A church community centre in Havering has been awarded £59,000 for a major refurbishment.

The funding was given to Havering Road Methodist Church by the City of London Corporation’s charity, City Bridge Trust.

It will cover the cost of an accessible toilet and wet room, new accessible doorways, accessible pathways and improved flooring and ramp access.

A wide range of local groups use the community centre, including a mother and toddlers club, an adult study class, and an after school club.

City Bridge Trust has awarded 106 grants totalling over £2.7 million to groups based in Havering – and over £324 million to groups across London in the last 20 years.

The Trust is the City of London’s Corporation charity and London’s biggest independent grant giver, making grants of £20 million a year to tackle disadvantage across the capital.

It helps achieve the Corporation’s aim of changing the lives of hundreds of thousands of Londoners.

Notes to editors

About the City of London Corporation

The City of London Corporation provides local government and policing services for the financial and commercial heart of Britain, the 'Square Mile'. In addition, the City Corporation has three roles:

• We support London’s communities by working in partnership with neighbouring boroughs on economic regeneration, education and skills projects. In addition, the City of London Corporation’s charity City Bridge Trust makes grants of more than £15 million annually to charitable projects across London and we also support education with three independent schools, three City Academies, a primary school and the world-renowned Guildhall School of Music and Drama.

• We also help look after key London’s heritage and green spaces including Tower Bridge, Museum of London, Barbican Arts Centre, City gardens, Hampstead Heath, Epping Forest, Burnham Beeches, and important ‘commons’ in south London.

• We also support and promote the ‘City’ as a world-leading financial and business hub, with outward and inward business delegations, high-profile civic events and research-driven policies all reflecting a long-term approach.