Fundraisers are literally raising the roof after a grant of more than £50,000 was made to St Budeaux Parish Church Community Hall.
Since the creation of the St Budeaux Parish Church Community Hall in the 1960s, the church has extended its reach and now hosts more than 25 clubs, groups and organisations each week. These include a baby and toddler group, exercise and dance clubs; a social club for the over 50’s along with the traditional Guides and sewing group. There is also a weekly drop-in session and food larder run in partnership with the charity Christians Against Poverty who offer debt advice and financial support to individuals and families.
Several regulars travel from outside St Budeaux, such as, the group of adults with learning difficulties from the Highbury Trust on Outland Road, who attend the popular monthly Community Lunch Club. The hall is also a much loved venue frequently hired out by local residents for celebrations, birthday parties and anniversaries.
The 60 year old building has undergone a series of improvements since the St Budeaux Church Community Hall Development Committee was established in 2010 to regenerate the hall. Thrilled with its early success of raising £4,000 to replace rotting windows and supported with training, funding information and ‘business’ advice by POP Ideas, the team kept going.
Up to now it has raised almost £200,000 which has paid for, among other things, a catering-kitchen – enabling the provision of ‘lunch clubs – access and facilities for people with disabilities; a foyer and new toilets
And now with a Biffa Award grant of more than £50,000 the St Budeaux Church Community Hall can, quite literally, raise the roof! Liz Webb, one of the fundraisers on the committee, is delighted. She said:
“It’s such wonderful news. This is the biggest grant we’ve received and means we can replace the original copper roof which is leaking and has been repaired many times. We’ll also be reclaiming the copper, selling it, and reinvesting the money for the benefit of our community.”
Biffa Award is a multi-million-pound fund that awards grants to help build communities and transform lives as part of the Government’s Landfill Communities Fund. In awarding the grant, Biffa Award, clearly recognised the significant social value of the Church Community Hall.
