Tuesday, 30th October - Painting the nave.

Painting the nave began yesterday and already it looks a lot cleaner and fresher, especially with the autumn sunshine streaming through the windows. They are working quickly, as it's easier to move the scaffolding towers on the limecrete floor and cover a large area with no obstructions. The lower third of the walls will be painted nearer the end of the project.


Work has begun on the studding framework for the tea-bar and toilet in the southwest corner.


The bowl to the font was placed on the supports in its new location today, in the front of the nave, using the lifting gear. Final touches to its setting are still to be done.

Friday, 26th October - Timber!

Timber has been delivered for the studding partitions for the walls for the tea-bar and the toilet. Other timber has been delivered for the battens for the under floor heating.

The walls have been re-plastered mainly on the north wall and some on the south wall, where necessary, and painting the nave will start next week.

The new heating header tank has been installed in the vestry with all the relevant plumbing. This replaces the old tank in the bell tower.

The trench has now been backfilled covering the new drain and the water -pipe, apart from the lych gate. The final connection and backfilling is planned for Monday, 5th November, so beware some small roadworks on Main St. that day.

Monday, 22nd October - Drainage, painting and the font.

Thankfully, the lych gate didn't need to be removed after all. The concrete drainage sections were lifted into place early on Friday morning behind the gate. Work continues in readiness for linking to the mains, placing the concrete 'lid' on top and covering up.

The limecrete floor was finished on Friday completing the last section in front of the entrance door.

Work is being planned to re-plaster the lower part of the walls, then paint the whole of the walls in the nave this week. Work can then begin on placing the wooden batten supports for the under floor heating.
The font is being re-located opposite the pulpit and near the lectern. The support and the 'legs' to the font have been set in place ready for the bowl to be lifted on to them. This will take heavy lifting equipment once again, to carefully lift in place.

We are half way through the project now and things are starting to take shape. The joiners have been in to measure for the new screened in arch, which will match the bell tower screen. They are obviously working off-site at present.

Thursday, 18th October - The limecrete floor is almost finished.

The limecrete floor now stretches from the chancel step to the bell tower floor section. This only leaves the section in front of the south entrance door to pour. Several sections can be walked on, but the last ones poured, are obviously still drying.

The floor already looks different being the same level throughout and almost up to the level needed. The different levels and the trip hazards that were causing problems before, have now gone. Everyone, especially those with mobility difficulties will find it much easier to move around the nave when it is finished.

Work has been completed to drill through the solid stone, 2 foot thick south wall and to join the pipework installed along the path last week and where the tea-bar and toilet will be.

Work will soon begin at the lych gate end to join the pipework to the main drains in the main road. There may be a need to remove the gate temporarily, for the equipment to insert the concrete sections. So there may be some action on Main Street to watch!

Monday, 15th October - Drainage work on the path

Work on the drainage pipe along the path was completed very quickly on Friday.
The new water pipe was also inserted alongside the drainage pipe, after this photograph was taken, and the ditch was filled in.

The archaeologist paid a visit, but there were no exciting finds discovered.
This area has been fenced off to prevent access and accidents.

Visitors to the churchyard are asked to continue using the West Leake entrance until this is completed.

Work continues on the pouring the limecrete sections of floor inside the church, and the first of the sections are now dry.

Work is now being planned for the under floor heating system to be laid. beginning next Monday, 22nd October.

Services for the East Leake congregation 'on tour' held in the Benefice for November are as follows:

4th November - Costock 11.00am

11th November - Remembrance Service East Leake War Memorial 10.55am

18th November - W Leake 10am

25th November - Stanford 11am

Please note the different times of each service!

Thursday, 11th October - building the arch screens

The archway screen from the bell tower has been removed for altering, to fit the higher level of the floor (approx. 4 inches). This is approximately the same as the height of the original plinths for the pews and the font. The new height will then be level with the first step of the chancel through to the south entrance.

This archway screen will be matched with a second screen, inserted at right angles where the new toilet and tea bar will be installed. See the first arch on the left of the bell tower in the photo.

The side of this area nearest the south door will also match, and will extend up one level, topped with a balustrade.
Meanwhile, the limecrete sections of the floor are continuing to be poured, and excavation has begun on the path for the drainage pipes today.

Monday, 8th October - Time for patience!

A second section of the floor, adjacent to the first was cast last Friday. It's now a matter of time waiting for these sections to 'go off' or set. This could take approximately up to 2 weeks.

A slab to support the new location for the font is being cast today, and the framework for this can be seen at the far end of the photograph. The font will then be more accessible for the congregation to view baptisms and for the families to gather around.

Work on the drainage pipes alongside the path is being planned to start later this week, while the weather is good. A trench will be dug in the area already used for the existing pipework. This may disrupt access via the main path. If you regularly visit graves to tend them, you are asked to use the Station Road entrance while this is happening.

Thursday, 4th October - The first limecrete slab.

The first section of the limecrete floor was poured in this week on top of the foamed glass sub-base. You will see that the lime gives it a very white colour. Time is needed now for it to 'set' or 'go off'.

Soon all the relevant 'first fix' plumbing and wiring will be installed.
The large concrete slab which supported the font can be seen below. The font consists of the large, lead-lined bowl, sitting on a central stone support and four large 'legs'. It sat on several blocks of dressed stone which then sat on top of the slab shown.

When the font was moved from the current setting, it needed special heavy moving equipment brought in especially, as you might imagine it is extremely heavy. The bowl was removed initially, then the legs, then the central support. It's new location will be opposite the pulpit on the corner of the Lady Chapel.

Monday, 1st October - time for the sub-floor

Today, work on the sub-floor began. The sub-floor is Foamed glass and looks like grey coke, but is actually recycled glass which has air blown into it, and is the size of golf balls. It's an excellent insulator, lightweight and importantly, an efficient barrier against soil humidity, apparently.
Meanwhile the last of the sandy earth in the floor is being removed from the font area to complete the levelling of the nave and includes a large piece of concrete which had supported the font.

The doors to the bell tower have been removed and will be rebuilt to suit the higher level of the floor at a later date.

A comment has been received supporting the need for us all to keep watching for any suspicious characters around the church and the need to do 'our bit' to help. The thefts are continuing in other churches across the country, unfortunately. It was also suggested that it would be better to dial 999 if you see anything, instead of the East Leake office.