Evangelical group The Jesus Army is spending almost a million pounds on turning a former Coventry garage into a church and drop-in centre for vulnerable people. Paul Barry took a look at the building work and found out how worshippers aim to help homeless people, drug addicts and prostitutes.

Homeless people who call in to the Jesus Centre opening in Coventry soon are just as likely to get a computer lesson as a bowl of soup.

The centre, just inside the ring road in Lamb Street, should be completed by the end of the month and will be a drop-in centre as well as a place of worship for the city's 120-strong Jesus Army congregation.

The group, also known as the Jesus Fellowship, is spending £900,000 to transform a former car sales garage into a worship hall and social centre. But there's a lot more to helping the needy these days than the stereotyped image of soup and prayers.

And it's not just the obvious down-and-outs which the Jesus Army is hoping to help.

A brochure outlining the project to potential sponsors suggests that up to one in three people in Coventry could be in need of help, support or advice.

In a city with a 300,000 population, the group calculates there are 20,000 people suffering depression, 7,000 unemployed, 9,000 with a drink problem, 1,700 needing an emergency home, 11,500 women victims of domestic violence, 30,000 disabled people, 800 reforming drug users, 7,000 people with learning difficulties and 900 asylum seekers.

Problem

That's a total of 87,900 people — although the real figure is probably lower since many will have more than one problem.

Fellowship member Laurence Cooper, aged 27, said: "We will be helping people in all sorts of ways. We won't just give people a religious message and say, 'you'll be OK'. In the same way, we won't just give someone a bowl of soup and leave it at that.

"When people call in here we definitely won't be forcing a message down people's throats. But we will give them the opportunity to explore their faith if they want to.

"We want to extend the helping hand of friendship and demonstrate our Christian love."

Laurence hopes that the centre can gradually expand its activities to helping disabled people and those who are in debt.

The Jesus Foundation has been in Coventry for 20 years but has never before had its own place of worship. Its worship meetings take place in hired halls and at present its congregation of around 130 people meets in the West Indian Club in Spon Street.

Homeless and other needy people can already find support in Lamb Street at the Salvation Army citadel which is just 100 yards from the Jesus Centre.

The Jesus Foundation say there is no risk of the two organisations competing to provide services.

The Jesus Centre has set up a focus group of people from groups they expect will use their services.

They have also contacted other organisations to find out whether the Jesus Centre can help fill the gaps in current provision for the needy.

Major Brian Slinn from the Salvation Army is one of several community figures on the Jesus Centre's board of referees and is aiming to ensure that the organisations complement each other's work.

A focus group of potential centre users including drug addicts, asylum seekers and prostitutes, has provided valuable insights into what people actually want.

The main work on the outside of the building has been done. The new roof is on, and a first floor gallery has been added.

What was once the showroom of the Paragon Garage has been rebuilt as the main reception and drop-in area, and the heating and plumbing is in.

As well as the physical construction work needed, the fellowship is building up the skills of its volunteers.

So far 70 people have volunteered to staff the centre when it opens, and most of them have already received training on how to combat inequality, prejudice and discrimination.

Church leaders plan an official opening ceremony in June, which will be a chance for them to thank city companies and individuals for their generosity in getting the centre

built.

Benefactors

Benefactors include Amtico who provided the cafe floor, Peugeot who donated furniture to the project, and smaller businesses like the Stoke Bakery which has offered to stock the new centre with bread and cakes.

And rather than getting a dignitary to open the centre, the fellowship hopes to have it opened by someone who will benefit from it.

Church leaders say it would be in keeping with the spirit of the centre if the ribbon was cut by a single mum on the big day.

Source: Coventry Evening Telegraph