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Despite 21st-century rebranding, church remains committed to community roots ; Holy Trinity is fast gaining a reputation for staging innovative... [Hull Daily Mail (England)](Hull Daily Mail (England) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Despite 21st-century rebranding, church remains committed to community roots ; Holy Trinity is fast gaining a reputation for staging innovative events to get the community involved with the church again. Chief reporter Kevin Shoesmith finds out more HOLY Trinity Church is "returning to its roots". It is a bold statement from The Reverend Dr Neal Barnes, given the 700-year-old church's slick new brand was launched by a marketing firm last week. Yet it is hard to not to agree with his logic. "I would argue we are going back to our roots," says Mr Barnes, who this week is marking four years as the church's vicar. We are standing at the entrance of this grand building, whose beauty is overlooked by some. It was founded by Edward I late in the 13th century, around the time he granted the former settlement of Wyke a Royal Charter and renamed it Kings Town upon Hull. With its intricate stonework, the church fully lives up to its new slogan "an amazing place". Mr Barnes says: "Holy Trinity Church was at the centre of the community. "We're returning to that. We're returning to our roots. "When I first arrived here from the Anlaby parish, people would tell me this place is the best-kept secret in Hull." Three years ago, he was joined by his right-hand man, The Reverend Matt Woodcock, a former journalist who found his true calling late in life, who was brimming with ideas to make church relevant. It appears to be a striking partnership at a time when all places of worship, even Holy Trinity, which is England's largest parish church, are at the same crossroads. Should churches only open on Sundays and face an uncertain future? Or do they throw the doors open and embrace the 21st century? Unlocking the "secret" that Mr Barnes speaks of was the aim of the branding project. But there is no getting away from the fact that deploying tactics usually used to promote shopping centres and corporate firms is, at best, unorthodox, to borrow a religious phase. It is clear it has been well thought out, with the marketing specialists' repeated use of the words "respectful" in their carefully considered rhetoric. Causing controversy and religious offence would be something of an own goal. Mr Barnes says: "Most people have been very supportive and they love to see buildings such as this one come to life. "We are an important part of this city." So how does a marketing company bring a church into the 21st century, without losing sight of its traditions? Hannah Thoresby, director of brand specialists H&H, says: "We had to be very respectful of its heritage, of its long-standing in the community. "We asked ourselves the question, 'what is this place more than anything else?' "When people come into the church, they stop and walk about. It's grand. It's majestic. It's an amazing place to visit." A few years ago, the only stiff drink you could expect in the church was a sip of Holy Communion wine. Now, it plays host to a popular, annual Camra beer festival, while Mr Woodcock leads the annual live nativity through the streets of Old Town, encouraging business leaders to lose their stuffy images and perform God's work. Kathryn Shillito, city centre manager of Hull Business Improvement District, says: "In recent years, we have witnessed the church embedding itself into the community by hosting a range of activities and unique events, including our own Hull Fashion Week, the Hull Trinity Music Festival and the popular Camra beer festival. "Neal Barnes and the Holy Trinity team have transformed the way in which the church is perceived." Hull Street Angels Trinity, a team of dedicated volunteers who help keep late-night revellers safe, use the church as their base. "The church, through these volunteers, is becoming a familiar part of our evening economy," says Mrs Shillito. Follow Kevin on Twitter @hdm_shoesmith Links to some of city's greatest characters and darkest hours HULL'S greatest son, the abolitionist MP William Wilberforce, was baptised in the font of Holy Trinity, which is still used regularly for Christenings. It is known that the 17th-century poet Andrew Marvell worshipped in the church. It is also home to tributes to the city's war dead and some of the many thousands from Hull lost at sea, such as the crew of The Gaul, which sank in 1974. (c) 2014 ProQuest Information and Learning Company; All Rights Reserved. |