A BEAUTIFUL community rainbow garden will welcome visitors to St Philip’s Church in Westbrook this month.

St Philip’s is taking part in a nationwide ‘Back to Church’ event on Sunday, September 27.

And the star attraction will be its new garden – the result of eight month’s hard work.

Church members and volunteers began transforming the patch of land at the Westbrook Centre in February.

It now features new flowerbeds, paths, seating and artwork including more than 80 different designs created by children from St Philip’s Primary School produced with the help of Warrington Youth Service.

The church raised £700 towards the project through a car boot sale and a ‘buy a brick’ scheme for a garden path.

Burtonwood and Westbrook Parish Council donated £500 and Faiths 4 Change, an environmental initiative of the Anglican Diocese of Liverpool, awarded the scheme £2,000.

Richard Clark, a member of the congregation at St Philip’s, said: “We have just started to spend the Faith 4 Change grant fitting bike racks at church and school and the remainder will be spent on developing the area and planting etc.

“We have involved church folk, Sunday school children, Scouts, 32nd Warrington, Beavers and our Network 72 men’s group who coordinated the project.

“We are all very excited by the project and the amount of attention is unbelievable. We are tucked away in the corner and folk are not always aware we are here, but the artwork has made a big difference.”

The ‘Back to Church’ Sunday service from 10am will include music, worship and refreshments.

Richard added: “We are inviting all families that have had children baptised in the past 12 months, children and adults that have been confirmed, folk we know that used to come to church and for many reasons no longer do so, neighbours, friends, relatives, everybody.

“It will be a friendly service and all are welcome to come along to see the great work St Philip’s church is doing.”