A landmark anniversary is being celebrated this month, marking three years of social action work that has transformed lives across York, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, a generous anonymous donor gave £1 million to city centre church St Michael le Belfrey (The Belfrey) to establish the Post Pandemic Fund (PPF) and support the launch of a Social Action programme for the city. The Fund's mission centred on three main areas: to help address poverty, improve mental health and wellbeing, and support young people and families.

Since its inception, the Social Action Programme, supported by the PPF, has not only launched a series of major initiatives but has also distributed £200,000 in grants to 49 grassroots charities, making a tangible difference to communities in York.

The programme has seen the launch of some big projects, including a Christian Against Poverty (CAP) Debt Centre, offering debt advice to people struggling with problem debt; an affordable Counselling Service in conjunction with Wellspring Therapy and Training; and the set up of a distribution point for York Foodbank, amongst other initiatives.  

The CAP Debt Centre, which opened in 2023, has already helped eight clients achieve debt-free status, collectively clearing nearly £120,000 worth of debt. Meanwhile, since February, the York Foodbank distribution point at the De Grey Rooms has supported hundreds of households with essential food parcels. This site is one of six York Foodbank distribution points in the city.

The programme has also given away £100k in small grants* to over 40 charities across York, working in partnership with Two Ridings Community Foundation. A further £100k has been awarded to eight charities acting as a catalyst fund* for growth and innovation. 

Charities benefitting from the funds include: Transitions CIC, which provides equine horse therapy for children disengaged from education; and Chocolate & Co cafe which employs ex offenders and people recovering from addictions. Other organisations include York Vineyard, offering soft play and free baby clothing to refugees and families in the local community of Fishergate; and St Denys Tea & Chat Warm Space, working with communities in Walmgate to help alleviate isolation, loneliness and poverty.

In addition, the programme has funded a Children’s and Families Outreach Worker at The Belfrey, who is presently launching a Safe Families befriending scheme, initially working with two schools to support vulnerable families. Looking ahead, The Belfrey will be collaborating with Restore York (a homelessness and housing charity) to launch a Parish Mental Health Nurse Service in 2025, supported by Parish Nursing Ministries UK.

Alison Dawson, Social Action Programme Manager at The Belfrey, reflected: "It has been a tremendous privilege to serve the city of York through the Social Action Programme. Over the past three years, we have come a long way and sought to make a lasting impact in the areas of poverty, mental health, and young people and families. Stewarding the Post Pandemic Fund to maximise its benefits, we have tried to direct resources to where they were needed most and where they would have the greatest long-term benefit. The initiatives we have established are all growing and will continue to support the community way beyond the initial three year period.”

Sarah Rayner, Project Co-ordinator at The Well York, who received a catalyser grant, explained the difference it has meant: "This is the reason we have been able to launch our mental health and wellbeing service in York city centre, to support people finding life a struggle and who want to improve their wellbeing. Since January we have launched a number of free services, including running two 12 week wellbeing courses, regular evening equipping sessions and monthly popup lunchtime relaxation and mindfulness sessions. We have also been supporting several people with 1:1 professional counselling and are now setting up Peer support groups. Already it is great to see that the service is making a real difference to people's lives, breaking isolation and offering fresh hope."

The Founder of Transitions CIC, Hannah Brown, commented on the catalyser grant they received: “In this part of our project we work with young people aged between 10-16 years old who are disengaged from learning and are experiencing social, emotional or mental health needs. This grant has enabled us to invest in our staff and facilities. We now have a wonderful indoor space (a Shepherd’s Hut) which the young people love and find calming and nurturing. The grant has also supported us to buy a new therapy horse who is and will be instrumental in our equine therapy work going forward.” 

The Well Prayer House, located in the beautiful medieval church of St Cuthbert’s on Peasholme Green, has opened as a prayer centre for the city of York. A new ministry for The Belfrey, it offers a space for the public or anyone to come and pray or be prayed for. Our Curate, James Congreve-Horn has led a team from The Belfrey to set up The Well and create a prayer centre that is now open weekly as a welcoming venue for prayer and reflection. 

The Well will be routinely open to the public every Thursday from 9.30am-7.30pm for anyone wishing to come in to pray privately or to ask for prayer. It will be a facility for the whole city, for the congregation of The Belfrey and for other churches. There are many prayer rooms that have been fitted out following different themes, including: prayer for the city, for answered prayers, a bible reading room, for communion, for art and for lament (grief and disappointment); as well as two general prayer rooms. People can pray quietly individually or with others, using any of the many spaces available within the church, or they can ask for prayer from a member of our experienced prayer team.

The Grade 1 listed church of St. Cuthbert’s offers a beautiful space for quiet prayer and contemplation, lending itself perfectly to that of a prayer house, housing nine small rooms as well as a central worship area. One of the oldest churches in York, St Cuthbert’s was built during the 15th century, with evidence of a church being on the site since the 1st century and currently incorporating a wall from the 11th century. It was used as a parish church up until the 1970s when its parish was combined with that of The Belfrey, and later transitioned and adapted for use as church office space. It has been a prayer house periodically over the past decade, mainly used by the congregation or other churches, but has been closed for the past six months for a pause and re-organisation. 

