Fund Raising
Restoration fund
Our chapel building is now over 120 years old and our surveyor identified the need for restoration work to preserve the building for future generations. The building is listed by Dudley MBC as one of local historical importance and as such the work has to be undertaken by a specialist conservator, this means that whilst Bethel has to incur extra costs due to the exacting standards insisted upon by the local conservation officer we are not able to access the funding that is available for listed buildings.
Therefore, we are always looking for ways to raise the funds for the ongoing work that is needed.
We have worked hard on various fund-raising projects, such as applying for grants and donations, car boot sales, recycling mobile phones, eBay sales, auctions, Silent Auctions and a sponsored 17k walk from Kinver Lock to Stourport Canal Basin.
The initial three phases of the Restoration Project were completed by Malvern House Restoration.
Now we have the chapel building so beautiful, we want to ensure that it remains that way. We have designed and instituted a maintenance plan which has been adapted from one suggested by ‘Faith in Maintenance’. This was a scheme run specifically for churches by the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings, funded by a Heritage Lottery grant which was designed to encourage and teach churches as to how simple routine tasks carried out on a regular basis can help avoid big expensive repair bills later.
To this end, we have recently scheduled the windows to be repainted, again a job that has to be done by a skilled craftsman as they have to meet the standards set out for us. We have so far had all the insides of 20 windows completed, and 8 windows on one side of chapel done on the outside. We now need to fundraise to have the remaining external windows completed.
Also on our list of items needed included replacing the fluorescent lights in church, which were beginning to fail (we only had one strip left over the front of church at Christmas!) These have now been replaced by new LED lighting, which should be more energy efficient and have a longer lifespan.
Replacement Sound System
Technology is moving forward for everyone all the time, and the same is true for churches. Here at Bethel we are blessed to be able to take advantage of various forms of new technology in all our departments, but one which is now probably past its best is the sound system we use for our services. We have had the current setup for many years and it has served us well, but it is now feeling its age and is getting too old to stretch to current demands.
We operate with a sound desk, streaming system to broadcast on YouTube, and a band comprising of a couple of keyboards, drums, and various guitars along with the singers. Unfortunately, all these individual systems don't always work well with each other on the current system, so we are now fundraising towards the cost of replacing with a new system that will enable everything to work together in harmony.
If you would like to contribute towards our upgraded sound system, please just use the 'Give as you Live' Donate button below, and specify 'SOUND' against your gift, we can then allocate it to the correct funding pot.
Many thanks
Our current sound control desk, now feeling its age!
Anyone who would like to make a donation can do so at any time
Cheques can be made payable to ‘Bethel Chapel’ and addressed to
Bethel Chapel
Hill Street, Wollescote, Stourbridge, West Midlands, DY9 8TL
Online payments can be made using the 'Donate Now' button below to donate via Give as you Live, which is free to use and all donations come directly to Bethel.
