Our Churchwarden's recent update.  Let me introduce you to "BatSafe". This, as you may have guessed, is a breathable membrane which sits above the roofing insulation and beneath the slating battens of the new roof at St Catherine's. It is designed to afford maximum comfort to any bat, pipistrelle or otherwise, which chooses to roost in our roof, whose claws would catch on ordinary felt. This is but one example of the lengths we at Birtles are going to provide 5-star accommodation for our nocturnal residents on their return in (we hope) November. Work on the roof is proceeding well. The rafters are oak (no expense spared by Thomas Hibbert in 1840!) and well-preserved, so where revision is required, we can achieve it by splicing and/or support. This is good news and will preserve much of the existing ceiling below and save cost and time. All slates are now off and timbers have been treated. We are ready to move to the next stage!