The chancellor of Truro diocese has granted permission to the Parochial church council of King Charles the Martyr Church, Falmouth for their church access project.

The project has three aspects. The plan is to remove the narrow staircases to the gallery and put in place a new and wider spiral staircase. The panels of the new spiral staircase will contain designs by children from King Charles school- designed with help from a professional artist.

There will be a new platform lift installed in the tower by the West tower door, which will mean that disabled/infirm people and parents with children in buggies will be able to gain access to the church from New Street with no awkward steps in the way There will be a new toilet installed in the tower. At present people have to access the toilet via the clergy vestry and this is very inconvenient.

The project will mean that the eight existing bells are adapted for change-ringing method - ringing with ropes. The bells will be hung in new frames lower in the tower than at present. This will strengthen the tower.

A new platform for ringers will be created at gallery level. The new spiral staircase will mean easier access to ring the bells.

“Our ringers find it difficult to climb the narrow stairs to the present bell ringing chamber and so we cannot offer bells for weddings at the present time,” said the Rev Stephen Tudgey.

“The judgement from the chancellor of the diocese of Truro is good news and it means that this project will go ahead in stages. At present King Charles church is fund raising for a lift in the church hall in New street so that people of all ages can enjoy the upper hall/theatre facilties. At the same time the church hall toilet facilities are being upgraded. Building work has now commenced on the church hall project and will be completed by May 2009. Fund raising for the church hall project is going very well with just £18,000 to raise. The church will complete the hall project before commencing on the church access project. We anticipate launching an appeal for the church Access project next year-2010. The first stage will be the spiral staircase,” he added.

The Access project has been costed at £155,000 total of which the spiral staircase will cost around £14,000, and the bell work £60,000. The work will be arranged in stages, commencing with the spiral staircase when funds have been raised for the first stage.