Our beautiful church building, dedicated to St Thomas of Canterbury, has many fine features. Perhaps the best is the decorated ceiling in the Chancel.
The picture alongside gives an indication of the detail of the painting, but also indicates some of the problems it faces.
Over the decades since it was painted, grime of various sorts, including soot from candles, has dulled the rich colours. The wooden panels of which it is constructed have dried out and shrunk, leaving gaps through which dust and damp from the roof has penetrated. And, sadly, enthusiastic but unskilled volunteers have attempted to clean it, leaving the paint damaged and faded.
We are keen to preserve the decoration – and the ceiling itself – for future generations to enjoy. The Parochial Church Council (PCC) has therefore commissioned a detailed survey of the ceiling by an acknowledged expert, Peter Martindale, who is an Accredited Member of the Institute of Conservation. Peter has produced a 29-page report (available to view upon request) which includes microscopic analysis of paint samples and his recommendations on how to repair the fabric and return the paintwork to its former glory. But this work naturally comes at a cost. Sadly the damage is more extensive that was first thought so more work is required; the cost is now estimated at a little over £20,000. We are hoping to receive a grant that will help towards the total.
The building is used week by week as the church meets to worship God, but it is also valued as part of the life of Worting by many who do not attend regularly. The purpose of our appeal, therefore, is to give such people the opportunity to be a part of the project. One-off donations are very welcome; other people may prefer to give a small amount month by month, perhaps over the course of a year or two. The following questions might come to mind; if you have others, do get in touch.
The picture below shows two panels that were cleaned during the trial process and the neighbouring panels which are yet to be cleaned. The work begins on 29 March 2021 and is expected to take five weeks.
Some Frequently asked Questions
- By Standing Order
- Monthly gifts can be made by Standing Order. You can set this up directly with your bank using our details below.
- One off gifts can also be made by bank transfer using these details.
- Account: ‘Winklebury and Worting PCC‘, Sort Code: 60-02-49, Account Number: 80336493
- Bank Address: NatWest, 3 London Street, Basingstoke, RG21 7NS
- Online
- One off donations can be made using our online donation service.
- Please ensure you select ‘Chancel Ceiling Restoration Fund’ from the first drop down list.
- By cheque
- One-off gifts can be made by cheque (payable to ‘Winklebury and Worting PCC’) and sent to the parish office.
- Please address mail to: Appeal Secretary, Church of the Good Shepherd, Winklebury Centre, Basingstoke RG23 8BU
If you are a taxpayer, please complete the Gift Aid form (available on request) so that we can claim £25 on each £100 you give.
For further information, please contact our appeal secretary, Jeanne Hiscock, at ceilingproject@winkleburyandworting.org.uk
Members of the church family are of course contributing, but we do not want to exclude other local residents who want to help conserve the building.
The life of the church is funded almost entirely by regular voluntary giving, but this is not sufficient to cover large projects such as this.
We are extremely fortunate to have some capital invested. The income from this is used entirely to pay a member of staff who works full time with youth and children across the parish. If we spend the capital, the income would drop and we could not afford to employ essential staff members.