"Empathy with our vision and ethos"
Speaking about the venture, the Operations Pastor at Hope Church, Avril Morgan, said CAF Bank’s support has been invaluable.
She said: “They have truly been a huge help. And they have been with us from the very beginning.”
She said the group started developing designs and plans for the redevelopment project in 2013, and had found a contractor to help them carry out the project.
But after the contractor went into administration, the Church had to quickly come up with a solution.
What followed was a long re-tendering process, through which the Church and CAF Bank remained in contact, agreeing changes to the loan structure and ensuring an effective collaboration.
Mrs Morgan added: “There were many unknowns at that point but I have to say that our relationship with CAF Bank has been fantastic. They have really had so much empathy with our vision and ethos.”
She said the new building will help support the wider community and families, not just children or older people, adding: “Some of the people we help could be those who struggle to get a job because they don’t have a CV for instance, or we could offer workshops on parenting skills.”