St Mary Chapel of Ease

A grant to help fund a project to open up the building to the wider community and ensure that it is used every day by adding a fully fitted kitchen, an additional accessible toilet and opening up the internal space to give an increased area for social and communal activities which would be accessible to visitors with disabilities. St Mary's church is the only remaining 'tin-hut tabernacle' used for regular worship in the Anglican Diocese of Derby. It was loaned second hand from Heanor Parish in 1912 as a mission daughter church to All Saints' church in Sawley - a chapel-of-ease situated between All Saints' church and St Lawrence church in the centre of Long Eaton. It enabled local people to attend a church service/Sunday school without having to walk several miles. The long term plan was to erect a brick built church, but this did not happen because of the Great War which followed on soon after. St Mary's has become an increasingly vibrant community hub in the Wilsthorpe ward of Long Eaton over the last 2 years. Weekly clubs now include 'Knit and Natter', SMILE lunch club and Alcoholics Anonymous.