From imminent closure to award-winning church

Pastor Trevor Hutton proudly holds the church's Community Group award

In just four years, a church in Stoke-on-Trent has grown from near-closure to reaching hundreds of people across the wider community.

It comes after Pastor Trevor Hutton joined the Fenton Church of the Nazarene in 2020 and set about transforming a small congregation inside an uninviting, traditional building.

After it was developed into a multi-functional space and community groups were organised, the facility has not only survived but thrived.

And the achievements have now been celebrated at Staffordshire University's Your Heroes Awards, where members were recognised as the Community Group of the Year.

Mr Hutton remembers "the writing being on the wall" for the Fenton facility after its fate was almost sealed when the Covid pandemic came at the end of its decline that had been going on for decades.

"Everything about it said, 'You're not welcome here. We're not open'," he said.

After facing down some resistance, Mr Hutton removed its original furniture and started by setting up an early years play group, which is still active every Monday.

'Engagement is marvellous'

Other community groups followed, including pay-what-you-can lunches, coffee mornings, faith discussions, dementia sessions and messy church events.

Joan Cocliffe, who has attended services at the church since the early 1970s, said the now growing community engagement was "marvellous".

"We had a Messy Church event once on a Monday," she remembered.

"We had to put a notice on the door to stop people coming in - we had that many."

Christine Marlow, Gill Tonks and George Harvey are all volunteers in the kitchen

Members are not alone in their efforts to support the local community - Temple Street Methodist Church, Christ Church and the Town Hall now also offer warm, safe spaces.

Areas of the town are some of most deprived in the country, according to the Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD).

“We bless and support other community groups; we’re not in competition,” said Mr Hutton.

“My vision would be to see the whole town of Fenton transform economically, spiritually, physically, mentally and emotionally.”