Can I use the local church hall for a non-religious Celebration or Wake?

Your loved one might not have been religious and may not have stepped into church in their life but does that mean you can’t hire that perfectly suited room in the Church Hall for a get together after the funeral? It’s worth thinking about for a larger group that doesn’t want to take over the local Pub!

But make sure you check ahead, The Charities Commission for England and Wales gave some guidance back in 2001 with regards to usage and, although the guidance wasn’t necessarily concerned with the occasional casual use of a church hall for other purposes, it gave it’s definition as: any building which, according to its trusts, is to be used for church purposes.

Use for church purposes: means use for any purpose for the advancement of religion, including use by organisations connected with the church.
For example, use of the premises for: evangelistic activities, religious festivals, Sunday schools and activities associated with religious services (e.g. wedding receptions)
It may also include meetings of the brownies, cubs, guides and scouts.

Perhaps things have changed since they published the guidance…

St Saviour’s Church Hall in Woking Surrey is for Hire as per their website.

Holy Trinity and St Saviour’s Church – Church Hall available to hire for group functions, children’s parties, village meetings, society get-togethers, indoor games, rehearsals, plays, musicals, pantomimes…

Check with your local church, I’m sure they will be happy to help.