In December 2024, we were delighted to be in a position to purchase the former Trinity Methodist Church here in the heart of York, and finally establishing a permanent home after almost 18 years of meeting in hotels and schools. This move has significantly enhanced our ability to serve the local community.
Our vision is to transform the building into a flexible worship space, along with ground floor community facilities, such as a community cafe, toddler group, food bank support, and a drop-in centre for advice. This will include referral to other local services such as debt management, housing, mental health, and immigration. We have already connected with the local school and had the privilege of providing support for some disadvantaged families.
Accessibility is a key focus of this project, so that everyone, including those with emotional and physical disability, will feel welcome. We are installing a new a mezzanine floor and lift, replacing the rear staircase, inside entrance, and creating accessible rooms with adaptable doors to ensure the building is accessible for everyone.
The building will allow us to directly address significant local needs, especially in the nearby groves estate, where issues like social insulation, poverty, poor mental health, and anti-social behaviour are much higher than the York average.
The project is been carried out in three phases:
- Phase 1: which involved preparatory demolition, has already been completed.
- Phase 2: is now underway, and includes the installation of a mezzanine floor and lift, new heating system, disabled toilets, P.A. and visuals, and the state of the art crèche with a sensory room.
- Phase 3: will follow when funds are available and they will focus on developing the kitchen, community space, frontage, signage, lighting, and electrical systems.
Thank you for taking the time to watch this short clip, and we hope that you will continue with us in this exciting journey as we seek to serve the local community: