A COMMUNITY is set to benefit from a £400,000 revamp project planned for a 73-year-old Kendal church.

Members of Sandylands Methodist Church, which has been in Sandylands Road since 1937, are busy raising funds towards the major transformation.

It is one of the few community buildings on the estate and church members agreed that improvements would help local residents and organisations, including the NSPCC which uses rooms for child therapy sessions, and Sandgate School.

Church minister, the Rev Andrew Webb, said: “It is a very exciting time for us. We think this is an important move for the community.

“The church is already used a lot, by toddler groups, over 60s groups and youth groups, plus children’s parties, but this will expand that.”

The ‘inadequate’ kitchen would be replaced with better equipment allowing the over 60s group to host a regular lunch event. The church is also looking to form a partnership with the Cumbria Reducing Offending Partnership Trust, and would be able to offer food preparation lessons with an improved facility.

New toilet facilities would also be added to cater for people with disabilities which would be used by pupils from Sandgate School and Causeway, a group for adults with learning disabilities.

Mr Webb said: “We are just about half-way with our fundraising.

“Hopefully once we have 75 per cent we will be able to start building.”