I am delighted to tell you that after much hard work by members of the parish and several associates within the construction industry we received planning permission for our New Community Hall in early September 2025.
Fr Bob Davies ODC, Prior & Parish Priest
Reaching Out is our campaign to replace outdated facilities with a new Community Hall that will bring the church and local community together, strengthening community spirit.
The project includes:
- A modern, eco-friendly 250-seater hall, which can be divided into two soundproofed meeting rooms. It will feature a fully equipped kitchen, accessible entrances, toilets for all users, and ample storage.
- New storage and display space for St Joseph’s Furniture Market, along with a purpose-built facility including a toilet for volunteers. This will expand its capacity to support both the church and local charities.
- Relocation of two garages from behind to the front of the Priory to improve access to the new hall.
Find out more by downloading the leaflet here. The drawings and plans may be found on the Buckinghamshire Planning portal. Please look at our full fundraising brochure we are using to reach out to Grant providers.
NEW HALL UPDATES
Dear Parishioners
November 2026
Father Bob and the New Hall project team are sending you this email to bring you up to date with our progress on the New Community Hall.
Firstly, we would like to thank all those parishioners who have responded to our appeal for donations. The New Hall will benefit all parishioners and their families. It is desperately needed by our many parish groups and it will provide an attractive venue for parishioners’ special occasions. It will also mark the beginning of a new age for our life in the wider community. The London and Slough Charitable Trust, St Joseph's Furniture Market, Chalfont Dementia Support and St Vincent de Paul all need the space and facilities to be provided by the New Hall.
All the preliminary work has been completed: designs, surveys, competitive tenders and planning permission. The designs are on display in the church. The next step is to build new garages for the priests in front of the Priory. This is necessary because providing the right approach to the New Hall will mean demolishing the existing garages. We hope to start the new garage build in the next two months. We have sufficient funds available to finance the demolition of the old hall but the exact timing is dependent on our ability to raise the balance of the funding required for the New Hall.
This is a huge project that will cost £1.85M. The funds raised by parishioners over the past several years, from the Annual Raffle, Parish Day, 200 Club and other Events have provided £148,000 towards the New Hall Project. The sale of the church in Chalfont St Giles and the approved future sale of land in front of the furniture market provides another £739,000. The recent golf day and parishioners’ donations to date bring the secured funds up to £1,014,000.
To raise the remaining £836,000, we have submitted 26 applications for grants from charitable trusts and we have 7 more in the pipeline. Our small events team have arranged a Richard Cottle Jazz Night on 7th December and are planning other events in the new year. The rest is down to all of us.
If we are to have a new community hall that provides the best facilities for our generations to come, we all need to dig deep with our donations and to help with our time. We need people to join our events team and if you have experience of construction work or applying for grants, we need you.
We will provide a progress update every month in the parish newsletter.
'You have to be in it to win it!' - the Parish raffle is being drawn on Saturday 6th December. Please support this fundraising towards the New Hall.
The Cottle Brothers are holding a Jazz Night in aid of the New Hall on Sunday 7th December. We hope you can join us!
Very best wishes
Parish Priest
Project Manager
WAYS YOU CAN SUPPORT
- Make an internet banking donation to our account
Sort code 60-06-11
Account number 36303518
Account name ‘RCDN St Josephs New Hall’
Payment reference NAME
- Send a cheque made payable to ‘RCDN St Joseph’s New Hall’
- Complete a Gift Aid Form* - please contact the New Hall Team
- Organise a fundraising event
*if you are already donating to St Joseph's under Gift Aid you do not need to complete another form
CONTACT DETAILS
Malcolm Johnstone
newhall.stjosephgerrardscross@northamptondiocese.org
St Joseph’s Priory
Austenwood Common
Chalfont St Peter
Gerrards Cross
Buckinghamshire
SL9 8RY
01753 886581
