The Next 900 Campaign Appeal

Why is St Michael’s so important to the community today?

St Michael’s continues to be a lively place of worship. It is also at the heart of community events, like our famous Houghton Feast, and is used for everything from bell-ringing to Brownies and barbecues.

Click here to find out what’s on
Click here to find out about this year’s Houghton Feast

With investment in new facilities, it could offer even more for local people and visitors.

How are we making the building more accessible?

Following lots of consultation, we have decided to remove the fixed wooden pews in the church. Not only are the old Victorian pews very uncomfortable, they are fixed onto a wooden platform which people were tripping over as they tried to sit down.

So we also are taking out this wooden base and levelling the floor to make it safer and easier to move around the church. While we’re at it, we’re putting in underfloor heating to keep us all nice and warm too!

The fixed pews will be replaced with comfortable new short pews and chairs. It will then be easy to move the seating to give us an open space in the nave for events and activities. Treske of Thirsk are making the beautiful new pews and chairs.

We’re also going to create a separate space inside the church, within the North Transept, for activities and meetings. This can be used for learning and training, as well as being a gathering place for children during church services.

To ensure everyone can enjoy the church, its services and activities, we’re upgrading the lighting and the sound system. We’re also putting in parking bays in the churchyard car park for visitors with disabilities, easy opening doors in the church porch and a wheelchair lift to the chancel.

All these works will cost in the region of £400,000. This is why we need your help to raise a total of one million pounds. (next)

Campaign home page
Campaign Events
Issues
Building history and significance
The architectural proposals
The access proposals
The heritage proposals
Success so far
St Michael’s home page
How much have we raised so far?