Work starts on £241k Wash Common church refurb

The £241,000 scheme will replace the current inefficient and unreliable heating system of the Church of St George the Martyr in Andover Road, with an underfloor one that uses on-site renewable energies.
Once complete, the improvements will mean the church will become a community building for everyone to use.
Deep boreholes will supply warm water to a Ground Source Heat Pump which raises the water temperature and then circulates it around the underfloor heating system.
The system will be powered by the 129 solar panels that are mounted on the church’s roof.
Other heat saving measures will be implemented to further enhance the efficiency of the heating system. The floor will be raised at one end of the hall to create a performance area.
Funding for the underfloor heating work is coming from Greenham Common Trust, which awarded £84,000, The Veolia Environmental Trust, which awarded £39,000 through the Landfill Communities Fund, the Garfield Weston Foundation, which awarded £20,000, and the M&H Laing Trust, which has awarded £10,000.
Other grants have come from Englefield Charitable Trust, Berkshire Archdeaconry, The Payne-Gallwey Charitable Trust, Newbury Town Council, Allchurches Trust, Rivar Limited, Miss Lawrence Charity, Oxford Diocese, Findmeagrant, Bernard Sunley Charitable Foundation and members of the local community.
Speaking about the start of work, St George's Project Fundraising Manager, Tom Linley, , “We have had to work hard and wait a long time for these improvements and it is fantastic that work is finally starting next week.
“The new heating system will mean the church will become a focus for community life for people of all ages and backgrounds.
"The building is already less damp and more accessible with un-stepped entry and independent access for wheelchairs using automatic doors and this will be the icing on the cake.”