Talbot Village Trust has presented £40,000 to Cornerstone Church, based in Bournemouth, for necessary extension work to be carried out to the pre-existing building.
The church now has an extended and improved foyer area, an additional two rooms and significant improvements have also been carried out to the toilet facilities to ensure they can be accessed by wheelchair users. Overall the total floor area of the building has seen an increase of more than 25 per cent, compared to what the church had available prior to the start of the project.
Brian Wiggins, minister of Cornerstone Church, explained: ‘‘The grant has allowed us to provide much needed resources for the community, as the creation of the two small rooms has meant we can now use the space for one-to-one advice sessions, and for other community support groups to meet. For instanceCornerstone Church is now home to Frontline Debt Advice, which is a free weekly service open to members of the public.
‘‘The space has also been used to host a family fun day, as well as fitness classes and a weekly youth club. Before the work began to extend our premises, these support groups and events could only be accommodated in a very limited way.’’
The front of the church has benefited from the improvement work, making the overall appearance of the building much more welcoming and engaging with members of the community. Consequently, the on-site parking facilities have been vastly improved which has allowed easier access to the church for those with mobility issues.
Brian said: ‘‘We are so grateful for the donation and support given to us by Talbot Village Trust. We are not a particularly wealthy church, so it has made a big difference to receive support from the Trust to put into place our vision of making a positive difference to those who live in the Kinson and surrounding areas of Bournemouth.’’
Russell Lucas-Rowe, Trustee, added: ‘‘The Trust is delighted to have been given the opportunity to support Cornerstone Church. It is clear to see that the extension has had a positive impact not just on the congregation, but also the wider community. The Trust focuses its funding on schemes which create life-changing opportunities, and we feel that the extension has given the church and its members a new lease of life.’’
Talbot Village Trust meets biannually, and will be accepting applications for funding from both previous and new applicants in the area before the Trustees meet in spring next year. Please go to Talbotvillagetrust.orgfor more information.
