At the heart of Leicestershire
St Martin’s House
– a new Christian heart for Leicester
The Bishop of Leicester has announced today the creation of a new centre for outreach with a focus on meeting the needs of some of the most disadvantaged groups in society. The new Centre is to be called St Martin’s House, named after the Cathedral’s patron saint.
The former grammar school, next to the Cathedral in Peacock Lane, Leicester will become the base for a combination of social outreach, new offices and a central meeting place for the Church of England in the Diocese of Leicester. The magnificent Grand Hall at the heart of the building will also offer a unique new city venue for events, functions and conferences.
The Rt Revd Tim Stevens said “In the midst of the recession I am delighted that we have been able to announce the creation of this new Centre. I hope that St Martin’s House will be a transforming presence for the people of the city and county as it provides a base for work amongst some of the most vulnerable in our city and offer a generous welcome to those who use the building and its services”.
The Dean of Leicester, the Very Revd Vivienne Faull agreed. “We are excited about all the opportunities this venture will bring for the expansion of the current work of the Cathedral and the development of new projects so that we can give far more to our local community and across the city and county.”
St Martin’s House has been made possible by two generous private donations from the Samworth family and David Wilson and his Foundation, combined with Church of England support and other charitable funds. After an open tender process, the £3m contract for the refurbishment of the building has been awarded to the local firm Hallam Contracts Ltd. A spokesman for Hallams said “We are delighted and proud to be associated with such an exciting and worthwhile project and are extremely pleased that we as a local company have been awarded the contract which in these difficult economic times will help to safeguard employment of our local workforce.”
It is planned that work on St Martin’s House will be completed before the end of the year, and it will be open for use in early 2011.
22.02.10
New Cathedral Square Unveiled
Plans for Leicester’s new Cathedral Square have gone on public display in the Cathedral. The first phase of this project is intended to cover the area of the Cathedral precincts, and will replace an earlier 1980s remodelling which built up the ground on both sides of a central path. The new proposals will take the surface back to its former level, and create an open space for up to 750 people (seated) or 1500 standing for concerts, events and gatherings of various sorts. It will also address issues of crime and public safety by removing railings around the edge, and opening up the space for freer movement.
The proposals, which are supported by the church’s national body, the Cathedrals Fabric Commission for England, are now the subject of a planning application to Leicester City Council, and can be viewed on their website, or in the Cathedral itself, where comments can also be left.
Rt Revd Tim Stevens, Bishop of Leicester, said: “The new Cathedral Square will make a significant contribution to the life of the city and county. A Cathedral is traditionally what gives a place its status as a city. A high quality setting for its Cathedral help put Leicester on the map, and the gathering space we are creating will also contribute significantly to the city’s continued economic regeneration.”
Please click on the following
st-martins-house-Exec. Sum to read the ‘Executive Summary’
Update on – Phase 1 Development
As a continuation, plans have now been submitted to the City Council. The Plans are on view to the general public in Leicester Cathedral. Please click on the following phase-1-development to view the illustrations.
Your comments can be made by e-mailing Danni.Blair@leccofe.org
New Cathedral Square Takes A Step Forward
Outline plans have now been drawn up for the first stage of the planned development of Cathedral Square.Following the decision over a year ago to reorder Leicester Cathedral precincts to make them a safer, more attractive place, proposals have now been submitted to the Cathedrals Fabric Commission for England which is the national body responsible for all the Church of England’s Cathedrals.
Once accepted, these plans will ensure the Cathedral will be moving ahead in partnership with Leicester City Council in what both hope will be a more comprehensive regeneration of the neglected oldest part of the city, which stretches from the Cathedral to the Castle.
In a recent survey of people using the precinct, over half of those questioned said they found the place unwelcoming in various ways, and one in 4 said it was actively frightening. The new public square will address these issues by removing dark corners and cul de sacs, and creating an expansive and attractive open area, with much green space.
Vivienne Faull, Dean of Leicester, said “Leicester Cathedral is a little known gem hidden away in our city. By developing the space in front of it in this way we will not only be creating a safer and much more welcoming place, but also a space that can be used by both city and church for large gatherings of all sorts”
You Talked, We Listened!
Information from the Parish Consultation held earlier this year is now available – to download this document entitled ‘Our Centre – Our Mission’ please click on the following link to document
Urban Fete
The Cathedral Square Project held its Urban Fete on Saturday 15th August 2009 in the grounds of the old Grammar School Car Park – off Peacock Lane (next to Leicester Cathedral) to raise awareness and funds for the project.
Stalls ranged from home baking and homemade jam to handmade jewellery and plants.
The Raffle included a variety of prizes that were donated by The Case, Hotel Maiyango, Rosemary Conley, The Ramada Leicester, Twinlakes, Leicester Racecourse, Tesco Granby Street, Quenby Hall, Everards, Twycross Zoo, Marks & Spencer Leicester, John Lewis Highcross, Hobbs, Leicestershire County Cricket Club, Evington’s Wine Merchants, Ragdale Hall, Walkers, Polycopy and The Christian Bookshop Leicester.
