The heart of the local community

Published on: 24 May 2022

Last year the PCC invested in some new church notice boards located at the north and west gates providing contact details and information of services and events and giving a very warm welcome to all.

We have an ‘open door’ policy at St Nicholas. By ensuring the large wooden church door is fixed wide open we hope this encourages all visitors to enter the church; even the outer porch door is fixed open wide in the winter months whenever the north wind allows.

Following the easing of the pandemic we have been able to reintroduce our ‘Welcome Table’ which provides our visitors with a selection of teas/coffees and biscuits and a place to sit and rest awhile, no payment required.

At long last, after nearly two years of waiting, we have been able to restart the monthly Blakeney Breakfast on the first Wednesday, 8am to 11am, and the Blakeney Lunch, 12noon to 2pm. There are no set charges but donations are welcome. These monthly events provide a wonderful opportunity for us to demonstrate to the local community, the surrounding villages and visitors to the area that our beautiful church building is not just a place of worship but is at the heart of our local community and there for everyone.

Before the pandemic, St Nicholas had not only become a welcome place for those who live alone and in need of someone just to talk to, it became somewhere for young families to get together for a meal and where the frail or elderly could be collected and brought to church for a hot meal and company. It became a place for everyone to share a meal and have a chat with the stranger sitting next to them and a place where all visitors were assured of a very warm welcome. It will be again.

St Nicholas has a space designated for quiet private prayer and an opportunity for visitors to fill in a prayer card and light a candle.

An excellent selection of cards and secondhand books are available to purchase. A Visitors Guide is also available which enables visitors to read about the history of our beautiful church.

An area of comfy chairs around a coffee table is provided for visitors to sit and relax.

The church tower is tremendously popular with visitors and is open from 10am to 5pm 3 days a week while the office is open. To make it affordable for everyone, there is no fixed charge but donations no matter how small are very welcome and bring in additional income.

Throughout the year concerts and a variety of events take place; these are well publicised around the villages to ensure visitors to the area are also informed. Our services and events are available on YouTube which ensures those who cannot get to the church are not forgotten.


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