IT'S the "end of an era" for a Malvern church which has closed its doors for renovation after members of its congregation raised some of the funds to get it underway.

Malvern Evangelical Church, known as the Blue Church, is to undergo a make-over and be replaced with a modern, multi-purpose facility which will comprise of a meeting hall for services, a new secondary hall for children's clubs and extra rooms to house the Sunday school.

The £700,000 project, which has been planned for around three years, has been funded by donations from members of the church's congregation, and the mortgaging of the church.

At an annual business meeting, members of the church congregation voted in favour of giving the construction the nod.

It is hoped the new-look church will be used as a community building too, with a coffee bar serving people whether they are worshippers or not.

The work was due to commence after the Easter period, and is expected to last until Christmas.

Reverend Leston Blackburn, who has been at the 40 year-old church for eight years, said: "It’s a very exciting time for us at the church.

"We were pressed for space and we needed additional classrooms for the Sunday school.

"The decision was a necessity and everybody was in favour of it.”

Peter Mortimore, a member of the church's congregation said the church has struggled to host events recently, due to a lack of space, with other premises having to host groups such as the church's parent and toddler group.

He said: "We have outgrown the old building, but the challenge for us is making the new church a part of the community.

"We want to provide more facilities for people to use, such as a coffee bar.

"We want to be able to serve people coffee maybe twice a week; they don’t have to be religious.

"It's been a great effort from everybody in the congregation to raise this money, and it's a great relief to finally get it underway after the long wait."

The last service before the work got underway was held on Sunday, March 29 for a Palm Sunday service at the Pickersleigh Road church.

During the renovation, the congregation will meet at 3:30pm, on Sundays at St Andrew’s, in Poolbrook.

Church go-er Andrew Saunders posted a farewell message to the old church on Twitter, saying: "Goodbye to the MEC building as it is about to be expanded.

"End of an era and lots of memories.”