NORHAM
LIFE
St Cuthbert's Project
Information about the project as it progresses will be published below in regular bulletins.
To find out more about the project, please contact:
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The Vicar, the Revd Rob Kelsey, 01289 382325
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The churchwardens: Mr William Jackson, 01289 382028 & Mrs Lucy Carroll, 01890 882177
Bulletin 1 - March 2025
Back in 2019, the Parochial Church Council (PCC) at St Cuthbert’s, Norham, agreed that we wished to make the church building more user-friendly for both worshippers and visitors, and more of an asset to the whole community. Worship is at the heart of what we do, but the life of the church is more than what happens on a Sunday morning, and Norham Church belongs to everyone in the parish.
A consultation with numerous groups and individuals resulted in a report and proposals … just before Covid came along, which knocked everything on the head!
In recent years, the Standing Committee has been gathering information, seeking advice, obtaining cost estimates, exploring options, establishing the feasibility of some solutions, and discounting others. We have identified the elements of a project to improve the heating, lighting, accessibility and facilities of the building, and enable more people to connect to our shared history and heritage.
In some ways, this has been a long time coming but, at the same time, we’ve come a long way. It seems to me like the long but necessary trek to the foothills of a mountain, which we’re now beginning to climb.
We are working with Katherine Williams, who produced the original report, and have begun talking to the National Lottery Heritage Fund. Our Church Architect, Ninette Edwards, is advising on the requirements of the Diocesan Advisory Committee for the Care of Churches (DAC), to whom we plan to submit an outline proposal in early April. In the meantime, we intend to visit two or more venues where our preferred heating system has already been installed, to confirm its suitability.
Bulletin 2 - April 2025
The Standing Committee met towards the end of March with Katherine Williams, our development and fundraising adviser (https://katherinewilliamsfundraiser.com/), who has put some flesh on the bones of our ‘wish list’, and suggested a phased approach, with the first phase comprising a two year project, with the option to take things further after that.
In Katherine’s words, ‘The biggest barrier to engaging more people and enabling them to connect to the heritage of St Cuthbert’s is heating and lighting. Without this the church cannot fulfil its potential as a community hub, venue for events and visitor destination. This project will make the church warmer and more welcoming. Once this is completed we will be able to deliver a range of activities, engage people in our heritage stories and continue to involve local people in developing the church building to meet their needs.’
The two-year project is likely to include the following:
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Improved heating and lighting (including substantial rewiring of the church building, which has recently become a priority).
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Improved parking and access.
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Improved interpretation for the church and churchyard, to encourage visitors to appreciate what Norham Church has to offer, and connect with the heritage of the church and village.
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An activity programme in the church and churchyard, building on the existing work of the Concert Planning Group; recent and future exhibitions, art installations, flower festivals, etc; and growing interest in several people of historical importance who are buried in Norham churchyard.
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A community art work, based on the local heritage story, to be displayed in the church, and perhaps the Village Hall and elsewhere.
Bulletin 3 - May 2025
At its meeting on 31st March, the Norham Parochial Church Council (PCC) agreed in principle to the three elements of a shorter-term ‘mini project’, comprising the following:
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Improved seating for the choir. The Standing Committee have identified Treske, ‘makers of beautifully crafted, hardwood furniture’ as a suitable supplier (an example of their work can be found – and tried out! – at the front of church). Janet Young is liaising with the choir about this.
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Cushions for the pews in the nave. Samples have been obtained from a recommended supplier.
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A motorised roller blind behind the chancel arch, to be lowered during a church service as a means of (a) reducing the draught that blows down from the east end of the church, and (b) perhaps projecting images or videos for use during First Sunday Worship. The Vicar is liaising with someone from The Maltings about this (who has expertise in this area). He has also sent an enquiry to a stage equipment supplier about the likely cost.
The advantages of such a mini-project could be as follows:
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The changes might be achieved by the end of this year.
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They would be a relatively ‘quick win’, giving a boost to our confidence and encouraging a ‘can do’ attitude.
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They would represent a kind of down payment on our ambitions for the larger project.
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The Standing Committee would seek to cover the cost of this mini project from grant making bodies, identified by Katherine Williams, our development and fundraising adviser. But, if some or all of the cost had to be met from Bill Mills’s legacy, it would be money well spent, and would provide a tangible and lasting memorial to his faith and generosity.
Bulletin 4 - June 2025
The Standing Committee of the Parochial Church Council (PCC) continue to meet every month or so, with more work being done between meetings.
Our Funding Adviser, Katherine Williams, is helping us through the complex process of applying to the National Lottery Heritage Fund for a grant in the region of about £240,000. We recently had a preliminary meeting with a representative of the Fund, who was very positive about our project.
The PCC’s Architect, Ninette Edwards, has made a preliminary submission to the Diocesan Advisory Committee (DAC), who offer advice and guidance on church projects, and oversee the equivalent of planning permission for work on church buildings. In her submission, Ninette put the case for improved heating along the following lines:
In order to make the church more hospitable, the PCC would like to improve the heating. They are keen to respond to the Net Zero 2030 targets, and have explored a few electric heating options, bearing in mind that the church is not in continual use.
The options reviewed have included ground source and air source heating; the capital costs for each of these is very high, and they would be expensive to run. Biomass has also been explored, and dismissed for the same reasons. The position of radiators would be problematic, due to most of the seating being in the nave away from walls, and underfloor heating would require new flooring throughout.
A Herschel Halo far infrared heating system, with lights, is therefore proposed, at a cost of about £90,000. The church at one time had chandelier lighting, so the concept of this type of suspended fitting is not new for the building.
To find out more about the Herschel heating system, see: https://www.herschel-infrared.co.uk/heating-heritage-buildings/churches.