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UK news in brief

by
29 April 2016

brian davis

Jim Allen in Guildford Cathedral with the Dean of Guildford, the Very Revd Dianna Gwilliams, on Sunday afternoon, after completing a fund-raising cycle tour of all 42 English cathedrals, collecting a postcard from each. The effort was to raise money for St Mary’s, in Byfleet, Surrey

Jim Allen in Guildford Cathedral with the Dean of Guildford, the Very Revd Dianna Gwilliams, on Sunday afternoon, after completing a fund-raising cycl...

Guildford Cathedral’s future secured after successful appeal

NEARLY £7 million has been raised through the Guildford Cathedral appeal to pay for vital repairs and improvements. The final amount came to 96 per cent of the Dean and Chapter’s target, and will be spent on removing asbestos-tainted ceiling plaster, installing new sound- and lighting-systems, and renovating the organ, among other things. The Dean, the Very Revd Dianna Gwilliams, said last week: “We are delighted to announce that more than £6.9 million has been raised. This was made possible by more than 4000 people, local organisations, the cathedral community, and the Heritage Lottery Fund.”

 

New rules on extractive industry investment

THE Church of England’s advisers on ethical investment are drawing up new rules on how to put the Church’s money into the extractive industry. The Bishop of Manchester, Dr David Walker, is leading a public consultation, and is seeking views on the theological, economic, and ethical considerations of investing in mining and energy firms. The C of E already has some ethical guidelines relating to this kind of investment, but now hopes to pull these together into a coherent policy.

To contribute, email eiagconsultation@churchofengland.org by 17 May.

 

Derby Cathedral enjoys Monopoly connection

DERBY CATHEDRAL will take over the Electricity Company spot in the city’s version of the Monopoly board, after a campaign by the Dean, the Very Revd Dr John Davies. The cathedral had been leading a public poll of Derby landmarks, which could have resulted in its being placed in the richest slot — Mayfair (News, 22 April). The staff felt that this would not reflect their aim of being inclusive and open to all. As a consequence, Dr Davies persuaded the game’s designers that the cathedral should take the Electricity Company square as the nearest thing to a “public utility”.

 

Macclesfield church’s candles snuffed out by health and safety

NEW health-and-safety rules are preventing St Michael’s, Macclesfield, from lighting the candles in its Victorian brass chandeliers, according to local news reports. Previously, David Smith, a parishioner and choir member, would climb a six-metre ladder to light the 90 candles, but he has now been told he cannot climb higher than 2.5 metres because of regulations. The church is now trying to raise £7000 for an automatic electric pulley to lower the chandeliers, the Macclesfield Express reported.

 

Correction: the mother of Jonathan Doria Pamphilj declines to use her family’s titles (back-page interview, 22 April). Owing to an error, we stated the opposite. Our apologies.

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