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<p>St Botolph’s in Longthorpe is a 700 year old church. The interior is by no means
original, having been altered and changed over the centuries. All parishes that wish
to alter their church interiors are required to seek advice and permission from a
variety of bodies before a reordering can take place. Parishes undertaking such large
scale reordering schemes do not therefore do so lightly. The usual reasons are that
the interior no longer serves the needs of the parish and worshiping community. This
appears to have been the case at St Botolph’s where members of the congregation need
wheelchair access.</p><p>The Church Buildings Council of the Church of England were
asked to advise the local Diocesan Advisory Committee in Peterborough when the scheme
was initially proposed in 2015 and were supportive of the change. The alterations
proposed make reasonable adjustments to the building, which will facilitate the smoother
operation of services, funerals and weddings. They will also enable the priest to
face the congregation during services, provide wheelchair access and offer a larger
children’s area.</p><p>When considering potential alterations, the Church and the
Diocesan Consistory Courts must balance the needs of the congregation and parish against
any architectural merit the existing furniture or layout may have. When a reordering
is done well it often brings with it very positive opportunities for community and
congregation to offer new facilities, events and activities, which ultimately bring
the Church back to its original purpose to be a space for all in the local community.</p>
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