Client: St Michael’s Church, Chart Sutton, Kent
Project: Heated Pew Cushion Installation & Ongoing Church Electrical Works
Installer: Lake Electrical Limited
Lake Electrical Limited has worked with St Michael’s Church, Chart Sutton for several years, supporting the church with electrical upgrades and ongoing maintenance. Following a full rewire and lighting upgrade completed in 2019, we were invited back to install heated pew cushions to improve comfort for the congregation during colder months.
The church required a heating solution that would enhance comfort without altering or fixing into historic pews, while remaining efficient, discreet and suitable for a working place of worship.
The Challenge: Comfort Without Altering Historic Pews
Many churches face challenges in providing warmth for congregations without introducing visually intrusive heating systems or making permanent alterations to historic joinery. Traditional church heating systems can be slow to respond and costly to run, particularly in large, high-ceilinged spaces.
St Michael’s Church required a solution that would:
- Provide warmth where it is actually felt by the congregation
- Avoid fixing into or altering historic pews
- Be visually unobtrusive
- Be flexible and controllable for different services and events
The Solution: Heated Pew Cushions
Heated pew cushions offer a practical and sympathetic approach to church heating. Rather than heating the entire building, the cushions deliver gentle warmth directly to the person, improving comfort while significantly reducing energy use.
At St Michael’s Church, the heated cushions were installed with careful consideration of layout, power supply and control, ensuring they integrated seamlessly with the existing electrical infrastructure. The cushions are discreet in appearance and can be used selectively, allowing the church to heat occupied seating areas only.
Key benefits of the heated pew cushion system include:
- Direct warmth to the congregation rather than wasted heat
- Lower running costs compared to traditional space heating
- Quick and responsive heating
- No permanent alteration to historic pews
- Flexible use depending on attendance and layout
Working Around an Operational Church
All works were planned and delivered with an understanding that St Michael’s Church remains fully operational. The installation was carried out with minimal disruption, ensuring the church was safe, tidy and fully usable for services, with all electrics tested and operational.
Any adjustments required during the project were discussed and implemented collaboratively to ensure the final system was practical, reliable and suited to the needs of the church.
Client Testimonial
“The PCC has asked me to express our thanks for the work your firm carried out on our church. We are delighted with the results and found you and your staff friendly, co-operative and professional throughout the project. Your understanding of the needs of an operational church and the way the work was adapted to fit the building was very much appreciated.”
