Church set for new weathervane (From Wiltshire Times)

Church set for new weathervane

10:00am Friday 7th December 2007 in Corsham By John Ballard

A LOCAL artist has designed a new weathervane for a church in Colerne more than a year after the old one was destroyed.

Kate Burgess, a member of the congregation at the Church of St John the Baptist, came up with a design for a golden cockerel, that has been made by Colerne-based company Jetway Engineering.

The old weathervane that sat on top of the church flagpole was destroyed when the pole broke in bad weather, so the church has been without one since last year.

Churchwarden Ray Barker said: "It's fantastic to have it designed by a local artist and made by a local firm.

"It will be dedicated at our carol service at 6pm on December 16, and we will hopefully have it sitting up on top of the flagpole before Christmas."

As well as the new weathervane, the carol service will also see the dedication of a new set of bell ropes, and the bell ringers will be marking the occasion during the service by ringing hand bells.

Efforts to raise money for repairing the church's 17th century clock are continuing.

So far around £10,000 has been donated to the fund, meaning just another £3,000 is needed.