Bereavement hub plan for church agreed by council
A “bereavement hub” will be set up next to a church to help people with “additional grief, loss and anxiety” they have felt during the pandemic.
Senior pastor Leslie Burke applied for permission to place a 16-foot-long former shipping container at northwest corner of Telford Elim Community Church, in Hadley.
A design statement submitted on behalf of the Pentecostal church said it would allow provide additional space for small support sessions and craft groups that cannot be catered for in the existing annexe.
Telford and Wrekin Council’s planning department approved the proposal.
In a design statement submitted with the application, planning agent Scott Booth, of Betaplan Ltd, said the church and community bereavement service PRISM aim to use the hub “to support those who have struggled during lockdown with additional grief, loss and anxiety”.
He added: “The proposal is for holding small support groups with practice activities to help support the individuals with transition from lockdown into the community that have been struggling with bereavement, grief and loss.
“The reason for it is to allow additional practice support, alongside the support which will be delivered in the annexe, for small groups of two to three along with one or two leaders.”
An annexe, known as “The Hub”, was opened at the church just under a year ago, but Mr Booth says bereavement hub will accommodate groups that “cannot be catered for” there.
He adds: “The groups will be running regularly, with use during weekdays. The groups will include sewing, art, ceramics and woodwork.”
