Quaker meeting house gets £25k improvement grant.

A Quaker meeting house in Coventry will get a £25,000 grant for a “overhaul” to make it more accessible.

The facility, which was built in 1953, houses a variety of support and community groups, including parent and toddler groups, psychotherapy, religious groups, and assistance for refugees and asylum seekers.

The payment is part of a £1 million payout from the National Churches Trust to help churches, meeting houses, and chapels remain open and in use.

Changes to the facility will allow more community members to use the space and offer events to prevent loneliness.

A lift will be installed in the first-floor conference room, and access to the kitchen will be improved. Accessible restrooms and baby changing areas will be installed, and the ground floor room will be made safer.

The changes were made after consulting with groups that use the building as well as individuals who are unable to do so owing to accessibility issues.

“Our Quaker Meeting House dates from the 1950s and is of its age; we want to bring it up to modern standards so that we and the communities of Coventry can use it for generations to come,” said Lesley Butterwick, convenor of the design group.

“We are delighted that the National Churches Trust has made a grant for this vital initiative.

“We will be able to open up our building to groups currently unable to access it and make it easier for all to use, the alterations and improvements we plan will make the building more user-friendly while keeping the much-appreciated sense of a welcoming space for all.”

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