A church that has been part of the West Swindon community for decades has announced it will be shutting down.

Westlea Church, which meets every weekend at Westlea School, has written to parishioners to let them know that it will cease to operate at the beginning of September.

Richard Williams, one of the leaders at the West Swindon and Lydiard Tregoze Church Partnership, shared the 'sad news' that the church's last service would be on Sunday, September 1 at 10am. 

There will only be one other service between now and that final service, taking place on Sunday, August 18 at the same time. There will not be a service on the Sunday of the bank holiday weekend. 

Richard said: "While never a large church Westlea Church has been a key constituent of the Westlea and Eastleaze community for as long as the neighbourhood has existed,

"Forty years, taking part in community events, maintaining a strong relationship with Westlea School who have provided us with the place to meet throughout, and in recent years forming and leading the successful litter picking group.

"I am delighted to say that this group will continue. Town-wide we have been faithful and generous supporters of the Swindon Food Collective, Harbour Project and Filling Station.

The reasons for closure are a mix of low member numbers and the dissolution of the Local Ecumenical Partnership that Westlea was part of.

Over 40 years ago, when West Swindon was growing four church denominations, the Church of England, the Baptists, the Methodists and United Reformed Church responded by committing resources and ministers, working in a way supporting this new West Swindon community. 

They built Oliver Tomkins Schools, and the churches of Toothill and Holy Trinity Shaw, however, times have changed and resources have diminished and so after 40 years this formal partnership will come to an end at the end of August 2024.

While the other three churches in this partnership, Toothill, Holy Trinity and St Mary's Lydiard Tregoze will be continuing as single denominational churches, this was not a 'sustainable option' for Westlea.

Richard said: "After a period of contacting churches elsewhere in Swindon in the hope that we would find one that was planning to set up a new church in West Swindon, we have made the decision to close.

"As Christians, we believe in the sovereignty of God and, yes, that this is His plan. People are coming to faith in Jesus in numbers across Swindon, and we know that God continues to love everyone who lives in Westlea."