St Andrew’s Church Fulham Fields

St Andrew's Church Fulham Fields approached The Social Investment Business with a proposal for investment from the Communitybuilders Fund, to help develop an existing community facility, creating a new multi-purpose community facility and community hub in North Fulham, London. The expansion would enable the church to offer office space and community meeting areas. 

Fr Martin from Fulham fields with two other men in high visibilty gear.

The church’s parish covers a densely populated and diverse area which includes Queens Club Gardens and the large estates of Cheeseman's Terrace and West Kensington Estate. The parish is in the top 10% across England for ‘indicators of multiple deprivations’ and the new centre will provide facilities for many hundreds of local people to use.

The project received a total investment offer of £1,078,000 from the Communitybuilders Fund. The investment was a mixture of grants, loans and business support; £7,700 worth of development support, a £400,000 capital grant, a £78,000 revenue grant and a £600,000 loan.  

Mothers and toodlers at the Fulham Fields community group.

With co-funding support from New Deals for Communities, the church of St Andrew’s, Fulham Fields’ new facility will cater for the ever-expanding range of community services already being delivered on site, including the feeding of 120 homeless people each Saturday, flourishing Mums and Toddlers groups, Streetdance classes, a lunch club, a Fruit and Vegetable co-operative and much more.

In addition to these activities, the charity IntoUniversity will be taking a space in the new community centre to operate their hugely successful after-school clubs and mentoring projects. IntoUniversity has a fantastic track record across London of providing outstanding support to children of school age particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds. 

The plans have taken three years to develop and have attracted over £1.4million in public sector funding. The Development will return St Andrew’s to its original proportions and will include the construction of three large community areas, a cafe, and office space all of which will be fully accessible. Work began in August 2010.