A new health and well-being centre in an historic church in Holywell is being officially opened on Sunday (20 October) by the Archbishop of Wales and the Bishop of St Asaph.

St James’ Church is part of the St Winefride’s Holy Well site in the town and has been extensively refurbished to offer a café, a central space for major events and services, meeting and consulting rooms and a Parish Nursing Service.

The Parish Nursing Service will be the only one in Wales currently and will provide both healthcare information and education, as well as individual appointments – referring people back to the NHS or other local partners as appropriate.

The Archbishop of Wales, the Most Revd Andrew John and the Bishop of St Asaph, the Rt Revd Gregory Cameron will formally bless and commission Well-Being @ St James’ at a special service on Sunday. During the service, Margaret Mort will be commissioned as the only Parish Nurse in Wales.

Archbishop Andrew John said: “I am delighted to be joining with the community of Holywell and the Bishop of St Asaph to formally open Well-Being @ St James’ and re-dedicate this historic and significant church. It’s exciting to see this building discover a new purpose to meet the needs of the local community while recognising its importance as an ancient place of healing and pilgrimage.”

The Vicar of Holywell, Fr Dominic Austin Cawdell OGS, has overseen the half a million-pound refurbishment project. He said: “Holywell has been a place of Christian healing and pilgrimage for centuries. St Winefride’s Well is reputedly the longest continual place of pilgrimage in Europe and is an important part of Wales’ national heritage.

“I am delighted that we have been able to re-open St James’ to meet the needs of the local community in a relevant and meaningful way. The Well Bean Cafe will be affordable and offer employment opportunities to those with mental health issues or learning difficulties in collaboration with local partners. The parish nursing service will offer essential and accessible health information. At the same time, we have restored the main sanctuary of the church to its former glory. It will be the home for larger events, such as fundraising concerts and recitals, as well as large funeral, wedding and baptism services.”

Bishop Gregory, the Bishop of St Asaph said: “I am delighted by the dedication and hard work of the priest and people of St James to bring renewal to their church, and to reach out in service to the community. Jesus taught us that health and salvation go hand in hand, and this modern health facility in a place of ancient healing could not be more appropriate.”

St James’ Church, which is above St Winifred’s Holy Well, ceased to be the regular place of worship for the town in 2007 when St Peter’s Church was built on Rose Hill.

In summer 2023, the Church in Wales Bishop of St Asaph and the Roman Catholic Bishop of Wrexham signed an historic agreement to recognise and celebrate the significance of the holy well and Shrine to Saint Winefride in Holywell. Both bishops pledged to work co-operatively towards the development of the whole site in Holywell as an integrated place of worship, pilgrimage and tourism, while maintaining the distinctive tradition of worship associated with the Shrine.

St Winefride is believed to have been a virgin martyr, beheaded by Caradoc, a local prince, after she spurned his advances. A spring rose from the ground at the spot where her head fell and she was later restored to life by her uncle, Saint Beuno, going on to live of life of devotion in Gwytherin near Denbigh. Today, people still come to bathe in the waters from the well and opening of the new Well-Being @ St James’ centre will complement the healing properties of the well.

The formal opening of Well-Being @ St James’ will take place at 4pm on Sunday 20 October. All are welcome.