Reverend Andrew Rawding has placed a £20,000 children's play zone within the 15th-century St Mary's Church in Burton Bradstock, Dorset. The project aims to provide a free indoor space for local families, though it has sparked a debate regarding the preservation of the historic site.
The £20,000 attempt to fill an empty nave
The installation of the two-storey soft play structure is a direct response to the underutilization of St Mary's Church during the week. Reverend Andrew Rawding observed that while the church is a focal point for annual events, it often sits empty during regular weekdays. In contrast, the local village hall is constantly occupied by residents attending pilates classes, yoga sessions, and bridge club meetings.
According to the report, the initiative was born after Rawding noticed parents from the local school seeking shelter in the church porch during rainy weather. To address the lack of dedicated indoor play areas in Burton Bradstock, Rawding launched a fundraising campaign on the village Facebook page. This community-led effort successfully raised the funds required to install the large structure, which includes slides, steps, and various foam blocks for climbing.
Support from Holly Varndell-Paulley and local schools
The new facility has found a strong ally in the local education sector. Holly Varndell-Paulley, the head teacher of Burton Bradstock CofE School, has voiced her support for the addition, noting its practical beneffits for young children. She highlighted that the space offers a valuable opportunity for students to take movement breaks, particularly when inclement weather prevents them from using the standard school grounds.
By providing high-quality equipment like climbing steps and building blocks free of charge, the church is attempting to act as a modern community hub. This approach seeks to bridge the gap between the church's religious identity and its role as a functional resource for the families living in the Dorset village.
Fears of damage to 15th-century stained glass
Despite the practical benefits, the presence of a noisy play gym has caused significant friction among older members of the congregation.. Many critics argue that the activity inherent in a soft play area conflicts with the solemnity and sacred atmosphere required for a place of worship.. there is a palpable tension between the desire to revitalize the building and the need to maintain its religious dignity.
Beyond the issue of noise, there are serious concerns regarding the physical integrity of the Grade I listed building. As the source reports,some residents fear that active children might accidentally cause damage to the church's historic architectural features or its delicate stained glass windows. This has turned the installation into a debate over whether short-term community utility justifies the potential risk to a 15th-century heritage site.
Who was consulted before the two-storey structure arrived?
A major point of contention remains the transparency of the decision-making process used by the church leadership. Several residents have raised questions about whether sufficient consultation took place with the wider parish before the project was approved and implemented. The lack of clarity regarding how the community was involved has left some parishioners feeling sidelined by the sudden change to the nave.
Furthermore, the unsupervised nature of the facility adds a layer of complexity to the church's new role. While the equipment is free to use, parents are expected to take full responsibility for supervising their children. As the village monitors the long-term effects of the installation, the success of this experiment will likely depend on whether the church can balance its duty to the community with its responsibility to preserve its historic fabric.
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