With echoes of the efforts of local residents of East Wickham and Welling to build the Memorial Hall 100 years ago, members of Welling Methodist Church have successfully completed a £130k project to build a new community meeting room.
Both projects were conversions of buildings: The Memorial Hall was originally a canteen used by housebuilders whereas Welling Methodist’s new meeting room was originally a shelter used by local people bombed out of their homes in the Second World War. The eating of cakes helped fund both projects: Cake sales were part of the fundraising 100 years ago whereas Welling Methodist Church’s efforts included open garden afternoons with homemade cakes. Most importantly, both relied on the dedication of a group of community minded people determined to see their projects through. (The fundraising committee is featured in the main image, with Trustee Jeremy Watkins and minister Helen Watson).
The Memorial Hall is no longer here, as it was beyond reasonable repair and sold off for development in 2007. Funds from the sale were invested and the Trust makes grants in memory of the men who died in the First World War to the community using income from the investments. This has included a grant to Welling Methodist Church towards their new meeting room (and storage area).
Representatives of the Trust were delighted to be invited to the official opening, where Trustee Jeremy Watkins cut the ribbon to officially open the hall and after which many more homemade cakes were eaten. The opening coincided with the 119th anniverary of the Church, celebrated, of course, by the cutting and eating of a huge cake!
