ST LUKES CENTRE

PCC of Heathfield with Cotford St Luke

Registered charity no. 1148869

St Lukes Centre, Cotford St Luke, Taunton,

Somerset
Project Proposal
Cotford St Luke Church has a big Vision for our community - to build and run
St Lukes Centre Church & Community Hub. St Lukes Centre will be a friendly
and welcoming community building in the heart of the village, open to
everyone. It will provide much needed additional facilities for the community
including a hall, meeting spaces and caf, where community services can be
offered, and community spirit strengthened. It will also provide a permanent
place of worship for the church, from which it can serve and enhance the
community, and a sanctuary space for those in need .
The village has a lack of
facilities like this and it
would create a greater
sense of community
here.
We need a designated
space for spiritual
togetherness & social
togetherness.
St Lukes Centre survey
comments
The facilities will include:
- Church and Sanctuary space: a permanent place for church services, Event youth club,
and toddler group as well as a peaceful sanctuary space.
- Hall: available for hire for groups to meet, exercise classes, exhibitions and shows, music
groups or private parties.
- Caf: a friendly and welcoming place to meet and socialise, run by volunteers serving teas,
coffees and light lunches.
- Meeting rooms: for hire for groups to use or for business people to meet. It will also provide
a space from which community services can be offered, for example for use by health
visitors, family support workers, social workers etc.
- Outside space: for children to play whilst parents or carers meet.

Proposed Layout of St Lukes Centre

Development of the project has taken place over several years, with much discussion and
consultation. More than 4 in 5 people (86%) who responded to an independent survey was
run by the Community Council for Somerset in 2015 agreed that a flexible community
building is needed in the village. A caf and community hall would be the two most popular
uses, younger people particularly wanted a place to meet. Nearly half of all respondents see
St Lukes Centre being used for church services while a third would welcome a
quiet/sanctuary space.
It was particularly heartening to see the number of people who indicated that they would be
willing to help as the project progresses. The purpose of St Lukes Centre is to provide a
facility from which to build a greater sense of community, and the more people who are
involved, the stronger that community feeling will become.
Cotford needs more things for young people.
All there is is a park and youth club once a week
Comments from Youth Survey

I believe that the St Lukes Centre will

offer real opportunities for the growth
of the new community in Cotford St
Luke. It will provide a social meeting
point for the more isolated residents of
the village, client meeting rooms for
the many residents who work from
home, and support for the large
number of families in the village. I am
really pleased to see these Cotford
residents put so much energy and
integrity into improving the life of their
village.'

Event Youth Club

Timescales and delivery: Our aim is to get all the funding in place by autumn 2017 so that
building work can start by the end of the year and the project completed early in 2018.
Contacts: If you would like to discuss the project further please contact: Rev Preb Alison
Norris, Rector, 6 Cole Close, Cotford St Luke, Taunton TA4 1NZ; 01823 431567;
revalison@revsnorris.co.uk
Charity: Parochial Church Council of Heathfield with Cotford St Luke,
Registered charity no. 1148869