If you live near Malvern Road in Beeston Hill, you’ve probably noticed some activity going on at St Luke’s Church. Maybe some comings and goings, vans and men popping in and out of the building. Or perhaps you’ve noticed the railings and masses of building materials that seems to have appeared almost overnight?
There is a lot of activity at the church which will see the building turned into a community hub in summer 2020. The builders have laid down foundations which will support an extension to the main church creating a space for community rooms, accessible facilities and a large purpose-built kitchen. The Church will engage with local charities and organisations who will be able to use the building as a base to enable them to deliver their projects to the local area. It will also be a base for workers providing youth work, social cohesion and employability skills in the area.
The church has been standing since the 1800s and comes from humble beginnings as a tin hut and has already seen an extension added in its early history. This is the largest project the church has ever seen since its construction and there are great hopes and expectations about the positive impact it will have on the community.
Over the next few months work will continue and you’ll see the walls take shape, the old church windows re installed and the rooms sealed from the elements, although you won’t be able to see much of the inside unless you peek through the door from the street, work will be going on inside. A structure will be created to make a second floor on the inside which will act as a small office space to compliment the community rooms below.
When the work is finished there will be a formal re-opening of the church sometime in the summer so watch this space for further news! Although there is a lot of work to be done the congregation is still gathering and for now meets at St Luke’s School just down the road, if you need more information about the project or would like to get in touch and enquire about hiring the space when the Church re-opens check out their Facebook page or website stlukesholbeck.org.uk
