The building is stone-built with a blue slate roof comprising the chapel and vestry on the first floor with ancillary rooms below. The building is on Main Road but access to the chapel and the hall below is through the car park from the lane called Tagg’s Knoll. Six steps lead up to the chapel but for those in wheelchairs and any who choose there is a lift.

The chapel is light and airy. It has pine pews seating about 70 people. The pine pulpit standing on the left was constructed with materials from the former large central pulpit typical of Methodist churches in the 19th Century. The communion table and lectern are in oak and recent gifts to the church. The organ is a Hammond electric instrument.

The hall below accommodates up to 40 people and can be accessed directly from the chapel or from the car park. This part of the premises was refurbished in 2003 providing a new kitchen, a toilet with disabled access, a ‘messy play’ room and additional children’s toilet.

Maintenance
The premises are maintained by the Property Stewards and to keep down costs much of the work is done by them and by members of the Church.

Opposite- dangerous branches are being lopped.

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Electrical Testing The electrical circuits of the church and hall have been subjected to their three-year inspection. All circuits and portable equipment have passed the tests. Members and users of the hall can be reassured that all necessary safety checks are attended to.

Renovation
Two years ago we saw the installation of new windows in the church and hall. The outside of the church was completely re-decorated to a very high standardand and the internal walls were re-painted. The window frames are hardwood and double glazed. We have already begun to feel the benefit. The building heats up more quickly and there is much less noise from the traffic on the main road immediately outside.
The generosity of members and friends and a substantial grant from the Derbyshire Environmental Trust has made all this possible and we offer all concerned our sincere thanks.
This year extensive renovation has been carried out in vestry and entrance hall areas. Secondary double glazing has been applied to the windows. A new double glazed oak door made by Andrew Lawton of Grindleford has been hung and the entrance hall re-plastered and re-decorated.
We have also replaced the guttering around the entire building and provided drainage along the wall at the side of the road to prevent water entering the building.
In the chapel itself two pews have been removed and a carpeted area provided for babies and toddlers during worship and for small group meetings at other times.

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Furniture and Furnishings
Geoff Darwent, who had been a member of the church at Bamford since his chldhood and following in his father's footsteps had taught in the Sunday School, preached, played the organ and held office in the Peak Circuit as well as in the local church, died four years ago. In his memory, his widow Joan, donated an oak communion table expertly made by Andrew Skelton. The church has also received from Andrew Lawton a matching chair paid for by donations that were made to the church in memory of Geoff. We are pleased to remember Geoff in this way and the new furniture seen below will serve the church for many years.

Two years ago, Connie Swindells, an unswervingly faithful member of the congregation died at the age of 98. At the time we mourned her passing and paid tribute to her faith and her life of loyal witness. With money donated at Connie's funeral we bought pew bibles which are now used Sunday by Sunday in church.

On Saturday, 8th March, Connie's nieces presented a garden seat in her memory. The picture shows a group of friends with Judith and Susan, two of Connie's nieces on the seat

.....

Our latest addition is a superb banner given to the church in memory of the late Mrs Evelyn Spink. The banner includes her favourite flower and bird and centres on a theme of worship and praise.

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Going Green - a report from the Church Council
In recent years, Bamford Methodist Church has tried to think creatively about the care of its premises. Thanks to hard work by members over the years the chapel and hall are safe, sound, and reasonably comfortable places for worship, and for local groups such as the Pre-School and Story Keepers to use regularly. But there’s a difference between good housekeeping which runs a property at lowest cost, and good stewardship which manages that property in a morally responsible and creative way for the future.
In 2006 Bamford Methodists obtained a public grant to double-glaze three quarters of all the windows, with a real improvement in warmth, sound insulation and energy efficiency. After that, as our awareness of environmental issues grew, so we began to explore what more the church should do to reduce its carbon emissions. During 2007 we carried out an informal green survey, with advice from local experts Rick Watson and John de Carteret. As a consequence, the church adopted an initial ‘green agenda’ for change in 2008. The list included: fitting low-wattage light bulbs; new insulation in the roof spaces; replacing the (still relatively new) central heating boiler with a much more efficient condensing boiler; fitting modern secondary glazing to the remaining windows; a new ‘smart’ electricity meter; a new thermostat, when needed; and fitting radiator reflectors in the church hall.
By October ’09 most of the big items on the list have been done, and the Church has gone on to think of further possibilities. One pressing issue was to think about the source of our electricity, and at the Autumn Church Council we decided to buy the Church’s electricity on a green tariff, from a 100% green energy provider, even if the cost of doing so might mean that the bill could increase by anything up to 7.5 per cent** on an annual bill of just over £400.
This is another step in a move away from automatically buying goods at the cheapest price. Some years ago we became a Fairtrade church, supporting fairer sustainable production on a global scale even if it costs more. The switch to green electricity† is in the same vein: given the threat of global warming, this adds our Church’s weight to rapidly growing pressure on energy providers to invest in low-carbon sources. If it’s right to promote fair trade by paying a bit more for the tea and coffee we use, it’s right to promote clean energy by paying a bit more for the electricity that boils the water and lights the room.
We could stop there, but we shan’t. There are still things we can do, and as technology progresses we shall need to think about further options. We may be a small unit in the total energy market, but these green decisions are a clear signal of our stewardship values - both as consumers, and as a church.

