A CHURCH is set to be restored to mark its 50th birthday.

The Church of the Ascension, has received a grant from the National Lotterys heritage fund in order for repairs to be carried out at the Warren Lane site.

Its corroded concrete structure and bell tower will be renovated, while a project officer will also be employed to engage with the community and help residents to celebrate the churchs heritage.

Reverend Rebecca Roberts said: Im really excited about the plans for the Ascension.

I believe a church should be at the heart of its community, and the support of the National Lottery enables us to bring the Ascension back to the heart of the Woolston community again as a facility that can be a focal point for the community as it was originally intended to be.

A host of events are planned as part of the Ascension Festival on the weekend of May 22 to 25, which marks 50 years since the building was first opened.

The church will also host a monthly pop-up cinema showing iconic 1970s films, an exhibition exploring its role in the development of Woolston as we know it, musical concerts and a renewal of marriage vows ceremony for couples who were wed there.

Volunteers will support the celebrations and develop a work experience scheme with pupils at Fox Wood Special School.

Plans to construct the church had been mooted for several decades before the foundation stone was laid in 1968, but were delayed by the outbreak of war and rising costs.

Built on land donated by the Gorton family and designed by renowned modern day church architect George Pace, it eventually opened on Ascension Day 1970 at a time when Woolston was rapidly growing due to new housing developments.

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Church of the Ascension to be restored on 50th birthday - Warrington Guardian