Project Beacon
Faith, Community, Heritage
Faith
Project Beacon will help sustain and grow the church's worshipping community
Community
Project Beacon will allow the church to better support community activities and events and so will enrich the village and local community.
Heritage
Project Beacon will preserve, showcase and interpret the rich and varied heritage that makes up our village story.
Project Beacon has 6 key focus areas
Accessibility and Inclusion The north entrance and the floor level immediately inside the north door will be modified to create ramped access from the carpark to the nave so wheelchair users and those with prams or buggies can get into the building unaided. Blue badge priority parking will be created close to the church as part of redesigning the car park. We will fit a hearing loop and improve lighting for those with sensory challenges.
Adaptability By removing a number of rows of fixed pews, we will create an open area at the west end of church. With moveable seating and furnishings this will be suitable for a wide range of uses such as alternative worship services, club meetings, quizzes, sales and educational outreach visits. The space will also open up new possibilities for heritage displays and engagement.
History & Heritage In many ways the story of St Michael’s is the story of our village, which in turn is our nation’s story. Yet much of that story is hidden, lost or misunderstood. We will restore and display rare and precious artefacts, and offer interpretation that weaves together the many threads of our shared heritage
Activities and Outreach Churches are fantastic venues for cultural events such as concerts, talks and plays. We are already an established venue for the biennial Od Arts Festival. With full access, more space, better facilities and improved lighting and heating, we will be able to put on events year-round. Those physical improvements (access, space, facilities, lighting and heating) coupled with an improved heritage offering will allow us to stage and host educational outreach activities. Whether it is learning about the amazing feats of William Dampier, the life and works of T. S Eliot, the historical origins of the village, or how the black death impacted the community 6 centuries before Covid, a visit to St Michael’s should be an education for young and old alike!
Facilities Increased use of the church means we will need adequate facilities. As well as a revamp of heating and lighting, Project Beacon includes the installation of a fully accessible WC (which will include a baby changing station) and a servery to allow low level catering for community and social events.
Sustainability New heating and lighting systems will be more energy efficient and will allow us to decommission our dirty, un-green oil-fired boiler, and as the new systems will be electric, we will be able to get our power supply from renewable sources. Add to that improved insulation at the main entrance and smarter controls, we will have a warmer and more welcoming church for lower running costs. Project Beacon will improve our financial sustainability, by increasing income (e.g. through more and more frequent ticketed events, increased ad hoc footfall, better and bigger fundraising events) and reducing running costs. Finally, we hope that a wider range of individuals, groups and organisations from the community will get involved in running, using, and worshipping in the church. This will improve, what is sometimes termed, organisational sustainability.