St.James Burnopfield and Dipton Building Appeal
Community Development
We want to repair our building and ensure the continuation of the provision of community services within a socially deprived village.
About this cause
We provide a central point for the community of Burnopfield, offering regular church services, Baptisms, Funerals and Weddings. Outreach includes services in two elderly care homes and sheltered housing. A church hall provides children's activities, a coffee shop once a week for the elderly and lonely, and a new baby and toddler group to address the lack of this kind of provision in the local area. Burnopfield suffers from rural deprivation being situated on the fringe of a large county. It has an ageing population who depend on the church for their social as well as spiritual needs. The church roof requires work, estimated at £4000. Without this work this 130 year old church will be under threat of closure. This recently happened to a local church and we now have their members.
How this cause brings people in the community together
Due to a lack of local services people are isolated and unable to socialise or access various activities. This is across all age groups, and is the focus of the outreach work in Burnopfield. The result of a lack of options and a lack of choice is that the population is less active and more likely to have health problems associated with deprivation, including depression and low self esteem.