The Reverend James Congreve-Horn, Curate at The Belfrey, who is leading on the initiative, expressed his joy at the opening of The Well Prayer House, saying: “We are thrilled to see The Well open, continuing St. Cuthbert’s legacy as a place of spiritual significance in York. It is a venue where all are welcome to come as they are, to pray or be prayed for, no matter what is on their heart. Our aim is that through Jesus, this safe space will offer peace, transformation, and hope, providing a place of comfort and quiet reflection for all who seek it.”

Looking ahead, Rev. Congreve-Horn shared the vision for the future: “The Well will initially be open to the public one day a week, offering a tranquil centre for prayer and worship in the city centre, being just a few minutes away from the hustle and bustle of Parliament Street. We plan to build upon our opening hours in time and, like a well in the heart of a village, we aim for the prayer house to be a place of community where people return time and time again to be restored, refreshed, and transformed.”

The Well Prayer House is open every THURSDAY, from 9.30am-7.30pm, for anyone to come in to pray or request prayer. There will be short prayer services at 9.30am, 12.30pm and 6pm, with informal prayer time inbetween. Situated in St. Cuthbert’s Church, Peasholme Green, York YO1 7PW

We’re now offering the public the chance to purchase a piece of Belfrey history with the reuse of the wood that’s been reclaimed from St Michael le Belfrey and made into quality furniture. 

As part of the pre-construction phase of our major £11m Impact building project, we employed specialist York contractor Pinnacle Conservation to carefully and sensitively take down all the wooden pews, Narthex screen and gallery. It has then been repurposed into furniture by Stewart Long, an expert furniture maker, based in Lincoln.

Currently being inflexible with a narrow dark entrance, we are seeking to repair and renovate our medieval church building to create a welcoming, accessible and beautiful space for the next 100+ years. As part of our sustainability strategy we have sought to meticulously reclaim the wood for it to be made into traditional furniture that can be purchased and enjoyed by hundreds of people for generations to come.

In addition to the above, a York Social Enterprise has been given some of the wood to use in their workshop and create some specific items for The Belfrey, including a communion table and holding crosses.

Andy Baker, Interim Priest in Charge at The Belfrey explained “We wanted to remove and treat the wood with great care so that anyone with an attachment to the church could purchase a piece of it to keep. Pinnacle and all the contractors have done a terrific job during this process, which forms the starting point to creating a flexible and accessible open space in the church that will ultimately welcome many more people into the building”

Adam Hickey, Managing Director of Pinnacle Conservation commented: “It was an honour as a local main contractor, to be involved in the timber and tiling reclamation works at the stunning St Michael le Belfrey Church. At Pinnacle we are driven by a passion to help protect and preserve architectural heritage.”

For details of the wooden furniture for sale please see belfrey.org/furniture. 50% of the proceeds of the wooden items will be going towards the Impact building project, with the remainder going to the furniture maker for their time and labour.

We’re really excited to announce that we’ll be partnering with York Foodbank to host their Saturday morning foodbank session at the De Grey Rooms, as part of our social action programme. We’ll initially be doing this on a 6 month trial from 3rd February 2024, with the expectation that it will continue for the rest of our time at the De Grey Rooms and hopefully beyond. York Foodbank are part of a nationwide network of foodbanks, supported by The Trussell Trust, working to combat poverty and hunger across the UK. All of York Foodbank’s sessions are run in partnership with local churches.

In order to make this possible we are looking for a volunteer from our church family to be our Foodbank Coordinator for this initial 6 months. This would be a commitment of up to 5 hours per week (Saturday mornings 9am-1pm, or as needed to facilitate the 10am - 12pm session, plus some weekday admin). You'll be supported by Alison Dawson, our Social Action Programme Manager, and our staff team. All expressions of interest for this role are very welcome - we're really flexible! Please contact alison.dawson@belfrey.org if you think you would be able to help. A role description for the Foodbank Coordinator is here.

We’re also recruiting a team of volunteers to run the sessions on a monthly rota. If you’re interested in learning more about this, please come along to our Foodbank Volunteer meeting on Saturday 20th January, 10am at the De Grey Rooms.

We are delighted to announce that the Bishop of Selby, together with the Archdeacon of York and our PCC, has appointed Revd. Andy Baker to be Interim Priest in Charge of St Michael le Belfrey.

Andy will hold this role for the next three years, whilst we are worshiping in the De Grey Rooms and the Impact project for the major restoration and reordering of our church building is taking place. Having been Associate Vicar for the last four and a half years, and Chair of Impact, Andy will bring stability in this time and will continue to hold the vision for Impact and the exciting new season of life as The Belfrey that God is leading us into.

Bishop John says of Andy’s appointment: ‘I am delighted that Andy Baker has accepted the role of Interim Priest-in-Charge of St Michael le Belfrey during this time of major change as the church is renovated and the congregation meets in the De Grey Rooms in York. Andy’s existing ministry in the church means he is a loved and trusted leader and I know this will help him as the Belfrey community explores what it means to Live Christ’s Story over the next three years in these changed circumstances.’

Recruitment will begin soon for an ordained Associate Minister to join us for the same time period. 

Please pray for Andy, his wife Hayley and their two children; and for God to lead an excellent Associate to join our team and church family here at The Belfrey.