Project Leaders Speak Out

In the second instalment of our staff interviews, we spoke to two fundamental members of the project team, Sophie Slade and Nigel Aplin, who are responsible for managing and delivering the major project outcomes and making sure that everything runs as smoothly as possible.

Sophie Slade, Project Coordinator
"Taking up the role of Project Coordinator has been a fascinating and enjoyable experience. I feel very honoured to be tasked with overseeing such a complex and important project. St Mary's is one of the most interesting historic buildings I have known and the various communities and visitors who benefit from it help to bring it to life. I am most looking forward to seeing the freshly conserved and repaired building emerge. It will also be a joy to see improved facilities for the staff and visitors."

Nigel Aplin, Project Manager
"As project manager for the building works, I am delighted to see the scaffolding being erected around the tower and spire, ahead of the main construction works commencing in the New Year. This is the culmination of nearly four years leading the Church and designers through the project process, working through several steps to get us to this position:

1. Feasibility stage: taking the initial ideas and identifying the scope and budget cost of the works; formulating a plan and programme to undertake the works; and identifying ways of funding the project.

2. Concept Design stages: successfully bidding for Heritage Lottery Fund development money to develop the building design ideas; develop our thoughts on the how the Church can tell its story and involve the community.

3. Enabling building works: provide an office base (and new toilets!) for the Church to occupy during the main building works.

4. Design Completion: successfully bidding for the major Heritage Lottery Fund implementation grant, having raised over £1million to allow us to bid. This allowed us to complete our design work and detail how the education and interpretation programmes will work. We have followed this by tendering the building works over the past months.

For me, one of our greatest challenges has been in programming the works whilst keeping parts of this iconic building safely open. The Church wished to remain at least partially open for worship and ministry during the works, so either the Nave or Chancel will be kept open. This has required early remodelling of the Narthex office, providing a new kitchenette and toilets, which can be independently used throughout the building works. Additionally, the tower and café are major attractions, particularly busy during the summer months, providing income and local employment, so these are programmed to be closed during the quieter winter months, which provide a technical challenge for accessing and repairing the stonework. We are now working with Beard, our building contractor, to minimise disruption and ensure smooth running during the works.

Whilst four years seems a long time, we are still on target to complete the main building works in late 2012, as originally planned. This reflects the dedication and enthusiasm of the Church and its designers to meet the target dates set out at the start of this journey. "

Education & Volunteering - What's New?

In the three months since my appointment I have been consistently overwhelmed by the exciting and inspiring opportunities that St Mary’s has to offer, particularly as a learning resource. For a building with such a tremendously diverse history I have been surprised to find that there are still a number of features and stories which remain untold. The relationship between the education and interpretation teams on this project is crucial in ensuring that these stories are brought to life in a way that is both interesting to visitors and one which inspires members of the existing congregation to see their church in new and exciting ways.

  

A crucial element in building the new education programme will involve working closely with partner organisations and local schools to give them the opportunity to tell us what they would like to see and take part in when the restoration is complete. University Church is a wonderfully rich learning environment and we hope that through our consultations with a variety of different groups we will be able to encourage audiences of all ages to participate in this exciting once in a lifetime project.

Helping us to tell these stories will be a team of volunteer welcomers and guides who will look after our new Welcome Desk and deliver tours to groups of visitors. Visitors to St Mary’s come for many different reasons and the welcome desk will become a place where they can find out more about the church, collect trails and leaflets and enquire about upcoming events. To find out more about joining our new volunteer team, click HERE to contact us. The deadline for these applications is January 20th 2012.

As a result of our recent volunteer photographer recruitment campaign, I am delighted to welcome Natalie to the church to head up our photography team. Natalie is an architecture student with a particularly unusual enthusiasm for scaffolding which explains her attraction to the position! I have been delighted by the positive response to this campaign and look forward to working with Natalie and the other members of the team as they capture the restoration in all of its glory over the coming months.

Lucinda Williams, Heritage Education & Volunteers Officer

November 2011 - Project Update 2

Since the last update, the main contractor for the project has been appointed. Beard Oxford will be responsible for delivering the repairs, renovations and conservation work that forms the ‘renewal’ part of the project. There has been some delay in getting practical dates and information to those concerned due to the complicated nature of the scaffolding design. Discussions about the design for the scaffold have been ongoing since September and it was essential to finalise this design before the work could begin. Since then the pace has picked up considerably. Between now and the end of the year the contractor will be erecting the scaffold around the tower and the exterior of the nave. Access to the shop and church from the Radcliffe Square entrance will be limited while the scaffold is being erected and it is likely that access through this door will only be possible at weekends. A safe tunnel will be built shortly to maintain access to both of the Vaults entrances.

January 2012 will see the start of Phase 2 of the project. This phase will be the most challenging for clergy, staff, parishioners and visitors as the entire north-east corner will be out of bounds and we will only have the nave and narthex offices. Full details are available from the church office.

For more information about the project and to speak to members of the project team about their plans, come along to our Open Day on Sunday 27th November at 12pm. This drop-in session is an opportunity for you to ask any questions and to view some of the architectural plans.

Sophie Slade, Project Coordinator

November 2011 - Project Update

Preparations for the erection of the contractor's site compound and scaffolding to the tower is picking up place and from the 7th of November work will centre on completing the compound, providing office, toilet and catering facilities for the contractor. Work to erect the tower scaffold will centre on building an access scaffold to allow the contractor to get nearer to the areas of the tower where they will be putting in supports for the main scaffold. The shop and tower will only be accessible from the High Street entrance.

 

 Sophie Slade, Project Coordinator