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We are pleased to announce that, thanks to the generosity of all our supporters, we have now completed the fundraising for the new Chapel porch. In the past few weeks we have received a large number of generous donations, which has allowed us to reach our target of £350k set just over a year ago. This was the final phase in the £1.2m campaign to complete the Chapel.
It has been a difficult year for everyone in the UK and around the world due to the COVID pandemic, but the kindness of our supporters has continued to emerge in the last few months. Although many fundraising events had to be cancelled due to the lockdown and to COVID restrictions, we were very fortunate to be able to continue the appeal, and to see the beginning of the work and the laying of the first stones back in April.
A year on since the start of the completion campaign, many important stages in the construction have already been achieved: reinforced concrete foundations have been laid, a new retaining wall on the north side has been built and, more recently, new pillars and arches have been erected. Through the scaffold it is now possible to see the full scale and magnificence of the new porch.
Much is still to be done in the coming months as the masons continue their outstanding work; at the moment of writing they are preparing to start working on the two new imposing buttresses which will go up to the level of the rose window. The project is due for completion in Spring 2021 and a dedication will follow later in the year.
We are grateful to everyone who has contributed to the campaign either with regular gifts or one-off donations; every amount – large or small – made a difference. The campaign also benefited from some significant legacies; the names of all donors will be recorded. The support we have received goes to show how fond all members of our community are of the Chapel. We know when speaking to our pupils, their families and our OLs what the building represents for them: the Chapel is not just a landmark in Sussex and in the whole of the South East, it means so much more for everyone who has a connection with the College.
A special heartfelt thank you goes to Ian and Angela Beer and their family, whose recent donation closed the funding gap. They have been strong advocates of the Chapel ever since their involvement in building the west wall and rose window well over 40 years ago. We are very grateful for their continued support.
Whilst the funds donated to the campaign will be used to conclude the ‘west end story’, the unwavering support of the Friends and donors continues to be essential for the ongoing maintenance of the Chapel; some significant projects remain to be carried out in the coming years. A new membership scheme and objectives will be announced by The Friends of Lancing Chapel in early 2021 to ensure the Chapel can be fully appreciated by old friends, the local community and admiring visitors.
Jeremy Tomlinson, Steward of Lancing Chapel, commented: ‘To have reached the appeal target in one year and gone ahead with the building contract in spite of the current difficulties is an outstanding achievement and yet another affirmation of the generosity of the Friends and the importance of Lancing Chapel in the lives of so many people.'
You can see the latest construction developments in the photo gallery published alongside this article.
VISIT THE CHAPEL COMPLETION CAMPAIGN PAGE