Duddon Space Project

The Duddon SPACE Project is up and running!

This is a project of the PCC to open up space at St Peters, Duddon. At the moment there isn't room to swing a cat, or even to put the cat amongst the pigeons, so the plan is to clear the space, and open up the space as a space for the community (including the school) to use. At the same time as making the building a lot more flexible, the space created will become a lot more attractive and comfortable for worship.

Legislation requires that we resolve access issues, and this gives us the opportunity to provide toilet facilities and a kitchen. Further improvements will be made by levelling and carpeting the floor and providing comfortable seating, bringing the building up to meet the standards of modern-day hospitality.

Significantly, the SPACE Project has the full backing of the members of the PCC who recognise that this is a project which will only succeed if the whole parish supports it. It will be one of the largest projects undertaken by the parish.

The PCC has appointed a Steering Group to oversee the planning process, publicity and fundraising. Members of the group are Rita Grimshaw, Mike Hawes, Lynn Orfanelli, Michael Jessop, Karyn Bright any myself. Together we will be working towards raising the £120,000 target, of which £22,000 is already promised.

I would hope that this is a Project which we could see completed in the next 12 months. GULP. Does that sound a tall order? If we think of it as needing 80 GI?s (only 80 because of Gift Aid). With 80 GI?s ideas worth a 'grand' each we could soon be there. It will mean that some will feel called to give a lot, and others will give what they can. It will call for generosity, commitment and imagination. What we need to avoid is a long round of coffee mornings and small events which will actually sap our strength (they will have a place, of course), when what we are aiming for is growing a church at Duddon in the space we are creating. But, more of this anon. Enough to say for the moment is 'we have lift off'?.

David Herbert