Improving visitor facilities through capital redevelopment projects to install toilets, kitchenettes or tea stations.
Introduction
Caring for people's needs is all part of providing a great welcome to church. Good visitor facilities also enable a greater range of activties to take place for people of all ages, needs and abilities.
We hope this information on the work in the Diocese of Chester will be:
- A celebration of improving our buildings to enable the church to flourish more
- Help and inspiration to churches considering such a project by signposting to those who have undertaken such a project
Gaining further advice if your church is considering improving its visitor facilities:
- Step 1: Decide on the scale and preferred location of the facilities and capture this in a Statement of Need. You may find the examples below helpful. You may also want to compare notes with these churches as to how they developed and managed their project.
- Step 2: Discuss the practicalities (e.g. heritage issues, water supply and drainage) with your architect.
- Step 3: Once you have some outline proposals, you should seek early, informal advice from the DAC
Funding
The Diocese of Chester Fundraising Guide includes a section on ‘Finding Grants’ as well as other guidance on fundraising campaigns
New toilet facilities
In each section below, examples are listed in alphabetical order by location.
Antrobus, St Mark (toilets and kitchen)
Knutsford Road, Antrobus CW9 6JW
Ashley, St Elizabeth (toilet and kitchenette in purpose-built extension at north west corner of nave)
Ashley Road, Ashley WA14 3QE
Aston-by-Sutton, St Peter (toilet at west end)
Aston Lane, Aston WA7 3ED
Backford, St Oswald (toilet in free-standing wooden pavilion in the churchyard)
Church Lane (off A41), Backford, Chester CH2 4BE
Bollington, St Oswald (big scheme to build extension to house three toilets incorporating the former church porch turned through 90 degrees)
Bollington Road, Bollington SK10 5EG
Church Minshull, St Bartholomew (toilet is a re-used outbuilding)
Cross Lane (B5074), Church Minshull CW5 6DY
Doddington, St John the Evangelist (toilet block in extension at north east corner of building, together with new housing unit for a new energy efficient boiler)
Church Lane, Doddington, Nantwich CW5 7PS
Fardon, St Chad (toilet is a lean-to extension to the church accessed from the churchyard)
Church Lane, Farndon CH3 6QD
Frodsham, St Lawrence (toilet under tower at west end)
St Laurence Parish Church, Church Road, Frodsham WA6 6AD
Lower Peover, St Oswald (toilet in free-standing construction in churchyard, north side of the church)
The Cobbles, Crown Lane, Lower Peover WA16 9PZ
Mobberley, St Wilfrid (toilet is on the north side of the chancel in a former organ chamber due to sensitivity and cost of other options in this Grade 1 building)
Church Lane, Mobberley WA16 7RA
Nantwich, St Mary (toilets discreetly located either side of west door) Church Lane, Nantwich CW5 5RG
Odd Rode, St Luke (Mow Cop) (re-use of north west tower stump)
Woodcock Lane, Mow Cop ST7 3NG
Rostherne with Bollington (Little Bollington), Holy Trinity (toilet at west end)
Lymm Road, Little Bollington WA14 4SZ
Runcorn Weston, St John the Evangelist (west end toilet facilities)
Heath Road South, Weston Village, Runcorn WA7 4LY
Stockport, St Thomas (west end toilet facilities)
St Thomas' Place, Stockport SK1 3TZ
Churches considering toilet projects in the future
Ince, St James (toilets proposed for either west end or south porch)
Poole Lane, Ince CH2 4NX
Rostherne, St Mary (major scheme involving an extension with facilities)
Rostherne Lane, Rostherne WA16 6RT
Toilet twinning
Toilet Twinning - You may like to consider this social action project
Kitchenettes
Alsager, St Mary Magdalene (west end of north aisle)
Crewe Road, Alsager ST7 2EY
Birkenhead Priory, Christ the King (big, open kitchen separate from the church worship space)
St Anne Street (nr Birkenhead Park Station) CH41 4JF
Burleydam, St Mary & St Michael (west end development)
Whitchurch Road (A525), Burleydam SY13 4AT
Dukinfield, St Mark (west end)
Church Square, Railway Street, Dukinfield SK16 4PR
Macclesfield, St Michael & All Angels (west end development)
The Market Place, Macclesfield SK10 1HW
Runcorn, All Saints (west-end kitchenette)
Church Street, Runcorn WA7 1LD
Runcorn, Holy Trinity (kitchenette)
Trinity Street, Runcorn WA7 1BJ
Stockport, St Mary (west end of north aisle, suitable for caterers)
Churchgate, Stockport SK1 1YG
Tea Stations
Aston by Sutton, St Peter (west end)
Aston Lane, Aston WA7 3ED
Birkenhead, Christ Church (open servery at NW corner of nave)
Bessborough Road/Oxton, Birkenhead CH43 5RW
Frodsham, St Lawrence (servery folds closed when not in use)
Church Road, Frodsham WA6 6AD
Grange, St Andrew (1960s church, SE corner)
Festival Way, Runcorn WA7 5JZ
Mobberley, St Wilfrid (west end of north aisle. The servery is on wheels and folds closed when not in use)
Church Lane, Mobberley WA16 7RA
Weaverham, St Mary the Virgin (servery folds closed when not in use)
Church Street, Weaverham, Northwich CW8 3NJ
Churches considering kitchen projects in the future
Stretton, St Matthew (proposed as a new extension on the north side of the church)
Stretton Road, Stretton WA4 4NT
Image credits
In order as they appear
- Ashley, St Elizabeth (kitchenette and loos)
- Doddington, St John the Evangelist (loos)
- Burleydam, St Mary and St Michael (kitchenette)
- Mobberley, St Wilfrid (tea station)