January 9th 2012

Interpretation in the New Centre

The sub-committee of trustees responsible for interpretation have been liaising with Heritage Lottery Fund.
They have agreed that the following themes would be explored and interpreted in the new Arts Centre:
John and Mary Mackie
Victorian Church Building
The People who Built the Church
Key Heritage Features
The Restoration Process
In carrying out research they have found this photo of embroiderers who may have worked on the fine sacramental materials for the church.
Trustees have appointed Blue, the Design Company to create the interpretation materials. Six panels will tell the story, together with other potential means of interpretation still to be developed.
These could include:
Labels to particular items
Objects in the aumbrey
Multimedia
Story of the restoration – in digital photo frames.
It is hoped that visitors to the Centre will be inspired to find out more by various means and explore the heritage of this former church and of New Mills.

June 9th 2011

RESTORATION WORK UNDER WAY

Plans

Work has begun to restore the former church of St James the Less on Spring Bank, New Mills, and convert it into a wonderful Community Arts Centre. The church building itself will become the central studio and performance venue; a new-build annexe behind it will accommodate a bar-cum-servery, a public space and a medium sized multi-use functions room. What was the former vestry will be redesigned as a toilets and washroom suite, with disability provision and baby-changing facilities. The whole complex will be very attractive and fitted out to a high standard.

Décor revealed

Top conservation specialists Crick-Smith, from Lincoln University, have begun work revealing and plotting the original Victorian decorative scheme – much of which lies under layers of white paint and plaster skimming. It would be impossible to restore the interior to its original 1880s glory, as much of the scheme has already been obliterated by subsequent patches of re-plastering. However, painstaking work has already uncovered stretches of elaborate stencilled wall covering. At the end of the building where the altar was sited part of one of six beautifully gilded angels can be seen again for the first time since they were over-painted some time in the last century.

Intentions

The Trust that now owns the building has commissioned Crick-Smith to make an accurate record of how the church was decorated in Victorian times. When restoration is complete – and that will involve extensive re-plastering and damp prevention – the conservators will reinstate the original decorative scheme on the entire west wall in order to show what it would have looked like originally. It is hoped also to keep a sample patch of the original colouring on show elsewhere in the building; this will be appropriately stabilised and protected since the new studio is bound to receive intensive use in the future.

New-build

Outside, progress has also been taking place. Many tons of earth have been excavated and taken away from the site as the builders have dug down in preparation for laying a concrete raft on which the extensions will be raised. The boundary wall has been carefully dismantled and the stones taken into store. It will all be reconstructed when the buildings are completed. The whole complex will have flooring at a single level and can be accessed by the ramp that is to be built into the porch off Spring Bank. This means that the completed centre will be friendly and accessible to users with mobility problems; it is planned that sight and hearing impaired users will be provided for as well. This is to be a centre where all ages and abilities will be welcome. Most importantly, it will belong to the people of New Mills

Further Information

For further details contact Trust Chairman Philip Kendall
pakendall@toucansurf.com
Note for Editors
The work is being undertaken by main contractors CSC Construction of Cheadle. There are some good photo opportunities of work in progress, especially inside at the moment where work is on-going on the decorative scheme. This is only due to last for a short time until Crick-Smith (truly one of the country’s best painting and décor conservators) have completed their initial plotting and recording. They will return at the end of the contract period – next November – to re-instate the scheme on the West wall and to carry out the restoration and preservation of four Victorian wall panels. For a photographer to come on site requires the contractor’s permission in advance; it is a hard hat construction site during daytime working.

May 2011

The Co-op helps us buy light and sound

The Co-operative Society Community Fund responded very generously to our request to help us buy some excellent quality second hand lighting and sound equipment. This had been the property of the late Michael Elphick of Gloves off Productions based in Glossop. The kit was very kindly offered to us by his widow, Patricia Hartshorne, whom you may have seen in St James' and on the Fringe.

