Twickenham United Reformed Church
Minister: Reverend Stephen Lewis Sunday Services: 10.30am and 6pm (more information)		First Cross Road, Twickenham TW2 5QA (travel & map)

Redevelopment Progress

This page will be updated to show the progress of our Redevelopment Project, which after much hard work and fundraising activity started building work on site in April 2012.

Re-Dedication - February 2013

Not only complete but now equipped: the kitchen with a fridge and cooking equipment, and the toilets with bins, paper towels, soap dispensers and a baby changing table.

The hall and facilities were re-dedicated on the 3rd February with a service and lunch attended by Vincent Cable MP, representatives from the grant giving bodies and the architects and builders, leaders of the uniformed organizations and other users, and of course the members and friends of the Church.

Thanks were expressed by everyone that we have come this far, but of course there is much more to do so the fundraising efforts continue. With the commitment and generosity that has been demonstrated so far, though, we will surely see the rest of the buildings brought up to the same standard at some time in the future.

Finished! - January 2013

Well, there may still be some snags left... but the new hall, kitchen and toilets are finally available for church and hirer use. The single sink in the kitchen is still a temporary one.

Are We There Yet? - December 2012

The electrical, heating and fire alarm systems are now commissioned.

Outside, the courtyard paving, rainwater guttering and drains, and even the cycle racks are complete. The garden will probably have to remain a sea of mud, though, until planting can be done in the spring.

Opened Up - November 2012

At last we are allowed limited access to the site, so that handover can start and to prepare for the fitting out.

Landscaping work continues in the courtyard, with the brick paving almost completely laid. Not so for the hall flooring, yet...

The old "Apricot Room" (which may have to change its name, since it is no longer that colour...) is still the temporary builders' room.

The strip running around the hall (visible here in front of the doors) is the hearing loop. It will eventually be covered by the vinyl floor which still remains to be laid.

The heating boiler is installed in the kitchen;  it seems tiny for the size of the area to be heated! Some electrical work still remains to be done. The sink is missing too;  there were problems when it arrived and it had to be sent back to be remade.

Landscaping - November 2012

Work outside in the courtyard has to go on, even in the pouring rain!

Great to see the end result at last, though - the rebuilt wall and entrance gate.

Almost Complete - November 2012

The new roof is complete at last!

The new external doors are fitted to the main entrance. The last stage of the drainage and ground work takes place in the courtyard.

Inside the building, the "Large Vestry" (now not quite so large!) is finished and decorated. Decorating starts in the newly built rooms and corridor, with some electrical work still to be done.

Taking Shape - October 2012

Inside the church, the "Large Vestry" is handed over to the builders so that it can be shrunk to complete the adjacent areas. Laying of the new ramped corridor floor starts.

The roof of the rebuilt "Link" is complete, and the external door is fitted.

Alongside the existing church access ramp, a new water pipe is laid for the supply to the kitchen there.

Roof - August 2012

Unfortunately again, the hall roof was discovered to be in a bad condition, and would affect the new building work if nothing were to be done. The slates had already been turned once.

There was the option of a temporary repair which, however, could not be expected to last for more than a year or two. Faced with the prospect of a replacement roof being needed very soon, we decided to go ahead with it immediately to limit the cost and protect the integrity of the new works. So the scaffolding went up...

Hall Entrance - July 2012

The steelwork and pillars which will support the new hall entrance arrive and start to be fitted. New brickwork is being constructed over the openings (supported by the hidden RSJs).

Brickwork - June 2012

The interior of the hall has now been completely stripped and cleared, revealing an arch between the stage and the "Apricot Room" which has not been seen for years!

Unfortunately some of the structure exposed turned out to be in a very bad state, with cracks, badly filled areas and damp penetration all becoming apparent.

The brickwork and walls will be stabilised in the affected areas with Helifix ties - stainless steel pins in drilled holes, cemented into place. Lots of these will be needed - each red spot shows where a pin will go.

Electricity Supply - June 2012

A new mains electricity supply is being laid into the hall. This has had to come all the way from Hampton Road; we were lucky in that the contract for providing this supply was signed and the price fixed before it was realized that the cable run would be about three times as long as originally planned. So we got a bargain here!

Drainage works are now complete in the courtyard, and the surface is level again (for the moment!).

The old hall windows have been removed.

Courtyard Works - June 2012

The stone wall next to the gate has been taken down (it will be rebuilt later) and the builders' hoardings are now in place. The original courtyard paving stones have been lifted, and some of them used to create a path alongside the main church building leading to our (single!) temporary toilet.

Excavations have started in the courtyard for the new drainage services.

Inside the building, access along the corridor past the "Large Vestry" is blocked.

Hall Clearance - May 2012

Builders start work on completely stripping out the hall, including the old wood wall and roof panelling and the stage.

Gallery Clearance - October 2011

Everything in the hall and the adjacent rooms needed to be moved out before the builders could start. Some of it could be thrown away but, to make space for the rest, the old wooden pews were removed from the upstairs church gallery and sold. Having cleared enough space, the contents of the hall, the kitchen, the "Apricot Room", and the Scouts' store could then be stored here.

Asbestos Removal - September 2011

Asbestos panels around the stage opening and behind the old gas heaters needed to be removed (by a specialist contractor) before any other work could start.