to see the internal repairs.
Work began on the beautiful church in July after being awarded £678,400 to kickstart the project.
This groundbreaking project will not only preserve the building for future generations, but will also welcome the start of a number of outreach projects that will cement the church’s position as a vital part of a dynamic, vibrant, and diverse community.
You can read more about the restoration project by clicking here.
The Hard Hat Tours of St John the Baptist Church will be taking place on:
Wednesday 26 October at 10am
Thursday 27 October at 2pm
Tuesday 8 November at 2pm
Wednesday 9 November at 10am
Tuesday 15 November at 2pm
Wednesday 16 November at 7pm
All visitors will be given a full health and safety briefing and protective equipment before the tour starts. As the church is currently a “live” construction site, it is important that suitable suitable clothing and footwear are worn for the visits.
You can book your tour online at https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/hard-hat-tours-of-st-john-the-baptist-church-roch-1299539, or you can email hlfapplication2019@gmail.com giving your name, number of tickets required, preferred tour date and time.
Tagged | Around the Diocese | Events | Parishes
