PROJECT Gateway blog - June & July 2025

First FIX

‘First fix’ is now well under way throughout the ground floor toilets, kitchen, café and bookshop spaces. We’ll be replacing and upgrading pretty much everything from electrical systems to plumbing. Plus work has started on transforming the Narthex.

Find out more below…

What’s been happening?

Ash have now been hard at work on site for nearly four months and lots has been happening. Take a look at the photos below to see how the work is progressing…

• Partitions have been installed on the ground floor to create the new toilet spaces, new ground floor meeting room, store rooms, bookshop store room and the expanded kitchen.

• First fix works for electrical supplies and pipework across all floors.

• Internal drainage works have been installed and/or diverted, including in the café kitchen.

• The opening for the new Narthex windows has been created, with foundations and steelwork installed, ready for the windows to be installed.

• The lowering of the floor for the Youth and Community Centre has begun in the old Vestry.

• Measuring up for refurbishment of the first and second floor serveries / kitchens.

First fix for the new ground floor toilets in the old youth room; windows boarded up

First fix for the new disabled access toilet and separate family changing toilet

New partition wall framework behind the café serving counter

The expanded kitchen space from the side door; new drainage in the floor

Old steps to the finance office (vestry) removed; pipework for the new boilers

Floor lowered in the old finance office (vestry)

Narthex wall down, new beam in and awaiting new windows

Gallery servery stripped out and measured up for cupboards and counter

First floor kitchen and Octagon servery, measured and ready for new units

What’s happening next in the building?

• Continuing on with first fix works for all the mechanical and electrical systems.

• Brickwork for the new Narthex windows will be going up, ready for the new windows to go in.

Here’s a reminder of how the new Narthex window will let lots of light into the Café when it’s finished in autumn 2025.

New fundraising campaign…

You can now share with friends, family, neighbours and the wider community the new Stewardship webpage focused on the Youth and Community Centre (YCC). The YCC’s aim is to serve as a hub and dedicated space for youth and vulnerable groups, particularly as Woking town centre does not currently have a dedicated youth workspace. The YCC is estimated to cost £1.35m; we have already raised £900k in grants, we are seeking a further £450k in donations to support the building of a new extension to the existing building, a kitchen, a toilet, and breakout rooms.

Share the Stewardship link!

Coming up…

• Join us at the Whole Church Prayer Gathering in September 2025 where we will share some more details of progress on the build and pray for the project.

• We will have a Gift Day in October 2025 to raise as much of the final £750k as we can so that any mortgage we take out on 4 Orchard Drive (the house we own) will be as small as possible. Please be praying about whether you could support the project further, or if you are new to Christ Church, could start giving to the project.

Where is church happening now?

You can find all the information you need on where to find Offsite Church by clicking this link and on our FAQs page.

Find out more

If you want more information about the project, or to find out how you can support it financially, take a look at our Gateway pages on ChristChurch’s website, or you can chat to any of the members of the team: Adrian Beavis (Vicar), Steve Roberts (Project Leader), Walter Coxon (Finance), Mike Pearce (Technical), Peter Wichmann (CCW building knowledge and expertise), Rachael Purvis (Project Coordinator). If you’d like to email us with a specific query you can do so at this email address: gateway@ccwoking.org.