St Anne's Church Chasetown

After a long pause due to the Covid 19 Pandemic, St Anne’s is making firm plans to redevelop the inside of the building.

The images below show some of the drawings which have been put together for us by Bryan Martin our architect. We hope they will give a flavour of the sort of sensitive improvements we have in mind. You will also find some details of how the renewed building can be used in the years ahead.
If you can, please help us by completing a short online survey about the plans for the redevelopment of St Anne’s (the survey is available as a paper version from St Anne’s Church Office).
A summary of the responses we have received so far (over 120) can be viewed here… Responses Summary
Finally, we have written a prayer for the redevelopment process, which we invite you to join with us in praying. Thanks for your interest.

The development of St Anne’s Church Building                                                  February 2022

St Anne’s Church building was built in 1865 to serve the community of Chasetown and today is a much-cherished Grade II* listed building.  St Anne’s Church Council want to St Anne’s building to be fit for purpose, to be a welcoming and flexible space for all local people, cherishing the history of our area as well as being a base for the church’s mission in the coming years. After many years of exploring ideas, an exciting set of plans have been put together to develop St Anne’s Church.  The plans will allow St Anne’s to become a centre to celebrate the mining heritage of our area whilst continuing to be an adaptable community facility and worship centre for the people of Chasetown and Burntwood

Here is a summary of the plans and progress made so far…

Heating and Seating
Some existing floor joists are rotten and the aged heating system needs to be replaced.  An under floor heating system will be installed and we plan to use an environmentally friendly air source heat pump as the main means of heating. The pews will be replaced with comfortable, durable chairs which can be moved to give flexible seating.  Some of the pews and existing fittings will be used to furnish a ‘Day Chapel’ in the area where the choir vestry is at present.

West End
A lift will be installed to allow access for all to the upper rooms.   The current ‘balcony’ will be replaced by a complete floor section to make an upper open meeting space.   A key part of this development will be the creation of a Heritage Room (perhaps named ‘The McClean Room’ after the mine owner who funded the building of the church).  This will have an interactive display of heritage items, managed in partnership with local schools and Burntwood Town Council.
On the ground floor, as well as the provision of a place for quiet prayer and reflection (the Day Chapel mentioned above) this area of the church will be refashioned to give a catering standard kitchen, an open welcome area, improved toilets and the office will be moved to be nearer the entrance. 

The cost 
The detailed estimates we have received from our quantity surveyor suggest that the cost of the building development will be in the just short of one million pounds! [£1M (!)].  This is an eye watering sum of money and clearly this is not going to be raised by a few extra coffee mornings!  We plan to seek funding from a wide range of sources, including grant making trusts including the Heritage Lottery Fund  as well as other local and national benefactors.  However, we still value and welcome the small but important contributions which everyone can make. 

What next? When?
The PCC has begun the process of seeking permissions from Lichfield Diocese and also starting the application for funding from grant making trusts.  Our discussions with those one the Lichfield Diocese Advisory Committee (who oversee these kind of building alterations) have been well received and with minor adaptations to our proposed plans we are confident that approval will be given.

After inevitable delays due to the Covid 19 pandemic, we hope that we may be able to begin work in 2023.  It is expected that the work may last for 10-12 months. We will need to move out of the church building while the work is done, so plans are being made to make sure our mission and worship can continue while we are out of the church building.

Questions, ideas and help…
We are keen to receive feedback and ideas from members of the wider community in Chasetown and especially from those who currently use St Anne’s Church building or may do so in the future.  With this in mind, if you are able to, please complete the short online survey.   Of course, we warmly welcome all community involvement and support and offers of help in raising funds for this exciting project. 

For more information please contact Margaret Taylor our Parish Administrator  stanneschruch@hotmail.co.uk 
Tel. (01543) 686111.  Thank you.  

A prayer as we develop our building
Living God,
Thank you for the wonderful building at St Anne’s
which has been handed down to us
Please guide us as we think and pray
about the future of our church and the building
Please help us to listen well,
to each other, to you and to the wider community.
May our decision making help us to grow in love, faith and hope.
Please build your church and your kingdom in us and through us
In Jesus name we pray.  Amen                                                                                                                                                                        Richard Westwood 2 Feb 2022
 

Building Development Meeting: Monday 26 February 2018

Summary Notes
Present:
Archdeacon Simon Baker, Ms Kristina Williamson (DAC), Gordon Cain (Quantity Surveyor), Bryan Martin (Architect)  and from St Anne’s Carol Thomas, Sheila Murphy, Anita Brookes, Terry Smith and Richard Westwood
Apologies had been received from Pat Evemy ( Lichfield Diocese Funding Advisor)

Summary of discussion:
Richard outlined the history of plans for development of St Anne’s Building over the last 5 years
Bryan introduced the most recent drawings and Gordon highlighted the finances of the current plans.  It was noted that the DAC had given faculty permission for the removal of the pews following an earlier application, if plans were also in place for the alteration s to the area re-ordered in the 1980’s, but that this permission had now expired.  The fact that such a permission had been granted suggests that a faculty for this in the future is likely to be granted, within a scheme which explains the reason for the alterations requested.
All present were in agreement at the remarkable design of St Anne’s building and the possibilities it has for creative development.  The latest plans were welcomed and affirmed by all present.  It was noted that the plans required no alterations to the externals of the church and that the changes proposed would be improving and amending an existing (1980s) alteration which was not enhancing the buildings character. 

Archdeacon Simon:
Expressed warm encouragement for the scope and vision of the plans.  He suggested that the reasons for changing the church building would benefit from a slight change of emphasis:- HIt is important to stress the potential  benefit to the wider community, as well as the benefit to the church fellowship.  He reminded the group that these proposed changes may be highly desirable but are not essential in the short term, so the church needs to be clear about why it wants to undertake a building project of this size and cost – tying the need for the change to the vision of the church for the future.  It is important that the scheme improves and enhances the church building.  The Statement of Need would need to stress a clear vision of community transformation which makes clear specific circumstances for access to the community, and the benefits.