Norwich church brings heaven to earth

APRIL 2008: Church leaders traditionally look to the heavens for inspiration, but one Norwich church is hoping that turning its attention to the earth's core will help make it get greener.

St Stephen's Church, which sits between Chapelfield shopping centre and The Forum, has served its parish through Norman and Medieval times and now wants to adapt to suit the needs of more of the 30,000 people who walk past it each year.

The arrival of Chapelfield means the church occupies a place right on one of the major routes into the shopping centre and a £200,000 project enabled people to walk straight past it on their way to the complex. And the church is now appealing for a further £620,000 to develop its facilities - which could see it harness the power of the earth's core for heat.

Hereward Cooke, priest in charge at the church, which is mentioned in the Domesday Book said: "The plans include an environmentally friendly heating system.

"We are hoping to drill five bore-holes of about 100m each and draw up the heat from the earth's core and circulate it in the under-floor heating system."

It is also hoped to provide the church with a new kitchen and toilet, and remove some pews to make the space more open and flexible for the public.

Educational and heritage workshops will bring alive the history and architecture of the building, and events and concerts will be staged.

Canon Cooke, who stepped down as leader of the city council's Liberal Democrat group last month, added: "It will be an oasis of calm for people to visit."

The church has already secured some funding and raised £60,000.

They are approaching local businesses asking them to help finance the drilling of the boreholes, by sponsoring each metre for £100, and have sent letters to many companies in the city.

They will be holding a public launch of the scheme on Thursday, May 22.

Story and picture courtesy of www.eveningnews24.co.uk