Fountains Church Bradford was pleased to host a launch event recently to celebrate the completion of phase two of their building project.
The event marked the completion of work on the Hub, the second of three floors in the Fountains complex, which was signed off and handed over to the team this week.
The evening brought together people from across the city of Bradford, as well as further afield, for a celebration of all the church has achieved since the project started.
The new Hub area will act as space for children’s work run by the church, as well as offering space for helping those on the margins in the city. 
The space includes a flexible work area, which can be used as a meeting room and is available for hire, as is the rest of the Hub.
At the event attendees got a tour of the Fountains facilities, which include the new Hub, café and worship area, as well as a look at future plans for a large auditorium on the top floor, as well as new office space.
Those there heard from the Revd Linda Maslen, Church Leader, about all the church has accomplished in the last year or so.
One of their accomplishments is the launch of Fountains’ social enterprises, including Grace Kitchen, a rescued-food operation that uses so-called ‘waste’ fruit and vegetables to provide meals to those who need them cooked in the church kitchen, and fresh supplies to food banks across the city.
Grace Kitchen have rescued some 40 tonnes of fruit and vegetables in the last seven months, feeding thousands of people and saving around 50 tonnes of CO2 that otherwise would have been released from landfill.
The church has also launched three mental-health support groups since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, to help those struggling during lockdown.
Grace Kitchen provided the food for the event, which was made from rescued vegetables. 
The Bishop of Bradford, the Rt Revd Toby Howarth, spoke at the event, where he thanked all those who have supported the church since its inception, and the Fountains team for their “humble, sacrificial” work at the church.
Bishop Toby also praised the partnerships that have made Fountains possible, and called for them to continue as the work of the church does.
The church is based in Bradford’s Glydegate Square complex and is supported by the Church of England’s Strategic Development Fund and the Diocese of Leeds.
It aims to be a highly visible city centre church with a strong Bradford identity: young, entrepreneurial, ethnically and culturally diverse, and confident about holding out a clear faith offering and call in the public space.
To find out more about Fountains Church Bradford, please click here.