Sun shines on Grantham’s tallest spire as ice rink is booked

Many will have noticed St Wulfram’s spire gradually being revealed over the past few weeks, once again making a striking sight in the sunshine.

The rector of St Wulfram’s, Father Stuart Cradduck, is delighted that the work is now all paid for, thanks to the huge £600,000 Save Our Spire fund-raising, extra donations, plus £40,000 from church reserves.

Fr Cradduck is also happy to see that the incorporation of a different, paler stone is catching the rays and ensuring that the spire can be admired for miles around. “It is a brilliant white,” he said. “Because I only came here last May, it’s the first time I’ve seen the church in its full glory.”

Much of the scaffolding is already down, with hopes, weather permitting, that it will be completely gone by the end of July.

While enjoying the sunny weather, Fr Cradduck is also busy preparing for when the climate turns colder, with an indoor skating rink now booked for this November.

The synthetic ice rink will be installed from November 24 to 29, during a Christmas Tree Festival, which will see businesses, schools and other local groups encouraged to create their own trees out of whatever materials they feel best represents them.

Fr Cradduck, who also introduced a skating rink with great success at his previous church in Chichester, will even be getting his own skates on to perform a special Eucharist service on the rink.

“These events are all about giving people in town more ownership of what is the most beautiful building in Grantham,” he added.