It happens rarely, but sometimes fate is well-intentioned. This also seems to apply to the old rooster, who has been sitting on the top of the church-tower of Kerkje De Rietstap, the smallest church in the Netherlands, for decades. Since mid October 2017, it makes a show of its re- gilded body from the steeple of the church.

Bertie Bussink, Chairman of the Bewaar ‘t Olde Foundation, says: “Kerkje De Rietstap is used as an exhibition space in order to earn the maintenance costs and it is visited by many people from outside. So Jan Jansen from Neede came to Dinxperlo months ago and visited the exhibition in the small church. As a coppersmith he has an eye for such things and saw immediately that the cock was in a desolate state. Jan Jansen was about to close down because of his age, but he still had some gold leaf in stock. He offered us to gild the old rooster, and this should be completely free of charge. A truly generous offer of this visitor! We gratefully accepted the offer.”
Henk Ormel, chairman of the working group “Kerkje De Rietstap” borrowed a lift and fetched the cock from the church-tower. Coppersmith Wim Wissink from Breedenbroek cleaned it thoroughly and also free of charge. Then the rooster was brought to Neede, where Jan Jansen subjected it to a major renovation before he gilded the cock again. The voluntary members of the main organization “Bewaar ‘t Olde” and the working group “Kerkje De Rietstap” were enthusiastic about the result. On Saturday, October 21st , 2017, the rooster could be put back to its place on the church spire during a small ceremony .

Thanks to many diligent hands and generous people Dinxperlo has re-gained a gem.

From Iris Jansen