Happy New year update for 2024

Happy New year from St Sampson’s Church

A big personal thank you from me for your continued support to St Sampson’s.
It is making a huge difference for the community, present and future, to maintain a Christian presence in South Hill and keep our heritage building open for all to use and enjoy.  The church is daily open for visitors and there is a weekly service on Sunday, including forest café church every other month. We run a lively weekly toddler group in the parish hall. We have had weddings, funerals, and even a baptism in the river Lyhner this year.  We hosted a well attended Easter trail and Easter egg hunt in April and a light party in October.  We had many a tuneful concert and a wonderful summer fayre.   Our celebration day in the spring celebrated our halfway mark for the restoration.  We may be small, but we are definitely thriving!

Lots has happened this year, so here is a brief roundup of our St Sampson’s Unlocked project for 2024 and a reminder of previous SSU completed works.

• Rainwater goods North Side  - £17,500
• Internal tower screen door removed for restoration and awaiting to be re installed - £10,000
• Planning approval granted for trench arch drainage 
• Planning approval granted for air source heat pump in Manaton Chapel
• East wall external masonry repairs  - £12,000
• Tower stair door restoration - £6,000
• More fundraising towards the next phase - roof, ceiling, Manaton chapel, toilet, kitchen and the return of the bells. 

• Porch stonework repairs completed – some new stone and pointing work. (2023)

• West door restoration  (2024)

• New overhead heaters installed (2024)

• External masonry wall repairs (2023)

• The Michael Hill monument restoration is complete, and it is back in situ on the East wall in the Manaton Chapel. (2023)

• All thirteen of our windows including stonework have been restored and this project is now completed. ( 2021-2023)

• Full faculty approval final authorisation received for roof, ceiling, toilet, kitchenette. The work will be done in phases. (2023)

• Compost toilet installed in churchyard (2022)

• Roof valley gutter (2021)

• Removal and storage of bells and work to make bell frame safe (2021)

• Relocation of Font (2020)

• Installation of mains water supply (2020)

• External path lighting (2020)

• All bat boxes from the workshop in 2022 have been put up in the churchyard or surrounding properties.
• Nine Bird boxes put up in the churchyard for various species.
• Wild Flower list compiled / wild flower talk and churchyard mini ramble.
• Lichen survey
• Small mammals survey done with Cornwall small mammals group.
• Moth survey.
• End of year long grass cut and rake.
• Churchyard discovery packs created and there was a wonderful nature detective day with 48 children in August.
•  3 new benches installed.
• Interpretation board to be installed soon.

 
Funded by: National Churches Trust, Cornish Historic Churches Trust, Listed Places of worship, Sabrina Sutherland Trust, Jill Franklin Trust, Local giving grants, National Grid Electricity Distribution, Ian M  Foulerton Charitable Trust, Church Care, Rural Churches, Repair Fund, Lady Neville Charity, Trefinnick Solar Fund, Viscount Boyd Fund.  Also individual donors and fund raising.
Our own fundraising has included: an inspirations evening, a baroque concert and a sea shanty gig, our medieval fair and barrow push, plant sales, and a stall at Callington Mayfest.
We are hoping to have a big celebration and open day in the spring to celebrate our achievements.
Many thanks to all our funders big and small.  This is an incredible achievement for a small rural parish and a very real way of serving South Hill community.
 
I wish you a joyful and peaceful Christmas and new year.
 
Blessings
Judith Ayers
Local lay Leader