Millom Baptist Church (MBC) contacted the Fund in early January 2016. The Church has a wider community use, including Millom Foodbank, South Copeland Fairtrade Group, a playgroup and busy coffee mornings.
The Church was looking for sources of funding for refurbishment of specific areas within the building also including the roof of the building. MBC wanted to make the building more user-friendly and energy efficient, hoping that this would also encourage even greater community use.
The Church successfully applied for a CCF Development Grant to fund a full independent energy survey.
The survey supported the need to reduce water ingress to the building mainly through re-roofing & roof repairs. Due to previous water ingress there was also a need for some redecoration.
As a consequence of this the Church was then in a stronger position to apply for a Small Grant from CCF to undertake the essential re-roofing, repairs and redecoration required.
All work was completed by February 2017 and now all the community can access a much improved and watertight building.
Jean Liney, MBC Church Secretary, said “We are thrilled to have received the support from Copeland Community Fund and are confident that the project will encourage more groups to use the building knowing that it is going to be a warm, welcoming place, where people can come and meet to socialise locally.”
Other funding was provided from the Church’s own fundraising (£3,800.00), Beatrice Laing Trust (£1,000.00), Furness Building Society (£150.00) and contributions from The Farthing Trust, The Thornton Trust, The Forrest Hill Charitable Trust & Travis Perkins.
