Trinity Cheltenham

Trinity Cheltenham stands in the heart of Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, on Portland Street. The church began in 1824 as an overflow from the town-centre Parish Church, with its first minister the Rev Francis Close. Over the centuries it has changed names, from ‘Trinity’ to ‘Holy Trinity’ and back again. Today it is a large Evangelical Anglican church with about 1,000 members and more than 1,000 regular worshippers. It belongs to the Church of England and is a leading part of the New Wine network. The church also runs Trinity House and Trinity Fusion behind the main building on Trinity Lane. The church’s story includes near-closure in 1976, followed by revival under Canon Lawrence Totty and later vicars. Major building projects followed, including the purchase of Trinity House in 2000 and the Fusion Building in 2008. A refurbishment of the main church raised seating capacity to nearly 650. In 2022 it received a £35,000 grant from the Diocese of Gloucester to run the Spear programme for young people. Senior leaders have included Mark Bailey, Andrew Blyth and the Grew family. Visitors find a busy programme of Sunday services and weekday activities such as the Alpha Course and children’s groups. The church offices sit in Winchcombe House, while Trinity House and Trinity Fusion host offices and events. The main building on Portland Street remains the centre of worship and community life.