Community centre and church's £300,000 revamp creates a versatile community hub

Temple Park Centre is part of The Manor Church and Community Project and refurbishment work is due to come to an end in this autumn after five years.

Thanks to the vision of the Methodist, the Anglican and United Reform Churches the building has had a massive £300,000 overhaul to create a modern versatile space which the whole community can benefit from.

Working with Manor Assembly, MASKK (Manor School Kids Klub), the Manor Community Childcare Centre (MCCC), Manor and Castle Development Trust/ Best Start as well as the S2 Foodbank and Food Club, the centre can be used for all sorts of different activities and as a hub at the heart of the community.

Thanks to the financial support of sponsors and the progress made by contractors Woodward & Taylor the following work is being carried out and will be completed by the end of September:

A new car park, landscaping, new access paths, ramps and steps, a new entrance and reception area, toilets, lighting, meeting rooms, conversion to allow multi-use of the building, redecoration throughout, new emergency exits, upgrades to alarm systems, replacement windows and asbestos removal.

Reverend Julie Upton said: “Our approach has always been to work with the local community and with other organisations who work within the area.

" We very much believe in building trust and connections with local people and the different organisations working in the Manor area.

“Through this partnership approach, we have also been able to help establish new groups of uniformed organisations (Beaver, Cubs and Scouts) which are very popular.”

She added: “The redevelopment of the outdated and tired building of the old William Temple Church, now Temple Park Centre (TPC), has been part of our vision from the start and constitutes a key factor of securing a good community asset for the use of the local community for party and activity lettings, as well as a base for MASKK.”