Building a place to meet

Grant allows St Thomas' Church to open doors to all

A refurbishment of St Thomas’ Church on Glasgow Road means welcome new facilities for the whole community.

The Episcopal Church on Glasgow Road had planned to create more community space within its building for some time but, despite the congregation’s generosity, more money was needed.

A community grant fund from the West Neighbourhood Partnership and funding from Waste Recycling Environment Ltd (WREN) for more than £43,000 made the upgrade possible.

“Before starting the upgrade, we talked to local people and groups, all of whom said they felt the lack of community meeting space was a big issue for this part of the city,” said Rebecca Saunders, St Thomas’ Church Co-ordinator.

The main focus of the WREN upgrade was the church’s main entrance and the lower area of the main building used as a pre-school area. The Community Grant Fund contributed £5,000 towards the refurbishment, transforming it into an excellent space for families with young children.  

And the impact of the building work in the church has already paid off in the community.

“We have already seen a 50 per cent rise in the numbers of groups using our halls, compared to last year,” said Rev Ian Hopkins. “We hope this growth continues as we open our doors to the community. We have not only invested in this project financially but in terms of staff support and energy too, so it is great to see the rewards.”

The church is holding a celebration weekend on 9-10 January 2010, including a Saturday evening ceilidh, as a thank you to the community.

For more information, contact Rebecca Saunders on 0131 316 4292 or e-mail churchoffice@saintthomas.org.uk