Following the fall of plaster from above the Chancel Arch, initial works have been completed to stop water penetrating the church from above the eastern end of the north aisle. There is more work to do, including damp problems in the south aisle, but the church has now been reopened for visits and private prayer, except for the eastern end of the nave and the chancel which will not be accessible until further notice (apart from limited access during services).Unfortunately the church is not a “warm space”, except during the service on the second Sunday of each month, so please dress appropriately. A section of plaster has fallen from above the Chancel Arch in the church and there is a risk of more falling. For public safety we have therefore closed the church.Services will go ahead, with the affected area cordoned off from the rest of the church. Hopefully we will have an early resolution to this problem and be able to reopen the building.If you wish to contribute to the cost of Church Restoration, please follow this link: Restoring St Edmund & St George Church in Hethe - Give A Little
The last quote for the stonework was £12,500. We have received a very generous offer to pay for the refurbishment of the stained glass. If you wish to contribute specifically to these repairs, please use the link below or the QR Code in the attached file.https://givealittle.co/campaigns/7e54ff18-4263-4c70-a015-af4d5d2337f0
The "food bank" in the church is available again for those in need. Please take what you need—there is no charge. Any items not taken will be given to Bicester Food Bank.All donations of non-perishable and in-date food are welcome.Please let us know if we should stock any other items of food to meet your and other peoples needs – hethepccsecretary@outlook.com.Note that a Food Bank and Community Fridge are available in Bicester for those in need.Helen Wood is authorised to issue a referral number for Bicester Food Bank to those in need. You will find her at Old Montague Barn, The Green, telephone 01869 278400 or 07999 853347.
Latest NewsSt Edmund & St George PCC have been given a Silver Eco Church Award for its efforts towards caring for the natural environment in worship and teaching, management of land and buildings, community and global engagement and lifestyle.If you would like to be involved in any way in how the church and village can help to alleviate the affects of climate change please let us know – hethenews@outlook.com.https://ecochurch.arocha.org.uk/There are now three bird boxes installed in the churchyard and bird feeders.We are also looking into the possibility of installing a waterless composting toilet for the church.Thanks to Lisa and Ian Soper for donating the bird boxes which were fixed to churchyard trees at the Harvest Festival. Also thanks to Lisa and Mary Evans for donating wild flower seeds.We are looking for someone to lead in how we make the church and churchyard more environmentally friendly. We have already made a start but a volunteer to manage this would be the best way forward for the church and the village. St Edmund & St George Church is registered under Eco Church which is the award scheme for churches in England and Wales who want to demonstrate that they can manage their church to help conserve the natural environment. Areas to be covered could include worship and teaching; buildings; land; lifestyle and community; and global issues. Volunteers do not have to be an active worshipper in the church - applications from anyone will be considered.British Native Flowers to watch out for in the Churchyard in July and August (thanks Pauline):Buttercup - Common Red Poppy - Shepherds Purse - Red Clover - Bramble - Goose Grass - Daisy - Ox-eye Daisy - common Yarrow - Long rooted cats-ear - Field Bindweed - Self-heal - Red Dead-nettle - Plantain.A representative of “Wild Oxfordshire” visited the churchyard in March to advise us on how best to proceed with turning parts of it into “wild” areas.In the first year the grass in the designated areas will only be cut and then raked off at the end of August. This will encourage native flora and fauna. The PCC will be maintaining a record of flowers, plants, insects, reptiles and animals using the churchyard – so please let us know if you spot anything. The representative of “Wild Oxfordshire” pointed out yellow meadow ants and solitary bees during her visit.There are other maintenance tasks, so if you would like to be involved in any way please let us know.Thank you to Peter Allen for continuing to mow the other areas of the churchyard, Pauline O’Gorman for producing a comprehensive list of wildflowers and Flora for the signs.Our Aim Our aim is to turn part of the churchyard into a natural, flowery space, to encourage wildlife and make it more attractive and interesting for visitors. Our long-term vision is to preserve the churchyard as a special, sacred place, remembering that if we turn it entirely over to nature we forget the work of past generations who cared for it and we could impede access to graves and for on-going burials. It would be good to involve local families/children making bug hotels, etc. If you would like to be involved in any way (practical, guidance or funding) please let us know.
