Dentists to be part of £4.6m centre
8:20pm Tuesday 14th October 2008 in Search By Steven Thompson
A NEW dental surgery will be part of a £4.6 million community centre in Halliwell.
Construction work at the disused All Souls Church, in Astley Street, is not set to start for 12 months, but negotiations to bring a dentist to the community centre have already begun.
Project co-ordinator Inayat Omarji said: “We haven’t yet confirmed who will run the dental practice but we are speaking to a few different people.
“The centre will provide services for the community delivered by local people.
“There is a shortage of NHS dentists especially in this area and the black and ethnic minority community have specific problems with their teeth.”
It is hoped that the dental surgery will provide vital funds that will then be reinvested into the centre.
Mr Omarji added: “We are looking at how much we will charge to rent out the facility. It is important that we can provide affordable care but the dental surgery will also generate revenue which can be pumped back into the community.”
Plans to transform All Souls into a state-of-the-art community centre were drawn up after a community group secured a lottery grant of more than £3 million.
Four years ago, residents joined forces with the Churches Conservation Trust to try to gain funding for the project.
The Heritage Lottery Fund agreed to donate £3.6 million towards the project, which is expected to cost £4.6 million.
The church closed its doors in 1986 and has remained empty, becoming a target for vandals.
The grade II listed building will be repaired and a modern community centre will be created. Two glass “pods” will provide areas for education, youth work, health services and a gym.
steven.thompson@theboltonnews.co.uk
