Chester Diocese
News Item
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Preservation, poetry and praise in Stockport
MAJOR work to preserve the structure and carry out repairs on Saint Mary’s Church in Stockport town centre has started. The restoration project will eventually cost more than £1million. Phase one involves making safe and restoring the south face of the tower and the south entrance of the landmark building in Churchgate. Much of the funding for this initial work – £225,000 – has come from the English Heritage Lottery Fund, with an extra £42,000 coming from public appeals and sources within the parish. Planning has begun on phase two of the project, which will see the west face of this historic and prominent parish church restored. The current building, on the site of a medieval church, was designed by Lewis Wyatt in the early 19th century and is Grade I listed. • There is to be a ‘Poetry and Praise’ event at St Mary’s on Thu Oct 4, from 11am to 4pm. Poems will be read by the Rector, the Revd Roger Scoones, and by several other readers. From 12.30pm to 1pm there will be a service, which will also feature poetry readings. Admission is free, and members of the public are welcome to attend and to read their poems. Phone the Revd Roger Scoones on 0161 429 6564 if you would like to find out more. The event has the backing of Stockport-based creative writing website, www.createwrt.net The Poetry and Praise event is also linked to National Poetry Day, October 4. Mr Scoones said: “Poetry is an integral part of Christian worship, and as performance art it brings a new and attractive dimension to our church’s life and networking role in the community. “Lots of people in the town are joining in with National Poetry Day events.”
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Scaffolding dominating the south face of St Mary's tower
Poetically inspired, the Revd Roger Scoones |
