Next Steps Building Project 2017 to 2022
Bluntisham Baptist Church is an outward-facing church taking a prominent place in Bluntisham and the surrounding villages and has a huge impact on the wider community. Little work had been done to the buildings since the 1950s until the ‘Renewal Project’ in 2010 saw the church hall completely updated. It has been of enormous benefit to the church members and the wider community and is well used.
Attention was then focused on the main church which is also Grade 2 listed. In 2017 the ‘Next Steps’ team was formed to look at the next phase of repairing the essential defects and of refurbishing the main church building and rear rooms to make them fit for purpose. All of this process was grounded in prayer and as a result the Vision Statement was created.
Next Steps Vision Statement for the Church Building
Our vision is for an attractive, God-centred church building that it is primarily a place of worship – an inviting place to meet with God and with each other.
Our vision is for a building that is accessible to everyone and is welcoming, warm, comfortable and safe.
Our vision is for the building to be updated to modern standards and be equipped for the future, while remaining sympathetic to its history.
After several years in the planning, the actual construction took place from April 2021 to May 2022 and we firmly believe that we have delivered on that vision. We are very grateful to all the skilled people who worked on the church but a special thanks to our architects Jefferson Sheard and principal contractor Hunts Construction Ltd.
The work of the Next Steps Project has resulted in our church being a modern, flexible, welcoming space yet respecting the features of the past.
Please see the full gallery photos for the timeline of the construction work, but here are a few pictures of our newly refurbished interior.
LABC Highly Commended Award
Our building has been awarded ‘Highly Commended’ in the regional LABC (Local Authority Building Control) Awards 2023 in the Best Public or Community Building category.
Financing the Project
As we stepped out in faith on this project, we believed that God would provide all that is needed through His people. And so it has been. We have been truly blessed by the generosity of so many people and organisations in helping us to raise the necessary funds.
Funds from all of these sources have played an important part in helping us to achieve our goal.
- Gifts and regular giving from the church family (remember GiftAid)
- Gifts from friends of the church
- Fundraising (remember Easyfundraising)
- Grants
We are delighted to have been awarded two grants which have made a significant impact on our ability to meet the financial costs of the project.
We have received a grant of £25,000 from The Norwood and Newton Settlement.
We have received a grant of £15,000 from the Garfield Weston Foundation.
We are grateful to the trustees of both organisations for their support.
- Loan from the Baptist Union Corporation
We are delighted to have been successful in our application for a loan facility of £325,000 from the Baptist Union Corporation. This loan will be repaid over a term of twelve years by regular giving and donations from the church family and from fundraising events. The continued support of our church family and friends is vital in helping us to meet our regular repayments. - Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme
As the church is a Grade II Listed building, we are seeking to reclaim most of the VAT incurred on construction costs and professional fees.
The repayment of the loan continues and if you would like to make a donation, please contact our Treasurer, Peter Thatcher by clicking here or via the contacts page on this website.
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