During the week a team inspected the Vicarage following the Chamberlains' last 11 years in readiness for the next chapter.

On Thursday night the Wardens (Marcus Read and Wendy Kington) and Works Team representatives (Michael Malthus and Don Mackenzie) met with Celia Quinnell at the Vicarage for their final inspection before Pip and I leave the parish. Celia is the Property Manager for the Church Property Trustees.

Because of the excellent maintenance undertaken on the Vicarage by successive Vestries and the Works team, the group agreed that the building is in excellent order and ready to receive Rev John and Melissa Shoaf when they arrive on Wednesday or Thursday next week.

Considerable work has gone into improving the Vicarage in the last decade or so and this work includes the following: replacement of the flat rooves, new spouting and downpipes, some new drapes, replacement of some rotten windows and window frames, new patios and edging, some new whiteware, new concrete paths and moss treatment of the rooves. All the earthquake repairs were of course completed at the time but these were relatively minor.