St Mark’s

THE news reporters, the photographers and the film crews have all gone.

Perhaps they left St Mark’s Church in St John’s Wood thinking the ferocious blaze which caused so much damage in January might mean the building would have to be abandoned as a lost cause.

Harrington walked past and wondered where on earth would they start a recovery – if a recovery was at all possible.

So it was heartening to see defiant and hopeful words this week from a team clearly determined to see the church restored to its former glory.

“We are still in the first stage, which is securing and stabilising the building and preparing the church hall for reopening,” says treasurer Jim Stidham, in an update for the congregation.

“The walls are fairly secure, but there is concern that the gables could be unsettled in very high winds without a roof to support them.”

Scaffolding will be erected as protection, as will a new 10ft hoarding around the church.

Mr Stidham adds this will be “a lovely shade of Goose-wing grey”, but “we will be looking at ways to use the wall space in an attractive and meaningful manner.”

His update said: “The conservator has already had a first visit and care will be taken to preserve anything possible, including stained glass fragments.”

The fact they were racing to get the church hall ready for Easter at one stage – this is now described as an unlikely timeframe – shows an amazing response to those horrific pictures of the church in flames. The support and determination is clear.

“On the financial side, we are grateful for the support we have been receiving from the church community and the wider community,” Mr Stidham adds. “Along with the insurance, it has kept us going through this challenging time.”