Cash plea for mid-Norfolk church revamp
 2010: A £370,000 makeover of a medieval church hopes to bring the “woefully inadequate” building into the 21st century and create an active events venue for a Norfolk market town.
The Reepham benefice hopes to unite religious services at St Mary's with secular events, like wedding receptions or wakes, by giving the adjoining St Michael's church an overhaul.
But while builders moved in earlier this month and the work is scheduled to take about six months, the church remains £90,000 short of the £370,000 needed.
Churchwarden David Cleall said the aim was to create a popular community venue.
He said: “This building belongs is for everybody. We want to make it as active as possible. We will have a coffee bar to attract Reepham's new sixth formers who can come in an sit with their laptops. We've already had inquiries from martial arts clubs who want to run them from here when it's finished.”
Newlyweds will be able to get married in St Mary's before heading through a connecting door to the refurbished St Michael's for their reception, while mourners will move from service to wake without ever stepping outside.
But that vision is a long way from the way the listed building looks at the moment. Refurbished in the 1970s to be used as a church hall, St Michael's has seen bookings gradually dry up as the building, described on the benefice website as “woefully inadequate”, deteriorated.
Mr Cleall said: “The toilets are disgusting, to be honest, and the kitchen is serviceable but only just. At the moment, with the facilities we've got, we can't charge a realistic fee.”
But unless more money is found, parts of the refurbishment will have to be scrapped, including a glass screen separating the nave and chancel.
Article and picture courtesy of www.edp24.co.uk Click here to read the whole story
Pictured above: Arch Deacon John Ashe and Church Warden David Cleall at St Michael's Church, Reepham. |
