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You are welcome here
You are welcome here
We want everyone to be able to take part in the life of the Northstowe Church Network with dignity, choice and as few barriers as possible.
People have different physical, sensory, communication, learning and access needs, and no single way of gathering will work perfectly for everyone. We know we are still learning. If there is something that would make it easier for you or someone you are coming with to join us, please tell us — we would much rather have the conversation than leave you wondering whether you will be able to take part.
Our Venues
Our Venues
You’ll find us wherever people are gathering across Northstowe, but especially in The Pathfinder CofE Primary School, where we're part of the family.
We haven’t built the Northstowe Lakes Centre & Chapel by the Lake yet, so our Church Office remains a largely virtual concept — hooray for cloud-based computing! You can find our email, phone and postal details on the Contact page.
When we gather in person, we hire spaces around Northstowe, particularly at The Pathfinder School, as well as meeting in homes, community venues and outdoors. Check the details for each gathering to see exactly where to find us.
+ Our main venue
+ Our main venue
The Pathfinder Church of England Primary School
The Pathfinder Church of England Primary School
Pathfinder Way, Northstowe, Cambridgeshire, CB24 1AA
Pathfinder Church, Little Explorers and many of our larger gatherings and special events take place at the school.
The building is wheelchair accessible. Accessible parking is available in the staff car park (both at weekends and weekdays), and covered cycle racks are close to the main entrance.
At weekends and evening events, visitors can normally use the school car park. For weekday gatherings there is also parking close to the school.
Because this is a working school, its doors are designed to keep children secure, so visitors sometimes need to be let in from inside.
For Little Explorers: come through the main school entrance and use the doorbell for the room just off the foyer.
For Pathfinder Church and events in the school hall: we normally open the hall-side entrance. In colder weather we may close the door once the gathering has begun, but we continue to watch for people arriving — give us a wave and we’ll let you in.
For Summer Events in the NEST and side garden, follow signs from the front door around the edge of the building nearest Pioneer Park: you'll normally find us on deckchairs (with more solid chairs also avialable)
If arriving at the venue might be difficult for you, contact us beforehand and we can talk through what to expect.
+ Quick access overview of our main venue
+ Quick access overview of our main venue
At The Pathfinder Church of England Primary School, you can expect...
At The Pathfinder Church of England Primary School, you can expect...
🟢 Step-free entrance and wide doorways
🅿️ Blue Badge spaces and free on-site parking
🚲 Covered cycle racks by the main entrance
🚻 Accessible toilet with baby-changing facilities
📱 Service words available electronically by QR code, WhatsApp or email
🎵 Hearing loop available in the school hall (please let us know in advance if this is needed)
🖍 Quiet space, colouring materials and journalling Bibles available
🍪 Gluten-free refreshments routinely available
Please check packets if you have an allergy or specific dietary requirement.🧠 An increasingly autism-aware, neurodivergent-friendly ethos
🎶 Musicians, artists and other creatives are always welcome to join in
🪑 Flexible seating, with space for wheelchairs and mobility aids
👧 Children and adults alike are welcome to move, participate and engage in different ways
If you need something not listed here, please ask!
Other venues are as listed in ChurchSuite (normally with a map included on the event page) or in private homes - when needed, we'll pass on the addresses directly once you've signed up.
+ Access at home-based gatherings
+ Access at home-based gatherings
Some Network gatherings, particularly within the Compline Community, take place in homes rather than public buildings. Access therefore varies between venues.
Some Network gatherings, particularly within the Compline Community, take place in homes rather than public buildings. Access therefore varies between venues.
Where we use Church House, there is single-level access and street parking is normally available nearby, but the toilet facilities are domestic and may not be fully accessible.
Other homes have their own limitations.
Please contact us before a home-based gathering if accessibility matters to you. We can explain the venue honestly, reserve suitable parking where possible, or explore another way for you to take part.
More details
More details
+ Reading, hearing and communication
+ Reading, hearing and communication
We try to make spoken and written material accessible in different ways rather than assuming everyone processes information in the same way.
We try to make spoken and written material accessible in different ways rather than assuming everyone processes information in the same way.
