A group of eminent parliamentarians, including members of the House of Commons and House of Lords, were welcomed to HTB Queen's Gate earlier today.

The group, headed by Baroness Kay Andrews, Chair of English Heritage, was visiting a selection of London churches and was welcomed to HTB Queen's Gate by Vicar Nicky Gumbel and his wife Pippa, who told the story of how the church was incorporated into the same parish as Holy Trinity Brompton last year.

Nicky Gumbel explained how the Bishop of Kensington invited HTB to become involved with the work of the parish in 2010. A former Churchwarden of the parish then spoke of the success of the partnership. None of the former congregation of St Augustine's Queen's Gate has left and instead the traditional morning service has grown from 30 to more than 100.

The church is now also the home of the William Wilberforce Trust, which provides help for the homeless on the premises as well as doing estates work, caring for ex-offenders, working with addicts and tackling poverty and social justice.

Thanking Nicky and Pippa Gumbel and the team at the conclusion of the visit, Baroness Andrews said, 'I think the Wilberforce connection is truly inspirational. It is absolutely right that we should celebrate that with you as well as the beauty of the building. Thank you very much.'