FIT FOR THE FUTURE – LATEST NEWS OCTOBER 2026
We have just signed a contract with Oakcrest Homes Ltd, to upgrade the hall and toilets starting in early January. This will enable us to serve our community with vastly improved facilities and to care for God’s creation more effectively.
Simon and Lesley will host a Q&A session after the All Together service on Sunday 1st November to explain what is happening and to give you an opportunity to ask any questions you may have.
Note: While this is very exciting news, some disruption inevitably lies ahead! The hall, lobby, kitchen and main toilets will be out of action for at least 12 weeks from the New Year.
The Breukelman Room will start being used for storage of construction materials very soon (although still a fire escape route from the chancel through the vestry/store), but a cosy corner of the church will be available instead.
Rebecca writes: “Fit for the Future is possible because of lots of hard work and the generosity of many at Sunnyside for which we are extremely grateful. It is very exciting but there is lots to do so please look out for requests for help and continue to pray!”
Read all about it!
When in church we will be able to use the accessible toilet and sink. Some activities now in the hall will be moved into the church. This includes the Playgroup. The staff team and others are working on all the things that need to be done between now and the start of the building works. It won’t be an easy time but we can get through it with prayer and patience. We have put work into improving the functioning of the two gas boilers so we hope they will get us through this winter when the hall is closed. The church will be heavily used during this time so the heating will be on for much longer and this should make Sunday mornings warmer for us all. Time will tell.
Costs: The total cost of the contracted works including fees, charges and VAT is £334,500 and we need another £12,800 for other things we want to include – renovation of the hall floor and upgrades to some of the kitchen fittings and equipment are examples. These will be done as separate items.
Where is the money coming from?
Last time we wrote to you we had raised £215,000. The total has now risen to £218,700. So where is the remaining money coming from?
The big game changer since June is the PCC’s decision to sell the house we own on the Ashlyns estate, Kestrel Close, which is now empty and ready to sell. The PCC has agreed that up to £120,000 of the money from the sale can be used as a contribution to our building costs. With the prospect of selling the house in 2027 we have been able to raise short-term loans from some church members to enable us to get the contract signed, knowing that we can pay for it.
The PCC expects that a further £60,000 will be raised by Fit for the Future in the coming year to “repay” about half of the money it has authorised from the sale of Kestrel Close (£120,000).
How can we raise a further £60,000?
We plan to ask our various hirers, supporters and church members to think of creative ways to raise money that are small in scale, effective and hopefully enjoyable too.
We have two grant applications outstanding, the results of which will be known by the end of this year. If just one of them is successful it will make a big dent in the target.
More news on fundraising later.
Not forgetting the church heating and solar panels
Several people have asked why doing something about the church heating has been delayed. It has not been forgotten. It’s a much less expensive and easier job than the hall and the technology and grant availability is constantly changing so it is sensible to hang on until the hall is finished.
Thank you again for your generosity so far. It will be a great moment when we see something actually happening to put the money you have given to good use.
Lesley Culley and Simon Lewis, for the Fit for the Future Project Team