Works on the library took place over the summer and cost around £400,000 including fixtures and fittings. The transformation of the library has been dramatic and the lending and reference sections are now brought together in one space, complete with study areas and wireless networking.
“Now the contents of the library have a space worthy of them in which it is a pleasure to study. So far everybody has agreed on this – staff, students and visitors. Some work remains to be done… But the new library is the fulfillment of a dream that has long been held and it is delightful to enjoy it… The place is truly fabulous and we thank everybody who has contributed to making it so.”
Many of those who train for ministry make great sacrifices, giving up full-time employment and moving their families to new locations. We aim to provide good accommodation at a reasonable cost. In all honesty, we are failing to do this at the moment because the standard of our accommodation is not good enough.
The planned accommodation block provides 10 flats of varying sizes. These replace flats in existing properties which are increasingly in need of investment. At the same time, bringing these students on site enhances the community life of the College by bringing more students together at evenings and weekends.
Built on the top of South Norwood Hill, Spurgeon’s College is a maze of corridors, stairs and steps. Completed in 1890 the main house is a beautiful building but it is not user friendly for anyone who is not fully ambulant. It is impossible to enter without negotiating steps of various heights and levels of difficulty. The College is made up of two main buildings linked together by a passage, which is in a very poor state of repair.
We now propose to join the two buildings with an atrium. Built into this concourse will be a lift providing access to the first floor and taking out the various levels on the groudn floor. The dining hall will be extended into the concourse providing students with much needed additional space. A ramp will be built to provide access to the concourse. The whole structure will be fully glazed allowing the atrium feel to be completed and it will be used as a multi-purpose meeting and gathering area.
It's not easy to put into words what the buildings will look like when the work is done, but you can gain a much better idea by clicking here to see a computer generated walk-through of the new facilities.
Turning the next two stages of the project into reality is a major undertaking. We need your prayer support as we move forward.
The total cost of the work still to be done is around £1.8 million. A large part of this funding has been made available through the sale of College properties, but £300,000 is still needed. We need your financial support to help us bridge this gap. Click here to make an online donation.
Churches and Christian organizations have many calls on their time and resources. Often training for ministry and the Colleges that provide it can be easily forgotten. We need committed people who can be a link between their church and the College to make sure that our work is communicated effectively.