April 2011

Chairman's Report Agm April 14th 2011

This Report officially covers the activities of The Trust from January 2010 to the end of December 2010. Our AGM last year was held on April 17th 2010 and my report then covered the year 2009, with some glimpses into developments up to the time of the AGM. I will do this again for 2010 into 2011.
I was pleased to announce at last year’s AGM that the Trust’s Round Two Application to The Heritage Lottery Fund was considered on March 18th 2010 and was successful. This strictly belongs to the achievements of the year I am reporting, although it seems that one heck of a lot of water has flown under the bridge since then! We were granted £717,200 which was the complete sum that we applied for. Heritage Lottery is willing to fund the new build of the small annex which will make our centre viable; they were, however, very keen that we should go for full restoration of the stained glass, the wall panels and some replication of the original Victorian decorative scheme. We are committed to investing part of that funding to develop the interpretation of the heritage of St James’ and produce learning materials for education. Our project is about setting up a community arts centre; but we must not forget that our main funding comes from a heritage-based organisation.
A lot of time was spent in 2010 developing the detailed design of the restored and expanded buildings. Once again I would like to pay tribute to the patience of Rob Harrington, our Architect from Bernard Taylor Partnership, who has taken on board ideas and modifications with great equanimity whilst making himself available for regular meetings with Trustees and carefully drawing up the minutiae of specifications. In all matters regarding the project we have been reliably advised by our Project Manager, John Fildes. During the year John also was co-opted and then confirmed as a Trustee (this having been approved by the Charity Commission) and took over the vacant position of Treasurer. He will be reporting to the AGM in that capacity. We are delighted with his guidance in this role. The Board of Trustees has met on a monthly calendar, as well as working in sub-groups to tackle specific aspects of the planning. On a more formal organisational level, the Trustees have divided responsibilities into three: a buildings subcommittee, a learning and interpretation subcommittee and an arts development subcommittee. These groups have been given the authority to co-opt expertise from beyond the membership of the Board. This structure is really just coming into being and will be reported more fully later.
Considerable amounts of time, energy (and money!) were devoted last year to effecting the purchase of St James’ and the small building plot from the Almshouses. There were set-backs and complications in every direction. We had hoped to complete just before Christmas. Even at the eleventh hour the Church Authorities prevented that – the Bishop of Derby had not signed the authorisation for the removal of the contents of the church! Eventually the way was clear and the Trust became the new owner on January 13th 2011. Since then there have been further complications with matching the tenders from contractors to the budget available. Suffice it to say that at long last CSC Construction of Cheadle have been awarded the work and begin on site at the beginning of May. This is a moment some of us have been working towards since 2003!
Through 2010 the organisation of monthly arts events in the name of The Friends of St James’ continued to keep alive the arts development and provide much needed revenue for the Trust. Once again we were able to promote a range of events that played to audiences numbering between twenty to sixty. We fell short of providing any “block-busters” but we did introduce two film showings – something that will grow in the future. Events included straight drama, through the spoken word, to music encompassing choral, classical and folk and a very successful Heritage Open Day which incorporated other town organisations and attracted a lot of interest. All of this in a church building with pews, altars, font and pulpit! This will now be transformed into a flexible and purpose-equipped arts studio.
I referred to our new Treasurer above. The Trustees were also joined during the year by Jill Hulme who is the Administrator at New Mills Heritage Centre; we welcome Jill’s expertise and a valuable link. I would like to thank the Trustees for their input throughout 2010 and the support I have received as Chairman. We have also had much appreciated help at events from a small but committed band of MACKs (Managing and Coordinating Keypeople) and we hope that they, together with additional members, will find new roles to play as the centre gathers momentum. My thanks too for everyone who is staying loyal as Friends of St James’- we will do our best to keep you in the picture. The next few months will be challenging in their own special way as the buildings take shape. We can then all look forward to a gala opening in 2012.
Philip Kendall April 2011

August 2010

St James Arts Centre Project update: August 2010

On the 11th March the East Midlands Committee of the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) awarded our project a grant of £717,2oo.
There followed a formal process which included:
• permission to make a formal public announcement in May
• the signing of a contract between the Trust and HLF
• HLF’s “Permission to Start” the project in June
The HLF grant provides 85% of the funding needed to complete the project and the Trust has secured the remainder of this “Partnership Funding” with large grants from High Peak Borough Council, the Foyle Foundation and the Garfield Weston Foundation and from its own fund raising efforts, subscriptions, smaller grants and donations and volunteer time.
The Project Team has been appointed and includes John Fildes as Project Manager, Rob Harrington of the Bernard Taylor Partnership as Project Architect, Nigel Winter (Rawlinson Associates ) as Quantity Surveyor and Michael Pooler (Michael Pooler & Son) as Structural Engineer. This team will work alongside the Trustees.
In addition to assembling the Project Team we have been working towards completing the conveyance of the church and adjacent land to the ownership of the Trust. A Project Plan and technical drawings have been prepared which will enable the Trust to appoint a main contractor. Over the next few months, in addition to completing the conveyance, we will complete the detailed design, submit Building Regulation plans, prepare tender documents, appoint a main contractor and prepare Briefs to tender for and appoint specialist conservators for the stained glass windows, the murals and the historic decoration.
Our current timetable is for construction work to begin in January 2011 and to be completed in September in time for the Arts Centre to open for business in October.

STOP PRESS May 25th 2010

Money continues to roll in! We yesterday received a cheque for £800 from the Skinners' Company Lady Neville Charity.

