Parish Church of St Bridget West Kirby with Caldy

St. Bridget’s Church and Community Centre have played an important role in the West Kirby community for centuries. Our aim is to provide, alongside other church and community centres in West Kirby, facilities for spiritual, cultural, educational, social, youth and fitness activities in high quality modern buildings.

I hope you will support us in our efforts to improve and extend the centre and ensure its continuing role for future generations and our ministry to this community.

Roger Clarke

Rector, St. Bridget’s Church

Why rebuild?

Cost

Why give?

Ways of giving

Appeal

Address

How it will look

Commemorate a loved one

St Bridget’s Church and Community Centre

A Church has stood on the site for over 1000 years providing a focus for the West Kirby community.

Across the churchyard lies the Community Centre incorporating the old school rooms built in 1825. Over the years the centre has continued to serve the Church and community. The pyramidal roofed building was later added to house the Charles Dawson Brown Museum and in 1969 the centre was extended to provide more accommodation for the Church and community.

Uses are varied and include Church and community groups of all ages - a pre-school group; Church Sunday Club; St Bridget's School; dancing; yoga; painting and kneeler embroidery; an elderly persons' luncheon club and bookings by other groups and users. In addition the museum contains artefacts providing a history of life in West Kirby.

The current Church Centre lies within the attractive West Kirby Old Village Conservation Area including the Church, the Churchyard, the old school rooms, the Rectory and Rectory Field.

Today’s Facilities

The centre is housed in sound sandstone-faced old school rooms and a less attractive 1960s extension which lies behind the old school rooms. The design and materials of the extension means that its life span is limited.

The Church has been extensively renovated in the past and is in good condition - hence our focus has moved to the Centre anticipating the deterioration that can be expected in a building of this age and design.

Additionally there is an urgent need to bring the building up to date to meet modern standards, including the Disability Discrimination Act and ensure its continuing use for the future. In recent years the congregation and the extent of children’s work has expanded: more space is required for both the work of the ministry and the community role. Our discussions reflect people’s concern to improve the facilities and the role of the centre.

In doing this we aim to complement the traditional appearance of the old school and museum buildings with a well-designed sandstone-faced building and enhance the feel of the conservation area.

Why Do We Need To Rebuild and Extend?

· The attractive and historic school building is currently leased by St Bridget’s School. It is in good condition but needs refurbishment.

· The museum, although in good condition, is inaccessible and cramped.

· The extension was built in 1969 and has a limited life. It will need work sooner rather than later and it is out of keeping with the setting in the Churchyard and Conservation Area.

· The layout and facilities are now unsuited to their use both as a community and Church centre and as school facilities.

· We feel the right approach is total rebuilding of the extension rather than piecemeal alterations.

· The Barton Room is too small, suffers from condensation and has no servery or direct link with the kitchen.

· The use of the old school room for Sunday refreshments is too cramped.

· The toilets fail below modern standards and lack facilities for the mobility-impaired and baby changing.

· The lack of a corridor linking all parts of the centre hinders easy access between facilities, the museum, storage and the school grounds, compromising security for children.

· Access for the mobility-impaired is poor both within and outside the centre.

· Heating systems are ageing, inefficient and expensive to run and lighting is poor.

· The different uses conflict at times - particularly school and community activities in the small corridors and coat hanging space - all within a difficult layout.

· Storage arrangements are poorly sited and inadequate leading to clutter.

From Dreams To Completion

We have been granted outline planning permission. We have assessed the condition of the building and today’s requirements, and believe that a complete rebuild of the 1969 extension is necessary. Our recent consultation with user groups and the parishioners supported our plans and gave us confidence to press ahead and the faith in what we are all aiming for.

The photomontage and the “lid-off” layout give a clear impression of the quality of the centre we intend to provide within the Church enclave and the Old Village Conservation Area.

Click pics to enlarge

Impression of the new Centre

The Cost

The current estimate to completion is £850,000. It is costly because:

· We feel that we should aim for quality to meet both the present and future needs of the Church and community rather than “cutting corners”.