Andrea Spurling, Secretary, Bamford Methodist Church Council

** According to the price comparison web site http://green.energyhelpline.com
† Electricity produced by solar, wave, wind or hydro power.

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Property Report October 2011 - a report to the Church Council

General
The state of the property is generally very satisfactory. No major works have been required during the year.

Work carried out during the year
The amplification system in the church has been vastly improved with two new microphones, a new receiver for the roving microphone and the repositioning of the speakers including two new speakers.
A new laptop was bought for sole use with the digital projector in the church and the plasma screen in the hall.
The key cupboard is now operational.
A new water heater and radiator have been installed in the upstairs toilet.
The water heater in the kitchen failed and has been replaced with a heater that provides hot water on demand and is therefore more economical than the old one which stored hot water in a tank. The disadvantage of the new one is that the hot water is produced more slowly and users need to adjust the tap to control the flow accordingly. If, in the long term, this is not satisfactory the Property Stewards will think again.
Two smoke alarms and a lock on the downstairs door which allows exit without a key were fitted at the instance of the Fire Service Officer who, on a subsequent visit, declared himself satisfied with the installation.
As agreed at a previous meeting another step has been taken to lower our carbon footprint by switching to a sustainable electrical energy supplier. We now buy from Ecotricity.

Risk Assessment
I have carried out an annual review of the Risk Assessment Document. Very little has changed. The responsibility for making sure that possible risks to people using the premises are minimized lies principally with the Property Stewards, Church Stewards and leaders of events. Nevertheless, we all need to be aware of the contents of this document since the final responsibility lies with the Church Council as Managing Trustees.

Inspections
The regular annual inspections of the gas boiler, fire extinguishers and portable electrical equipment have all been carried out and certificates issued. Emergency lights and smoke alarms have been tested.
We have undertaken all the works (except one) that were demanded by the last Quinquennnial Inspection. The next Inspection is due next year ( April 2012 ). We cannot foresee what that inspection might reveal but we can anticipate a number of things that need to be done and are set out below.

Future Works
Short term - next 12 months:
Repair to damaged parts of the drive.
Five-yearly Electrical Inspection of the premises.
Subject to the Quinquennial Report In April replace the flashing at the side of the flat roof above the stairs – remaining item of last Quinquennial.
Re-decorate downstairs in stages - hall, kitchen, toilets, Messy Play room – possibly by DIY
Replace/repair chairs in the hall
Refurbish notice boards

Medium term – within next five years:
Reduce the height of, or remove, the two large conifer trees.
Re-point parts of the church wall
Re-cover the kitchen floor

Longer term – within ten years
External painting of building.
Internal painting of worship area.
Probable replacement of the lift.

Land Registry
History: last October the Circuit applied for the Registration of Title for all the church properties. In the case of Bamford it appeared that Title for a small piece of land between the school and church buildings (on which a part of the church building stands) is included in the Title granted to the school and therefore not available to us. We agreed at previous meetings of the Church Council that a voluntary solution should be sought with Derbyshire County Council rather than a legal challenge which could prove expensive. Through the good offices of Barry Fox, I have been in contact with the legal department at Matlock.
Current position: The officer at County Hall accepts that the piece of land in question is not part of the school's property and clearly belongs to the church. We agreed that the way forward was for the County to make a transfer of Title to us. To do this he has requested the Estates Department to draw a plan and we are waiting for this. I contact the officer regularly and he regularly tells me he will "chase up" the Estates Dept. I propose we pursue this course.

Propose that Stan Willis continue as Asbestos Safety Officer, Jim Smith as Fire Safety Officer and Stan Willis be responsible for review of Risk Assessment.

Stan Willis, John Ollerenshaw     October 2011
Property Stewards

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