Thanks to the National Lottery Heritage Fund and National Lottery players, we are at l;ast able to go ahead with major roof repairs and restoration of the bells.  The grant was  given for "The Roof Over our Heads" project, part of the St Sampson's Unlocked initiative to restore the church and its heritage, making it fit for both worship and community use in the 21st century.  The grant will pay for much needed roof and ceiling repairs to the Manaton chapel and the main nave roof, as well as enabling us to restore the bells and bring them home.  The Bellfounders, Taylors of Loughborough have been instructed to start work and we hope the bells will be back in March and rehung in the tower for stationary chiming.  Work will start on the Manaton chapel roof in the New Year.  The nave roof work will begin in Autumn 2026.  The grant also gives us funds  towards work to research and tell the heritage stories of the church building and the people connected with it over the years.  An exciting digital trail will be created, to be used both in the church and via the internet, together with a virtual reality tour of the tower.  A guide book will also be produced and there are plans to install a permananent heritage display in the refurbished Manaton chapel.  A team of volunteers will start researching and compiling ideas in the New Year.