St John's Church has undergone £800k of renovations to transform the building from a dated church with a dwindling congregation to a thriving community hub where the church operates alongside a growing variety of groups, clubs, classes and celebrations.

Forty years ago, the Parish of Donisthorpe, which comprises of Oakthorpe, Donisthorpe and Acresford, was at the heart of a thriving mining community with 10 shops, 5 chapels, a church, at least three meeting halls, 10 public houses and various miners' clubs.

When Donisthorpe's church hall closed some years ago, the village was concerned that many social events would no longer be possible and St John's church agreed to enhance its functionality to accommodate the needs of the wider community.

The refurbishment project was conceived and the renovations took 10 years start to finish, including removing the pews, replacing the flooring, rewiring, new central heating, updating all services and much more, costing £800,000.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the congregation at St John's dropped to a low of just 20 people.

The church building was closed and the congregation met every Sunday in the Halfway House pub.

Speaking to Chris Keeley, a member of St John's Church that worked with the team throughout the renovation project, he underlined the need for the church to occupy a more proactive role in the Parish community.

'It was essential we kept it going for the benefit of the whole community,' said Chris.

However, since undergoing the huge renovation, the Church has been given a new lease of life, opening its doors to welcome many community groups, local classes and private events.

The community space is now known as The Village Heart at St John's.

The project was funded by more than 10 grant providers and, after the £300k+ from the sale of the old church hall site, the National Lottery Community Fund was the second largest donor at over £200k.

As part of the refurbishment of the church the old fixed pews were removed in favour of more flexible chairs clearing space to make the building more versatile.

The old pews were sold at minimal prices to members of the local community as part of the fund raising initiative, including a local craftsperson turning the wood into church mice.

This has meant the church can now host line dancing and Pilates classes, as well as coffee mornings, cinema screenings and lots of other community events.

Additionally, the church has partnered with The Halfway House to offer weddings and receptions, as well as other celebrations. The partnership with the neighbouring pub means they are now able to offer catered events with a bar.

Now, the church community is continuing to grow.

St John's is now home to a community foodbank, coffee mornings, bereavement dinners, keep fit classes, Pilates, children's pottery and line dancing, as well as already being used for Christenings, Weddings, Funerals, birthday parties and other special occasions.

Recently, the church provided teas, coffee and cakes during the Open Gardens, raising around £400 to be reinvested into the costs of running the space.

'The ethos is,' explains Chris, 'not to run a business but to build a community whilst covering running costs.'

Importantly, the church is still a church and regularly welcomes the congregation for the usual services. The renovation has increased the functionality of the building and enhances not the church services; it is to give back to the community while diversifying what the church can offer.

To find out more about the Village Heart at St John's, email [email protected] , or visit the Village Heart Donisthorpe Facebook Page.