St Mary's Church,  Kemp Town, Brighton
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What's coming up?

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St Mary's Carol Service
Sunday, 13 December, 5pm
FREE -
Email to reserve a place

The Service of Nine Lessons and Carols is a beautiful, reflective service. This year the choir of St Mary's will be joined again by our friends from the Ovingdean Choral Society, conducted by Gregory Moore, with Andrew Beaizley on the organ. Traditional readings from the King James Bible and candles galore. Sadly, this year, there is no singing for the congregation.

Numbers are limited because of social distancing. If you would like to attend, please 
email us in advance telling us the number of people in your household group or bubble who will be coming with you.

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Actually Gay Men's Chorus 
The Spirit of Christmas - Two Covid-secure Live Concerts
Friday, 18 and Saturday, 19 December, 7.30pm
Tickets £15 available here


At last live music returns to St Mary's! With two Covid-secure Christmas concerts by the wonderful Actually Gay Men's Chorus. We're thrilled to be hosting these concerts, and hope they herald the return of all our live music to St Mary's. 
Tickets are released for sale on Monday, 7 December. Numbers are limited to aid social-distancing, so please don't leave it too late to book. 

Coronavirus Update - 24 August 2020
We have taken the difficult decision to cancel all our recitals for 2020. We had hoped to continue with them in September and October, but, unfortunately, we have had to concede that it is too difficult for our small team of volunteers to run the recitals safely while keeping on top of the mandatory sanitising regime and also staffing the toilets.

​So it is our plan to reassess the situation in the New Year with a view to running a full series from April 2021, if circumstances permit. By then, we hope, some of the restrictions will have eased, and we may also be able to return to offering hospitality as well.

Regular events

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Bike for Life - Bicycle Maintenance Course
Saturdays, 12 noon - 6pm
​5, 12 and 19 December 2020

Bruce, from Bike for Life, returns to the church hall with a three-part bicycle maintenance course. Each session runs for six hours on a Saturday, from 12 noon, and provides intensive, hands-on tuition.
For dates of future sessions, watch this space. For details and to book, please see Bike for Life's website or email Bruce or Ronnie via this link.

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The Purlers Charity Knitting Group
Monday mornings, 10am-12 noon
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Currently cancelled owing to coronavirus emergency


Every Monday morning a cheerful bunch of knitters gathers in St Mary's Church to knit items for local and international charities. Since 2014 our knitters have made dozens of blankets for displaced families in northern Iraq and Syria and scores of tiny baby jackets for the Trevor Mann Baby Unit at the Royal Sussex County Hospital. They also make twiddle muffs, which are occupational therapy mittens for people living with advanced dementia.
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Please drop in if you fancy some convivial knitting and conversation time while also doing something practical to help people in need. We provide all materials, tea and biscuits, and friendly chat, while our lead knitter Jane will also teach you how to knit if it's a skill you've yet to acquire.

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Art & Inspiration Discussion Group
Monday afternoons, 2.15pm

​​Currently cancelled owing to coronavirus emergency

​Art & Inspiration Group is a small, friendly discussion group, open to all, which is led by a different speaker each week exploring a work or theme in art, music or literature that is close to his or her heart. 
The group is free to attend and meets over coffee in the church, which is wheelchair accessible and well heated! Each session lasts about an hour and a half. Please phone 01273 698601 if you have any queries.

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Kemptown Koalas Parent & toddler group
Tuesday afternoons, 2.30-4pm

Currently cancelled owing to coronavirus emergency


St Mary's friendly and inclusive parent & toddler group runs in our church hall on Tuesday afternoons from 2.30 to 4 pm. The entrance to the hall is in St Mary's Place, immediately to the east of the church. We welcome people of all faiths and none and hope you'll feel comfortable with us whatever your beliefs. To help cover the costs of snacks for the littlies and afternoon tea for the  grown-ups, we ask that parents pay £1.50 for the first child, and £1 for a second. But this isn't obligatory. Please speak in confidence with one of our volunteers if this would prevent you from bringing a child to the Koalas. 
To keep up-to-date with special events and holiday breaks, please see the Koalas' Facebook page.

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Freedom Pilates for Men with Suzy Harrison
Tuesday evenings, 7-8pm
Currently cancelled owing to coronavirus emergency

Experienced trainer Suzy Harrison is running one-hour pilates classes for men in St Mary's Church Hall on Tuesday evenings. The class is geared towards the needs of a male body with lots of stretching at the end. Increase good posture, flexibility and core strength. Suzy says: 'Come and have a free trial class and start the journey towards a more flexible, better postured you.' The drop-in price for a class is £7 or book a course of 8 for £50. For more information email Suzy here or visit her Facebook page.

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The Young Actors Group: Drama classes for 8-15 year-olds
Thursdays, 4pm and 6pm
Currently cancelled owing to coronavirus emergency

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The Kemp Town branch of Brighton's Young Actors Group is back in our church hall for a new term of classes on 16 January 2020. YAG offers superb tuition and professional tips and advice for budding actors, and the classes are also a great way of helping children improve confidence and self-esteem.
The classes for younger children (aged 8 to 11) are on Thursday afternoons, 4 pm to 6 pm, while the class for the older group (aged 12 to 15) runs Thursday evenings from 6 to 8 pm. Please see the Young Actors Group website for courses and information about tuition fees and scholarship opportunities.
The congregation at St Mary's sponsors two half-fee scholarships for children from financially disadvantaged backgrounds.

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Kemp Town Talks
Free conversational English classes
Friday mornings, 9am and 11am
Returns Friday, 17 January 2020
Currently cancelled owing to coronavirus emergency


St Mary's holds free, drop-in classes for adults who need or would like to improve their English conversation skills. We have friendly, experienced ESOL teachers who will get you talking confidently and help you understand colloquial usage. There are two groups. The one at 9am is for beginners and the one at 11am is for more advanced learners. The groups are small, free, friendly and welcoming. No need to book. Just turn up! Tea and coffee included. 

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Art Works - Free creativity classes
Saturdays, 11am - 12.30pm

Currently cancelled owing to coronavirus emergency

Would you like to explore your artistic potential? Find out if you could actually draw a passable cat?
If so, come along to our small, friendly Art Works group at St Mary's on Saturday mornings at 11am.
​It's free and tuition and materials are provided for you, along with tea & coffee.

​No artistic experience or training necessary - just a willingness to explore what you may be able to do.
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The Parish Church of St Mary, Kemp Town
61 St James's Street, Brighton BN2 1PR


Vicar: The Revd Andrew Woodward
Phone: 01273 698601
Email: info@stmaryschurchbrighton.org.uk


Registered Charity No. 1158922
Text and images (c) St Mary, Kemp Town 2021