Meanwhile Strand Aerial

Restoration & Development

News

We are delighted to announce that the ‘Jewel in the Stand’ project has been awarded initial support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund to carry out restoration and redevelopment to become the heart of the new cultural hub of Westminster. Made possible by National Lottery players, development funding of £520,000 (82% of a total cost of £624,000) will allow for a planning phase ahead of applying for a full Heritage Fund grant at a later date. 

Read the full Press Release here.

We’re recruiting:  Development Manager (part time for 18 months)

St Mary le Strand Church, London WC2R 1ES

We are looking for someone who is enthusiastic, resourceful and a good communicator with excellent writing skills – a competent individual who has the right experience and qualifications to manage applications for heritage funding to a variety of funders. This role presents a fantastic opportunity for the post holder to make their mark, supported by the Project Director, as well as working with the project’s Fundraising Appeal Board.

As a Development Officer the successful candidate will have natural detective instincts with proven ability to seek out and secure funding. They will have strong administrative skills, be able to write with flair and creativity, and will be able to make presentations with confidence.

Salary:  £14-15,000 2.5 days per week (full time equivalent £28-30,000)

Closing Date: 12 noon, 26th March

For Details and to Apply:  Please apply via Charity Jobs website Click here to visit that page.

Vision

St Mary le Strand will be a restored and redeveloped church building, with a renewed mission and ministry, at the heart of the regenerated Strand-Aldwych district. 

Mission

St Mary le Strand, a Church of England parish church, will stand at the centre of a new ‘Piazza’ as a place of worship and as:

  • A place of sanctuary;
  • A public democratic space;
  • A place of engagement and connectivity with the communities around.

As a local church, we have three missions which are interconnected:  Christian, Public and Cultural.

The Jewel in the Strand Project

We have drawn up plans for the Restoration and Development of St Mary le Strand to make it safe, accessible and fit for purpose in its new role as the centrepiece of the newly pedestrianised East Strand piazza.  The plans include creating step-free access and making the body of the church more flexible, including facilities to make the church more suitable for hosting a wider range of events.  We plan to make safe the high-level stonework and clean the outside of the building.  We also hope to adapt the crypt space underneath the church.

Picture Gallery:  Latest photos of the restoration work…

At the beginning of March 2023 we put up scaffolding to do a close up inspection of the ceiling and to carry out conservation analysis of the paint work.  Here are a few photos of the ceiling and the conservation team.