Croftfoot planning ahead for future

Croftfoot United Free Church held a festive event recently when they looked to the future.

The church had a family fun day to kick off their Christmas celebrations, but the day also served as a fundraiser.

They are hoping to earn enough money to afford a youth development worker, helping the church spread their message into the wider community.

There are also plans afoot to redevelop the entire church building, which they will pursue further once 2017 starts.

The festive fun day even had a couple of special guests too, as two reindeer stopped by, letting local youngsters get their picture taken with them.

The church’s Marion Milligan said: “It was a great day and it was full of folk.

“It was in aid of our plans to get a family and youth development worker for the church.

“It would be imperative for the church to have a youth worker, because we want to work with a lot of families and for us to be a community church.

“Having a youth worker would mean we can continue to reach out to people and their families from outside, and get them coming into the church.” “The day itself was a success. “The cafe was going strong, we had a bouncy castle, facepainting, hair braiding and lots of events inside the church.

“Outside we had some Ayrshire reindeer visiting and they were a huge success.

“Pogo and Princess were their names and we had lots of families over to look at them and get their picture taken with them.

“Hopefully we’ll now run three or four events like this each year.”

And the church is hoping to continue to fundraise next year, as part of plans to redevelop the whole building.

Marion added: “We’re currently looking for funding for the overall redevelopment of the church, so we are speaking to various trusts and organising applications.

“We’re looking to expand and develop the existing building because we need a bigger kitchen and more hall space.

“We’ve got people using the building as it is and we want to see it developed more.”

It would be imperative for the church to have a youth worker”

Visitors Summer Gillies 7 with the reindeer brought by Paul Gibson

Mystery David Marshall tries his luck with the lucky dip presents run by Carole and Jim Owen

Festive Freya Porter and mum Melissa got to meet the reindeer