An historic North Tyneside church’s plans to improve the facilities it can offer to the local community have won the backing of North East employer the Banks Group.
St John’s Church in Killingworth is undertaking a major building improvement project which will see a new kitchen and bathroom installed in the building, alongside a new entrance and more storage areas being created. The church’s listed organ is also to be refurbished.
The Grade II listed building is used by a wide range of church and community groups, but doesn’t currently have its own kitchen and bathroom facilities, meaning visitors have to use those in the separate church hall if they’re required.
A fundraising campaign has been ongoing for some time, and it has now been boosted by a £1,000 grant from the Banks Community Fund.
The church committee is continuing to look for further project funding, with a view to starting building work in spring next year, and it is hoping that the new facilities will encourage more local people and groups to make use of the building in the future.
St John’s Church was originally built in 1869, and serves the communities of Killingworth, Killingworth Village, Westmoor, Palmersville and Holystone.
It regularly hosts events and activities for local schools, as well as rehearsals and concerts from the Killingworth Community Choir and the Backworth Brass Band.
Angela Henderson, a warden at St John’s Church and chair of the project group, says: “Our aim with this project is to make the church even more of a hub for community life than it already is, and to maximise the number of local people and groups who’re making use of what we offer.
“The historic nature and layout of the building makes carrying out the work that we need to do quite complex, but we think the difference that it will make will mean it’s well worthwhile in the end.
“Fundraising for work of this scale is a considerable undertaking, but we’ve had a very positive response so far and are grateful to all those people, organisations and businesses, like the Banks Group, who’re choosing to support this important community project.
“We’re hoping to start work by next spring and can’t wait to be able to share our new facilities with the local community.”
Jamilah Hassan, community manager at the Banks Group, adds: “St John’s sits right at the heart of the Killingworth community and their determination to offer as much as possible to local people is very impressive.
“We’re very pleased to be able to support another community project in a place where we’ve been active for many years and look forward to seeing how work progresses St John’s.”
The Banks Community Fund provides grants for community groups and voluntary organisations in the vicinity of Banks Group projects.
Anyone from a community close to a Banks Group project who is interested in applying for funding from the Banks Community Fund should first contact the fund manager via fundmanager@bankscommunityfund.org.uk or on 0191 378 6342 before applying for a grant to check if their group or project is eligible.