LAUNCHED in March 2010 Crediton's Holy Cross Church Lighting Appeal to raise estimated funding of £120,000 for extensive lighting and wiring improvement works proved to be remarkably successful.

In a short period of time funds of £87,000 were in place by late 2010, enabling the main part of the work to be completed in the nave and chancel over 23 weeks between January 11 and the end of July 2011.

By the end of 2011, thanks to the continuing generosity of many people, the order was able to be placed with chosen contractor Anthony J Smith (Gloucester) Ltd for the outstanding work needed in the parvis room, tower and chapter house.

This began at the end of January and is now within a few days of being completed.

The Appeal officially closed on Tuesday, March 6, the second anniversary of the launch, having raised the sum of £140,921.82 leaving a small shortfall in funding to be drawn from the proceeds of last year's very successful Christmas Tree Festival.

On Saturday, March 10 the Rector, Rev Preb Nigel Guthrie gave thanks for the successful end of the Appeal and after two short prayers, those present enjoyed celebratory tea, coffee and cakes in the church along with a short presentation with soundtrack about the project.

The Governors of Holy Cross and the Lighting Appeal Committee would like to thank the following grant making bodies for their funding support: Allchurches Trust Ltd, Devon Historic Churches Trust, Friends of Crediton Church, Garfield Weston Foundation, Viridor Credits, Viscount Amory's Charitable Trust and the Worshipful Company of Ironmongers.

Local thanks are also extended to the following: Adams Home Hardware, A E Lee Outfitters, Ashgrove Kitchens Ltd, Conibear Brothers, Courtneys Garage, Crediton Courier, Crediton Record Shop, Dalaco, Devon Sales and Lettings, Golden Bridge House, Gregory Distribution Ltd, Hedgerow Print Ltd, H W Martin Accountants, Musgrave Bickford Antiques, NFU Mutual, Olivers Bakery, Quickes Traditional Ltd, Thomas Westcott Chartered Accountants, Triple C Café, Tuckers Country Store, A White and Sons (Builders) and A White and Sons (Funeral Services).

Additional thanks are extended to the following for their valued help and assistance with fund raising events: Crediton Town Band (concert), Exeter Male Voice Choir (concert), Glenda Hills (quiz series), Naomi Huntley (sponsored hymn and psalm reading), Bill Jerman (Holy Cross calendar 2011 and sponsored walk), Catherine Lawes (small change collection boxes), QECC Jazz Band (concert), Richard Scrivener (geological talk), Ann Widdecombe (an entertaining evening with), members of the congregation and many others, both local and from further afield, too numerous to list individually.

Last but certainly not least everyone at Holy Cross would like to thank Neil Blake and his excellent team from Anthony J Smith (Gloucester) Ltd, supervising architect John Scott from Oliver West and John Scott Architects Ltd and the locally based contractors involved, Andy French (stonemason), Phil Martin (plumber), Dean Morgan (carpenter) and Simon Ridley (artistic blacksmith).

Church spokesman Bill Jerman told the Courier: "Although this project, one of the biggest ever undertaken by Anthony J Smith (Gloucester) Ltd, is now virtually complete, we will have little time to sit back and bask in our success with the lighting and rewiring improvements as a number of smaller projects are already costed and in a queue for when we have funds available.

"These include repairs to the east window and wall in the Lady Chapel, the archway of the Buller Door, areas of tiled and wood block flooring in the nave, the relaying of small areas of cobbles between the west gate and south porch and the organ house in the church car park

"Fingers remain firmly crossed with everyone for successful Flower and Christmas Tree Festivals later this year at Holy Cross. These provide the bulk of the funding for the smaller scale ongoing upkeep and restoration work that is always needed at Holy Cross."