The
Future
The
reason for this update is that our effort to obtain funding
for the proposed alterations is reaching a crucial stage.
We
recently held a public meeting to inform church members
and neighbours about the proposed alterations to the Mission
building so as to conform to our legal duties to provide
adequate toilets, including provision for the disabled,
access for the disabled to the front of the building, and
hygienic food preparation facilities.
We were delighted with the response form members but disappointed
that not one neighbour attended despite 100 personal invitations
being delivered.
We intend to hold a further public event on a date in October,
yet to be arranged. An announcement will appear in the Greater
Humberstone Community news letter which will inform many
thousands of homes, and make known that a welcome awaits
any of our ‘neighbours’ who care to attend.
The
architectural plans have been approved, the feasibility
study has been completed and accepted and preparation of
our formal application for a grant from the SRB6 fund is
well in hand.
The Mission intends to contribute about 20% of the money
required, we have also indicated that we will be willing
to contribute such effort to the work as we are capable
of undertakings, for example painting and decorating. The
company who prepared the feasibility study, Civic Regeneration
Ltd, have advised us that it will help our application if
we seek other sources of funding in addition to SRB6; two
organisations have been approached to this end.
One
of the principal features of both the feasibility study,
and the application in preparation, is to indicate the additional
benefit that will accrue to the district as a result of
alterations to the premises. Unfortunately our neighbours
do not share our knowledge of activities that currently
take place at the Mission, nor of past activities such as
youth clubs, mums and toddlers etc. We will be expected
to publicise our willingness to consider applications to
use our improved facilities for the greater benefit of the
community, we have made no problem about such consideration.
We
go into the final phase of application for an SRB6 grant
with a certain amount of optimism, the fact that we are
proposing to make a considerable contribution ourselves
in both cash and labour, and are also seeking additional
funding from other sources has been well received.
What
can members of the church do? Every opportunity should be
taken, particularly by members living in the Greater Humberstone
Area, to talk about the Mission, its recent history and
the proposed public meeting. We have served the community
of West Humberstone in many different ways for over one
hundred years; in the context of this grant application
we should not be shy to say so.
Art.
Shenton
|
