Work starts to build new community hall in Melton Mowbray

Builders were on site on Monday on land adjacent to the historic St John’s Church, on Thorpe End, with the building expected to be ready for use by the end of the year.

Church fundraisers, aided by the Friends of St John’s Church, have worked tirelessly to help pay for the hall, which will be used by Melton’s Catholics and hired by community groups and families in the town.

The parish priest, Monsignor Tom McGovern, was present on Monday to give a special blessing for the building site, praying that the hall to be built would help to achieve God’s will in the town. He also prayed for the builders, that they would be strong and dedicated in their work.

Monsignor McGovern said: “This is a very historic and a very important event in the history of this parish.

"We are once again establishing a parish centre on the site where historically we started.

"This is not about building a showpiece for the architectural benefit of the town, however important that may be.

“Here, now, it is about building the kingdom of God.”

St John’s Church was built in 1842, when the laws against Catholics were just being repealed, and it is one of the oldest churches in the Catholic Diocese of Nottingham.

It saw the return of legal Catholic worship in the town for the first time since the Reformation and it has remained in use for the same purpose constantly ever since.

A hall was built next to it in 1844 but was demolished in 1985.

Frances Levett, chair of Friends of St John’s Church, said: “Many difficulties and problems have been encountered and overcome in the last five years, and we are delighted that work has now begun.

"It is of course of great historical importance to the Catholic community, but this hall will be a tremendous benefit to all the people of Melton.

"It will be available for use by the whole community, and will provide benefit for the deprived, elderly and lonely.

"It will truly be, ‘a hall at the heart of the town’ and this is a very happy day for all of us.”