Church celebrates end of £140,000 restoration

The bells will be ringing out in Cwmbach, near Aberdare in Wales, on Thursday as the church of St Mary Magdalene celebrates the completion of its £140,000 restoration.

The congregation is moving back into the church for the first time since work began on the make-over last year.

The restoration included repainting the 130-year-old building and fitting a new roof. The bell has also been re-hung, meaning it can now ring out in the village for the first time in 15 years.

During the six months of work, the congregation had to move out and hold services in the nearby community centre.

Parishioners did their bit to raise funds for the major project, including a duck race, concerts and auctions.

The rest of the sum was made up by several grants, including two from the environmental body AMGEN and the Church in Wales.

The Archbishop of Wales, Dr Barry Morgan, will be joining in the celebrations by leading a special service.

The Archdeacon of Morgannwg, Chris Smith, who is the parish priest at Cwmbach, said the church was now a great resource for the whole community.

He said, “This church is here for everyone and everyone loves it. People have given their time generously to bring the project to completion and we hope they will all join us and Archbishop Barry to celebrate what we have achieved together.”

The Archbishop said, “This is a fantastic achievement for a relatively small and not so affluent community. It is a true cause for celebration.”

The service takes place on April 12 at 7.30pm.