In the Summer 2004 issue of the Rollestonian the Rector discusses the long-awaited plans for refurbishment and modernisation of the facilities at St Mary's and the Old Grammar School. A sketch of what the front of church may look like when the raised Dais is completed to allow disabled access to the chancel, choir and altar rail appeared in the Church Magazine (December 2004). The Autumn 2006 issue of the Rollestonian announced work had started on the building the ramp. These articles including sketches and pictures of some of the proposals can be seen below. Later articles detail 'progress'.

Rollestonian Article (Summer 2004)

You have heard me talk so often about ACCESS as part of St Mary’s church. By now some are bored with it, some don’t believe it will happen and others are working hard to see it become a reality. As the law stands, by September 2004, all public buildings will have had to make plans for ‘reasonable’ changes to their buildings & ways of working to make access better for those with disabilities. Even if this wasn’t coming in as law I would want to do these works at St Mary’s! Already we have made the lighting better in church, provide large print copies of most of the service sheets, Braille services sheets for the main services, and a wheelchair is now available in church. The next step is now physical access to the building. 

Proposed New Disabled Access Ramp to Church & Old Grammar School

The ramp on Church Road will provide access for wheelchairs, pushchairs, those unable to manage steps and also to enable Funeral Directors to wheel coffins into the church building. Outside the Church the paths will need relaying with lighting. 

Within the church building we are going to place a ramped dais at the front of the church for access to the Communion Rail In the Vestry area we will incorporate a disability accessible toilet, a small kitchen area and an upper room for an office and village archives. 

The Old Grammar School - Proposed New Kitchen and Store Extension

In the Old School Room we are planning a rebuilding of the kitchen and refurbishment of the room with Internet access. In here we hope to run access to the Internet for the village through the Thursday Coffee Mornings and in the future provide Youth facilities on some evenings. In May trees will be coming down in the Churchyard to make way for this development.

The questions now are ‘when’ and how ‘much’? ‘When’ depends on planning permission, architects & builders but I would hope that the end of 2004 and into 2005 might be a reasonable starting time. At the moment we are going to all the statutory bodies that protect work on our ancient buildings together with local concerned bodies [11 different groups in all!]. To date, the following have given their backing ‘in principle’: Lichfield Diocese, English Heritage, Society for the Preservation of Ancient Buildings, The Victorian Society, East Staffs. Conservation Officer, East Staffs. Access Officer, Rolleston Parish Council, Rolleston Civic Trust to name but a few!

‘How much’ is based at the moment on Architects’ ‘estimates’ relating to similar projects in other places and for us it is between £150,000 and £200,000. We have already £50,000 towards this but the remainder we hope to get from grant making bodies and local initiative and events. Once more, this year’s Gardens Sunday monies will go towards this need. 

If you want to see the full size drawings and plans they will be available in the church or by contacting the Rectory. I would be grateful for your support for these developments and would want to hear your views on these plans. In the life of St Mary’s church, of over 1,000 years, each generation has made an impact on the building and the village. This is now our opportunity and I would hope that our impact is one that is supported and appreciated by the Parish as well as the Professionals. Please help us make your Church one for the 21st century.

Ian Whitehead – Rector

Access (Church Magazine Article - December 2004)

“What is happening?” is a question we are often hearing. Now in addition to the drawings in the Rollestonian of the ramp and schoolroom here is a sketch of what the front of church may look like when the raised Dais is completed to allow disabled access to the chancel, choir and altar rail. Plans are progressing with applications for planning permission in and permission from the Lichfield Diocese being sort. We will try to keep you up to date with further progress in the New Year. Ian Whitehead – Rector

Rollestonian Article (Autumn 2006)

St Mary’s Access Project (for the benefit of the community)

In addition to providing disabled access and modern sanitary facilities to the Church and the Old Grammar School, the aim is to bring these buildings into much greater use for the whole community. The Rector and Parochial Church Council have put much hard work into planning applications and with village help, raising the funds to start work. A lot of money is still required to bring the project to completion and this needs the help of all the village. The Rector writes -

As you read this, work will be progressing on the first phase of the ACCESS Project at St Mary’s with the building of the ramp and moving of the Lych Gate steps as outlined in the artists impression attached. This will include underground services under the ramp and parts of the new paths in the churchyard to be laid soon. I have heard from some quarters the phrase ‘about time’ to which I say a heartfelt “Amen! Another comment that I still hear is the one about “do we really need any changes” - to which I say that I hear your concerns. The proof will be in those who come along and use the ramp and paths either by choice or by necessity.

