Church Cleaning

Cleaning a Grade 1 listed sandstone Cheshire village church, full of beautiful woodwork and ancient monuments, is not an easy task. However, a group of dedicated volunteers undertake this work and the result (they hope) is a church which is a pleasure to enter.

Sandra Houlston organizes the cleaning. There are two groups meeting fortnightly on either Monday or Tuesday mornings for approximately three hours. They always stop for a coffee break and chat. Not all the volunteers live in the parish or attend church but they are supportive of the church and its activities.

Cleaning the church is like painting the Forth Bridge. You start in one place, continue to the end; then start all over again! Every part of the church is thoroughly cleaned on a cycle plus a general clean periodically, such as at Christmas and Easter. Everyone does what they feel most comfortable doing whether it is cleaning brasses, polishing woodwork or dusting down windows.

The volunteers have occasional social get-togethers and a Christmas Party at Sandra’s house early in January. The Church Cleaners are a friendly, lively bunch who enjoy what they do and always welcome anyone who would like to lend a hand.

Contact: Sandra Houlston 01270 624132