From a Methodist Church to a thriving Creative Arts Centre

The Thrive Hive has given a new lease of life to a County Durham coastal church after its closure. Offering a wide array of creative workshops, the redecorated church has been brought back to life.

“On Monday there are art classes, on Tuesday knit classes, on Thursday a coffee morning and a drawing class, on Friday it’s the painting class. The Hive has given me a new lease of life after my husband died; attending classes has saved me from the grief and the upset of losing him,” says Pat a regular attendee.

“I was a member of Seaton Carew Methodist Church in the Darlington Methodist District for more than 40 years and I was sad when it closed. But then Alex came, altered things dramatically and made the building lovely. The Hive is somewhere where you can have community, social outings and meet new people,” adds Pat.

Alex, founder of The Thrive Hive, has transformed Seaton Carew Methodist Church with wonderfully coloured William Morris wallpaper, plants, soft cushions and art pieces in each room. The former church has reinvented itself as a community art centre bringing together hundreds of people every week.

It all started with Alex’s initiative to hold art workshops for children. “I called to hire the church hall and they told me they did not know how long it would be possible. So I emailed the minister with a plan to open a community space focusing on creativity and wellbeing.”

With the support of the Castle Eden Circuit and some funding from the National Lottery, Alex started organising her workshops in September 2023. By June 2024, she was the leaseholder of the church and the two boilers were down. She organised a big fundraiser with raffle tickets, a fair and a party and got the money to replace them both.

“I didn't think I would get such a great response, but it was needed. People don't give money for nothing. Creating the Hive is the best thing I ever did and it’s so great to see the Church being used and full of life,” she says.

Classes and workshops are every day of the week with art, yoga and even a youth orchestra. Most classes have between 15 and 20 seats that are often fully booked. Alex has more projects to bring to life such as an exhibition space, a gift shop and even an extension.

Most importantly, it created a community: “I've always had a lot of crafts in my life so attending the classes allowed me to learn new skills. But I mainly come for the company. We have done outings like going to Bowes Museum at Barnard Castle and having Christmas dinner,” concludes Pat.

The Thrive Hive is open every day for workshops and Seaton Carew Methodist Church can still be used by the local congregation when necessary.