St Bert's church in Norton, Runcorn, has finished the building work on their church, transforming it into a place for the whole community. On Friday 16 February, they celebrated their achievement with an official opening ceremony followed by lunch and a community event.
St Bert’s, officially known as, St Berteline & St Christopher's, the Church, underwent significant changes to both the structure of the building and internal facilities. Accessibility has been improved greatly through the introduction of a wheelchair-friendly entrance and lobby and accessible toilets.
One of the biggest changes is the new kitchen which has been moved to a different part of the building to enable more space to accommodate cooking equipment and work surfaces.
During the opening ceremony, Revd Danny Sedano, who arrived at the parish in September 2023, thanked all of those involved including the various funding organisations and volunteers. Two people in particular were recognised for the extraordinary amount of time and dedication they gave to the project. Bekki Ford project managed and accounted the finances for the project, and Carole Lewis, who was instrumental in accessing the funding streams available through, "her sheer determination and inability to take no for an answer."
Carole Lewis, a volunteer on the project and member of St Bert’s Church, said: “For me, this is not about bricks and mortar it is about what will happen inside, as people are able to come together, these improvements will provide a great and much-needed community hub for Windmill Hill, somewhere people will want to organise activities and events for pure enjoyment, celebration and support.”
Carole added: “We are always looking for more people from the community to join us as well as join our volunteer teams.”
Buildings for Mission Advisor for the Diocese of Chester, who attended the opening ceremony said, “It was a joy to be part of the opening celebration for St Bert’s. It’s fantastic to see grant funding in action. This project has been made possible through people working together towards a common goal, to provide the community with a much-needed space where all kinds of local groups can meet and enjoy. I am sure the local community will benefit every day from the improvements to the building.”