THE New Year has heralded the go-ahead for the construction of a new indoor facility at the Church of the Holy Rood in Holybourne.

Work started on Monday on the first phase of a living space project which will see the building of toilets and a kitchen inside the church, the moving of the font to facilitate easy access for disabled and elderly parishioners, and the installation of moveable pews.

It follows the official signing of a contract last Friday by the Reverend Andrew Micklefield, vicar of the Parish of the Resurrection, of which the Church of the Holy Rood is part, and Robert Croft, of Bentley-based family-run building company RA Croft Ltd, specialists in bespoke building projects and renovations, who will carry out the work.

Work on phase one of the project is expected to take 16 weeks and cost £150,000 to complete.

A future project will tackle heating and lighting in the historic building.

Rev Micklefield said: “I am really pleased that we have reached this stage of the Living Space Project. It is all very exciting and I can’t wait to see the end result.

“Many people have been working hard to raise the funds over the last three years and we already have £135,000 from our local appeal, grant applications, donations and parish income toward the total of this first and largest phase of the Living Space Project.

“We still need £15,000 to reach the full target but work can start while fundraising continues.”

He added: “Shortly we will place an order for the new pews and we will be publicising details of how people can sponsor a new pew and dedicate it to someone they wish to be remembered or just simply help us to reach the local appeal target.

“In a few weeks time we will also be offering the old pews for reuse in some way, again for a donation to the appeal.”

The Church of the Holy Rood has been at the centre of the community in Holybourne for nearly 900 years and, while the structure has been maintained over the years, the interior of the church is largely unchanged since the 1800s.

“For this historic building to continue to serve the community, it now needs renovation and reordering,” said Rev Micklefield.

And he added: “The Living Space Project aims to provide a flexible space for church and community use in beautiful surroundings that will enhance village life for decades to come.

“The vision is of regular community activities taking place in the church, sharing facilities and getting the most use from this Grade II Listed building.

“It is a vital part of the local heritage that deserves to be preserved and renovated for the local population.”

Part of the next phase will be an exhibition celebrating the heritage of Holybourne that is expected to attract visitors and residents alike.

* The Church of the Holy Rood is part of The Parish of the Resurrection serving the villages of Beech and Holybourne and the town of Alton. The parish also works in partnership with Alton Methodist Church in ministry across the town, including the Anna Chaplaincy for older people and schools and children’s work.