We have recently confirmed that we have received planning permission and listed building consent from City of York Council for the external elements of Impact, our proposed major building project. The permission includes over £3.5m worth of urgent external repairs and improvements to the fabric of the St Michael le Belfrey.

Permission is subject to certain planning conditions including the requirement for a written scheme of investigation for archaeology before construction commences. The approved works, due to start later this year, will include a new roof as well as repairs to the stonework and medieval stained glass. In addition, the proposed design will create two new doorways and level access to the front/west end; while the installation of an air source heat pump to the east of the church building will provide underfloor heating.

The first major refurbishment to the church building in more than 150 years, The Belfrey’s Impact project will create a far more welcoming, flexible and accessible entrance area and ensure the building is sustainable for generations to come. The improvements will enable us to serve the city of York and our community better. Nestled close to York Minster, we welcome 35,000 visitors a year and have a 600-strong congregation across our four services, engaging in a creative and vibrant ministry.

As a church, The Belfrey would like to thank our planning consultants O’Neill Associates who have consulted with City of York Council throughout the application process, and our amazing architects, LDN, for the extensive submission and subsequent revision of drawings and documents as we responded to the Council’s comments and advice.

The repairs are forming part of our bigger £11m Impact project to beautifully transform the church building for future generations. The interior of the church is currently inflexible and inaccessible with uneven floors and poor facilities, and is in desperate need of modernisation. The proposed renovations to the interior have to be approved through the Church of England’s Faculty process. They include the creation of better toilet facilities, new meeting spaces, cafe and servery area, new gallery and lift, together with updated technology and flexible seating. An accessible full immersion baptism pool will be created for use by The Belfrey and churches throughout the area. Impact was recommended by the York Diocesan Advisory Committee in November 2022 and we look forward to reaching an outcome later in the year.

The proposed two-year project of repairs and renovations is due to start in late 2023 with completion in late 2025. It will deliver a far more flexible, accessible building that is fit for purpose practically and spiritually, to serve the city of York, the Diocese and beyond. We expect the Impact project will deliver numerous outcomes which include expansion in our work with children, young people and students. We will be better equipped to deliver our social action programme for the city, including expanding our newly opened Christians Against Poverty (CAP) Debt Centre, and a soon to be launched counselling service, amongst other initiatives. Impact will facilitate our vision to act as a hub for training and resourcing social action in partnership with other churches and charities in York. It will offer a beautiful mid-sized city centre venue, and we predict we will double the numbers of people who visit.

The Belfrey congregation and staff team will be moving to The De Grey Rooms in central York during the construction phase of the project.

For further information about the project, please contact Gillian Shepherd, Impact Project Manager on 07795 644680, email gillian.shepherd@belfrey.org, or visit www.belfrey.org/impact

Last month our Vicar, Matthew Porter, was announced as the new Bishop of Bolton in the Diocese of Manchester.

We are so excited for Matthew and his wife, Sam, as they take on this new adventure in Manchester and particularly what he can bring to grow the mission and church planting initiatives in the area. Matthew has always been passionate about evangelism and empowering us as a church to see God’s transformation of the North and we are excited to see how he continues this over in Bolton.

We are saddened to see Matthew leave us here in York but are thankful for Matthew and Sam’s servant hearted nature and all they have given to The Belfrey over the last 14 years as leaders here. They will be greatly missed but we will be praying for them as they finish up their time here in York and prepare to move over the summer.

We will be officially thanking both Matthew and Sam and saying goodbye during their final Sunday with us on the 11th June and will be praying for Matthew as he is officially consecrated as Bishop in York Minster on the 22nd June.

With our Impact project rapidly gaining traction we are pleased to announce that during construction we will be moving into the historic De Grey Rooms.

Located opposite York’s Art Gallery just a minute down the road from St Michael le Belfrey, we will be moving both our services and offices into this temporary home for two to three years as our building undertakes major restoration and renovation works.

Built in 1841, the De Grey Rooms consists of a large and beautiful ballroom where our services will take place as well as plenty of other rooms of varying sizes that will be used throughout the week to hold our offices and for small events. This move will undoubtedly mark great change for us here at the Belfrey and how we operate but we are excited for the new opportunities it will provide for our services, outreach events and more.

As we said in the Friday newsletter on 27th January, The Belfrey Love Your Neighbour focus is to have four short-term projects over 2023 where we’ll be encouraging you to “serve York” through joining in with projects across York.

The first of these is ”Central Store”, a free clothing store for asylum seekers to come and choose their own clothes, which has just been set up.  The Social Action Fund (our Post Pandemic Fund) has given a £4000 start-up donation, and it’s a wonderful way for us to meet the needs of our neighbours in York.  It is running at Central Methodist Church on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, 1-3pm, with volunteers there 12:30-3:30.  Refugee Action York are co-ordinating the volunteers who will go through RAY’s application process.  They would prefer you to be able to give at least a 6 month commitment to the project, although the commitment could be anything from once-a-month to more frequently.  

So can you help?   If you’re interested, please contact claire.treherne@belfrey.org or volunteers@refugeeactionyork.com for an application form.

This is only the first of a number of opportunities to help the four hundred refugees in a hotel in York who arrived in December 2022, plus of course those who have been in York longer.

Coming soon will be: 

• evening volunteer sessions to receive and sort clothes

• drivers for van runs

• requests for donated clothes. 

More will follow as details are confirmed.

The second round of The Belfrey’s Social Action Small Grands Fund is open for applications.

In partnership with Two Ridings Community Foundation, The Belfrey is pleased to announce that a further £25,000 is now available for charities in York from our Post Pandemic Fund. As a resource church in the heart of York we want to serve our city and region; these Grants will provide support to charities and social action projects here, especially those operating at grassroots and local community level.

Charities are invited to apply for up to £2,000 to help their ongoing work and aid the recovery of York as it emerges from the COVID19 pandemic.

Begun at The Belfrey in 2021, the Post Pandemic Fund is a £1m+ programme which supports activities focusing on:

• Poverty

• Mental Health

• Young People and Families

The closing date for this round is the 8th November. Application packs and more information can be found on the Two Ridings website.

Our previous round of funding over the summer of 2022 distributed £25,428 to 13 different local charities and community groups, providing much-needed support to people across York.

Several charities received vital funds to help launch new initiatives or expand ongoing work. York Women’s Counselling Service were awarded £2,000 to cover the costs of 200 hours of counselling for women in need in the city, sustaining their ongoing work. St Thomas’ Church in The Groves received £1,815 to run a weekly creative café for 10 weeks; and Tang Hall Community Centre aimed to tackle financial issues for families over the school holidays by providing weekly food parcels for families in need with their £1,800 grant. York Inspirational Kids received £2,000 to run cooking and craft activities to help children with autism to increase social networks and develop skills. All these amazing organisations and more have been working across York this last year to help those most in need in our city and provide activities and support for the city.

We want to continue this great work and support over winter and into next year. If you are part of a charity that might need some financial support with their work or want to begin a new initiative, we would love to be able to work with you to help achieve this - please do consider applying.

Interested to learn more about Social Action at The Belfrey or the Post Pandemic Fund?

Contact Alison Dawson, Social Action Programme Manager