St. Mary’s Church Centre
Space for You
What will you use it for?
Meetings – Celebrations – Family gatherings – Children’s activities – Exercise classes – Community events – Concerts – Clubs and charities – Training – Counselling – Meditation – Coffee mornings – Wine tasting – Small groups – Lunches – Teas …
At the heart of our community
Service to our local community is the very essence of our Church Centre. Opened in 1999, it was designed and built almost entirely by members of the church congregation, and is a living example of faith in action. A valuable community resource, it is run on a ‘not-for-profit’ basis.
All the facilities are available to our church family and the wider community. You don’t have to attend church to book the Centre, which is available for regular bookings as well as for one-off or occasional events.
Facilities
The Church Centre is a welcoming and practical venue for a wide variety of events. From small meetings to family celebrations, we have the facilities to meet your needs. We are in the heart of the village and seek to be good neighbours, so all bookings are assessed for suitability and are subject to acceptance.
The Centre is carpeted throughout, has effective heating, and is professionally cleaned every week. Free wi-fi is available to users of the Centre. Facilities include ‘Go Pack’ tables, comfortable chairs, a DVD/TV, electronic keyboard and for presentations, a portable screen and projector stand are available.
Children are most welcome. For children’s events we have special tables and chairs which are perfect for our smaller guests.
There are three main areas available for hire:
The Main Hall – situated on the ground floor, this versatile space of 8.7m x 9.3m can accommodate up to 60 people It has an en-suite compact kitchen with a water boiler for drinks, a domestic cooker, microwave, fridge and good quality crockery, cutlery and cooking utensils. This gives you the flexibility to bring in your own caterers, or do-it-yourself. All food safety precautions are the responsibility of the hirer.
Ladies’ and Gents’ toilets, plus an accessible toilet with baby changing facilities are also on the ground floor. The whole of the ground floor is fully accessible to wheelchair users.
The Upstairs Hall – measuring 8.7m x 6.3m, this space can accommodate up to 50 people and has facilities for making hot drinks. There is also a toilet, and for those with limited mobility, a stairlift allows access to the upper floor.
The Quiet Room – This is a peaceful space measuring 4m x 4m with restful lighting and comfortable seating for 10. It is the perfect venue for small meetings, one-to-one discussions or groups who value peace and quiet.
Hire charges
We love our Church Centre and work hard to ensure it is an asset to the community. We aim to make it accessible and affordable for everyone. We offer a reduced rate for community events, charities and voluntary organisations. You can hire one area of the Centre (e.g. one of the halls, or the Quiet Room) or the entire facility.
The current hire charges (as at July 2021) are:
Formally constituted St. Mary’s groups and meetings: Ground floor hall and kitchen; First floor hall; Quiet room – No charge
All other users: Ground floor hall and kitchen – £12 per hour; First floor hall – £10 per hour; Quiet room – £5 per hour.
All the above prices are at the discretion of the Bookings Secretary and/or PCC. All booking requests are subject to suitability, and accepted at the discretion of the Bookings Secretary and/or PCC.
Church ‘Away Days’: £80 for the day, which includes the use of the whole Centre together with equipment as required. Use of the church is free to all.
For regular bookings (those over four weeks’ duration with monthly advance payment) we may offer a discount on the hire charges. Please contact the Bookings Secretary for more information (see below).
Location
The Church Centre is located about 5 miles from Taunton off the A358 (Minehead) road. It is easy to find within the village as it is adjacent to the beautiful Parish Church of St. Mary the Virgin, which dates from the 14th and 15th centuries.
There is on-street parking in the vicinity and a supermarket, tea shop and pubs within a few minutes’ walk. Use of the school car park may be available for larger events.
For your sat-nav, please enter the postcode: TA4 3AT.
Enquiries
We very much look forward to welcoming you to our light, airy centre in the heart of the Somerset countryside. To make a booking, or if you have an enquiry please contact David Balston Tel: 01823 433486. Email: administrator@bishopslydeardbenefice.org