Cheltenham church community kitchen transformed

An £18,000 grant from the Gloucestershire Environmental Trust has enabled the C3 Church to invest in a new kitchen at its Pavilion Community Centre.

The £48,000 project has converted a badly lit, poorly equipped room into a professional commercial kitchen. The Pavilion is now able to offer a far greater range of food and refreshments in the café for general community trade. This will include local residents, parents of football teams, a club for the elderly and people and groups who book rooms. It will also allow the Church to increase the number and range of events at the Pavilion.

"We had already raised some money towards the kitchen refurbishment," said Church Pastor, Ali Bates, "but the Gloucestershire Environmental Trust's grant enabled us to go ahead with the project much sooner than expected. The new kitchen will expand food and refreshments we can provide at the Pavilion and make the centre a more pleasant place for all of its users. It will also mean that the food preparation area meets current health and safety standards."

Adam Legge, the Church's Youth Pastor added: "We cook a meal for our Monday evening youth club but the lack of a proper kitchen meant we were restricted to using a slow cooker; and there are only so many stews you can eat! Now we can cook a variety of meals and run cookery lessons for your young people and encourage healthy eating."

The Church purchased the former Dowty Sports and Social Club in Hatherley Road in 2010 and has commenced a phased refurbishment programme. Mostly funded through contributions from the congregation, initial phases have transformed the derelict building into a well-equipped community centre. A range of facilities including a 200-seat auditorium, meeting rooms, playing fields and a community café are used by hundreds of people per week.

Pastor Bates continued: "The Pavilion has become very popular with the community. The green provides a home to Lakeside Football club, boot camps, Girl Guide fun days and children's holiday clubs offering primary age sports activities. The local community regularly books tennis and squash courts.

"The building is used by a host of organisations and community groups including Active Impact working with disabled people and Gloucestershire County Council for teacher training, safeguarding and social work meetings. Other activities have included Zumba, dance and performing arts for children, Latin and Ballroom for adults, the Rock Choir, Gloucestershire Guitar Society and a sewing and craft club. All of these are on top of the regular use the church makes of the centre for services, youth groups and other meetings".

The Gloucestershire Environmental Trust grant contributed to both the kitchen refurbishment and a new fire alarm system at the centre.

Since the start of this financial year in April, The Gloucestershire Environmental Trust has offered grants of over £700,000 to local organisations.