Major Works Update – December 2025
Moving Forward Together
Over the past few months, we’ve taken some important steps toward realising our vision for St Thomas’. We’re pleased to share where things stand, what the community has told us, and what comes next.
Growing Support for the Project
Our recent presentation to Stockton Heath Parish Council was warmly received, with councillors expressing strong support for the direction of the project.
We also welcomed representatives from the Diocesan Advisory Committee—the church’s equivalent of a planning committee. After touring the church and engaging in a detailed discussion, they offered constructive feedback and were broadly supportive of the proposals. Their endorsement is an encouraging sign as we move toward a full Faculty Application.
Beyond formal bodies, we’ve continued speaking with local groups such as the Stockton Heath Music Society, who were enthusiastic about the opportunities the project could create for performances, partnerships, and community events.
Listening to Our Community
A central part of the project has been understanding the needs, hopes and ideas of the people who use—and love—our church. Our recent community consultation provided exactly that.
You can read the full results here, but the headline figures are worth celebrating:
- 130 surveys completed
- 92% of respondents had visited the church for a variety of reasons
- Strong appetite for a more open, flexible space and improved facilities
What People Want to See
The messages from the consultation were clear:
- 65% would use an open, versatile space
- 75% felt a central dais/platform would be an asset
- People suggested a wide mix of activities they’d like the church to host
- Many shared favourite features….
- And memories…..
- Respondents identified specific ways the church could meet community needs
Perhaps most strikingly, 75% of people said they would be more likely to use the church once the project is complete. Extended opening hours were particularly popular.
We were also encouraged that 38% of respondents offered to help, whether with social media, fundraising, admin, heritage work, or eco-projects.
And there was an overwhelming sense that this project could be transformative:
80% felt it would make a positive difference to Stockton Heath.
Of 77 written comments, 43 referenced “community”. Here are just a few:
- “Make the church a place people come to, rather than walk past.”
- “We need more safe space.”
- “An advantage for the whole community.”
- “Ensuring the church remains a focal point for the village for spiritual, community and environmental benefit.”
This community spirit is exactly what the project is about.
A Representative Voice
Respondents reflected a wide range of ages, backgrounds and life stages, giving us confidence that the consultation has captured the true voice of Stockton Heath.
| Age | 5 – 15 | 16 – 25 | 26 – 40 | 41– 60 | 61 –75 |
| 2 | 3 | 5 | 25 | 51 |
| Gender | Male | Female | Other | No answer |
| 35 | 68 | 0 | 0 |
| Marital status | Single | Married | Widowed | Divorced | Other |
| 14 | 65 | 15 | 7 | 3 |
| Ethnicity | White British | Mixed | Asian | Chinese | Other |
| 77 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Employment status | Employed | Unemployed | Self-employed | Retired | Other |
| 21 | 3 | 5 | 60 | 4 |
8% of respondents declared a disability.
Next Steps: Hopeful but Realistic
The consultation results show a clear appetite for positive change, balancing the protection of our heritage with the creation of a welcoming, adaptable community space.
However, we must also be honest:
Our second Expression of Interest to the National Heritage Lottery Fund was unsuccessful. Without major grant support, a project costed at around £1.7 million cannot proceed.
The good news is that conversations with the Heritage Fund since then have been constructive. We will shortly be submitting a new EOI, informed by their feedback and strengthened by the powerful consultation results.
If we are invited to make a full application, we will need to secure 10% matched funding, and we will be exploring every avenue to achieve this.
We are seeking an imaginative ‘title/ name’ for our project reflecting the aims and objectives outlined here. If you have any ideas or suggestions, please email me at stsmmtreasurer@outlook.com
Thank You
Thank you to everyone who completed the survey, shared ideas, offered help, and championed the future of St Thomas’. Your voices have shaped this project, and they will continue to guide the journey ahead.
St. Thomas’ Major works proposal 2025
St. Thomas’ Church is :
- a Grade II Listed Building
- on the Heritage England’s Churches at Risk register
- a church in the heart of the community of Stockton Heath
A Quinquennial Inspection in 2007 identified 5 phases of renovation / remedial works – we have completed 3 phases:
- The first two phases addressed dry rot in the roof by replacing most of the main roof structure seen in the first picture of the Church above, made repairs to the masonry of the south porch and included the installation of a sloping floor for accessibility. The area of roof not repaired leaks in wet weather, necessitating protection of office equipment.