For our own materials we use clear, dyslexia-friendly presentation, including Lexend where possible, good contrast and uncluttered layouts.
During worship and larger gatherings:
words are normally displayed on screen;
we can share slides or a full-text version electronically where available, so you can follow on your own device;
large-print material can be prepared if you let us know in advance;
a hearing loop is available in the school hall (please let us know if this is helpful in advance if possible)
We try not to print large amounts automatically, both for environmental reasons and because different people need information in different formats. Please ask for the format that works best for you.
If English is not your first language, we would also love to know. We welcome the use of different languages in our shared prayer and will seek translations or other support where this helps you participate fully.
+ Neurodivergence, sensory needs and quiet space
+ Neurodivergence, sensory needs and quiet space
We know we are still learning, but we are committed to growing in autism awareness and neurodivergent-friendly practice.
We know we are still learning, but we are committed to growing in autism awareness and neurodivergent-friendly practice.
Our gatherings are intended to be flexible, while also having a clear structure
You are welcome to move around, stand, sit, step outside, use sensory resources, doodle, colour, listen without joining every activity, or engage in whatever way helps you participate.
There is no expectation that adults or children must sit still, make eye contact or behave in one particular way in order to belong.
At Pathfinder Church and larger Network gatherings, we normally make a quiet space available for anyone who wants to step away from the main room.
Tables contain creative and multisensory resources which are there for all ages, not just children. Extra sensory resources such as Play-Doh are also available.
One parent described their experience:
“They have been so welcoming to my Autistic son and tried really hard to help him enjoy and learn, even when he isn't acting like everyone else.”
Please tell us what helps you or your family. We would rather learn from you than make assumptions.
+ Seating and physical access
+ Seating and physical access
Please do not feel that you have to fit yourself around our furniture — we can move the furniture around you.
Please do not feel that you have to fit yourself around our furniture — we can move the furniture around you.
At Pathfinder Church and most whole-Network events, seating is arranged around standard-height tables using folding chairs.
We can readily make room for wheelchairs and mobility aids.
We also keep some sturdier and more comfortable chairs available and are very happy to move them to wherever you would like to sit.
At Little Explorers, young children often sit and play on floor cushions with their grown-ups. Low chairs are also available, and adults and children are welcome to use their usual mobility aids or whichever seating works for them.
+ Food, drink and allergies
+ Food, drink and allergies
Hospitality is an important part of our life together, so food and drink appear quite often!
Hospitality is an important part of our life together, so food and drink appear quite often!
We routinely provide gluten-free and dairy-free options, and can usually provide non-dairy milk and accommodate other dietary requirements.
Please speak to us about allergies or particular dietary needs. For packaged foods we are always happy for you to check the ingredients yourself.
If an event involves a meal, giving us a quick heads-up beforehand is particularly helpful so that we can plan well for you
+ Music, sound and different ways to participate
+ Music, sound and different ways to participate
You do not have to participate in everything.
You do not have to participate in everything.
Our gatherings use a mixture of conversation, silence, live music, recorded music, images, creativity and spoken words.
You do not have to participate in everything.
It is fine to listen rather than sing, to move somewhere quieter, or to engage in another way.
We also welcome people who would like to contribute creatively. If you sing, play an instrument, enjoy visual arts, sound or other forms of creativity, there is room to get involved at your own pace.
Understanding our lanyards
Understanding our lanyards
We use coloured lanyards to make it easier to see who is helping and who is taking responsibility at our activities.
We use coloured lanyards to make it easier to see who is helping and who is taking responsibility at our activities.
In breif: those with leadership or safeguarding responsiblity wear pink. Those "on team" wear blue.
You don’t need to remember the colours though — the name cards describe people’s roles, and anyone on team can help point you in the right direction.
Inclusion
Inclusion
What kind of welcome do we mean?
What kind of welcome do we mean?
Accessibility is about more than buildings. We want the Northstowe Church Network to be a place where people are treated with dignity, respect and fairness, and where difference is not regarded as something people need to hide in order to belong.
Our welcome includes people across differences of disability, economic circumstances, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, learning disability, mental health, neurodiversity and sexuality.
