A celebration weekend is being held this weekend to mark the reopening of a Pickering church after a major redevelopment project

Potter Hill Methodist Church has undergone a transformation to enable it to meet the needs of the growing local community.

The Reverend Peter Sheasby said: "In 2015 the church embarked upon an ambitious project to completely redesign and rebuild the rear of the building, to provide a high standard facility built to modern specifications. This would include separate meeting rooms , new kitchen, a kitchenette, disabled access toilets meeting “safe care” standards, and changing facilities."

Church members and the community were involved in raising funds in addition to applications being made to third parties and to the Methodist Church.

Rev Sheasby said: "Thanks to the generosity of countless individuals and organisations, the target sum needed was reached and building work began January 2019. Despite serious problems with parts of the structure followed by closure due to the pandemic, the work has now been completed. . The people of Pickering and surrounding villages now have a state-of-the-art Community Centre fit for purpose for several generations.’

On Saturday, October 2 the church will host a Celebration Open Day from 10.30am to 3.30pm with free refreshments. On Sunday, October 3 there will a dedication service at 3pm in the Chapel led by Rev Sheasby, with Rev Richard Teal, ex- President of the Methodist Conference. This will be followed by refreshments and a further opportunity to take a good look at the new premises.

Rev Sheasby said: "This has been a mammoth effort to realise the dream of making Pickering Methodist Church a 21st century place of worship and community resource.

"We are already seeing the hoped-for growth in local people using the premises for a wide variety of community and charity purposes. Despite many obstacles thrown at us during the project, we pressed on, knowing that in the end the benefits would be more than worth the effort."