Transformation breathes new life into Durham church

What began as a simple request to store pots and pans blossomed into a thriving collaboration between The Peter Lee Memorial Methodist Church and East Durham Trust, transforming the once-underutilised space into a vibrant centre serving diverse community needs.

"When push comes to shove, it's not our church, it's God's church," says Judith from The Peter Lee Memorial Methodist Church in the Darlington Methodist District – a statement that perfectly captures the spirit behind the remarkable reinvention of this community hub.

The Revd Sally Coleman, minister at the church, describes how rapidly things evolved: "It started with the East Durham Trust asking us ‘can we store some pots and pans?’ Then they came and looked at the space and wanted to use the space as a food bank. We started that in September and it just grew from there."

This initial metamorphosis sparked a cascade of additional services. Today, the reimagined church offers Citizens' Advice, quiet spaces, a second food bank craft groups, a café area and a baby bank. Hot lunches are now served on Mondays and Thursdays supported partly by grants and offered on a pay-as-you-can basis.

The NHS runs a popular coffee morning that attracts between 30 and 50 visitors each session, with Nicola, a social prescriber from the William Brown Centre, noting the diverse attendance: "A lot of coffee mornings tend to have a lot of females, but on Tuesdays, our mental health café gets quite a lot of gentlemen as well."

The church's physical location has proven crucial to its successful reinvention. Being close to the bus station makes it easily accessible to everyone in the community, unlike some other services which are situated outside the town centre.

The transformation continues with an ambitious garden project set to commence imminently. East Durham College students will create an allotment, providing King's Trust volunteers valuable experience while growing vegetables that can supply both the food bank and kitchen.

Gemma, a peer support worker from East Durham Trust, runs several groups including a Connections Café and craft sessions, creating supportive spaces for deep and meaningful conversations. A singing group for sufferers and carers of people with Alzheimer’s began with just 8 participants now boasts 23 regular attendees.

This collaborative approach has breathed new life into the space. "Many different activities are going on, a lot of different people getting involved and working together," observes Nicola. The footfall has increased dramatically in just months, with various organisations now queuing to use the facilities. The church is brighter and cleaner, as the partnership working has brought along with it opportunities for redecoration and for a cleaner two days a week.

The church's transformation was partly inspired by earlier experiences hosting leisure centre classes during renovations. Judith reflects: "We learned how to work around people and that's paid off wonderfully in these new things that are going on."

Perhaps most importantly, this metamorphosis serves the church's fundamental purpose. As Judith puts it, "We're serving the community, which is what we should be doing."

For a congregation with 42 members, many of whom cannot always attend in person, this revitalisation ensures the church remains a vital, living presence in Peterlee, truly embodying its mission as "God's church" in service to all.