The Welcome Centre

Our vision was to create a modern, welcoming, multi-purpose space for the work of God’s Kingdom through:

– Continuing and expanding the Church’s youth and children’s ministry

– Developing new community-centred projects to serve the needs of Clacton

– Working together with other community groups, to enrich the lives of those around us.

New Challenge

In 2000, our Church fellowship sensed the Lord challenging us to “build for the future”. Our Church centenary was only a couple of years away (in 2002) and our youth hall was ninety years old and in a poor state of repair – we felt that God was leading us to undertake a building scheme to provide good quality space for future ministry and to benefit the community.

We have been lovingly and generously supported by charitable trusts, other Baptist churches in the Eastern Region and further afield, by friends and supporters in Clacton and the wider area of Tendring, and most generously and sacrificially by our own friends and members. We worked with an Architect and Quantity Surveyor, and had loans approved.

This first Phase 1 & 1(a) brought the completion of our new multi-purpose Community hall and Phase 1(b) the fully fitted kitchen, blinds and vinyl flooring for the hall, cost us a little over £400,000 in total.

Phase 2 – which was completed in June 2010 – involved building an “atrium” over the central outdoor area between the original buildings and the new Welcome Hall.  The refurbishment of surrounding rooms has also taken place (refurbishment of an original hall to included a new stage, and lighting/sound system, a new kitchenette and an Internet Lounge.

Phase 3, which was completed in February 2012, involved the total refurbishment of old toilets and back corridor area, to create a new shower & toilet block which will include a wet room for the use of the disabled. This block as well as the rest of the Welcome Centre is used regularly by community groups, and is also used by our new Enfold Project.