A Norfolk church has celebrated the opening of its refurbished Victorian schoolroom.
Stalham Baptist Church raised £595,000 for the project, which was previously put on hold during the pandemic.
On Saturday morning (January 13), around 160 people attended the opening of the new schoolroom at the church in High Street.
Rev Ron Skivington, pastor of Stalham Baptist Church for more than three decades, said: “It was always in the plan to refurbish the schoolroom, which was built in 1894.
“Around £100,000 was collected in the building fund, but Covid got in the way and prices escalated. But we believed if this was the right thing to be done God would be guiding us.
“In 14 months, the money was raised, and today we are celebrating the completion of the project.
“We have been truly blessed by the generosity of time and giving by so many people and grant funders.”
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The project received £250,000 from Norfolk County Council’s social infrastructure fund as well as donations from the district council and various other trusts, charities and local businesses.
Norfolk County Council’s Margaret Dewsbury cut the ribbon to officially open the schoolroom.
North Norfolk MP Duncan Baker, mayor of Stalham Kevin Bayes, and representatives of the organisations which helped to fund the project all attended the opening.
The schoolroom has a new kitchen to cater for more people, and it will be used as a versatile community space.
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The church is open every day and the room will host its foodbank and community fridge, as well as social activities such as table tennis, coffee mornings, breakfasts and lunch clubs, and quiz nights.
There are also plans to run mental health and dementia cafés, youth and after school clubs, mother and toddler groups and adult education classes.
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