Without the contributions of its parishioners and the people of the Diocese, our Cathedral would never have been built.
Without our contributions today it can not be maintained and preserved for future generations.
Major restoration works were completed at the Cathedral in 2005/06. This means we have a beautiful building that is generally in a good state of repair. However, as time goes on, caring for our Cathedral means keeping on top of the repair works that do become necessary. Whilst parishioners of the Cathedral give generously, at present the level of donations does not cover the costs of the building works required. We are therefore appealing for donations specifically to help us undertake these building works.
Donations can be made by following this link https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/cathedral
As a Listed Building, every five years we must carry out a Quinquennial Inspection. This helps us identify problems early and keep our beautiful building in good shape, and prevent much bigger expenses by attending to problems at the right time. Some of the works that are now necessary are shown below:
- Crucifix above the West Door
Stonework repairs to the Crucifix above the West Door of the Cathedral
- Sacred Heart Altar
In the Sacred Heart Chapel, the Altar is becoming unstable to the point that urgent investigation of the cause and repairs are now necessary. The side panels of the Altar have separated from the mensa top and there is a substantial crack in the side panel of the Altar.
- And outside the Cathedral…..
The boundary wall needs some expensive repairs.
- And up on the roof…..
The cast iron gutters need painting and the gutter boards need replacing. This will help prevent bigger problems in the future….but like anything on a roof, particularly the roof of a Listed Building, it comes at a cost…
- Safety First…..
Restoration work is needed to ensure that the steps into the Cathedral are safe. They are deteriorating quickly and we need to act soon.
- Lighting
In several areas of the Cathedral, including the nave, the Sanctuary and the ambulatory (passageway around the sanctuary) lighting is becoming very problematic. Not only is it increasingly difficult to purchase replacement bulbs, many of the fittings are now failing. It would also be much more energy efficient if we were able to replace with LED lighting. Of course the Cathedral is also a Grade II* Listed Building so we must be careful to protect the original character.
- Baptismal Font
For example, since we launched the campaign in November 2021, the Dean of the Cathedral, Canon Habron, received a very generous donation which will allow us to start the work to restore the Baptismal Font to its former beauty….
Every penny that has been donated so far is very gratefully received and little by little we hope to be able envisage the other works mentioned above – Thank you!
It really would be wonderful if we could reach our target of £140,000.
By caring for our Cathedral today, we can ensure it can also be enjoyed by the generations of tomorrow.
To make a donation to the Cathedral Building Fund please follow the link below
https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/cathedral
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