Latest news about the Henleaze at Heart building project

To donate please contact the minister.

May 2010 - Update on the HenleazeHeart building project.

The Phase 1 work of building the new Bradbury Hall is almost complete and this fantastic new building will soon be ready to use!

The first thing that we, the church, will do in the new building is to have a look around on a Sunday morning … and gather for prayers in it. This, I am hoping, will be on Sunday 13th June.

There is a lot of interest from community groups wanting to use the buildings and sorting out the new ways of running what is set to be a very popular set of community facilities is well under way.

To help us administer and maintain the new buildings, providing a good service to all who use them, we will employ 3 people, part time. Advertisements for these posts will appear locally. Applications from existing staff and members of the congregation or friends are also welcome.

Posts available:

1. Centre Administrator. 20 hours a week, some set hours and some flexi-time. To administer the bookings and coordinate the use of the buildings, run the Church Office and ensure that all users receive a high standard of service.
2. Care Taker. 10 hours a week – flexi-time. To make sure that user groups find the furniture and equipment they need and that the premises are kept in good order.
3. Cleaner. 10 hours a week, (hours by negotiation). To ensure that a high standard of cleanliness is maintained throughout the buildings.

If you are interested in one of these posts please contact the Minister, Tracey, who will provide a full job description.

5th January 2010 - Update on the HenleazeHeart building project.

The turn of the New Year proves to be an exciting mile stone in the progress of the Henleaze@Heart Project. The year dawning will be the year of the completion of Phase 1 of the project and the opening of the new Bradbury Hall in the centre of the Henleaze community.

The demolition of the old Waterford Hall began in August 2009 and from that moment onwards the progress towards the new hall has been visible with almost daily change occurring. The site was cleared, revealing a wonderful view of the north side of the church building that had not been seen for over 50 years and would probably not ever be seen again. The foundations for the new hall were laid in the fortunately dry month of September and the ground level for the new building was raised to street level. Church members, neighbours and the local residents of Henleaze watched with interest as day by day the wooden frame of the building was constructed and the scale and beauty of the new building became evident. In November the large pre-formed wood Glulam beams for the arched roof of the main hall arrived and were lifted into place by an enormous crane. The new guttering and connecting down pipes for the Rainwater Collection system (water efficiency for the flushing of toilets) have been installed. Although the rain has been particularly heavy in the last months of the year the builders have progressed rapidly and much of the new building now has the first layers of the roof structure in place. The building should be mostly water tight within the next few weeks.

The building contractors, Chamberlains, have worked efficiently and cooperatively with the architects, O’Leary Goss, the church and neighbours – and managed this project while allowing a lot of ‘normal’ life to continue in and around the building site. For which we are grateful.

The whole process has been watched enthusiastically and photographed regularly by a member of the church and some of our neighbours – a selection of the photographs of the project’s progress can be seen on this site.

So we look forward with great hope and excitement to the completion of the Bradbury Hall and all that it will bring to the people of Henleaze. Building work is presently on track to be completed soon after Easter this year, 2010.

4th June 2009 - Update on the HenleazeHeart building project.

The countdown has begun!

After more than five years of consulting, planning, preparing and fundraising the HenleazeHeart Project is ready to begin Phase 1. The demolition of the Waterford Hall and building of the new Bradbury Hall will begin in the week starting 15th June 2009.

At the end of May some 40+ people gathered on a Sunday afternoon for the last party in the Waterford Hall. Built in 1958, having cost £15,000 in total, the Waterford Hall has been a significant part of local life in Henleaze for both the church and community.

We told stories of the things that had happened there .... the youth club that ran for 10 years, a pre-school play group, many fundraising Morning Markets where stall holders selling hand-made goods dressed up with a different fancy dress theme each year, the badminton club that ran for more than 20 years, Brownies who will celebrate their 50th anniversary soon, and the countless Barn Dances, dinners, musical events, and dramatic productions that had taken place there.

We remembered the many community groups who had found a home in the hall .... flower arrangers, dancers, garden clubs, Jack in a Box, slimming clubs, sports groups and how it has served as the local Polling Station for many years. We wondered how many cakes had been made and brought for various sales and events over the years ... thousands! And how much money had been raised for charitable causes within those walls.

We remembered people of past generations who had made their mark on the life of the place and the community. The Waterford Hall story is a rich and colourful one with many fond memories. After the storytelling the young people of the church were let loose .... and painted the walls, and floor ... but that’s another story!

So a new beginning is within sight.

The new Bradbury Hall will, it is estimated, be completed by Easter 2010 providing excellent new community facilities for the church and community of Henleaze.

May/June 2009

Building work due to start. See the May monthly message.

December 2008

December 2008 brought great news for the HenleazeHeart fundraising campaign. In addition to the many local events that have steadily raised several thousand pounds a month, we heard that the Bradbury Foundation had accepted our application for grant assistance.

The Bradbury Foundation grant, of an exceptional £250,000, means that the HenleazeHeart project has reached its Phase 1 fundraising target. Work on the new Hall, the biggest part of the renewal project, can therefore begin in 2009.

The Bradbury Foundation, based in Hong Kong, is a trust that was established by Mr Bertram Walter Bradbury after a long and financially successful career. Born in the late 19th Century he was a Master Butcher who emigrated to live in Hong Kong in the early years of the 20th century. He was successful in the property and stock markets and in the early 1960s set up a trust fund to help British charities that assist the elderly and disadvantaged in Hong Kong and the UK. On his death in 1970 his considerable fortune was committed to the work of the Bradbury Foundation.

We are delighted with this generous grant. The new hall in Waterford Road will be called "The Bradbury Hall" in recognition of this significant gift.