A NEW lease of life has been given to the old Bethel Community Centre in Hindley Green since it was taken over by the Sanctuary Church.

Under the leadership of Pastor Malcolm Butler, who took over the lease earlier this year, the Pentecostal-based church has seen a turnaround in fortunes for the building.

The old building was under the threat of closure from the cash starved council but now it has had a face-lift, being decorated inside and out and is still used by the community as well as the Sanctuary Church.

Pastor Butler said: "Most of the youth of this area are not bad, they're unemployed and bored. What I do find alarming is the number of youths under 14 who are still out on the street at 10.30pm and the parents don't seem to care where they are or what they are doing, another sign that all the old values have gone."

He added that he wants to change the concept of what people think about the church and believes that a lot of problems in the community are caused because churches are not doing what they are supposed to do by giving the people a direction in life.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.