The demolition of the old Centre was firmly underway when we were visited by a number of local dignitaries including the Mayor Councillor Mick Bray. Their visit marks the start of the project to put a new Community centre into the heart of Old Town Swindon. (read about it here). Funds for the project have been made available through grants from Swindon Borough 106 Development Funds, the Landfill Communities Fund (LCF) which is administered for Hills by Community First, the Rural Community  Council for Wiltshire and the Garfield Weston Foundation. The church itself is meeting more than half the costs from the sale of its former Church Hall in Devizes Road and from donations and fundraising.

The provision of this Community Centre is central to our overall strategy to ensure that Christ Church remains at the heart of Swindon. Whilst continuing to provide all the expected public services such as christenings, weddings and funerals, we recognise that our church needs to work harder at helping our local community to grow. The new Community Centre plays an important role in this – using our high profile site to help local people understand how Christ Church can help to create and strengthen local networks, be a centre for local volunteer engagement and offer entertainment, solace, friendship and hospitality to those visiting the Old Town, the church itself and its surrounding burial ground

We believe that by demonstrating this practical and positive attitude to the community, they will come to value the church more and better appreciate the real and practical role it can perform in creating stronger and more self-supporting communities.

Read what the Advertiser said about the demolition.

View our Picture Gallery of the Community Centre Project’s Progress