Updating our Church Family & the wider Brighouse Community on our exciting plans for the future of our building

19th September 2021

PUBLIC NOTICE

The Ecclesiastical Exemption (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) (England) Order 2010

PROPOSED WORKS

41304 Open to God Open to all
Brighouse Central Methodist Church

The managing trustees of the above building wish to undertake the following work to the chapel, which is listed as being of special architectural or historic interest.

41304 Open to God Open to all

If you wish to make any comment or objection to these proposals you should write within 28 days of the date at the top of this notice to:

Conservation Office
Central Buildings
Oldham Street
Manchester M1 1JQ

The story so far …

Over the last few years, there has been a strong commitment at Brighouse Central to build ever closer links with the community in Brighouse.

We are a friendly lot, and all are always welcome to drop into one of our events or services once we can open the building as we would wish.

Our church community has not been idle throughout the pandemic. There have been lots of virtual gatherings of small groups, our regular Facebook services and reflections, and of course, the Foodbank remains busier than ever.

We know that much will be different in the months ahead. We know that many of you who might not be able to attend Church here or visit our building for other reasons have loved engaging digitally and so we will continue to build our digital communication and activities.

We know too that others are keen to get back into the building, to meet friends old and new face to face, to celebrate the strength of the growing Brighouse community.

 

So, we have kept working hard on plans for a major refurbishment of the building, a project which we are calling The Brig Build, and we are ready to move to the next stage. Our architect submitted our designs to Calderdale Council in July 2020 seeking planning permission. We want to start the work in the autumn of 2020, and you can see from the illustration that we want a building that is Open to All.

So, what’s next?

Our Church members have generously supported The Brig Build project as has our circuit of churches in Calderdale. We have also been blessed that the hard work of our Grants team has been rewarded by several grants from various sources. But we need to raise more. There is so much we can do with the building that will benefit the Brighouse community.

We would like to find a new purpose too for Wesley House, next to Central on Parsonage Lane.

Above all, we are simply custodians of a fine B-listed building complex that has been at the heart of Brighouse life since the early 20th century. We must ensure that the building is overflowing with people, with their ideas for community activities, and that Central becomes just that – central to the life of our community.

To ensure the refurbished building remains a hub for the wider community to enjoy for years to come after The Brig Build project is complete, we are also running another initiative, The Brig Community.

Why is The Brig Community project important?

For some this project is about living out their faith, serving their community, especially with the most vulnerable. For others, it is simply about the community activities that are based there, such as the Foodbank and Friday lunches supporting those in need.

Seeking Partners

We need to find people with ideas who want to form a collaborative partnership with us and deliver a shared vision…

We are looking for an Events Management partner, to including Music and the Arts, and also a Catering Services partner

Events Management

We need to find local partners, individuals or organisations, who can see the potential as we recover from the pandemic, for us to host a range of events across all our available spaces; from a 350 seat concert hall to regular meetings of community groups, music rehearsals, intimate poetry readings, in smaller, well-equipped rooms.

We can build on the well-established Music Academy, both face to face and online, reinforcing the great musical traditions of both the town and of Central.

Catering Services

We also need to find a local partner to run the new café and kitchen, to support such a huge range of activities that will require sustenance for all ages, be it community events, concerts, or business seminars.

But more than that, it can be a place in its own right to develop a loyal base of customers who want a convenient location in which to relax, meet and enjoy the company of friends in a café atmosphere.

Seeking a new purpose: Wesley House

We need to find partners for Wesley House too, a very solid four-bedroom property built to last over 100 years ago. Perhaps there is a new community purpose for Wesley House, working with a local charity and/or with a local developer? We are open to ideas!

How can YOU get involved?

So, we need you to get involved. We want your ideas. We want your time and your expertise. Above all we want you to tell others what is about to happen at Brighouse Central for the benefit of the community.

Over the coming months, we will be using social media to keep everyone informed who uses Facebook and LinkedIn. We know too that not everyone is “ON” social media so we will be keeping the local press informed, sending out regular updates as needed.

You can help too by keeping your family, friends, and neighbours informed in good old-fashioned ways too, by telephone and in conversation!

You can also help with our upcoming music concert series by becoming a Founding Subscriber.

Here is where to find us and how to communicate with us:

Email us: thebrigbuild@brighousecmc.org

 

Together, we can ensure that Brighouse remains a community of which we can all be proud and a vital part of. Bringing Central alive for the Community of Brighouse.