| St. Paul's £250,000 Restoration and Regeneration Project | ||||
| April 2004 Update | ||||
| Major improvements have been carried out since our last report.
Five benches have now been sited throughout the Churchyard. A network of stone walls has been constructed to prevent earth slipping onto several paths. New wooden steps and pathways have been built to access the graves under the trees, and Communities First have funded new signs. Thanks to Rodney Morris who has built and put up a variety of bird and owl boxes throughout the site to maintain the diversity of species in Cwmtillery. Keep your eyes open for activity in the boxes this spring. Working parties have now been arranged for Saturday 22 May at 1pm; 23 May at 3pm; Saturday 19 June at 1pm; Sunday 20 June at 3pm with further dates to follow. Please wear old clothes and take along secateurs, gloves, brushes, rakes, bulbs to plant and most of all your family and friends to join the monthly working party. This is an ideal time for some gentle exercise whilst helping improve the Churchyard and environment. All groups please meet at the vicarage. The AGM for the Friends of St Paul's churchyard will take place in St Paul's church hall on 22 April at 7pm. The Friends will give us an update on the restoration of the churchyard and the guest speaker will be Peter law A M. Everyone will be welcome to go along. |
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| Regeneration Project at St Paul's Church on Sunday the 25th January 2004 | ||||
  
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£250,000 Restoration and Regeneration Project was launched at St Paul's
Church on Sunday the 25th January 2004. Guests including Bishop Dominic Walker and Bishop David Thomas, Peter Law and Mike German (Assembly members), Ward Councillors, the Mayor Paul Hopkins, and other guests. All supported by a feast of music celebrations played by the Abertillery Town Band, the choir of Blaentillery School and Abertillery Orpheus Male voice choir. "The project aims to bring St Paul's Church into the 21st Century and has won the backing of the Archbishop of Canterbury and Dr Rowan Williams," said Fr Peter King. "It will transform life for many people, most especially the young and disadvantaged in a community that is ranked, within the one hundred most deprived Wards in the whole of Wales" He went on to say, "This is a huge project, but we want to make the church as safe and fully accessible as we can, for everyone who uses it, and also enhance its features.  Please help
us if you can, your donation, however small, will help restore and make this, a
wonderful building to serve the contemporary needs of the people of Cwmtillery.
Many of our Community Groups would also be enhanced with these improvements.
These include a Toddlers Group, Youth Club, Sunday school, Community Bingo,
Adult Education Classes, and Educational visits from local schools. It is also
hoped the money will help to build an extension at the church, which will house
a Heritage Centre and a landscape-viewing platform. This project is excellent,
exactly what's needed, and they may be sure of my enthusiastic support". |
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| Work will begin as soon as some of the funds are secured and as a
£10,000 key building grant has already been granted by Blaenau Gwent
Borough Council it is hoped that lighting and re-wiring work will be completed
by Easter. The community work of St Paul's Church has already received support
from the County Borough of Blaenau Gwent, Age Concern, the Princes Trust, the
YMCA community college. Also Wales Youth Services, Blaentillery School, Ebbw
Fach Development Trust, Co-operative Funeral Services, Gwent Police, the Church
in Wales and Communities First Programme of the Welsh Assembly Government.
The church also plans to form a committee to spearhead the appeal and come up with fundraising ideas. Anyone is most welcome to become a member and put forward his or her ideas. If you would like further information and/or a copy of the brochure "Heritage and Regeneration of St Paul's Cwmtillery" please drop me an email webmaster@cwmtillery.com. Donations, however small, will help towards the restoration of this wonderful building and allow it to continue to serve our community both near and far. |
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| We thank you for your support | ||||
