A Manchester mosque has given £52,000 to help develop a United Reformed Church inspired community centre.

The Rev Ed Cox, church leader, said: “The investment symbolises the strength of inter-faith relationships in our community. The relationship between the church and the mosque began with plans to develop a joint youth club which, we hope, will now come to fruition when the centre opens later this year.”

Levenshulme Inspire will see a prominent URC building on Stockport Road saved from neglect, and transformed into a multi-use centre for the local community, as well as providing worship space for the church congregation. It will include a community cafe, meeting rooms, and a media enterprise centre, as well as the church and social housing apartments.

The money given by the Woodfield Avenue Bohra community was promised by the community’s international leader, Mohammed Burhanuddin when he visited. It makes the mosque one of the biggest investors in the Inspire project, which has drawn support from a range of sources, including Manchester City Council and The Big Lottery Fund.

Ed Cox explained: “Levenshulme Inspire has come about due to the vision of local church members and is committed to serving some of the most disadvantaged citizens of the area.”

The Centre Director, Kate Chappell said: “It’s wonderful to see the community pulling together to make Levenshulme a better place for us all; the level of support has by far exceeded our expectations. Levenshulme Inspire exists to celebrate the diversity of the area and bring people together. We look forward to working further with all members of the community in shaping the activities of our vibrant community hub.”

[Ekk/4]