Selston Community

The parish of Selston is based in the North West of Nottinghamshire, bordering on East Derbyshire and lying west of the M1 between junctions 27 & 28.  For directions to Selston and the Church, please visit our 'Find Us' page.

The textile factories and light engineering formerly within the village have now closed down and have been replaced with several new housing developments.  Some farming activity remains and an open-cast mining project on the outskirts of the village has now been completed and the land returned to agricultural use.  The village is well spread out, with no clearly defined centre other than the new Health Centre and Somerfields supermarket near Wilde's Corner, the junction of Nottingham Road and Mansfield Road.  Within the Health Centre we have the local doctors’ surgery plus community health facilities and an Ashfield District Council Help Desk.  Community life is promoted by the Selston Forum Rural Partnership.

There are three primary schools within the parish covering the ages 4-11: the Holly Hill and Bagthorpe Primary schools both accommodating juniors, infants and nursery, and the Selston Church of England School infants and nursery.  The Selston Arts and Community College**, formerly known as the Matthew Holland School, also hosts a play group.  (** NB No return here from this link!)  All of our schools are supported by St Helen's.  The Church of England School takes ages 4-7 with clergy and lay members helping in assemblies each week.  The Vicar and currently one of the Readers (a licensed lay minister in the Church of England) represent the church as members of the School Governors.  St Helen's are currently developing relationships with the Holly Hill Primary School through assemblies and special events.  The Selston Arts and Community College takes ages 11-18 and in the same complex is housed Selston Library, Selston Leisure Centre, Selston Young People's Centre and the new Tin Hat Centre.  St Helen's has contact with the local Rainbows (formerly the Brownies) and Guides who occasionally attend services and midweek events. Beavers, Cubs and Scouts meet in the village.

Further information on Selston and its history is also available on the Ashfield Communities and the former Old Notts websites.  There are several other places of worship within the Parish, including Methodist chapels, a Church of Christ and a United Reformed Church.  As part of the ecumenical 'Churches Together' project, St. Helen's joins with the other churches in monthly Prayer Breakfasts, a quarterly 'Village Praise' in the Parish Hall and for other occasional special services.

St Helen's maintains pastoral contact with the four nursing and residential care homes within the parish, with monthly services of Holy Communion where requested.  Approximately 20% of the population of the parish are retired.

The members of St Helen's look forward to the challenges ahead, furthering lay development, catering for the 15-19 year olds, increasing contact in the community and schools and developing our Evangelical outreach as we move forward in the 21^st Century.

         Stoney Lane           Church Lane (looking East)     The 'Horse & Jockey'