This sketch by our architect shows what
the extension to our building will look like.
Our church hall is
currently in-use most days with the focus being on the community of which we are
part. Run either by ourselves or by
other organisations these activities include:
- The
Friendship Club (a group for those with learning disabilities)
- The
Boys’ Brigade, Girls’ Brigade and their Band
- Bobby
Dazzlers (an under-5's and parent/carer's group)
- Take-a-Break
(a community café)
- The
Women's Institute Country Market
- Slimming
World
- Short
mat bowls club
- The
Guild (a lunchtime meeting open to men and women)
The
Friendship Club was facing closure due to lack of premises, and we were able to
offer them the use of our hall to see their important work continue.
Bobby Dazzlers has been running
since January 2003 and, judging by
its success, clearly meets a need in the town for an opportunity for under 5
year olds and their parents or carers to meet and have fun.
Take-a-Break
began in the 1980's as part of our long history of working with the
community.
Refreshments
are provided free of charge with donations accepted.
It aims to provide a welcoming and inclusive environment. We
regularly see numbers approaching 50, many of whom are disabled or elderly.
During our Take-a-Break mornings we have been able to
invite and welcome community advisors and groups so that they can offer their
services to those who call in. These
have included:
- The
Pension Service
- Community
Council of
Lincolnshire
- Public
and Patients Involvement Forum (an NHS group)
What
we are planning to do through our extended buildings is primarily a development
of Take a Break. This is expanded on below.
Our premises are in the centre of the town, on the main
shopping street. It is a good
location, visible and accessible to the community. However,
because access to our existing hall, behind the church, is difficult, this advantage is not maximised. So
with this in mind plans were formed to develop our site.
Those plans are two fold:
-
To replace the front
porch of the church with a larger and more modern multipurpose area.
This would consist of two large meeting areas, wheelchair-accessible
toilets, and kitchen facilities. With
all of this directly accessible from the street, it promises to be an asset
to the town.
- Whilst
looking to retain the use of the existing hall we are also planning to make
access easier. A separate commercial development behind the church
premises has enabled us to shorten an unwelcoming wall that constrained access to
the hall. In
addition the erection of a purpose built store to the hall will allow those
using it to have better access to its equipment.
It has taken us several years to get to this stage.
The vision, the design for the building and raising the finance for the work has
taken time. It is a great relief to have reached the building stage!
And what of tomorrow?
We hope to see this new facility in-use daily, by our
community and for our community.
You
can follow the progress by looking at this page of photos - we will update it
regularly.
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