Westlands Church

WESTLANDS CHURCH Moving forward with Faith in the Future

Amajor community project is blooming in Newcastle-under-Lyme. A fundraising drive is taking place to have a new church and community hub at St Andrew’s Church in the Westlands.

Here, a member of the team behind the project, Bob Bell, outlines what’s happened and what’s happening to move the exciting project forward:

With 2022 upon us, the folk at St Andrew’s Church in the Westlands have worked through the pandemic supporting the local community whilst planning an exciting project for both church and the community at large.

Since the closure of the Seabridge Community Centre some three years ago and the more recent closure of St Peter’s Methodist Church, including its hall facilities, the old hall at St Andrew’s is the only community space available in the Westlands. But it was built in the 1930s as a semi-permanent building; it is difficult to heat and showing its age, so clearly past its ‘sell by date.’ 2022 sees the church’s ‘Faith in the Future’ project taking them forward through the building of a new church and community hub which will be available to the Westlands Community around 80 per cent of the time. It’s modern facilities will support many and varied community activities.

So far, all the effort to achieve this has fallen to St Andrew’s church members with half from legacies and half from donations together totalling more than £420,000.

In addition, a further £45,000 has come from Charitable Trust grants. Currently the land on which the old hall stands is being sold with outline planning permission for two houses. The total income from the sale minus legal expenses will make a major contribution to the new build costs.

More funding is needed through support from the Westlands community. The project is in two phases or can be completed as one. However, at the moment a shortfall of funding may delay phase two, which is important to provide improved access such as a lift etc. So, in an effort to raise additional finance a major community event is planned: A Grand Auction of items and talents on May 7. Any offers of things to sell are welcomed by emailing faithinthefuture.auction@gmail.com.

Already in progress is the collection of scrap metal being converted into cash - any donations can be made by emailing scrapmetalfif@gmail.com.

Another event underway is groups of knitters and crocheters who are creating animals, flowers and insects on the theme ‘All things bright & beautiful…. all creatures great and small.’

The plan will be to attach them to a net which will be draped across the front of the church in late Spring and should create quite a spectacle. Anyone interested in participating should contact Margaret Hollins, churchwarden, by emailing m_hollins@yahoo.co.uk.

Detail designs are being completed by architects and construction tenders will be submitted early Spring 2022 with work hopefully starting late Spring /early Summer.

The church is encouraging everyone in the Westlands to support what they believe is a positive statement of Faith in the Future for all of the community.

To find out more, go online to: http://www.churchinthewestlands.or g.uk.