Refurbishment Update: Progress at Holy Rosary 🛠️

It’s an exciting time for our team and volunteers as work continues on the refurbishment of Holy Rosary. The transformation is well underway, and we’re thrilled to share an update on how things are progressing behind the scenes.

Our New Venue at Holy Rosary Parish House

For 35 years, Teams and Bensham Community Care has been a lifeline for older adults in the area, hosting lunch clubs, men's groups, and a variety of social activities designed to combat isolation, promote wellbeing, and offer a sense of belonging.

The charity provides freshly cooked meals, wellbeing activities, door-to-door minibus transport, and opportunities for volunteering and meaningful social connections. With many attendees facing challenges such as ill health, social isolation, and bereavement, the groups are deeply valued by the community, with participants attending one to three times each week.

Why the Refurbishment Is Happening

The parish house has provided vital space for parish life and community support for many years. Meanwhile, our communal lounge on Bolam Street will be demolished in the future along with Redheugh and Eslington Court flats.

The Holy Rosary is the ideal space, but it needs modernisation to make it safer, more accessible, and better suited to the needs of our beneficiaries and this refurbishment will create a warmer, more energy-efficient, and more welcoming environment for everyone.

What’s Being Done

Planned improvements include accessible entryways, widened doorways, accessible toilets, and the conversion of the domestic kitchen into a professional-grade facility to support the preparation of hot meals for our beneficiaries and hot meal deliveries.

Progress So Far

We’re pleased to report that significant progress has already been made, with several major stages now complete:

General Site Setup 

• Demolition of Garage, Lobby, and Store – ✔️ 100%

• Alteration of Boundary Wall – ✔️ 100%

• Internal Strip Out – ✔️ 100%

• Internal Alterations, Demolitions, and Structural Work – ✔️ 100%

  
  

  Extension

  
  

• Reduced Levels and Foundations – ✔️ 100%

• Below Damp Proof Course Brickwork/Blockwork – ✔️ 100%

• Ground Floor Slab – ✔️ 100%

Substructure

• External Walls – 75%

• 1st Fix M&E - 25%

External Works

• Drainage Works - 90%

  
  

What’s Next

We're seeing lots of change internally now, and the new layout is really taking shape. We're also just about ready to select carpet and flooring colours and to choose which units we'd like for the first floor kitchenette!

We’ll continue to share updates as the exciting work progresses.

A Word from the Team

“It’s been fantastic to see the progress so far and the teamwork that’s gone into it. The transformation is already visible, and we can’t wait to welcome everyone in once it’s complete.”

Thank You for Your Support

We couldn’t do this without the support of our community, volunteers, and local partners who’ve donated time, awarded funding, and gave so much encouragement along the way. Every bit of help brings us one step closer to opening the doors and bringing the space to life.

Stay tuned for more updates and photos as the refurbishment moves closer to completion. And keep an eye out for details about our official reopening event!

Our activities are still taking place at our Bolam Street address until our Holy Rosary home is ready. If you or someone you know would like to join us at one or more of our lunch clubs (held mid-morning to mid-afternoons on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays) or one or both of our men's groups (held mid-morning to mid-afternoon on Mondays and Thursdays), contact our team on 0191 4600297. There's a range of activities at each group, a freshly cooked two-course meal, refreshments and accessible minibus transport from home and back again in the local area.