Restored church 'a hub of hope' for community

St John's Church in Chatham fell into disrepair in the 1990s

A Kent church which has reopened after a multimillion-pound restoration will be "a hub of hope for the community", one of its leaders has said.

St John's Church in Chatham, originally built in the 1800s to commemorate the Battle of Waterloo, had stood empty for years after falling into disrepair in the 1990s.

A £4m two-year project, funded by partners including the Diocese of Rochester, Medway Council and the National Lottery Heritage Fund, has now been completed.

The Reverend Luke Bacon, Bishop's Mission Order associate leader at St John's, says the church now attracts over 100 people on Sunday mornings.

The project was funded by partners including the Diocese of Rochester, Medway Council and the National Lottery Heritage Fund

He said: "The truth is that the reach of this place [goes] beyond those that might be coming in here to worship... actually the difference that it's made in individual lives, the difference that it's made for families."

Alongside transforming the Grade II listed church, additional meeting rooms, a kitchen and a cafe area have also been created for community use.

Many of those who have supported the project were invited to an event to celebrate the restoration.

Among the attendees was Medway Council leader Vince Maple, who hailed the project as a "partnership approach, a one Medway approach" which has helped to create a "magnificent" space.

Canon Matthew Girt, secretary for the Diocese of Rochester, said: "We are delighted that we have this building back for the use of the community here at the heart of Chatham.

"This is not just a church but a place that will be open seven days a week with so much going on for everyone."