Haveringland residents celebrating the start of the project in late 2022. Photo: Nigel Boldero

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.”

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Called the Ten Towers Trail, the walk is available as a trail guide booklet or can be downloaded online HERE.

The guide unfolds to reveal a map and directions on the route, and includes brief information about the churches visited on the way.

The trail starts at St Peter’s Haveringland and loops around, taking in Cawston and Reepham.

Nigel Boldero, churchwarden at Haveringland Church, which is leading the project, said: “We’ve taken a bit of a liberty with the title. The trail visits 10 churches but there are more than 10 towers, as Reepham has two and Booton two or three, depending on your definition of a tower.

“The trail is fairly easy going on country lanes and footpaths, and arrives at a church every couple of miles.

“Fifteen miles might be a bit of a challenge for some people so we have included some short cuts to make it possible to do the trail in shorter sections.”

Part of a wider project to repair and improve Haveringland Church, the trail guide has been produced by Broadland District Council and the costs of printing are being met by a grant from district councillor Peter Bulman.

A launch event, hosted by Canon Julie Boyd, will feature an overview of the trail project and wider plans to repair and improve Haveringland Church, which has secured £260,000 of funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and other grants.

Everyone is welcome to join the event at St Peter’s Haveringland on Sunday 23 July at 2 pm, with light refreshments available.

Copies of the trail guide will also be available and there is a version available on the Haveringland Chronicles website.

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After the service, the crowd was treated to a flypast by a Spitfire, part of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight. Photo: Rebecca Whitehead

The perimeter road of the old airfield passes close to the church, which is a significant place for the people who treasure the memories of those who served at the base.

Among those who gathered at the church on a gloriously sunny afternoon were senior officers from the air forces of the USA, France, Canada, New Zealand, Australia and Norway.

These nations worked with RAF 100 Group, and their representatives joined the congregation to remember those who served and those who died.

Also present was the Deputy Lieutenant for Norfolk, Lt Col Ian Lonsdale, along with representatives from UK armed forces, emergency services and ex-service and youth organisations.

Perhaps the most important guests were the RAF 100 Group Association, which brings together family members of those who served with the group, many of whom were killed in action.

During the service, accompanied by the Aylsham Band, the church heard memoirs read by family members of those who had served with the 100 Group, and Rt Revd Graham Usher, Bishop of Norwich, led an act of dedication that will be commemorated with a memorial plaque to be installed later in the year.

After the service, the crowd was treated to a flypast by a Spitfire, part of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.

Bishop Graham said: “I was delighted to join a packed church at St Peter’s, Haveringland, to mark its dedication as a memorial church to the RAF 100 Group.

“It was very moving to meet relatives of those who served in that group, including those who, at a young age, had lost their fathers to war.”

Event organiser and RAF 100 Group Association member Mike Hillier said: “The stories told by relatives during the service, brought home the personal side of conflict and how it also affected those who were left behind.

“The church of St Peter, sitting as it does next to the path on which aircraft would pass to take off on their missions at night, will now be a constant reminder to all those who visit of the sacrifices that were made so that we who are left can live in peace and freedom.”

Team Vicar for Haveringland Revd Andrew Whitehead said: “Becoming a memorial church to the RAF 100 Group is an important moment for the church in Haveringland.

“As well as helping us to look back with gratitude to those who fought for our freedom, this new status also enables us to look forward to an exciting future for the church as it seeks to serve the people of today’s generation.”

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With a church packed with displays and fun activities and a programme of talks and project launches, the event also hopes to raise funds towards installing an all-access toilet, baby changing area and kitchen in the church.

This will add to the successful bid to the National Lottery Heritage Fund to carry out urgent repairs and some improvements to access.

The church (off Haveringland Road), which has a limited number of religious services as a “Festival Church”, is developing its role as a community hub, a focus for heritage and arts events, and a launch pad for a Living Landscape project to increase biodiversity in the wider landscape.

The Earth Day event, jointly organised with Norfolk Green Care Network, will see the launch of the Living Landscape project in the afternoon and in the morning a First Nature campaign to expand nature connection opportunities for children and young people across Norfolk.

There will also be talks about bats (including the evidence of bat activity found in the church) and the Eco Church Award, which Haveringland is hoping to make progress on.

The event runs from 10 am – 4 pm and refreshments will be available throughout the day. The First Nature launch commences around 11 am and the Living Landscape project around 2 pm.

Nigel Boldero

Churchwarden, Haveringland Parish Church

Project Manager: Building the Future: Repairing the Past

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