St. Andrew's Gift Register & quiet reflections - CLICK HERE

We invite you to visit these pages regularly as developments in the pipeline are released to the community and general public.

Our Hope, Vision and Action -2009

We look forward to embarking on the first phase of the re-ordering of the Church. We have in the past three years succeeded in putting some structures in place, won the recognition of many government and church agencies as a community-development and progress oriented Church. We shall intensify the re-ordering project by putting in new structures, toilets, kitchen, heating, windows, security outfit, etc. We shall try to take advantage of the presence of Connaught, Halton Housing Trust, and Halton Borough Council in our parish and work together with them and other new friendly organisations we have contacted for the development of our community and church.

Our Vision & Strategy Group met on Wednesday February 4th and March 19th Discussions are ongoing to structure and prioritise the way forward so that the reordering and quinquinniel repairs are phased and sanctioned together. This will allow our Group to source funding to meet each significant need. We will share with you our progress as events develop.

Small changes are taking place in Church, a Tuesday Tea 'n' Toast event has been established. A temporary cafeteria area has being refurbished courtesy of a CHURCH URBAN FUND mustard seed grant .Electrical equipment and air heaters have been installed.

A fund raising team has been formed to plan events to engage the community. The first event was an Easter Bingo. Other events have been staged to augment fund raising and to promote the role of the church in the community. A regular monthly prize bingo has been initiated bringing in welcome funds. We manned a table at the Grange Community 'beech party' at the local Community Centre in July which brought in some funding. We gained a lot of knowledge on how to interact with the community. Mums with tots were approached and asked their views on establishing a 'Mums and Tots' group. We had a positive reaction and are to pursue this further. In October a Jumble Sale was held which also taught us that an event of this type is not as successful as in previous years, through competition with charity shops, car boot, etc. Two further bingo events and a Christmas Fair are planned before the end of the year.

St Andrew's Church Hall Update

As most people in the community are aware, St Andrew's Church Hall has been closed for approximately three years and boarded up for the past 12 months. The building was/is need of some TLC which the Parish could ill afford. The building was ransacked by thieves who did considerable damaged in stealing metal fittings. The responsibility for the building was taken over by the Diocese of Chester.

In November 2008 we were approached by Connaught through the offices of Halton Housing Trust who were looking for a base to operate from whilst they carried out a contract on the Grange Estate refurbishing property owned by Halton Housing Trust. (Connaught is the UK’s leading integrated services provider, operating in the social housing, public sector and compliance markets.) . Urgent negotiations ensued through our Church and Community Development Worker and Chester Diocese and a 12 month contract agreed. Connaught in return promised to work with us to refurbish the Hall for use by the community. The final outcome has to be discussed by various interested bodies and concerns will not be resolved until late 2009.

 PCC gives Green Light to Phase 1 of our Reordering Project.

On Wednesday November 12th 2008, St. Andrew's Parochial Church Council duly accepted phase 1 of our  modified reordering plan. This will involve provision of new toilet, kitchen and entrance whilst also providing some storage space.

In conjunction with Phase 1, remedial actions identified in the last quinquinniel report will also be progressed.

Other improvements will be identified and progressed as part of the overall plan.             

Phase 2 will involve alteration of the worship area and establishing a community area.