Rev Abi Todd of Holy Trinity South Woodford explains the plans behind Project Arclight, which will see redevelopment of the church site and new community facilities
Having been the vicar at Holy Trinity South Woodford for four and a half years and counting, I have come to love the local area and its people. SoWo is a special place! I loved the recent South Woodford Summer Festival and today was thinking ahead to the Christmas lights switch-on and the fun we will have. There seems to be a growing sense of community, brought about by many individuals and various groups.
As a church, our vision is to grow in our depth of spiritual life as we become deeply rooted in our faith, and to be a source of blessing to those around us here in South Woodford.
I am really excited about Project Arclight, the church’s mission-driven transformation project that will see the redevelopment of the church site and new resources provided for the church and community. The heart of the scheme is to provide:
A public playground, which is really needed in South Woodford. The trek to Christ Church Green in Wanstead is worth it, but a bit of a distance! There is a shortage of play spaces in South Woodford, reflecting a national shortage. We’re so looking forward to being able to invite local families and children to enjoy the open space we have.
A community café, which we are confident will be a great pairing with the playground, as well as being a friendly space for a cuppa with a friend or an hour with a laptop.
A new church hall adjoined to the church, providing toilets and facilities for church users, and being a resource that can serve both church and community, including our existing hirers and partners.
Housing, including family homes. The sale of housing is how we will fund the building of the church hall and related facilities, and we are also pleased to be able to provide good quality accommodation here.
Minor changes to the interior of the church, the most significant of which is creating a room in the corner of the church for a crèche. There will still be plenty of pews!
We have received pre-planning advice from Redbridge Council and held two community drop-in sessions in July. We are now reviewing the feedback and consulting with specialists, which will result in further design iterations. We are aiming to submit our full planning application in October.
Our heart is to worship God, honour those around us and love our community. What Arclight seeks to achieve is for the benefit of the whole community and is open to all, not only those who already have connections to Holy Trinity. I hope and pray that Arclight enables Holy Trinity to be a blessing to South Woodford for decades to come.
For more information on Project Arclight, visit swvg.co.uk/arclight
