Work started in November 2005 on the long awaited redevelopment at Trinity and completion is planned for the autumn of this year. This is the result of sustained hard work and commitment from many people. Over the next months we will be able to watch all that hard work come to fruition in the shape of a new Centre for the use of the whole community.

Trinity Church is grateful to all our funders large and small, local and further afield for their marvellous generosity and to the Newlyn Fish Industry Forum for its vital support. We continue with our fundraising efforts to make this a facility for all Newlyn to be proud of. We are working with a number of partner organisations to ensure that when it opens the new Centre will make a real and positive difference to the lives of Newlyn residents of all ages.

Currently the church is also raising funds to furnish the Sanctuary within the building. Local craftspeople are working with us to develop furnishings in glass, wood and copper that will reflect our locality and make the Sanctuary a place of real beauty.

INTRODUCTION TO THE PROJECT

This is a time of change for Newlyn. But that is nothing new. If we look around our community we will see signs of the continuing process of change in our homes, streets and around the harbour. I am grateful to the Newlyn Fish Industry Forum for this opportunity to provide an update on the changes that are happening at Trinity.

More important than the building itself is what can happen inside it. Our plan will initially fall in to six broad areas:

Older people and their carers
Children and young people
Sport
Health and social
Employment and training
Church

The centre will be able to cater for groups from a handful to over 200 and is set to make a positive impact on Newlyn’s life as we begin to develop its programme. Many of you have answered questionnaires on what you would like to see happen or be involved in at the Centre. Before it opens properly we will be approaching individuals and groups with a view to setting up new activities. If you are interested in running an activity at the new Centre please get in touch with me.

Our draft Mission Statement says:

The purpose of the Centre is to:

1. Provide a place to meet for organisations and individuals
2. Enable individuals and the community to develop their fullest potential
3. Raise community and individual aspirations
4. Deepen the sense of community and improve social cohesion
5. Provide a place of learning, sharing, healing, growing, activity and rest

Fundrising
A Project like this is costly but we are determined to make it happen because we believe that Newlyn deserves the best facilities possible. We are well on our way to a target of more than £600,000. The Methodist Church nationally has promised us £118,000 and with the Business Plan almost completed we are now preparing to go to the major funders with our grant applications. Local fundraising now has well over £165,000 available for the Project. Our thanks go to all who have contributed any way. If you would like to make a donation to the Project please make cheques payable to Newlyn Trinity Project 2000. They can be sent to either of the addresses below or dropped at the Charity Shop.

Chapel
Some of you may have seen me on the television recently talking about the difficulties of maintaining historically and architecturally important buildings that are unsuited to modern needs. With its size, situation and Grade II listing, Trinity chapel is an notable part of Newlyn’s built landscape. Any future use must preserve the best of what is considered important while at the same time making it financially viable. We are investigating how we might use the chapel as a place from which to tell Newlyn’s story. There is much to tell. There are stories like those surrounding the voyages of the Mystery and the Rosebud and of individuals like Mary Kelynack and William Lovett. There is the arts and craft side of our heritage and, very importantly, the stories of the ordinary peole of this community. Tied in with today’s creative industries and offering training and employment opportunities we hope that the chapel will find a new and important role in Newlyn. If you have any ideas of questions, again, please contact me.

Working Together
The planning for the new Centre has been an exercise in working together towards shared goals and tackling some very difficult situation along the way. I must praise the commitment of so many people. It has also thrown up some unexpected possibilities such as the 3 Village Youth Project, based at Trinity. I hope that the new Centre, when fully functioning, will play an important part in bringing the community together to build a bright future for Newlyn around the regeneration proposal and I am grateful to the Newlyn Fish Industry Forum, Penwith and Penzance Councils for their support.

Julyan Drew

Contacts:
Rev. Julian Drew, 2, Elms Close Terrace, Newlyn. TR18 5AU – Tel: 01736 364707

Mr Richard Kent (Secretary of Project 2000 Development Group) East View, St Peter’s Hill, Newlyn. Tel: 01736 362510
www.trinitychurchnewlyn.ik.com
www.3villages.150m.com

Project Development Milestones

Funding secured - October 2004
Detail design - October 2004
Building Regulations
Application/Approval - December 2004
Tender information
and QS - February 2005
Tender period - April/May 2005
Tender analysis - May 2005
Contract period - July-Dec 2005
Development worker
appointment - September 2005
Centre becomes
operational - January 2006

Funding

Methodist Church* - £118,000
Local community
Fundraising* - £165,263
Community Fund - £180,000
(Bid in preparation)
NRF - £100,000
(Bid under consideration)
Penwith District Council* - £20,000
Penzance Town Council* - £1,000
The Hedley Foundation* - £3,000
The Henry Smith Charity* - £75,000