We are part of Inclusive Church and have used the Honest Church framework to help us speak openly about the welcome people can expect rather than relying on a vague claim that “everyone is welcome”. In 2025 the Church Meeting formally adopted the Honest Church approach following discussion and reflection across the Network.
+ Women and leadership
+ Women and leadership
We celebrate that women participate fully in the life and leadership of the Northstowe Church Network.
We celebrate that women participate fully in the life and leadership of the Northstowe Church Network.
There are no restrictions on leadership, preaching, presiding or exercising ministry on the basis of gender within our local church life. For example, our minister is a woman and women serve throughout our Trustee body and community leadership.
Church Council used the Honest Church Toolkit to reflect on the opportunities available for women in our community (on a scale of 1 to 5), We felt that we went beyond level 4, but acknowledge there is always more we can do to empower women, especially when considering other forms of intersectionality.
"This is a church in which there are no limits on the roles that women can play and where people are intentionally seeking to encourage women to use gifts that they may not have been encouraged to use in other settings. Gender stereotypes are avoided and would be critiqued if they emerged. Members and leaders are also attentive to the intersection of gender issues with discrimination against other groups, such as on grounds of sexual orientation and race." – The Level 5 description from Honest Church
We strive toward this vision and continue to work for greater inclusivity.
+ LGBTQ+ inclusion
+ LGBTQ+ inclusion
We celebrate that LGBTQ+ people participate fully in the life and leadership of the Northstowe Church Network.
We celebrate that LGBTQ+ people participate fully in the life and leadership of the Northstowe Church Network.
We have spent time as a church reflecting together on sexuality, relationships and inclusion, including working through the Church of England's Living in Love and Faith material.
Using the Honest Church framework, our Church Meeting has described our current position as Level 4 for LGBTQ+ inclusion: publicly affirming LGBTQ+ people, with affirming leadership and a commitment to continuing to learn and grow.
As part of our Anglican ministry, Prayers of Love and Faith are available for same-sex couples.
We know that people may arrive carrying very different experiences of churches. If you want to ask specifically what our welcome would mean for you or your family, you are very welcome to contact us before coming.
The Honest Church spectrum at level 4 reads:
"This is a church where there is at least some public support for LGBTQ+ people and probably a specific public welcome. Leaders are likely to be prepared to voice their affirmation and they may occasionally preach or write a blog or magazine article to explain their theological position. There may well be LGBTQ+ people in the congregation and in positions of leadership. Agencies and resources which offer LGBTQ+ people support and allyship may be linked to and promoted. There may also be members of the congregation or assistant leadership who are unsure or non-affirming. This church may specifically welcome them as part of the diverse family of faith. This means that an LGBTQ+ person or couple may occasionally meet opposition or comments that are uninformed, but the culture of the church as a whole is welcoming from a theological and personal standpoint. Illustrations and modelling may still tend towards heteronormativity but will be likely to be consciously minimised."
We encourage everyone involved in the Northstowe Church Network to take the #BeHonest Quiz and share their feedback as we continue to learn and grow together.
+ Children and families
+ Children and families
We celebrate Children as part of the church now
We celebrate Children as part of the church now
At Pathfinder Church we normally worship intergenerationally: adults and children all sharing the same space. That means our gatherings can sometimes be noisy, mobile and wonderfully unpredictable. Children and adults alike are welcome to ask questions, move around, use creative resources and take part in ways appropriate to them. We also actively create opportunities for children and young people to shape and lead worship.
Little Explorers is particularly designed around babies, preschool children and their grown-ups, with play, story, singing, creativity, hospitality and prayer woven together: but it's not a "baby group": it's church for those, of all ages, who take part.
We may not always get it right
We may not always get it right
We don't want an accessibility statement to make promises that people's real experience cannot match.
Some of the buildings we use have limitations. Our volunteers are human. We are still learning about disability, neurodivergence, culture, language and the many other things that affect whether people genuinely feel able to belong.
So please tell us when something works — and when it doesn't. If there is an adjustment that would help you take part, or if you would simply like to know what to expect before arriving, we would be glad to talk.
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