CONGREGATION members have celebrated the formal opening of the refurbished kitchen at Sidmouth Methodist Church following a £15,000 revamp.

Around 70 people marked the occasion by enjoying lunch together after a morning service on Sunday.

The project was made possible thanks to the generosity of an unnamed churchgoer and the Sid Vale Association’s Keith Owen Fund - which matched a sizeable donation with a £7,500 grant.

A bigger and refurbished kitchen was necessary to meet hygiene standards and other regulations and will be ‘greatly appreciated’ by the many community organisations who use the facilities, said the minister, the Reverend Brian Hadfield.

He thanked the trustees of the fund for their generous support and gave a prayer of dedication.

The lunch was organised by Brenda Moss and her catering team and coffee was also served to the whole congregation beforehand and numerous visitors.

Keith Owen Fund committee member John Townsend handed over a cheque for £7,500, which was gratefully received by property steward Brian Skittrall and MrHadfield.

The Reverend Handel Bennett, president of the SVA, recalled that the late Keith Owen had attended an Alpha course at the Methodist Church.

He said: “His bequest was made in accordance with the aims of the association, which on this occasion, helped to sustain, with matched funding from church members, a much-used facility for the benefit of local organisations, and public functions, which make use of the church hall and kitchen.”

“Contrary to a belief that the fund is not available for church use, this is just one of a number of awards made to local churches within the Sid Valley and Salcombe Regis.”