Bishop Marcus visited the parish of St Augustine of Canterbury in Harehills to celebrate Mass on Sunday 5 October to mark the 90th Anniversary of the laying of the church’s foundation stone.
It was a double celebration for Harehills locals, as the return of a much-loved community resource at St Augustine’s is now assured. The Upper Parish Hall, which has been closed since the pandemic, is now receiving vital repairs and remodelling, thanks to grants including a Biffa Award of almost £74,000.
For decades, the location, ease of access and 200-person capacity of the Hall’s main space made it a sought-after venue, ideal for larger social gatherings for the parish, private events and use by the wider Harehills community. Sadly, deterioration of the 60-year-old building’s facilities, planned remedial works halted by the pandemic and resulting loss of income has kept the Upper Hall largely closed for health and fire-safety reasons. Now, new kitchen, heating, lighting and fire-alarm systems, and accessible toilets are set to be fully refurbished to meet the highest standards.
Very limited use of St Augustine’s much smaller ‘Lower Hall’ has continued for meetings of local charities and community organisations, such as the Refugee Education Training Advice Service (RETAS) and Harehills Irish Men’s Group. Together with the parish’s St Vincent de Paul Society (SVP), which for 40 years has been meeting at St Augustine’s, providing support and befriending for people of any faith or none who may be experiencing poverty and isolation, these diverse local groups emphasise the much-needed social and community benefits of re-opening the Upper Hall for the people of Harehills.
In St Augustine’s Parish, 43 languages are spoken. The different cultures and communities look forward once more to being able to host their own local – and in some cases also national – events and celebrations in the parish’s Upper Hall. St Augustine’s Parish Priest, Fr Ghebreyesus Woldekidan, said: ‘We are often surprised that, despite being effectively shut for so long, people are still interested in booking the space, which shows that the Hall matters to people, and for our communities’ sake we want to see it back in use!’
The proximity of St Augustine’s to the Skelton Grange landfill site made the Biffa Award possible under the Government’s Landfill Communities Fund, which supports community and environmental projects.
Rachel Maidment, Biffa Award Grants Manager, said: ‘By investing in the refurbishment of St Augustine’s Hall, we are helping to secure a safe, inclusive, and sustainable future for a vital community space. Funding to support essential upgrades – from a fit-for-purpose kitchen to improved fire protection, and heating infrastructure will ensure the hall becomes a welcoming venue for all. The facilities will now enable local residents to gather, connect, and thrive in a space that meets modern standards and supports long-term community wellbeing.’
In addition to the Biffa Award, which funds more than 40% of the entire £176,000 project, grants have also been gratefully received from the Albert Gubay Charitable Foundation, Benefact Trust, Sir George Martin Trust, Awards for All, and the Laing Family Trust.
Commencement of the building work coincided with the 90th Anniversary of St Augustine’s foundation stone being laid in October 1935 – and upon completion, a Mass of Thanksgiving and grand re-opening of the Upper Hall is planned.
Recent Comments