A CHURCH is opening a £50,000 extension next month as part of a project to help vulnerable and elderly people.

St John's Church, in Neasham Road, Darlington, has renovated its vestry and kitchen to house a lunch club for people in the Bank Top area. The improved facilities will be available to those in need of support and also to local organisations.

The extension has been funded by the National Lottery, the Bank Top Community Partnership and money raised by the church, and will be opened on Friday, April 8.

Plans to upgrade the vestry began nearly two years ago and have come to fruition under the church's rector, the Reverend Mike Dent.

"It was first discussed before I arrived 18 months ago, " said Mr Dent.

"We needed to improve it anyway because some of the facilities did not comply with the 2004 disability act.

"In the old church, the existing vestry was not that large. We had two very small toilets, which were not up to standard, and a very small kitchen."

The vestry will be able to hold up to 70 people following a £10,000 donation from Bank Top Community Partnership and a £24,000 grant from the Community Lottery Fund.

The day after the opening, the church will be open to the public from 10am until 4pm.

Mr Dent said: "It's for elderly people, but also for the whole community. If people want to hire it out for a day, they can, but it may be that there are people who want to use it regularly.

"It's not just for religious groups - you don't all have to sit there and say your prayers."

Members of both organisations have been invited to the opening, along with the Mayor of Darlington, Councillor Roderick Francis, and John Williams, Darlington Borough Council leader and ward councillor.

Coun Williams said: "The Bank Top Community Partnership was set up as recently as last year, but already it's had considerable success in attracting funding for a range of projects across the community.

"Full credit must go to the members of the Bank Top Partnership."