(Artist’s impression of completed access with ramp and set-back steps to the Lychgate to give more height to the entry)

Of course this is just the first of three phases in which the Old School Room will be re-ordered with a new kitchen and toilet and renovated inside with new heating, lighting and internet equipment to allow the use of the Old School Room by a wider section of the community. The final phase will be within the church where the need is of toilets and even just hot and cold water. What other public building today does not have access to these? On the back of this will be, finally, a purpose built place to house many of the village archives and historical documents relating to the village and church – somewhere also that can be used by those interested in our history.

We are supporting the recent campaign ‘History Matters – pass it on’ in our ACCESS Project by which we hope to see the history of our lands shared and made available to a much wider audience. The popularity of programmes such as Channel Four’s ‘Time Team’ show that there is such an interest. 

As part of the building works at St Mary’s the most asked question has been “what about the graves”. No known graves are being disturbed but inevitably some burials not marked will be uncovered and as part of this we have had to hired archaeologists to hold a watching brief throughout excavations at the cost of up to £2,500!

A simple breakdown of costs is –

Alterations to lychgate, ramp access, paths and drainage £75,000
New kitchen, re-roofing and re-furbishment of the Old grammar School £60,000
New dias and ramp for chancel, new vestry, toilet and upper floor archive £72000
Contingency and professional fees £44,000

Over the years funds have been raised through hard work, your support and the support of village groups such as the parish Council, the Village Design Statement Group, RODSEC and the Civic Trust. To date £20,000 has been spent and the first phase of building is costing a further £65,000.

Searching and applying for grant aid continues but today, St Mary’s needs your help to realise the complete project.

Could you provide? –
· A one-off gift
· A regular standing order
· An interest-free loan

If you are in a position to help us in this, please pick up a leaflet from church or Starbucks. Complete the enclosed reply slip and help us build, not just for the sake of access, but for the fact that history matters to future generations of Rollestonians.

Ian Whitehead

August 2006 Update

Plans in hand for the ACCESS development of the Old School Room in Rolleston were given a magnificent boost in August. First through a grant from the East Staffs Borough Council for £7,000 and then, through the hard work of the Village Design Statement Group, the environmental body Biffa Awards granted £50,000 to the project. All this comes following the receipt of tenders for the works of £57,000 for the building of new kitchen and toilet.

April 2007 Update

Work started in August 2006 on the first phase of the ACCESS Project with an access ramp and paths being installed (completed, apart from the rail, at the end of October). The ramp has recently had the rails fitted, and the extension to the old Grammar School Room is nearing completion.

July 2007 Update

The intensive fund raising by St. Mary's Church in Rolleston on Dove has finally borne fruit. The recently extended and refurbished Old Grammar School in the churchyard is now open for use by church and village groups. It has a new kitchen area and a lavatory with disabled access, as well as improved storage. The main room has new heating and bench seating, as well as tables and chairs. The next phase will include redecoration and access to computers in an "internet cafe" corner. St. Mary's is grateful for generous grants from BIFFA and ESBC for help with both IT and access. In addition, the ramp for wheelchair access from Church Road, and the new paths, are almost complete.

Fund raising has taken some unusual forms. Rod Paul's sponsored cycle ride from Land's End to John o' Groats raised £4,000 and this year's Garden Sunday made £3,300. The patrons of the Jinnie Inn collected £355 and an evening of "Ghost Whispers in the Dark", told by Cat Weatherill in the Church raised £325. As well as hosting a number of concerts planned for the autumn, St. Mary's is taking a central part in the Heritage Weekend being organised for 14th. to 17th. September by the Rolleston on Dove Special Events Committee. Following the success of the Christmas Tree Festival, this year the Church is planning a mysteriously named "Angels Festival" for the end of November.

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© Richard Bush

Last updated: 9 November 2007