PRESS RELEASE May 19th 2010

"TRUST AWARDED MASSIVE HLF GRANT”

A Dream Comes True

The St James the Less Preservation Trust has been working for this day since it was founded in 2004! At last it has been successful in its Round Two application to the Heritage Lottery Fund. £717,200 (seven hundred and seventeen thousand two hundred pounds) has been awarded to the New Mills based Trust for the purchase, restoration and conversion of the church of St James the Less on Spring Bank for its development into a versatile arts complex to be used by the community. The Committee of The East Midlands Heritage Lottery Fund was extremely impressed by the detailed scheme drawn up by The Trust and its advisors. Architects Peter Hatfield and Rob Harrington from the Stockport Bernard Taylor Partnership have produced the first-stage designs for the conversion of the redundant church and for an attractive new extension which will be built on land being transferred to The Trust from the Inghams Almshouses. Ambitious learning and interpretation units to help visitors, especially children, discover the heritage of St James’ have been prepared with the help of specialist consultants DBA of Sheffield, whilst the care of the Grade 2 listed church has been assured in a conservation plan drawn up by The Architectural History Practice. John Fildes, Project Manager, said, “This is a great achievement. Funding is very tight and it is a real confidence booster to have The Heritage Lottery Fund so firmly behind us. I congratulate all the team that has achieved this remarkable success.”

A Centre for the Arts

For five years now, monthly arts events of all kinds have been promoted by The Trust under the banner of The Friends of St James. Over one hundred and thirty people now subscribe annually as Friends and receive all the latest news together with discounted tickets for most performances. Even within the limitations of a building that up to present has been a place of worship, with uncomfortable pews and very limited facilities, Friends’ events have included professional drama groups, players from the Hallé and other big orchestras, international soloists, local brass bands and choirs, massed ‘cellos, jazz and folk performers, young musicians – you name it, The Friends have promoted it! Chairman of the Preservation Trust, Philip Kendall (63, a retired Headteacher) said, “We have already demonstrated that there is support for a studio-sized arts facility in New Mills. Our events so far have been well attended. Groups keep asking us when The Centre will be ready. We are all the while signing up new members for The Friends. When the conversion is complete and we are able to offer a top-notch and well-equipped complex, I am sure it will be in constant demand and used on a daily basis.” The plans allow The Centre to offer two separate spaces: the main studio which was the church – suitable for performances, workshops, displays and events, with a capacity of about one hundred – and a second general-purpose smaller room in the new building which can provide a ‘green room’ when there are performances or can be in use separate from the studio, with direct access to toilets and catering facilities, for small group activities.

Working with Other Organisations

The St James’ Trust has declared its intention to work in close harmony with other New Mills groups. “We want to become a part of a network of creative and heritage groups in New Mills,” said Carol Taylor Bruce speaking for the Trustees; “we will link up with New Mills Original (the thriving arts and crafts co-operative), with High Peak Community Arts and with New Mills’ Art Theatre organisation. Because we are receiving such a large grant from The Heritage Lottery, we will be keen to develop the interpretation of the St James’ building by partnerships with New Mills Heritage Centre and The Local History Society.” The Lottery funding includes an element for The Trust to employ a part-time Learning, Interpretation and Arts Development Facilitator. It is expected that someone with relevant professional experience will be appointed to help guide The Centre through its early stages. A link has already been explored with The Buxton Opera House to discuss ways in which their well-established organisation can give its backing to the emerging arts focus in New Mills.

Stakeholders

Although The Heritage Lottery Fund is providing eighty five per cent of the project’s necessary funding, the plans could not go ahead without commitment from other interested bodies. The Church – through St George’s Parochial Church Council, with the Diocese of Derby, and through The Church of England Commissioners, has been anxious to ensure the future of the project. Thanks mainly to the work of its Chairman and Project Manager, the Trust has secured grants from High Peak Borough Council, Derbyshire County Council, The Foyle Foundation and The Garfield Weston Foundation, to go with its own funds accumulated through membership, fundraising and profits from events. Throughout the development stage, which has led up to the present success story, The Trust has been indebted to the generous support of The Architectural Heritage Fund which has bent over backwards to offer a series of smaller grants, which have provided over £25,000 of support, because of its belief in the viability of the St James’ project. An application is presently progressing before The Arts Council for funding to equip The Centre to a near professional level so that it can host high quality events. “We have been so fortunate,” said Chairman Philip Kendall. “People beyond New Mills have put their faith in us. Now it is time for the town to realise the hugeness of this opportunity and to take the Community Arts Centre sincerely to heart.” The Trustees are aiming for an opening date in late 2011.

The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF)

The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) enables communities to celebrate, look after and learn more about our diverse heritage. From our great museums and historic buildings to local parks and beauty spots or recording and celebrating traditions, customs and history, HLF grants open up our nation’s heritage for everyone to enjoy. www.hlf.org.uk