Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Church receives grant to help former addicts recover and find work
A DUNDEE church has been awarded a grant to build a new training kitchen that will help former addicts learn key skills.
City Church Dundee, on Tullideph Road, will receive a £20,000 National Churches Trust Grant.
The commercial training kitchen will teach catering skills to those recovering from addiction in the hope it will help them find work.
The funds will also be used to create a full accessible toilet block with a baby changing facility.
Plans are also in place to establish a healthy eating on a budget initiative to support locals with the cost-of-living crisis.
The church, a former Franciscan friary, runs a range of community activities, including a community cafe and larder, Police Scotland Youth volunteering, addiction support groups and the Dundee Reconnection Project.
Claire Walker, chief executive of the National Churches Trust, said: “We are excited to be able to support City Church Dundee. This will help to keep the church building open and serving local people.”
Craig Stocks, leader of City Church Dundee, said: “The grant is a huge help towards a large project in one of the most deprived areas in the UK.
“Renovations at the Friary will restore community access to a treasured asset in Dundee and give the church a much improved space to worship.
“Poor facilities have been a barrier to attendance at church and made the building unsuitable for many community groups that would otherwise be able to use the space for a wide range of activities.
“In addition, the new space will make the space rentable for conferences and functions, providing income that will support the maintenance of the facility and the activity that occurs on site.
“The training kitchen will enable us to empower those looking for a way back to employability by giving them skills that are transferable to the hospitality industry.
“It will also enable us to teach basic cooking skills that will help to increase self-esteem and promote healthy eating on a budget.
“All in all, this project will make a big difference.”