· We are building in a Conservation Area and have to meet strict planning requirements.

· A complete rebuild of the 1969 extension is necessary.

· The site is difficult to access for demolition and construction work.

Meeting The Challenge

Raising the funds will be a difficult task but one that has been achieved successfully by a number of other Churches in Wirral.

We are confident, based on their example and our belief in the project, that St. Bridget’s and the local community, backed up by grant giving agencies will be able to achieve this.

To do this we need to have faith and all of us need to become involved in the way that is appropriate for us.

Supporting The New Centre Appeal

Each of us will support the project for various reasons:

· Some will recognise the value in providing better facilities for the community.

· Some will want to thank God for what has been provided in the past through St Bridget’s Church and the Church Centre and support this in the future.

· Some will see it as important to meet the needs of the mobility-impaired, the young, the excluded and the elderly in the community.

· Some will reflect on the role of the centre in serving generations of local people.

· Some will see it as a means to bring a future generation to a living faith with us at St Bridget’s Church.

· Some will see it as important to provide access into and within the centre for the mobility-impaired.

· Some will want to improve the space available for museum artefacts and accessibility of the museum to all.

· Some will remember the contribution the centre has made to the education of your children.

· Some will welcome the improved design and materials of the new centre within West Kirby Old Village Conservation Area.

Our Appeal Address and practicalities

We aim to provide for everyone and show that all gifts are appreciated.

• We recognise that we each have different resources and we welcome every gift no matter how small or large.

• Many may like to give gifts as a memorial to a loved one whilst others may prefer to remain anonymous.

• Some may prefer to give on a regular basis over time while others might make a one-off gift.

• We hope to use Gift Aid as much as possible.

• Interest free loans are important in helping us cover initial design and works costs while regular giving comes in.

• Early gifts are essential in providing matching funds to enable us to seek grants from other sources.

• We welcome gifts from the community, parishioners and local businesses and organisations reflecting the wide-ranging role the centre performs.

• There may be other ways you can help like running fund-raising events, stalls, coffee mornings or raffles.

Timescales

We plan to start building work in July 2007 subject to raising the required gifts, donations, pledges of support and grants.

If we do not achieve the required funds and pledges early in 2007 we may decide to defer the project to July 2008 and redouble our efforts to raise the funds.

Acknowledging Your Gifts

If you wish we will acknowledge all gifts in a Foundation Book on display in the centre, including those given in memory of others.

A Friend of St Bridget’s Centre would make any gift or loan of any size, hopefully gift-aided.

A Supporter of St Bridget’s Centre would make a gift between £5,000 and £25,000.

A Benefactor of St Bridget’s Centre would make a gift of over £25,000.

Gift Aid would give us 28% more on every contribution you make, at no additional cost to you.

Time to consider

You are invited over the next few weeks reflect on these plans, pray for the project and consider how you can assist by becoming a Friend, Supporter or Benefactor. Should you wish to donate please send a cheque payable to "St Bridget's Appeal" (with a pledge form, if you have one) to:-

St Bridget’s Community Centre Appeal

The Parish Office

The Rectory

Rectory Road

West Kirby

Wirral

CH48 7HL

To request a pledge form or a standing order form, or further information, please contact Phil Price or Iain Corlett (contacts details given below).

The pledge form includes a Gift Aid declaration: "I request West Kirby Parochial Church Council to reclaim tax on all donations made by me until further notice. I confirm that I have paid an amount of UK tax equal to any claimed.”

Your individual donation and form of giving will be kept confidential but we would, subject to your agreement, like to reflect your support in the Foundation Book on completion of the project. If you wish to discuss the project design, the form of giving or other ways of raising money please contact a member of the Committee. We will be pleased to listen and help in any way we can.

Rector: Roger Clarke

Project Leader: Martin Harrison

Appeal Leader: lain Corlett (former owner of Linghams Booksellers)

Committee Members:

Elizabeth Ashley

Dave Cashen

Malcolm Cowan

Tony Power

Phil Price

Caldy representatives:

Jenny Cooper

Val Ford