St Andrew's, Dearnley

St Andrew's, Dearnley and Smithy Bridge

Work is due to start this week at St Andrew's, Dearnley to replace the mortar in the west wall of St Andrew's at a cost of about £23,000.

When rain started to seep through the stone wall a diocesan architect was commissioned to investigate and he reported that mortar had deteriorated and needed to be replaced.

Diocesan formalities concluded, the architect recommended acceptance of the lowest-priced tender £17,624 plus vat and relevant fees, which will seriously deplete the special reserve we have for such eventualities.

We have received donations so far of £1,600 and we will also be supported by the work of the social committee, led by Ada, on a full programme of events during autumn and winter.

For instance, the concert that Wigan-based band 'Dukes Road' put on for us in church last Saturday raised a remarkable £650 and our sincere thanks go to Tony Bostock, Jamie Harrison, Keith Claxton, Mike Conley and Mike Nash for giving us such a fabulous night of retro music from the 60s and 70s.

The event was hugely successful in every aspect and Ada's announcement that we hoped to have the five Likely Lads back with us again next May was enthusiastically received.

Other events will also raise funds for the west wall project which is expected to take about six weeks, weather permitting, and which will hopefully be completed by the end of November or early December, certainly well before Christmas.

It will involve scaffolding going up above and around the porch and the main doors into church, but we have been assured that any inconvenience will be kept to an absolute minimum.

The Interregnum continues to be an extremely busy and challenging time for all concerned, particularly our curate, the Rev Mike Howarth, and churchwardens Peter Shrigley and Ray Milligan.

The Parish Profile, an essential part of the process leading to the appointment of our new priest-in-charge, has been submitted to the Archdeacon, Cherry Vann.

Services up to next Easter will be led by Mike, the Rev Canon Roger Hill and a variety of other distinguished clergy, including Bishop Mark at Christmas.

The next big fund-raiser is the annual Autumn Fair in church on Saturday, November 12 from 11.00am to 1.00pm.

See Ada for more information on donations for raffle prizes, a bottle stall and all the other usual stalls which will be selling home-made cakes, jams, chutneys, fruit pies, chocolates etc.

We hold our monthly parish lunch in the parish room next Friday, 28 October, cost £6.50 for three courses plus tea or coffee, starting at 12.30pm. To book for the first time ring Elizabeth on 376660.

A warm welcome awaits everyone at St Andrew's and nowhere more so than at our main service of the week, our 9.30am Sung Eucharist every Sunday.