As local councils race to close down community buildings across the nation, one church has spotted an opportunity.
Southampton City Council is one of many that has been forced to make major cuts in response to shrinking levels of central government funding. But when it announced the closure of the Burgess Road Library – immediately opposite Southampton University and 500 yards from the Sunday morning venue of Christ Church Southampton – the members of the church got praying, and wondering…
Safe community place
With barely any community facilities in the area, local residents were appalled at the prospect of losing their library. It was the one safe place they had. And the estate in which the library sits is in the top 4% of deprived communities in the country with regards to education, skills and training. But the council felt there was no alternative: cuts had to be made. Meanwhile, though, finding places to house its meetings and activities has long been a struggle for Christ Church. Over the past five years, the church has used ten different venues – with differing levels of ‘security of tenure’ – and unsuccessfully explored around 15 more.
