The Meeting House - the Chaplaincy to the University of Sussex and a centre for spirituality, social action, counselling, music and prayer at the heart of campus - is being refurbished this summer.

The Grade 2-listed building will be completely closed until early September while specialist workers are brought in to restore, repair and refurbish the building's ageing fabric.

Among the improvements being made are the installation of a lift to enable disabled access, external repairs and an overhaul of the lighting and sound amplification. The team will also renovate the kitchen, meeting rooms, offices and social space. In the building's first-floor chapel (designed by architect Sir Basil Spence after he finished Coventry Cathedral) some of the panes of specially-constructed coloured glass will be replaced, and the chapel furniture will be refurbished.

The distinctive, circular building will be closed for the duration of the project, which started on 6 June.

The religious and pastoral work of the Chaplaincy will continue in different locations:

• The Sunday morning Ecumenical services have relocated to St Laurence's Parish Church in Falmer until the end of term, after which Anglican Eucharists continue there through the summer.
• Weekday Roman Catholic masses are all temporarily taking place in Howard House (by Falmer Station) at 1pm. There is also Morning Prayer at Howard House at 8.45am each weekday.
• The annual Chaplaincy pilgrimage to the Ecumenical monastery in Taize is still taking place on 27 June.

While the Meeting House is closed, members of the Chaplaincy team can be contacted as follows:

• The University's Chaplain, Reverend Canon Dr Gavin Ashenden will work out of his office in the English Department  in Arts B262. Email g.ashenden@sussex.ac.uk or phone 678865 (ext. 8865)
• Janine Thorogood, Secretary/Administrator in the Chaplaincy, can be contacted at Hastings Building. Email j.s.thorogood@sussex.ac.uk or phone 678217 (ext. 8217)
• For contact details of all Associate Chaplains, go to the Chaplaincy web pages

Ross Pocock, Project Manager, said: "These are the first major works to be carried out on the Meeting House in its 45-year history, so it will take a bit of time.

"But it will be ready before 10 and 11 September when hundreds of staff and students, both past and present, will be on campus to kick off the University's 50^th anniversary celebrations.

"We wanted this special building to look its best during our anniversary year."

Alumni, staff and students will attend a special thanksgiving ceremony on Sunday 11 September at 10.30am to mark the Meeting House's reopening, during a weekend programme of events to mark the beginning of the University's 50^th anniversary celebrations. For many former students, the Meeting House played a significant part in their journey through university life at Sussex.

More information about the Meeting House can be found online.