Closed church to be turned into community hub

Plans to reopen a closed church as a community hub have been announced.

Work to redevelop the Ponteland United Reformed Church at Broadway, in Darras Hall, Northumberland, is expected to start next year, the Malhotra Family Foundation said.

The Newcastle-based charity has taken over the building with plans to also reopen the nursery that operated there before the church closed and create a village tearoom.

Meenu Malhotra, who created of the foundation, said the project was important to him and his family as they had lived in Darras Hall for 35 years.

The charity said its aim was to make a difference through education, health and social care and the Ponteland scheme was its first major project.

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