Million pound project set for Furnace Green church

A MASSIVE million-pound project to revamp a community centre will start this summer after a flood of generous contributions.

St Andrew's Church, in Furnace Green, will soon have a brand new church centre after the community rallied around to offer its support.

Church members say they have been "astounded" by the efforts of residents, which have helped them to raise just over £1 million for the project, titled 'Building for the Next Generation'.

Reverend Richard Poole said: "We have had so much support for the idea, we have been astounded really, and so grateful."

The project has taken four years to plan and fund, and now work will start this summer.

It is expected to cost around £1.2 million.

It will see the current church centre on Weald Drive demolished, and a new one built in its place.

Revd Poole said: "We reckon it will take about a year to finish.

"The idea at the beginning was to renovate the building, that was four years ago.

"But then we got an architect in who told us to consider demolishing the building and to build a new one, so that's what we are doing.

"It is very exciting for everyone involved, a lot has been done to raise the money."

Revd Poole hopes the centre will be used for a range of community activities, including coffee mornings, mother and toddler groups and book sales.

He added: "We are not looking at this to be something for the church, we are looking for the centre to be something that brings the whole community together again.

"Over the years, the sense of community has eroded and it is something we want to get back in Furnace Green."

The majority of money has come from donations from church-goers and members of the public, however some fundraisers have helped in a more wacky manner.

An auction of promises fundraiser was held at the church, which saw one church member more involved than he first thought.

Lay preacher Derek Lawrence, 64, promised to have all his hair cut off in exchange for some cash.

He said: "I am proud that I could contribute in this small way to this great project. I think it makes me look ten years younger.

"I think I quite like the cut as well, I'll keep it for summer. I raised £100. Altogether for the auction we raised just under £3,000 which was fantastic."