St George’s Church is located in the centre of Wash Common, to the south of Newbury in West Berkshire.
Wash Common has a population of about 5,000 living in about 2,000 homes which are a mix of older properties and new estates. In many ways, it is a self sufficient community with five shops, three pubs and a doctor’s surgery.
For many years St George’s Church has been the focus of the local community and for all members of the community. There are various examples of this:
- For over twenty years the church has provided a redundant chapel as a permanent home for a community theatre group; it is the only arts facility in Wash Common.
- Fifteen years ago the church designed, secured funding for and project managed the building of its Community Centre, knows locally as ‘The Centre’.
- Five years ago, the church changed its parish magazine, previously produced just for church members, into a community magazine called ‘The Wash Commoner’ designed to appeal to all residents of Wash Common.
- Recently, the church was at the centre of the launch of ‘Greening Wash Common’ a campaign to improve awareness of local environmental issues and those further afield.
The community focus of the church is continually being strengthened and added to.
