St. Faith’s Parish Hall

(The Parish Hall was opened on 20^th April 1926 by the Duke of Somerset.  Here is the forward to the programme – “A Scheme --- and its achievement”.)

The Opening of St. Faith’s Parish Hall will see the achievement of a cherished hope and purpose.

In the autumn of 1917, the Parochial Church Council adopted a scheme for the erection of a Building to comprise a Parish Hall and Young Men’s Club.  Towards this Sir Woolmer White, Bt., generously offered £500 if twice that sum (£1,000) in addition were raised before the end of the year.  Subscriptions flowed in freely and the challenge was met: two Fancy Fairs were subsequently held and the whole enterprise met with much encouragement and success.

Plans for a Hall and Club were submitted by several architects but the cost of building was found to be prohibitive at the time and some other method had to be adopted.  In 1919 an old property, Pallant House, standing in a good garden, centrally and conveniently situated, was bought and the house was altered and fitted up at considerable cost as a Men’s Club.  Thus one part of the Scheme was completed and it was decided to build the Parish Hall later on.  “These buildings,” we wrote in the programme of the first Fancy Fair, “will be Church property just as the old Parish Church is: but just as to the Parish Church all who come are welcome, so membership of the Club will be open to any young men in Havant without any religious test whatever.”  So the Club was brought into being and has carried on until the present time.

And now the Hall is to be opened and here again we quote what was written at the time of the first appeal – “the Hall will be primarily a Parish Hall, i.e., primarily for the purposes of the Church – for meetings, conferences, entertainments, etc., in connection with St. Faith’s and its organisations.  When not required in these directions it is intended that it will be available at a fair charge for public meetings, lectures, etc., the letting being subject in each instance to the approval of the responsible Church authorities.”  That then is our purpose for the Hall.

In these buildings we believe we have provided something that will be of permanent value to the Church and parish.  We have planned and built not merely to meet the needs of our own day but with a view to the future.  More and more Havant becomes the centre of a large district and our hope and belief is that, whatever adjustments of use circumstances may from time to time require, this block of Parochial Buildings will be a permanent centre of usefulness and Church activity.

We still need £1,500 to free the enterprise from all debt – towards this sum we ask for generous subscriptions as well as a ready patronage of the Bazaar.

Harold N. Rodgers (Rector)

Saint Faith of Aquitaine

The Lady Chapel

St. Nicholas’ Chapel, Langstone

Rectors of Havant

St. Faith's Churchyard

Christ Church Centre, Denvilles

HMS Havant

Church Shop

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