Renovation and Renewal

Remove pews

(Phase 1)

Remove south aisle pews to provide the space needed. This area has a poor line of sight to the Chancel so those sat in this area cannot see what is going on during communion or when performances are held in this area.  The space gained will allow

• People to sit down and enjoy refreshments together (eating in pews is not conducive to forming relationships)
• Short dramas or workshop style services
• Meaningful and engaging prayer stations visited by groups of local school children and the community
• School performances and performance rehearsals
• Creative and fun activities for fortnightly youth group meetings
• Regular meetings by church and community, which are currently cramped and constrained
• Social events (e.g. concerts, recitals, quiz evenings, games evenings)
• Prayer teams to access those needing prayer
• Those with mobility issues needing mobility aids or those with small children using buggies etc.
• People to safely navigate around hot food and drinks and to retain a clear path to fire exits

New floor

(Phase 1)

Install a new wood floor Raise porch floor to ensure the whole church, (excl. the Chancel and a small step to the area in front of the Chancel) will be level and people will no longer need to step in and out of the pews, significantly improving accessibility.

New kitchen

(Phase 2)

Install a new kitchen  at the west end of the south aisle. The kitchen  will include a serving hatch and will be screened off from the church when not in use.

This will allow food to be prepared and heated for up to 100 people, within the church and crockery and cutlery to be washed up on site.  It will remove the safety issues with having hot food and drinks on open surfaces. It will enable us to provide far better and safer hospitality to members and the community on both a planned and ad hoc basis.

The existing monuments will be moved to the left of the main door. One noticeboard will remain in the kitchen for safety notices. The long noticeboard will be moved to the left of the main door.

New toilet

(Phase 3)

Install a new indoor accessible toilet, adjacent to the new kitchen. Although we currently have an accessible lavatory at the back of the church. To reach this you need to either go through the vestry where there is a large step down, or to walk from the south door to the back of the church along an unlit path. The new indoor toilet will provide

• Easier access to a toilet for those with mobility challenges or for all when it is dark, cold or rainy
• Better safeguarding as having large numbers of children in the church for youth group and other events presents a safeguarding issue as two DBS checked adults need to accompany children to the outside of the building to use the toilet
• Easier access to a toilet for parents/carers who can’t easily take babies and young children to the toilet at the back of the church

New Infrared Heaters

(Phase 1)

Install Infrared chandelier style heaters in the south aisle so that the whole church does not need to be heated using the gas boiler when only a limited number of people are meeting in the church. This will save both carbon emissions and money.

New glass doors

(Phase 1)

Install new glass doors in place of the interior (green baize) doors at the main entrance. Refurbish and pin back the ancient doors so that they can be better admired. This will provide a more welcoming aspect to the church allowing visitors to see in before entering. It will allow in more natural light and provide improved draft- proofing.  The children at Lydiard Millicent School  have been  working with a local artist (Dr Sheona Beaumont) to create  a design to be etched into the glass doors.

Furniture

(Phase 2)

The south aisle altar will be removed. This is made of previously removed pews. The decorative panels in the altar will be reused in the south aisle together with any pew ends available from the removal of the south aisle pews.

The altar frontal chest in the vestry, which was built using the panels of a previous pulpit by the pupils of Revd MacKnight will be moved to replace the south aisle altar.

The cupboard alongside the east end of south aisle will be moved to the vestry or the south aisle wall.