- The third phase was to replace the Tower roof and repair the louvres of the tower windows, repair the decaying masonry of the top third of the tower, install a ring of 10 bells in the tower salvaged from the closed church of St John’s Bollington and provide new kitchen and toilet facilities including an accessible toilet.
Masonry work repairs to the tower windows
Before
After
Preserving the Heritage
It is inconceivable that our church will not survive to serve the community of Stockton Heath for generations to come, yet that is the stark reality without this renovation work. As good custodians of the heritage we now need to address the final two stages of structural work:
- to replace the leaking roof over the Vicar’s vestry, the east slope of the North Transept and north Chancel.
- repair and restore the masonry work in all areas where it is failing
A brief walk around the outside of church reveals many areas where the face of the soft red sandstone has burst and is in urgent need of repair.
Activity, Participation and Community
In addition, we wish to undertake internal re-ordering to improve our facilities for church activities and community use.
We will:
- Improve the entrance, welcome and ‘invitation’
- Create a versatile space around the north aisle
- Bring the Lady Chapel altar forward
- Create a central platform / dais into the Nave from the Chancel
Entrance
The current wooden porch does not follow the natural arch of the stone entrance, it does not allow the interior to be viewed from outside, it is draughty and unwelcoming.
We will replace this internal porch with a glass entrance built around the existing external doors and which follows the stone arch, improves natural light and heat conservation whilst conserving the main wooden external doors as part of the Heritage.
Versatile Space
As can be seen above we do not have sufficient space to set up for craft activities for our youth and children’s activities, and we need to use the aisles. Other community events like the Art Exhibition during Stockton Heath Festival would also benefit hugely if we can open up the space and use it more flexibly.
We will create a versatile space around the area of the south aisle by removing pews to the right of the pillars in the picture above, bringing the wooden Lady Chapel screen with the carved badges and various coats of arms towards the west end to form an entrance to the whole area.
When officiating in the Lady Chapel the Vicar has his back to the congregation and they cannot see the preparation of the table or consecration of the host.
We will bring the Lady Chapel Altar forward to enable the Vicar to preside from behind it and face the congregation.
Within this versatile space we will create an interactive digital display to celebrate the tangible and intangible heritage of the church.
Tangible heritage – to detail and explain the important heritage features such as the font, the stained-glass windows, the altar and marble reredos, the organ.
Intangible heritage – the ‘stories’, the ‘life’ of the church. Who were the first patrons of this church? What else did E G Paley design? Are there any living descendants of those buried in our war graves? Any stories? Are there generations of one family married in our church? What happened in our church during the wars? What was the story of the bells before they came here? – as examples.
We have many concerts in church and creating the central dais / platform will improve the performing space and allow for a nave altar to, on occasion, bring the sacrament of Holy Communion nearer to the people.
Our church is open daily 10am to noon for visitors, staffed by volunteers.
We will look to install CCTV cameras to facilitate longer unmanned opening.
Ensuring we have a Positive Environmental Impact
We have a very old and inefficient boiler and heating system with huge energy costs. It is now impossible to obtain parts for it and if it breaks down it will be obsolete. A full heating appraisal has been undertaken.
We will look to replace the 25-year-old gas boiler with a more efficient hydrogen ready gas boiler and supplement this with an air source heat pump to give a background ambient temperature and we will investigate the possibility of solar panels to power the air source heat pump, sited unobtrusively in the roof valley on the south-facing slope.
We hold the A Rocha Silver eco award.
We will work towards achieving the Gold award by collaborating with partners like WASH and the Walton Lea project to enhance the outside space with projects like the Community Vegetable Garden, bird feeders and bird boxes, planting to encourage pollinators.
Sustainability
- Making our church watertight and addressing the masonry failings will preserve the heritage of this building for future generations to enjoy.
- Providing facilities for more varied use of our church both by the congregation and community will increase the numbers and variety of people using our church.
- Celebrating the tangible and intangible heritage of the church will increase interest and information around our church and its history.
- By improving the energy efficiency of our church, working towards net zero and the A Rocha Gold award, we will be reducing our energy costs and contributing to the sustainability of the planet.
Can you help?
If you feel you would like to learn more about the project or are able to offer support for this work, if you have any particular relevant expertise or if you have any stories to share, please contact: Sue Burke at stsmmtreasurer@outlook.com
If you would like to help financially you can donate here.