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18 Phonebox Magazine | January 2025Lovat Hall reopens in Newport PagnellLocal community groups are enjoying being able to meet back in Lovat Hall, the home of Newport Pagnell Baptist Church, following a three-month closure for extensive refurbishment.The church operates its building as a community centre throughout the week and 75 per cent of the building%u2019s use is for the local community, with activities providing recreation, social connection and support for everyone from babies to the elderly. Over 30 regular building user groups are benefi tting from the project, some of whom have been meeting in the building for more than 40 years, such as Newport Pagnell Table Tennis Club and Lovat Hall Action Sport. Other benefi ciaries include those attending the parents and toddlers group, local school children attending events and holiday clubs, youth groups, people accessing NHS services such as baby clinics and blood donation sessions, people enjoying crafts, badminton, netball, Zumba and older generations enjoying tea dances and arts groups. The hall and other rooms are also available for members of the public or other groups wishing to hire the space. The main works were undertaken over the summer when the old leaking asbestos sheet roof was replaced with a new roof, new double-glazed windows were installed to replace single glazing with rotting joinery, damaged and stained ceilings were replaced, and solar panels with a battery system were installed to provide sustainable energy for the site. Prior to reopening to the public this autumn the maple sprung fl oor was restored, and the hall repainted and dressed with new curtains and blinds. A %u2018thank you%u2019 afternoon tea was held on 20th November to acknowledge the contributions of external funders who supported the project. This was attended by the Newport Pagnell Baptist Church project team, local councillors including the Mayor of Newport Pagnell, Cllr Paul Day, and representatives from the external organisations who had given fi nancial support and the main contractor, Neville Special Projects. A plaque to acknowledge the fi nancial support received is now situated inside the entrance to Lovat Hall. Steve Wood, Senior Minister of Newport Pagnell Baptist Church, said, %u201cAs we reach the end of this year we are delighted that the hall is now weathertight, warm, energy effi cient and welcoming to all. We are so grateful for the donations from our own church family and for the support of the external funders who got behind the project to enable it to happen. As a result, our community can continue to enjoy the hall for many years to come as we shift our focus to bringing other areas of the building up to the same standard.%u201dThe project benefi tted from %u00a3250,000 of capital funds and additional revenue support from the Government%u2019s Community Ownership Fund, administered by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. FCC Communities Foundation is a not-for-profi t business that awards grants for community projects through the Landfi ll Communities Fund. They provided %u00a3100,000 towards the new roof, ceilings and solar panels system. Richard Smith, Senior Grant manager from FCC Communities Foundation, said, %u201cIt%u2019s wonderful to see a project we have funded open and ready to make such a diff erence to community groups across Milton Keynes. The improvements at Newport Pagnell Baptist Church look amazing, and I am sure they will be enjoyed by the many people who use the facility for many years to come. FCC Communities Foundation is always happy to consider grant applications for projects that benefi t local communities, and this is a great example of what can be achieved.%u201dThe Milton Keynes City Council%u2019s Carbon Off set Fund also provided %u00a356,000 of support for elements of the hall refurbishment, which helped to reduce carbon emissions. Cabinet Member for Economy, Sustainability, and Innovation, Cllr Shanika Mahendran, said, %u201cIt was fantastic to visit Newport Pagnell Baptist Church to see the major sustainability upgrades they have made. Thanks to the Carbon Off set Fund, they%u2019ve been able to introduce measures which mean they now have greatly reduced electricity bills. This is an excellent example of how an organisation has been able to use the fund to cut carbon emissions and focus on delivering services for their community.%u201dMilton Keynes Community Foundation also provided %u00a35,000 to support the project. Ambs Wright, Philanthropy Offi cer at MK Community Foundation, said, %u201cAttending Newport Pagnell Baptist Church%u2019s Thank You Afternoon Tea was truly heart-warming. Celebrating the refurbished Lovat Hall, a shining example of dedication and collaboration, made us proud to have funded solar panels, creating a more sustainable, accessible space for the community.%u201dNewport Pagnell Baptist Church has been meeting in Newport Pagnell since 1972 and has a heart to love and serve its local community. One of the ways it does this is by sharing its building, Lovat Hall, as a community centre for local groups and off ering it as a hirable community space, in addition to providing free or low-cost activities to the local community supported by volunteers. For more information, see www.npbc.org.uk.Top Left: Construction work by Neville Special Contracts included replacing the roof and ceilings, windows and installing solar panels with battery system.Top Middle, Left to right: Benjamin Gabi, Assistant Quantity Surveyor for Neville Special Projects; Sara Millington, fundraiser for NPBC; Mark Smalley, Director for Neville Special Projects; David Wright, Church Administrator for NPBC; Sam Hall, fundraiser for NPBC and Mark Talbot, Site Manager for Neville Special Projects. Top Right, Left to right: Sam Hall, fundraiser for NPBC; Cllr Shanika Mahendran of Milton Keynes City Council; Sara Millington, fundraiser for NPBC and Rev. Steve Wood of NPBC.Left, Lovat Hall of Silver Street, Newport Pagnell, home to Newport Pagnell Baptist Church and a busy community centre.