The day was a great success and a good time was had by all.
Grant Award
A Grant of £20,000 has been awarded to the Cathedral Square Project from the All Churches Trust Limited towards the development of the Project.
Guided Tour of ‘The Centre’
On Sunday 19th July 2009 Pete Hobson and Stephanie Henderson-Barrett (Cathedral Square Project) had the opportunity of opening the doors of the old Grammar School and giving a guided tour around the building to the Cathedral Community and Representatives from Parishes within the Diocese of Leicester.
There was much interest form all, some of whom had either been old students, teachers or past visitors. One particular talking point was the pigeon skeletons found in the fire place on the ground floor!
The day was a great success and we are hoping to organise another event in the not too distant future.
Planning Permission Granted
Leicester City Council has granted planning permission for carrying out the development of the St Nicholas Building (The Centre) with full support from both council officers and local amenity societies.
Cathedral Square Project awarded Grant
A grant of £100,000 has been awarded by The Kirby Laing Foundation towards the development of The Centre.
Cathedral Square Update – July 2009
- a monthly briefing and prayer guide for parish ‘champions’ and others, and for sharing
The Centre – design
For those who appreciate the niceties of these matters – we’ve just received and accepted the Stage E Report from our architects (technical design). Stage F is production information, and this is now in hand, ready to produce tender documents later this month. Meanwhile, English Heritage have commenced the process for submitting the building to be listed, but this need not present us with problems – indeed we’re currently taking advice on the VAT position, as it may even turn out to be to our advantage. We’re well advanced on developing the branding and name of the Centre and hope soon to have something exciting to say in the public domain!
Prayer Pointer – pray for the detailed technical work going on in developing design and tender documents to time, and for a VAT position that is to our advantage
The Centre – when in use
The first meeting of our Advisory group for the young people NEET project is on 6 July and I’m already meeting weekly with Tony Prince, of Regent College as we get this work under way. We’ve just heard that our funding bid to the Church Urban Fund for a year’s development work from September, has been successful.
Prayer Pointer – pray for the NEET Advisory group, with its membership drawn both from within the diocese and from wider bodies.
I mentioned last time the work needed to develop our Business Plan so we can firm up our assurance that the Centre we plan to open will work financially, and we have just commissioned a firm led by Carla McKenzie to help us in this. She plans to report to our Board by the end of the month.
Prayer Pointer – pray for Carla and colleagues, to get a quick picture of what is possible, and for clear and positive advice to the SMCP Board.
The Square
We have just decided to put in motion the processes for more detailed planning of Square design, and there’s an initial meeting scheduled for later this month. It will bring together a range of interested parties – architects, the Dean and some members of Chapter, city planners and others, including, of course, myself!
Prayer Pointer – pray for the Square planning day on 15 July, and for a way of charting design which meets the proper hopes and concerns of all parties.
The Cathedral
Chapter has already reaffirmed the need for a Reordering Group, and we’re currently ironing out its membership and relation to both Cathedral and SMCP. Hopefully this will be clarified and the group will be enabled to start work re-examining initial plans, and clarifying priorities and objectives.
Prayer Pointer – for the right composition of a Reordering Group and for a clear start over the summer to their renewed work
Parish support and publicity
Our first full Parish reps event is on Sunday July 19th and at this stage we expect 20+ to be with us to find out first-hand the latest news, and go back and share it with their parishes. The Urban Fete, aimed at the general public, and set in the St Nicholas building grounds, is now planned for 15th August, for all comers – we hope you can spread the word.
We have just extended Stephanie’s contract for a further 6 months (to March 2010) as fundraiser and also leading on the development of much of our publicity.
Prayer Pointer – pray for good weather and good events on July 19th and August 15th
People
This month we say goodbye to James Fisher, who was the first diocesan employee working directly on the project. Since last October James has been ‘buildings officer’, helping oversee the time between purchase of the St Nicholas building and the start of construction work. As that phase comes to an end we wish James well in his new work as Parish Administrator at Lutterworth, and as church warden and also CSP parish champion at St Andrew’s, Aylestone. It’s perhaps a sign of a maturing project that we’re now saying our first staff farewell. The team went out to lunch together, and this week, and James is now the proud possessor of a reproduction Lowry of The Market. (He didn’t do one of a Cathedral Square!)
Prayer Pointer – give thanks for James’ work and pray for him in his new work and roles
Last word?
The recession may be receding – or it may not. Swine Flu may be a major threat – or it may fly away like bird flu. Barack Obama may be the world’s salvation – or at least the USA’s – or he may flatter to deceive. We live in a world of uncertainties, where variant outcomes offer us plenty of scope for despair, or optimism. Cathedral Square Project may achieve all we hope and pray for – or it may not. The world is a fragile place. But our hope is not in projects, buildings or human endeavours. As Martin Luther put it: “A safe stronghold our God is still… ….the city of God remaineth”
Pete Hobson – Project Director 3 July 2009