Reproduced by kind permission of Ian & Marilyn Boumphrey

Parkgate is a small village and Conservation Area on the Dee, in the Diocese of Chester and the Parish of Neston, South Wirral. At the centre of the community is the sandstone church of St Thomas, built in 1843 and closed in 1994, having been declared structurally unsafe. Parkgate has a population of about 4,000 people of all ages and a high proportion of senior citizens but it has no Community Hall or Heritage Centre. In 1988 a poll showed that of the 422 households who responded, a substantial majority wanted St Thomas’ to be preserved as a focal centre of the village for churchgoers and non-churchgoers alike. In 2001 the Bishop’s Trust was formed under the patronage of the Bishop of Chester and with the support of the Family and Friends of St Thomas, the Parkgate Society and the Parkgate Preservation Trust, and  works in partnership with the community and with the Vicar of the Parish of Neston of which St Thomas's is a part.

Its objectives were to repair and make safe the building (Phase 1) and to renovate and equip the interior for use not only as a place of worship but mostly as a much needed community centre for people of all faiths and denominations, or none, who live and work in Parkgate (Phase 2).

Phase 1 was completed in 2004 at a cost of £123,000: £56,000 coming from the Heritage Lottery Fund and other grant-making trusts; and £84,000 from the Parkgate area. English Heritage has pronounced the building sound for the next 100 years. It has also been declared a Grade 2 Listed Building.

Phase 2 was completed in June 2010 and it was the next stage of developing the building for multi-purpose use as a Church and Community centre. This involved incorporating a toilet, fitting-out and equipping a small kitchen area; installing new heating and lighting; providing soft furnishings, tables, chairs; facilities for the disabled and a complete refurbishment and redecoration of ceilings and walls. A total of more than £250,000 was raised for the whole Project. So thank you if you are one who contributed

In May 2010 the Church building was returned to the Vicar of Neston as fit for services and they started on the 9th May. Now there is a different building programme afoot! Please do support us in the “building up” of the congregation following 16 years of closure!!

In the not too distant future we would like to see the building being promoted for community events as well, once formal approval has been given. It is hoped that this will include accommodating local society meetings and lectures and a standing display of local heritage material and information. This could then be followed by music recitals, film shows, local art society exhibitions, craft demonstrations, indoor games and advice-talks and sessions for those with special needs. This combination of cultural and leisure activities and the return of Christian worship to the community, will provide a unique source of support and enrichment for families, people living alone, visitors and for local societies and special interest groups.

St Thomas's is going to be a success and you can be part of ensuring this building is preserved as an active centre for the community for future generations.