Sheffield church ready to reopen after £600,000 refurbishment

A ceremony will be held at the Sheffield Church of the Nazarene in Heeley to mark the start of a new era for the congregation.

The Victorian building was in an awful state of disrepair and was threatened with closure due to damp and health and safety concerns.

But it has now been fully repaired and modernised, with new toilets, a kitchen, lift, sports hall, auditorium and rooms for hire.

The congregation’s oldest member Betty Stocks will cut the ribbon today at 11.15am, after which there will be music, stalls, food and an opportunity to look around the building.

Chairman of the building project committee Sophie Peel-Yates said: “I am so pleased that we are celebrating the re-opening of the building and able to make it more available for community use.

“A lot of people have worked hard to make the building project happen and I am so grateful to all who have been involved.

“It would have been a real shame for the local area if we had been forced to close the building, as so many people rely on us for all sorts of social, spiritual and learning activities. The Church of the Nazarene has been serving the needs of Sheffield people for the last 65 years, and I am thrilled that we have a brand new building and will be able to start to make plans for the future.”

Much of the funding came through the Landfill Communities Fund, which allows waste firms to keep a small part of their tax bill and award it to community and environmental projects. The rest came from charities, trusts and Heeley people.

The Viridor Credits Environmental Company and the Veolia Environmental Trust awarded grants of £45,000 and £35,000 respectively.

The Veolia trust’s executive director Paul Taylor said: “This is a great example of how the Landfill Communities Fund can make a real difference to people’s lives.

“The two grants awarded to this project through the Fund have helped make the church and its community facilities comfortable, modern, sustainable and fit-for-purpose.

“It is great to hear that the work is now complete. I hope the improvements mean the church and community centre is used and enjoyed for many years to come.”

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