A Methodist Church is selling off all of its contents after closing down.

Trinity Methodist Church, in Sarum Hill, has closed its doors, marking the end of a long-running Methodist presence in the town centre.

In light of this, the church is due to sell of its entire contents at the end of the month, with proceeds going towards a charitable fund.

Barbara Johnson, trustee of Trinity Methodust Church, said: "It may be remembered as the church with a lovely garden at the top of Sarum Hill, or the outside wooden cross covered in fresh flowers during Easter, but Trinity Church Building is now closed and is holding a sale of all its contents."

The sale will take place in the church on Saturday, June, 28, from 10am to 3pm.

"Everything must go, and the proceeds of the sale will go to the Circuit Youth Fund," Barabara continued.

With the redevelopment of Basingstoke town centre in the 1960s, Church Street Methodist Church, Sarum Hill Church, and the George Street Mission, came together as one, and a new church was built on Sarum Hill.

This unification led to the naming of Trinity Methodist Church, with a dedication service being held on May 30, 1970. In 1986 the church was further extended to provide more facilities to serve the community.

Barbara said: "Trinity Methodist Church was a lively church with lots of families attending Sunday Worship.

"There was a flourishing Sunday school, as well as a boys’ brigade, a girls’ brigade, two youth clubs, and a variety of sports and social clubs for men and women, and a holiday club during the school summer holidays for young children. It was also home to other outside organisations, like the Scouts and Guides.

On May 25, 2023, Trinity Church Council and St Andrews Church Council, South Ham, held separate meetings to discuss the possibility of merging the two churches together to form a new church.

Trinity Church, with its large premises, was no longer financially sustainable.

The merger was eventually agreed, and the Trinity Church building was handed back to the Circuit to be sold.

Trinity Church and South Ham Church became St. Andrew’s Trinity Methodist church and is now serving the community of South Ham and Buckskin.

The closure of the church means that residents no longer have access to a Methodist Church in the town centre and, instead, have to go further afield to Oakridge and South Ham, in order to access one.