West Sussex church to hold festival following improvement works over £100,000

St Nicholas Church in Lavant has received £73,000 heritage grant (Heritage Lottery Fund) for improvement works and over £100,000 from several trust foundations and generous benefactors including the Duke and Duchess of Richmond.

Now the church has revamped its building with a state-of-the-art kitchen with the help of its architect and Diocesan Advisory Committee.

The project brings together volunteers from the community, local historians and authors, staff at the Novium Museum, staff from the West Sussex Record Office.

Revd Martha Weatherill said: “We are delighted that this worthwhile building project has been completed thanks to our benefactors, meaning that this church will be available to the Village’s current and future residents for years to come. It is an important time to celebrate our heritage. The church which is over a thousand years old was in ‘need of renovation’. It has been much used and much loved over the years by the church and community groups but was beginning to show signs of wear and needing upgrading and extending.”

The church is looking forward to the planned Heritage festival at St Nicholas Church. This will include an evening with illustrated talks by local historians Andrew Berriman and Alan Green on April 21 followed by an open day on April 22 and culminate in a Eucharist with rededication and blessing by The Bishop of Chichester on Sunday, April 23 at 10am.

The Bishop said “I look forward to coming to St Nicholas and celebrating the inspiration and achievements at Lavant.”

In celebration of St Nicholas Church refurbishment and rejuvenation the church will be hosting an evening of history and heritage.

The evening, starting at 7pm, will be led by acclaimed local historians Andrew Berriman and Alan Green who will give illustrated talks on:

Lavant’s Heritage: Andrew Berriman’s Top Twenty.

From stagecoach to Stagecoach- 300 years of travel in the Lavant Valley by Alan Green

The event will include an interval when canapes, wine and soft drinks will be served.

There will also be an opportunity to purchase a copy of Andrew Berriman’s book on Lavant at a special price.

Tickets for the evening are £5 and can be purchased from https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/lavant-churches/st-nicholas-heritage/e-myvaek .