THE transformation of a former Birchwood pub into a church complex is well under way.

The former Silver Birch pub is being turned into the Encounter Centre – a new worship centre, second-hand clothing shop and community hub.

Organised by the Birchwood Community Church, volunteers have spent hours getting the building – based close to Birchwood Shopping Centre – ready for use.

Dorothy Seed, from the church, said: “For the first time in the history of the church here in Birchwood we have premises of our own and we’re delighted to be able to use them to develop a range of facilities for the community.”

Planning permission was granted for the development in February and the new worship centre on the first floor is already up and running and last Wednesday the Re:Use clothing and recycling unit opened.

Now the community room is the final piece of the jigsaw to be unveiled.

Dorothy added: “This will offer a self-contained unit for community meetings and seminars, and will be available for the community to use.”

The weekly art workshops taking place in the new HeARt shop in Birchwood Shopping Centre are already proving a real hit – many people of all ages are heading along to try their hand and making new friends in the process.

Last weekend volunteers from Barclays Bank at Birchwood joined with church regularly as they started sprucing up the external paintwork and windows of the Encounter complex.

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