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Heritage Roofing
Heritage roofing - maintaining our iconic buildings
The UK is home to some of the most iconic buildings in the world, from stunning churches and cathedrals to historic stately homes. Each and every one of these remarkable feats of architecture requires regular maintenance to ensure they remain in the very best condition, allowing them to be enjoyed for generations.
Traditional Lime
Lime: it’s better for buildings – and for the environment
It is now fairly well known that cement is not good for old buildings and that lime mortar should be used. But why? What are the advantages and what are the disadvantages? In order to begin to answer those questions it is necessary to understand the nature of traditional building, the process by which buildings used to be built, and how it differs from modern construction, the process by which we build today.
Audio Visual
Audio visual equipment in church buildings
This guidance is issued by the Church Buildings Council under section 55(1)(d) of the Dioceses, Mission and Pastoral Measure 2007. As it is statutory guidance, it must be considered with great care. The standards of good practice set out in the guidance should not be departed from unless the departure is justified by reasons that are spelled out clearly, logically and convincingly.
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CRE Events
Exhibitors enthuse over the CRE experience
By 4pm on the first day of CRE 24 at the Marshall Arena in Milton Keynes, exhibitors Chris and Kim Dunphy had already had so many helpful and detailed conversations with visitors that they were “completely talked out”.
Insurance
You need to ensure that reasonable precautions are in place at your church to keep it safe for those who use it. To do this, you need to think about what might cause harm to people.
You will then need to decide if the precautions already in place are adequate. If they are not, you may need to identify further action to prevent any danger. When done formally, this is known as a risk assessment.
Lead Roofing
Lead is one of the oldest materials in the roofing industry and is still commonly used throughout the world today.
Lead roofing is a traditional roofing method which has been used in the industry for hundreds of years, and is therefore proven to be extremely reliable. Lead roofing, and sand-cast lead, in particular is ideal for old buildings such as churches or historical renovations, whereas milled lead roofing is a mass-produced alternative, used for precision and accuracy in homes and commercial buildings alike.
Lightning Protection
When lightning strikes are you protected against this act of God?
The issue of lightning protection in churches is one that has exercised this publication for many years. In this four-part series of spotlights on the issue we will be revisiting various aspects of the subject, beginning with an overview of current thinking.
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25 years of glorious brick
Prominent member of the YCCC, York Handmade, recently celebrated its 25th Anniversary and proprietor David Armitage had this to say to their customers:
"We thought we would celebrate with a little history of our life and times at Alne since 1988. It was then that the capital of the York Handmade Brick Company (previously the Alne Brick Co.) was acquired by myself and Tim Bristow.
"A few years later I became the sole owner of York Handmade and was later joined by my son Guy who is now a director of the company.
"The progress we have made in the last 25 years would not have been possible without the loyal service and dedicated expertise of York Handmade’s management team, which has now been in place for almost all of the 25 years and we owe the team a great deal.
"In addition to this excellent team, York Handmade is lucky to have some loyal and skilled employees in the factory. For loyalty, hard work and dedication to the task in hand, you couldn’t ask for a better team and this is the foundation upon which the company rests.
"On the sales side, it is also very important to mention the services of our sales team. Again, the service which they offer has been one of the hallmarks of our success.
"It is our steadfast aim to provide a first-class service at all times that makes us stand out against our competitors. When we started in 1988, we inherited a derelict factory.
"In fact, the factory was not even making bricks at all but was primarily engaged in the production of drainage tiles for agricultural purposes. Now, over £2m investment later, we have a dedicated modern handmade brick factory.
"The plant installed in 1988 still stands and serves us very well, enabling us to produce up to 5 million handmade bricks a year, but it has been augmented by a £750,000 specials plant which has played a major part in the success of recent prestigious contracts.
"Finally, I should just add that no brickworks can operate without a good supply of clay going forward. We are very pleased to have secured an option on a field next to our present factory, which will give us another 40 years clay supply so that we can expect a great many more millions of York Handmade’s famous bricks to come rolling off the production line.
"I would like to finish by thanking our customers, who range from the very smallest extension builder or floor tile user to the contractors and developers for their loyal support."
Here are just a few examples of the fine restoration projects that York Handmade have made possible.
For more information about this YCCC member company visit www.yorkhandmade.co.uk
Building limes have been used as binders in mortars and plasters for thousands of years; the earliest surviving example dates from around 8000 BC in a floor in Turkey.
SnapIT is a premium quality aluminium gutter system, which simply clicks together without the need of nuts, bolts and washers saving significant time and reducing the fuss and hassle involved in fitting.
Lighting Dynamics UK (incorporating Ecclesiastical Lighting), based in Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands, continue their development as one of the UK’s premier companies specialising in the interior and exterior illumination of cathedrals, churches and other places of worship.
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