Big plans are afoot for Little Marcle Church, in a bid to encourage wider community use for the Victorian building.

A community event has been arranged so the public can find out what organisers and architects for the project have in mind.

The event will feature a fun dog show, fete and barbecue at Upper House, Little Marcle, on July 13, from 10am to 2pm.

Following an extensive community consultation last year, architects have been busy drawing up plans to enable wider community use for the rural church.

Jim Glanville, who heads the Friends of Little Marcle Church Development Group, said “The consultation process last year, revealed overwhelming support for wider community facilities.

"Since then, we have been working hard to come up with a plan to deliver on the mandate the community has given us.”

And all this comes as the church looks to celebrate a landmark anniversary.

Mr Glanville said: “Little Marcle Church, built in 1870, celebrates its 150th anniversary next year and has recently been successful in obtaining seed funding from the National Lottery Community Fund.

“This funding is being used to progress this project from idea to reality.

"The next step will be to present these plans to the public at our community event in July.”

Mr Glanville added: “We will be unveiling the plans to re-order the church at that community event and will have some great visuals for people to look at.

“Everyone will be welcome, and they can bring their dogs too!”

Mr Glanville warned that further funding must be found to complete the project.

Little Marcle Church, properly called St Michael and All Angels, the same name as Ledbury Parish Church, is Grade II listed.

It is located a few miles outside Ledbury, off the Ledbury Road, and is still used for fairly regular services, every first, second, third, and fifth Sunday at 11am, for one hour.

But the aim is to bring it into far greater use.

When it was first opened , Queen Victoria had been on the throne for 38 years and the British Empire was nearing its height.