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For what we are about to receive ... may we be truly gobsmacked!

Kirsty Elleray
26/ 6/2003

IT MUST have taken a good few collection plates when parishioners at a Didsbury church chipped in to help pay for a much needed facelift.

For the 400-strong congregation at St James and Emmanuel Church on Barlow Moor Road handed over £300,000 between them - an average of £750 each - and all pledged on the same day.

Rector David Hughes said: "Since opening the appeal the congregation has given nearly £300,000, which is a wonderful start. The total cost for the new hall is about a million pounds and while we hope to benefit from grants, businesses and donations from the local community, the major part will come from gifts from the St James and Emmanuel congregation.

"They are very excited about the scope of this project, which will invest in children and young people for the next ten generations and provide even more generous hospitality to our local community."

The church has applied to the council's planning department to build a new hall and office after demolishing the old hall, which was in very poor condition.

Reverend Hughes said: "The hall will provide a great new facility for all our important work with children and young people and will cater for the extensive and growing number of local community groups. The plans will also include facilities for BBC Radio 4, who broadcast a daily service live from Emmanuel Church."

The new building will be attached to the church by a glazed entrance with access from a new church green and from Didsbury Library. And the rector said the green will reveal both buildings to their best advantage, enhancing the space at the heart of the village. New trees and lawns will be put in place as part of a landscaping scheme, which will incorporate mature and existing landscape.

Rooms from the new church hall will overlook the green and there will be a veranda facing it, aiming to give the feel of a cathedral. There will also be a new private chapel open daily for prayer and reflection and more car parking facilities.

The church's right of way on Norgate Street will be opened up to remove the current traffic hazards to children attending Emmanuel Playgroup and other toddler groups in the hall.

Building work is anticipated to start at Easter in 2004 and will take approximately a year to complete. Comments, pledges and donations are welcome and drawings and a model can be seen by appointment call: 0161 445 7863 for details.