This pioneering “festival church” in the Aylsham & District Team Ministry will also serve as a multi-purpose community hub with major repairs and improvements having created an attractive, accessible, comfortable centre serving a wide area north of Norwich.
 
The building is now weatherproof and also wheelchair accessible with an all-access toilet. New heating, lighting and kitchen facilities will enable the building to be used for a wide range of activities alongside its original role as a place of Christian worship.
 
An interactive Heritage Hub allows visitors to access local heritage stories as well as undertake a self-guided tour of the church on mobile phones. The building is also equipped with a high-quality audio and video system.
 
Over the past two years, more than 25 different organisations have helped to fund the improvements with more than £300,000 coming from the National Lottery Heritage Fund. Further funding, giving a total of over £500,000, has been raised from several local charities, the government, Broadland District Council and other donors.
 
The Darkness to Light service at 6 pm on Monday 16 December will feature a rededication of the church by the Bishop of Lynn, music from Cawston Community Choir and local folk group The Shackleton Trio. There will also be a display about the Nature North of Norwich project and Christmas refreshments
 
A programme of events and activities is planned for 2025, including a groundbreaking project called Only Connect that aims at reducing social isolation. Norfolk Community Foundation has funded this programme and well as acquiring chairs, coffee tables and other equipment for the hub.
 
Revd Andrew Whitehead, vicar and chair of the Parochial Church Council, said: “The church in Haveringland has long been seen as a pioneer in its work to establish a different way of operating for rural churches.
 
“The completion of this exciting project takes that model one step further as we rededicate the building to a much broader use. Of course, fundraising for church building projects is always a challenge, and we are extremely grateful for the funding received, especially via National Lottery players.”
 
The project is also trying to improve local biodiversity with its award-winning conservation churchyard and improved access to the countryside through the Nature North of Norwich project that is being developed with Broadland District Council funding.
 
Churchwarden and project manager Nigel Boldero said: “This has been a long and sometimes challenging journey over the past eight years, but we now have a valuable asset that will help to bring the community together and meet a wide range of needs.”
 
Haveringland Together, a group set up a couple of years ago to help with fundraising and engaging the community, has played a major part in moving the project forward. Chair Andre Korolus said: “Our initial focus has been on helping to raise funds, but now with much of the funding in place, we can spend even more time getting people engaged – both attending events and activities and also helping to run them.”