Tina Cooley is helping to lead our Church building project to convert the Grade II listed building into suitable premises for church services.
Below are excerpts from things she told Fenland Citizen about the project.
“We have been holding services on the ground floor, but there is work needed to make it more suitable for use as a church. We want to open the whole ground floor as an auditorium that could also be used by the community during the week.
“It is a large building. The ground floor was built in 1818 as a girls’ school and the upper floors were added in 1850. We hope to make them suitable for community use and we are holding the free barbecue on July 30 to encourage people to come along and have a look around the building and to have their input into what sort of things they would like to see provided.
“We have ideas about groups such as a drop-in café and something for parents and young children, but we are looking for suggestions. Although any groups will be hosted by the church, they will not be linked to the church. We are not looking to recruit new members of the congregation, that is not what this is about.
“We want to do something to help build a better sense of community in the town, something that is perhaps lacking since the pandemic and all the lockdowns.
“Obviously if people decide they want to come along to services, then that would be fantastic and they would be made very welcome. But as I said this is not what we are about. We want to make full use of this wonderful building, and we want to get a feel for what people think is needed.
“Because the building is listed we are working closely with the conservation officer at Fenland District Council and we are also working with a builder who has experience of working on such projects. We want to maintain the history of the building, but at the same time make it fit for purpose.”
“That is why I am happy to help with this project, and because I have worked in the building industry for many years I am also qualified to do it. The first phase is likely to cost around £120,000, with the whole scheme estimated at around £250,000. We have been given funding from the parent church, which has churches in Peterborough and King’s Lynn among other local places, and we will be fundraising to help with the cost.
If you would like to find out more about the project, or run a group that would interested in using the building contact Tina on 07460501270.
