The first year of the Anglia Church Trust (ACT) has been one
of establishing foundations. Progress has been in three main
areas.
The first has been the establishment of the Trust and its status.
Incorporation was achieved quite quickly but although the Charity
Commissioners confirmed our work as charitable it took some
months of negotiation before they would agree to Registration.
The equipping of the Registered Office and its move to Mickfield
was also a major development.
The second objective could then be begun which is the start
of a ministry, first in Mickfield through the presence of the
Trust and participation in the life of the community. Taking
the responsibility for the new Mickfield Messenger has helped
this process. The Village Meeting in January was packed out
and illustrated the great interest that the community has in
the restoration of its church. The work in the churchyard has
led to much involvement. Some ground work has been achieved
in ACT's mission outside Mickfield with the main event being
the visit of Jane Bradshaw from South Africa and the establishment
of a support organisation for her Street Children Schools.
The third development has been the plans for the use of St.
Andrew's Church. Progress has been frustratingly slow but the
pieces of the jigsaw are slowing coming into place with the
return of two of the choir stalls (thanks to the generosity
of the Cottam Will Trust) a major milestone.
The coming year will see the repairs to the Church undertaken
by the current owners - the Suffolk Architectural Heritage Trust
(SAHT); it is not yet clear whether ACT will be able to start
its conversion work before the main repairs are completed. However
it is hoped that the contracts to purchase the building from
SAHT will be exchanged by late 2003 which will give us the basis
upon which to do whatever works are possible. Meanwhile we intend
to assemble materials and construct whatever is possible off-site
so that rapid progress can be made when we have possession.
Community involvement will hopefully take a good pace forward
with the establishment of Friends of St. Andrew's on St. Andrew's
Day at the end of November. This will be an integral part of
ACT seeking support in prayer, time and talents and finance.
