Project 140 is a project to renovate and improve the facilities at Carrubbers Christian Centre at 65 High Street, Edinburgh. The High Street in Edinburgh, otherwise known as The Royal Mile is now one of the prime tourist attractions in the country but has been home to Carrubbers Christian Centre in its various forms since the middle of the nineteenth century.
The building at 65 High Street itself was built in 1884 with subscriptions raised by DL Moody, the famous evangelist. We have named the work “Project 140”, reflecting 140 years in 2023 since Moody laid the foundation stone and 2024 marks 140 years since the building was opened. They worked quickly in those days!
The building was renovated in the 1980s and is now in need of a thorough renovation and, in places, remodelling. The church meeting in the building is thriving and growing and we wish to be faithful to the Gospel history of the building. Project 140 will, God willing, set the building up for the next 50 or more years of Gospel work in the Royal Mile.
Why do we need to improve the building?
As well as the condition of the building which desparately needs updating, there are many aspects of the building which need improving.
Accessibility
Entrances – At the moment, the accessibility to the building entrances is awful and every week we need 4 volunteers to carefully “roll” one of our dear family members up the entrance stairs to our mainhall. Of course we do this joyfully, but it is far from ideal. Our side entrance for our lower hall (used for a mid week event to allow the family member to attend) involves rolling the wheel chair down a dangerously steep slope, which wen wet from rain is even more treacherous.
Even once in the mainhall, there is only one space at the back of the mainhall that anyone in a wheelchair can be placed. This has a very restricted view with others are standing, limits any involvement in the services, and reduces the ability to socialise after the service.
The main entrance is also a hazzard for those less able to walk, and each week several elderly people have to navigate the steps to the mainhall.
Accessible toilets are only located on the lower floor with no access other than leaving the main entrance and being wheeled around to the side entrance.
There is also no access to our beautiful oak hall on the first floor, which restricts use of the building or removes the ability for those with accessibility needs to join the event.
Project 140 plans to install lift access from lower to first floors, improve accessible toilets for multiple floors, create an easier access front entrance, modify the mainhall to create wider access routes to allow wheelchair access to many areas, and create a same level drinks/food area.
Flexibility for children’s ministry
We are blessed with over 90 children from 0 to 18 years old and need more flexibility and use of space/rooms to allow us to offer the most amazing children’s and teens ministries we can. This is our church family of the future and we want to enable hundreds or thousands of children to grow to know the Lord over the coming decades.
Project cost and fundraising
We estimate that we will need to raise around £1.8m to carry out this project. We aim to raise these funds from 3 different areas:-
The Core Team
Neil McKenzie
An elder and trustee of the church. He has worked in Information Technology for the private and public sector, and is currently an IT Programme Manager in NHS Scotland.
Pat Ferguson
Currently serves as Church Administrator having worked as a Senior Administrator in Higher Education, latterly working as a Project Officer in the office of the Principal, University of Edinburgh working on significant capital and corporate projects.
David Johnson
The architect for the project is a member of the church and also a conservation-accredited architect with 26 years of experience. He is a director with GLM and has a specialism in the adaption and reuse of existing heritage buildings across a broad range of sectors.
Doug Whyte
An elder and trustee of the church. He had a global career as a lawyer in the oil and gas industry and now volunteers in the church as its Director of Church Operations.
Nigel Burgess
An elder and trustee of the church. He has a career in Product Management in the microchip semiconductor industry focusing on audio products. He focuses on the finance, building and technology within the church.