A community group in Nottingham has banded together to fight the sale of a Methodist church which went on the market earlier this year. The group, Save Our Community Church, has put together a bid to save the church in Meadow Lane, Burton Joyce, from potential sale or neglect.
The Grade II-listed church is currently up for sale online for £295,000 and has a suggested use as a leisure facility on the advert. Although the group argue it would be better used as a community church which could benefit local residents by offering space for classes, art and therapy. They have circulated a petition that they are encouraging people to sign.
Karen Highfield-Taylor, acting chair of the Save Our Community Church group, hopes the bid will be successful and will save the space from being left on the market. She is one of a group of residents who have dedicated their time to fighting the sale.
"The building was a great meeting place and was used as a church before Covid came. What happened afterwards was that the congregation has dwindled substantially and there wasn't the wherewithal to carry it on as a place of worship. A decision was made to place the church on the market in March. I think everyone was waiting for someone else to step in but no one came out of the woodwork," she said.
The group is searching for government funding in a bid to save the church for the community, ensuring its future in the area. They plan to rename it the Jubilee Community Centre to mark the 70 years celebration of the Queen. Conservative MP for Gedling, Tom Randall, has also given his support to the campaign.
Mr Randall said: “I wish those seeking to save Burton Joyce Community Church every success. Having provided the group with details of the Community Ownership Fund, the Trent Valley Councillors, Mike Adams and Sam Smith, and I are very happy to support the group with any funding bid.”
"My co-chair, Hazel Chadbourne-Doyle and I came together and decided to save the church. We want to keep the historic building as it is but call it the Jubilee Community Center as it's happening in the year of our Majesty's 70th so we thought that was appropriate. We want to set it up so that people can come in for things like the Citizens Advice Bureau or therapy sessions for children. We've had interest from creative care and aromatherapy treatment places, too."
She added: "We want to support the health and wellbeing of the community while offering educational services to those in the area to help improve life here. We have a dental and two GP practises here but nothing that could be classed as a community centre. We do have a village hall which is fantastic but a different set-up. Our plans are to support our community and help them to get the best out of life."
The group is worried that if the church is not sold then it may fall into neglect and would have a huge effect on the village. They would like to keep the religious aspect of the church as a place for people to worship and also to reflect on the history of the building. They even have plans to keep the large organ that the church has and say it could be used to teach music.
Karen said: "It's such an iconic building that you can see right down the main street. It would have a huge impact on the village if it doesn't stay the same."
The group have had a huge response through their petition both online and through the forms, they have developed. Karen is very grateful for the support and comments that they have received but says the community needs to back projects that it could benefit from.
