A Service to Celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the Churches Conservation Trust

Thursday, 17th September 2009

A Service to Celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the Churches Conservation Trust (CCT) was held at Westminster Abbey on Wednesday 16th September 2009 at 12 noon.

The Trust is a national charity which protects historic churches at risk. It has saved over 340 special buildings which now attract over 1½ million visitors a year.

The Dean of Westminster, the Very Reverend Dr John Hall, said in his Bidding: ‘We come to give thanks to God for this holy place and for all places made holy by prayer, themselves priceless signs of the presence of God that open to those seeking them the eternal vista of heaven, and to pray for all those who lovingly and faithfully conserve them.’

Eileen Parry and John Bramham, CCT volunteers, spoke of their involvement with the Trust.

Hazel Tapsell, a CCT volunteer, read 1 Kings 6: 1-16 and Lloyd Grossman OBE, Chairman of the Trust, read Revelation 21: 9-22.

The Address was given by the Very Reverend Victor Stock, Dean of Guildford.

Prayers were led by the Reverend Michael Macey, Minor Canon of Westminster, together with Chloe Cockerill MBE Development Manager of the Trust; the Reverend Brian McHenry CBE, Trustee; Crispin Truman, Chief Executive; and the Very Reverend Peter Judd, Dean of Chelmsford and Trustee.

Music for Awhile, an ensemble which performs annually at All Saints, Alton Priors, played Mozart’s Epistle Sonata in F K244 during the service.

The Special Service Choir of Westminster Abbey was conducted by James O’Donnell, Organist and Master of Choristers. The organ was played by Robert Quinney, Sub Organist and before the service by James McVinnie, Assistant Organist.

The service was attended by the Lord Mayor of Westminster, Cllr Duncan Sandys.