The Harmonisation of St Peter's Floor

After something of a bureaucratic struggle in which some critical paperwork was lost either by the Post Office or possibly the Diocesan Registrar's office, Doris Taylor finally received a full (and rather attractive) faculty to carry on with the floor harmonisation project to remove the dangerous trip hazard throughout St Peter's Church. Both the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Area Dean were recent close witnesses to sickening falls by elderly people so it is none too soon to get on with these works, which have the full support of the St Peter's worshippers with only one voice of dissent on the PCC. No formal objections were received by the Diocesan Registrar and a Diocesan visit was very optimistic; not only from a health and safety and archaeological perspectives but also for the improvement of access for our sight and physically impaired worshippers and visitors. Access to the ledgers and their preservation for future generations is guaranteed by the plan supplied by the Church's architect, Mr George Denny RIBA and approved by St Peter's Committee.

The first consignment of wood was delivered to the builder, Inside Out Construction, but it was all rejected for being too new. They subsequently accepted a second batch, which was stored in the Church for over a week to acclimatise to the ambient conditions of the building. Work started on 19th September 2007 and the floor has been completed before schedule and on budget in time for a celebration concert by the Renaissance Choir visiting from Hampshire on 28th October 2007. Worship took place either at St Mildred's, the changed venue for our united Parish Harvest Festival, or at Eastbridge Hospital's Pilgrims' Chapel by kind permission of the Trustees and the willing co-operation of the in-dwellers.

Of course, completing the floor is only the end of a beginning in which our top (the roof) and bottom (the floor) have been seen to. St Peter's Committee are now discussing and consulting about new chairs, improved heating and changed lighting to enhance the potential opportunities that our new flexible space may afford for re-ordering to meet both our worship and mission needs in the 21st Century.