St Bertelin'S Church Stafford

Now the rubbish has been weighed...there was almost 10 tonnes of stinking waste removed from outside the church. The smell was truly stomach-churning. It was dumped on on the church car park, so it was on private land (NOT council-owned land) and the burden of the cost of removing it and properly disposing of it and clearing up fell to the landowner, (i.e the church). It was not the responsibility of the council to do this. Had it been on council-owned land, it would have bee...n the responsibility of the council to arrange for its removal. The rubbish dumped at the car wash on Stone Road is likewise the responsibility of the landowner to get rid of, and not the council. I would like to thank everyone who offered to come and remove it, but 10 tonnes is a LOT of waste, and it needed to be removed by grab lorry and taken away to a waste transfer station to be dealt with appropriately and quickly.
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The car park at St Bertelin's is now clean and clear of all waste - with thanks to Safelec (the waste contractor who we asked to remove it) and thanks also to our local councillor, Jonathan Price, for his support and advice.

We had had several quotes for removing the waste which was tipped at St Bertelin's last week, and have accepted one. The rubbish tip will be removed on Wednesday. Please avoid the area from 8am on Wednesday morning. Thank you.

I'm hoping to initiate getting a registered waste disposal contractor to come and remove the stinking pile of waste outside St Bertelin's Church after the weekend (so, on Monday morning). I have spoken to the Environment Agency and the police now. They have got evidence of where it came from, so I am really hoping for a prosecution (as I'm sure Mohammed of Stone Road Car Wash is, too).

Services tomorrow at St Bertelin's are: 8.00am Holy Communion 9.30am Parish Communion 3.00pm Messy Church
... Owing to the stinking pile of refuse outside the main entrance of the building, we shall be using the door which faces on to Holmcroft Road, and the main door will be locked to prevent the smell creeping in as much as possible. If the church car park is full or you don't fancy parking on it (and I really wouldn't blame you...), please park at Tillington Hall Hotel (thanks to Nick Cowperthwaite for making the offer) or at the North End Community Centre (thanks to Paul John Chapman for making the offer).
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I'm sorry, it doesn't look as though the waste which was dumped outside St Bertelin's will be removed before the weekend. I'm still waiting for the Environment Agency to conclude their investigations before I can get it removed because it is a crime scene. I'm as unhappy as I imagine everyone else is about this but there isn't anything I can do beyond what I am already doing to sort this sorry mess out. Watch this space for updates.

https://www.expressandstar.com/…/enormo us-pile-of-rubbish…/… Local press reports....

The Environment Agency ask - has anyone spotted anything unusual/suspicious around St Bertelin's recently? Maybe in a dark coloured car? Did you spot a registration plate? (This might be a "clone") If you saw anything suspicious which might have been a couple of people "casing the joint" and looking for somewhere to tip waste, please ring the Environment Agency and report it - the number is 0800 163300

Someone has dumped a truckload of rubbish on the church car park overnight. It is unsightly, causing an obstruction and is a health hazard. Did you see anything? Did you hear anything? I am doing everything I can to sort it out and get it removed. In the meantime, please avoid the area.

Would all people who are attending the Thanksgiving Service for Norma Buttery tomorrow at 11am park at Tillington Hall Hotel and walk across to the church, please? The car park is fairly flooded this evening and the grass is too wet and muddy to park on. Thank you!

We have lost several much-loved people recently. We remember them with gratitude and pray for them with love. RIP Rowland, and Harry, and Norma, and Muriel, and Jean.

We have had a "Red Box Project" box at St Bertelin's since the summer so that people could donate feminine hygiene products to be distributed to schools around Stafford so that women and girls could manage their periods with dignity. People have been extremely generous and two boxfuls have been given to the Project for distribution. The "Red Box Project" in Stafford has come to an end because the government has committed to providing supplies to schools. The box is full again and I'm planning to take the contents to Staffordshire Women's Aid, who will ensure that women who are struggling with "period poverty" because of homelessness, domestic violence etc can access what they need to manage their periods with dignity. Thank you all for your generous donations.

The mid-week service of Holy Communion (on a Thursday morning at 9.30am) has now come to an end. The numbers of people who attended has dwindled to the point where the service was not sustainable. There have been a regular group of three people for the past few years. The Vicar and PCC are considering what might replace it, to provide an opportunity to meet to worship God during the week. If you have any ideas, please share them with us!

All the details of Christmas services have been uploaded to the church site on A Church Near You - if you can't find what you are looking for on here, do take a look there as well!

Margaret (our Lay Reader ) along with our vicar Elaine on Sunday morning. Margaret seemed to be having a little difficulty cutting her cake....

We celebrated our Lay Reader’s 20 year anniversary after church this morning. Congratulations, Margaret!

Lovely Olivia, christened this morning. She is wearing her mother’s hand made christening gown.