A run-down old church is reopening its doors after an expensive facelift.

A community building in a rural village near Bicester reopens on Sunday after a £200,000 refurbishment.

Twyford United Reformed Church has been closed since December 2021 for modernisation and repair.

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To the delight of villagers, the old Victorian chapel will reopen with a new kitchen and toilet facilities, and two flexible spaces that can be used together or separately for worship or community activities.

Acting church secretary Brenda North said: “I often wondered if this would ever happen.

“The building was approaching being unusable because of the poor facilities.

“We have been fundraising for more than 10 years.

“Thanks to the generosity of Twyford people and some major funders, we can once again proudly offer the building to our community.”

United Reformed Church Development and Support Officer, Ray Stanyon, said: “It’s satisfying to see an old church building re-purposed for church and community use in the modern day.

The small congregation have been steadfast in their determination to raise the funds and to make the necessary changes to their cherished home.

“I hope this will encourage other church communities to see similar opportunities.”

After years of fundraising and planning, building work on the church began in February this year.

The church was founded in 1805 and has a cemetery outside.

 

Read more from this author

This story was written by Matthew Norman, he joined the team in 2022 as a Facebook community reporter.

Matthew covers Bicester and focuses on finding stories from diverse communities.

Get in touch with him by emailing: Matthew.norman@newsquest.co.uk

Follow him on Twitter: @OxMailMattN1

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