A church in the Wakefield area is celebrating after the recent completion of a major reordering project. 
St Paul’s Monk Bretton wanted to improve areas within the church to make the building a better representation of their commitment to be a warm and welcoming environment.
Father Brian Bell, Vicar at the church, said: “As part of its commitment to our Mission Action Plan and helped financially by a large legacy, we decided that there were a number of areas within the church which required some reordering and refurbishment in order to make the building warmer, more welcoming and flexible, lighter and more user friendly.
“We’re very pleased with the results, and are hoping that we shall soon be able to celebrate the scheme with a special Mass of Rededication and Thanksgiving.”
Works included replacing the entrance doors with etched glazed doors, restoring and regilding the altar and reredos, creating a prayer chapel out of the former baptistery, moving the font to the west end, some pew removal at the west end, refitting the vestry and improvements to heating.
The new glass doors were designed by glass artist Ann Sotheran, and help the church to have better insulation, whilst at the same time making the beautiful interior of the building visible to visitors and passers-by alike. 
The moving of the font to a more central position allows for it to be used for baptisms within the church, and created the space to turn the detached former baptistery into a chapel of remembrance.
The gilded sanctuary altar, which, through various images at its front, represents various aspects of local ancestry, Christian tradition and heritage, had deteriorated a little in respect of the colours and gilding, but has now been restored to its former glory.
The work was carried out by PPIY architects and Pinnacle Conservation.