Threatened church now a 'cherished' village hub

A village church which was at risk of becoming a "blight" on the community has been transformed into a "cherished" venue, a councillor has said.

Easington Colliery Methodist Church, in County Durham, was on the brink of closure in 2022 due to rising maintenance costs and a dwindling congregation.

A new community benefit society, Focus Easington, was formed to lease and renovate the building.

Following a complete overhaul, it has now reopened as The Welcome Centre and offers a range of services to local people.

These include youth activities, a lunch club, and a community pantry.

A local housing association helped to kickstart the project by providing a £30,000 grant.

Durham County Councillor Angela Surtees, who leads Focus Easington, said it was important to save the building and support residents in an area of high deprivation.

"If nobody had taken it on it would have closed and left a blight on the community," she said.

"It has had an absolutely fantastic, positive impact."

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