Latest news with #Vicar
The National
2 days ago
- Business
- The National
Swedish church has to be moved in a mysterious way to avoid collapsing mine
A church in Sweden is being moved a few kilometres down the road – to avoid being swallowed by a collapsing mine. Kiruna Church and its belfry are being moved 5km east to a new city centre as part of the whole town's relocation. Kiruna sits on the world's largest underground iron-ore mine, which is at risk of ground subsidence. Vicar Lena Tjarnberg began the move with a blessing on Tuesday morning after thousands of visitors arrived in Kiruna. "The last day you go down the stairs and close the church door, you know it's going to be several years before you can open it – and in a new place,' she said. 'We don't know how it's going to feel to open the door.' In an impressive feat of engineering, the entire church building has been hoisted on to giant rolling platforms to be transported – at a top speed of 500 metres an hour – to its new spot. Its interior has been secured by metal scaffolding, while roads have been widened to accommodate the church on its journey, expected to be completed by Wednesday afternoon. The church is the most intricate operation of wider project to relocate other town centre buildings at risk of subsidence. It is set to reopen at the new site by the end of next year. Kiruna, Sweden's northernmost town at 200km beyond the Arctic Circle, is home to 23,000 people, including members of the Sami Indigenous people. The wooden Lutheran church, called Kiruna Kyrka in Swedish, was a gift from mining company LKAB, the town's biggest employer. LKAB is covering the city's relocation bill, thought to exceed 10 billion Swedish krona ($1 billion). It was voted the 'best building of all time, built before 1950' in a 2001 poll of Swedish people connected to the Ministry of Culture. Built on a hill so worshippers could overlook the rest of the town, it was designed to emulate the Sami style. The Kiruna mine dates back to 1910 and the church was completed in 1912. Lars-Marcus Kuhmunen, chairman of one of the Sami reindeer-herding organisations in Kiruna, said the new mine could threaten the wild animals' migration routes and affect the livelihood of herders.
The National
2 days ago
- Business
- The National
A whole church is on the move in Sweden - at 500 metres a hour
A church in Sweden is being moved a few kilometres down the road – to avoid being swallowed by a collapsing mine. Kiruna Church and its belfry are being moved 5km east to a new city centre as part of the whole town's relocation. Kiruna sits on the world's largest underground iron-ore mine, which is in danger of collapsing. Vicar Lena Tjarnberg began the move with a blessing on Tuesday morning after thousands of visitors arrived in Kiruna. "The last day you go down the stairs and close the church door, you know it's going to be several years before you can open it – and in a new place,' she said. 'We don't know how it's going to feel to open the door.' In an impressive feat of engineering, the entire church building has been hoisted on to giant rolling platforms to be transported – at a top speed of 500 metres an hour – to its new spot. Its interior has been secured by metal scaffolding, while roads have been widened to accommodate the church on its journey, expected to be completed by Wednesday afternoon. The church is the most intricate operation of wider project to relocate other town centre buildings at risk of subsidence. It is set to reopen at the new site by the end of next year. Kiruna, Sweden's northernmost town at 200km beyond the Arctic Circle, is home to 23,000 people, including members of the Sami Indigenous people. The wooden Lutheran church, called Kiruna Kyrka in Swedish, was a gift from mining company LKAB, the town's biggest employer. LKAB is covering the city's relocation bill, thought to exceed 10 billion Swedish krona ($1 billion). It was voted the 'best building of all time, built before 1950' in a 2001 poll of Swedish people connected to the Ministry of Culture. Built on a hill so worshippers could overlook the rest of the town, it was designed to emulate the Sami style. The Kiruna mine dates back to 1910 and the church was completed in 1912. Lars-Marcus Kuhmunen, chairman of one of the Sami reindeer-herding organisations in Kiruna, said the new mine could threaten the wild animals' migration routes and affect the livelihood of herders.
The Guardian
6 days ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
Look back in Ongar with another view of local history
Your article (Country diary: Ongar, Essex, 13 August) briefly mentions the connection between St Andrew's church in Greensted and the Tolpuddle Martyrs, several of whom settled nearby on their return from transportation. The implication is that the link was benign. It was not. The Martyrs actively supported the Chartist movement for universal (male) suffrage, payment for MPs and annual parliamentary elections. These radical demands were too much for the vicar of St Andrew's, who, with the local squirearchy, kicked up such a fuss that the Martyrs departed for Canada after a few years of Jobbins Kelvedon Hatch, Essex I enjoyed your look back in Ongar. But the ancient church there was surely not 'built by' the Tudors or Stuarts – probably not by many Normans either. The real work was done mostly by hard-pressed Essex folk skilled in the necessary tasks, or labourers. Let us fairly remember who truly built this NeedleRowhedge, Essex Have an opinion on anything you've read in the Guardian today? Please email us your letter and it will be considered for publication in our letters section.
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Cycle safety event aims to keep road users safe
A collaborative cycle awareness event has taken place to help cyclists and motorists stay safe on Jersey roads. The joint initiative from Jersey Police, Jersey Sport and the government's Road Safety Team saw attendees get a refresher on the Highway Code, with officers on hand to answer questions. Participants were also able to bring their bikes for a free inspection from a mechanic to check they were road safe. PC Henry Woolley said he hoped the event on Friday would "help to reduce the number of collisions and casualties that we have". He said: "We do have a high volume of cars in Jersey and more people are thinking about sustainable transport, so there are more cyclists on the roads as well. "Our infrastructure probably isn't as good as we'd like it to be, so there are points where cyclists and motorists come into conflict because of those infrastructure challenges. "Anything we can do to promote the Highway Code and careful, considerate and safe driving and riding, from motorists and from cyclists, will hopefully help to reduce the number of collisions and casualties that we do have." According to the most recent data, 188 road traffic collisions took place in Jersey in 2023, with a total of 214 casualties. Earlier this year, the Government of Jersey published its first collision and casualty reduction plan which it said aimed to reduce the number of people being seriously injured or killed on the roads by 50% over the next decade. Follow BBC Jersey on X and Facebook. Send your story ideas to Vicar begins 'monumental' charity cycle Jersey woman cycles 1,000km through Europe Police increase patrols to combat drink-driving Jersey Police
