A FORMER industrial unit has been transformed into a church and community hall following a £400,000 project.

The new venue, which will seat up to 300 people, is set to open tomorrow.

The former industrial unit near Ropemaker Park, in South Road, Hailsham, has been transformed into Christ Church Hailsham Hall, a multi-purpose building which has been fitted with a kitchen, toilets and meeting rooms.

More than £400,000 has been pumped into the project to see it come to fruition.

Hailsham Frontiers Charitable Trust, which led the project, hopes the hall will be used by local community groups for meetings, courses and events as well as being a place of worship.

The trust currently provides debt counselling services, youth work, a parent and toddler group and courses on marriage and parenting. Members are also involved in the Hailsham Foodbank, which has now moved to the centre.

Funding for the work has come from several organisations, including The Veolia Environmental Trust (£35,000), the Landfill Communities Fund, the Good New Evangelical Mission (£25,000) and The Norwood & Newton Settlement (£17,500).

The remainder of the money has largely come from Hailsham Frontiers Charitable Trust’s own funds and from members of the church.

Andrew Johnston, senior leader at the trust, said: “Churches are about people not buildings but this building will be a wonderful resource from which we can serve the Hailsham community and beyond.”

Paul Taylor, executive director of The Veolia Environmental Trust, said: “It is great to hear that this project is now complete and the building is being opened on Saturday.

“I hope it is used and enjoyed by the whole community for many years to come.”

The building will be officially opened at 5pm.

At the opening there will be an opportunity for the public to see the result of the ambitious project.

The opening event will be followed at 7pm by a special service of praise.

For more details visit christchurchhailsham.org

Community hall renaissance

Hailsham is not the only town to have a community hall renaissance.

Exeter Street Hall in Brighton was brought back from the brink by a team of dedicated volunteers.

They won £50,000 from ITV's People's Millions on top of £180,000 raised to get the building up and running.

Patcham Memorial Hall in Brighton is at the beginning of its journey towards better health. Now 94-years-old, it hosted an afternoon tea last November to raise £25,000 to fix its roof.

Ringmer Village Hall in Ringmer near Lewes recently won £4,300 from Lewes District Council's Zero Heroes competition to add velux windows to its roof and replace old wooden doors with double glazing.

The Crowhurst Community Centre, behind Knoyle Hall next to St John's Church in Brighton, has received about £130,000 in community investment.

The money will go towards building work.