At the site, from left: Verity Baldry, chair of the Community Centre Committee; Tania Witter, associate vicar and co-chair; Andy Chrich; Michelle Paton, Christ Church liaison with the contractors, Matthew Lloyd, and Barry Smith, managing director of contractors Haynes and Smith Ltd

A GROUNDBREAKING ceremony was held at Christ Church Highbury this week as construction work on a new community centre began.

Vicar Andy Chrich was joined by members of the Church of England project committee and architect Matthew Lloyd on Monday at the site just off Highbury Fields.

This is the final stage in a project that has been five years in the making and it is expected to be finished next year.

The single-storey building will contain two meeting rooms, the church offices, reception area, toilets and showers and a small café.

Speaking at the site, Mr Chrich said: “The space we have in the church itself is used almost to capacity by various groups meeting through the week and by the church congregation on Sunday. This new building will allow us to expand our children and youth work and will enrich what we can offer to the community and our charity partners.”

He added: “There will be more space for community groups to rent for their activities and we will make a proportion of the time free for charitable purposes.”