Why was St Cuthbert's Church in Billingham nearly closed?

St Cuthbert's Church was facing closure due to rising operational costs and declining attendance.

What is the agreement for St Cuthbert's Church?

A community group, Friends of St Cuthbert's, will partner with the Diocese of Durham to run the church and continue worship.

Will services still be held at St Cuthbert's Church?

Yes, services, weddings, baptisms, and funerals will continue to be held at St Cuthbert's under the new partnership.

Home / Business and Economy / Community Group Rescues Historic St Cuthbert's Church

Community Group Rescues Historic St Cuthbert's Church

22 Jan

•

Summary

Community group and diocese reach agreement in principle.
St Cuthbert's Church faced closure due to rising costs.
Worship and heritage events to continue under new partnership.

Community Group Rescues Historic St Cuthbert's Church

An agreement in principle has been reached to ensure the future of St Cuthbert's Church in Billingham, a structure dating back 1,000 years. The church had been slated for closure in 2024 due to escalating operational costs and a dwindling congregation. The Friends of St Cuthbert's community group has negotiated a partnership with the Diocese of Durham to keep the church open for worship.

This collaborative effort means that services, weddings, baptisms, and funerals will continue at St Cuthbert's. The Friends group will also maintain cultural and heritage events, taking over the church's running costs from the parish. Chairman Ken Wilson expressed optimism, calling the agreement a "great step forward" towards a sustainable future, but emphasized the need for continued community support over the next five years.

Disclaimer: This story has been auto-aggregated and auto-summarised by a computer program. This story has not been edited or created by the Feedzop team.