New arrangement between St Wulfram’s and National Trust

Rector of St Wulframs, Fr Stuart Cradduck says…

For many years since the sale of the old Parish Hall in the Rectory Garden by the Diocesan Properties Department we have been through a series of option appraisals thinking how best we might equip our mission and ministry.

Over the past few years, we have benefitted from having a lease arrangement from the National Trust for the Grantham House site. This has been a venture that has brought about many benefits to our life which have included small groups, committees, choir, youth groups, plus other events and socials.

However, over the last 12 months we have also seen that the past arrangement has become unsustainable due to the lack of income generated from the site. Last year the PCC made the uncomfortable decision to withdraw from Grantham House.

This began yet another process of options appraisal for other sites close to St Wulfram’s to continue to resource our life together. We were led through this by a professional and were brought to the conclusion that we could not afford a ‘normal’ market rent plus set-up costs to make a different site work for us.

So began yet further negotiations with the National Trust about how we might exist at Grantham House (which arguably is the closest and most versatile site that we could benefit from.)

In November 2024 the PCC decided to accept a lease arrangement leading to a partnership agreement with the National Trust sharing the site.

The exclusive space we will inhabit will be upstairs in the west wing of the house, which will include 4 rooms, a WC, and a kitchenette; with additional use of extra rooms upstairs and the main hall outside café hours as required at no extra cost.

This will change the way we work on this site, but offices, small scale music work, general meetings, small group sessions, youth groups, committee meetings, fundraising events and socials will be able to continue at Grantham House.

The benefits in terms of a fixed cost and the chance to work in partnership with a significant national body like the National Trust, were seen by the PCC as an opportunity not to be missed.

So, alongside maintaining a presence at Grantham House in a way that will support our mission and ministry, our life will be enhanced by a partnership with the National Trust and all that they will bring to the site.

These benefits include –

• Refurbishment of the House,
• Opening of a Café,
• Free public access to the whole site,
• Paid National Trust staff and volunteers onsite,
• Increased visitor footfall not only to Grantham House but also St Wulfram’s Church,
• And joint fundraising activities and events.

This is a really strong place for us to be as a church; and we are committed to making this new arrangement work both financially and to continued growth as we resource ourselves with this additional space.