What is the Open Door Centre?
In the five years since the Centre opened in May 2017 there had been some 40,000 visitors to the Centre. About half of these, are people who have dropped in to the Centre’s café open Tuesday to Friday. They have been able to enjoy the delicious snacks and lunches which are available, the full menu of which can be seen at this link.
During the recent Covid outbreak we sadly had to close in line with the restrictions which affected the whole of the country. However we are delighted to be open once again and welcoming familiar faces and many who are new to us!
Local community groups including the Chipping Barnet Day Centre for the Elderly, Age UK Barnet, Barnet U3A, a Dementia Choir and a Drama Hub as well as informal groups are, once again, starting to meet regularly in the Centre.
The Centre is also used for community group meetings, celebratory lunches, teas and children’s parties.
The Trustees of the Centre (see link for details) have agreed plans for the final phase of the redevelopment of the Centre. This will see the insertion of a new first floor and the extension of the ground floor at an estimated cost of £700,000.
The ground floor extension will enable the Centre to cope more efficiently with the hundreds of visitors who drop in each week. As a result, there will be more space in the kitchen for food preparation as well as more storage space.
The new first floor will be at the heart of Christ Church’s vision for compassion ministries.
It will accommodate: the food bank currently run by the Church; an area where visitors can obtain one-to-one support and advice on, for example, benefits, finance, immigration and legal matters; a meeting room for church use or community hire, as well as use as a winter night shelter; and a reception area with space for showers, toilets, a washing machine and a demonstration kitchen.
If you would like to find out more about the Centre or have any questions please do contact us