The Chapel in the Garden in Bridport has discovered a great fount of generosity in local builders, plumbers, heating engineers and suppliers.

The 350th anniversary appeal to make improvements to the chapel has already got off to a great start, with the first and most urgent project being the replacement of an increasingly unstable kitchen floor, to the extent that it was no longer safe to make a cup of tea. 

Faced with this serious problem, Fru Jeune of the chapel's building committee looked for local support and fund it in Baker Builds.

She said: "Once I had explained the problem to Ian Baker, he offered to help and the floor was immediately and effectively remedied.

"We are so grateful to Ian and his team at Baker Builds who were able to use materials kindly supplied by Fred Etherington of Bridport Building Supplies and a floor covering donated by Carpet World." 

Mr Baker commented: "By donating my team's skills, I wanted to contribute to the chapel's efforts to build community and reach out to people who may be feeling more vulnerable in these challenging times. 

"Fixing the kitchen floor was my way of giving back."

Mr Etherington of Bridport Building Supplies added: "As a local business, we will always support worthwhile causes in our community and we wanted to assist the chapel in championing inclusivity and fighting isolation by bringing people together for companionship and connection."

Fru explained: "We know the floor will need more long-term improvements following an in-depth survey of the cause of the problem, but at least we know it's safe to make a cup of tea at our cafes on Wednesdays and Saturdays and our increasingly popular Warm Spaces project." 

The Warm Spaces initiative was set up by Bridport Town Council, which co-ordinated a scheme ensuring free community spaces were open throughout the week to assist those struggling with energy bills and the cost of living crisis. The council provided a grant towards heating bills.

The Warm Space at the chapel opened last autumn and has become a hub of companionable community with a warm welcome for volunteers and visitors alike.

As well as soup and a roll for lunch, there is always chatter as well as games, puzzles, listening and signposting to other useful services, including the Community Fridge – a scheme to combat food waste in Bridport by making sure everything edible gets used up. 

During the winter, all have been grateful for the generous donation of a night storage heater by Phoenix Heating.

Dan Hopkins of Phoenix Heating said: "As a heating engineer, I have come across a lot of problems ensuring people are kept warm as cheaply and effectively as possible, particularly with rising bills.

"The Warm Spaces project was the perfect cause for us to support and a night storage heater was the best solution for the chapel to keep everyone cosy and warm.

"I was happy to donate a heater and to install cost-price heating on all the ground floor community rooms at the chapel."

The Chapel in the Garden runs a café every Wednesday and Saturday from 10am to 12noon and all are welcome.

Warm Welcome Space is on Thursdays from 11am to 2pm, and services take place on Fridays at 6pm (enter from the back of the chapel) and on Sundays at 11am.

07759 382 103