Registered Charity No. 205220

Monthly Archives: May 2011

20 
May

MP Opens Refurbished Rooms

MP Opens Refurbished Rooms

residents

Meeting Residents Over Coffee

MP for East Surrey, Sam Gyimah, visited the College on 20th May to open formally the refurbished care rooms.

After coffee, Mr Gyimah formally opened the newly appointed rooms, cutting a ceremonial ribbon at the entrance to this part of the College.Mr Gyimah enjoyed lunch and spent time meeting Residents over coffee. He was clearly impressed by the wide diversity of ministries with which Residents have been involved. “The College is full of fascinating people who have accomplished remarkable things,” he said.

Cutting the Ribbon

Cutting the ribbon with (l-r) the Warden, the Matron and the Chairman

“The work has been beautifully done,” he enthused, “and the refurbished rooms are wonderfully light and airy.”

He went on to unveil a commemorative plaque and toured the College, learning more about its history, seeing and the restoration work in the historic chapel.

The renovation of the four residential care rooms formed part of Phase 1 of the Development

Unveiling The Plaque

Unveiling The Plaque

Project which was completed earlier this year (to read more, click here).

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Published Date: 20th May 2011
Category: News, Rooms


 

13 
May

College Successes Shown at CRE – 13 May 2011

College Successes Shown at CRE

The College Stand at the Christian Resources Exhibition was alive with the successes of the past year.

13 .5.2011 crowds arriving at sandown park

Crowds arriving at sandown park

13.5.2011 main exhibition hall

The main exhibition

13.5.2011 mandy briars with the warden drwing the winner of the prize draw

Warden awarding prize.

Hundreds of visitors were inspired by the news about Dame Judi Dench’s photography (see more here) and the Archbishop of Canterbury’s support for the Development Project (to read more of this story, click here).

Even better news was the completion of Phase 1 ‘On Time and On Budget‘ and also that work is now under way to save the stonework of the great Kempe window in the Chapel and to restore the reredos and panels of the altar (click here for more information).

One visitor, Mr Chapman of Camberley, had special cause to celebrate when Mandy Briars, the Event and Operations Manager of the Exhibition, drew his name as the winner of a bottle of champagne and a box of handmade chocolates!

The Warden and his team will again exhibit the work of the College at the 2012 Christian Resources Exhibition. To register a request with the College for complimentary tickets, click here. We look forward to seeing you.

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Published Date: 13th May 2011
Category: News


 

03 
May

Chapel Restoration Under Way

With the first Phase of the development project successfully completed, work has begun on the restoration of the Chapel, thanks to the success of last summer’s appeal.

 

03.05.2011 chapel restoration. sancury beforeThe sanctuary before restoration .. Work began when the reredos was removed from the chapel to the studios of the conservators where it can be restored while the other work continues on site. 

The beautiful Pre-Raphaelite paintings in the front of the altar (see right) were also de-mounted and they, too, will undergo painstaking cleaning before they are replaced when the sanctuary is restored.

 

With the fine art safely removed, it was then necessary to protect the remaining panelling and the altar itself, so a temporary inner wooden wall was constructed. Scaffolding could then be erected inside as well as out.

 

This will enable urgently needed repairs to the stonework of the great window by C. E. Kempe (left). Like all his work, it bears his famous ‘signature’ mark of a small wheatsheaf in the corner. If the work had not begun soon, it would have been necessary to remove the window altogether. As it is, the glass will remain in place while the exterior is re-pointed and new steel bars are inserted to support the leadwork. On the inside, layers of flaking paint are being carefully removed from the stone mullions before they are repaired and restored.

.. The sanctuary during restorationThe sanctuary during restoration
The great window by C E KempeThe great window by C E Kempe One of the angels from the front of the altar One of the angels from the front of the alta

 

 

 

 

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Published Date: 3rd May 2011
Category: News, Restoration