Derry Presbyterian Re-opening Welcomed

Hundreds of people were in an historic Londonderry church at the weekend to mark the completion of a £2.5m refurbishment project.

Over 1,000 people - including the PSNI Chief Constable Matt Baggott, attended the reopening of First Derry Presbyterian Church.

Also at the special service on Saturday was the Stormont Deputy First Minister, Martin McGuinness, who is a local MP.

Mr McGuinness said the ceremony was "hugely symbolic".

"This has massive symbolism for the Presbyterian congregation but I would contend also for the people of the Bogside and Brandywell, who are neighbours of this church," he said, on Saturday.

The Chief Constable said he felt it was "important" that he attended the reopening.

The Church, which dates back to the 1780s, has been closed for almost nine years to enable substantial restoration work to be carried out.

Mr McGuinness said that this church always had a special place in the life of the city, both spiritually and historically, and he praised those involved in the restoration work.

Mr McGuinness said: "I am delighted to see the Church restored to its former grandeur and would congratulate everyone who was involved and who had the foresight and dedication to bring to completion the renovation of this important historic building

"I am particularly pleased that the Executive's Integrated Development Fund has been one of the major contributors to this particular project - contributing almost £1.4million - which is yet another impressive illustration of the continuing restoration and Also, commenting on the cross-community aspect of the service, given by Reverend Dr David Latimer who spoke on the theme of 'living together', he said: "The audience here today represents the diverse cultures and communities within the city.

"The Executive is committed to building a shared and better future for all and it is one of our key priorities as we move forward. However meaningful change only comes about from what happens on the ground.

"There is therefore a challenge to communities everywhere to leave aside past prejudices and embrace change by working together to build a culture of mutual trust and respect."

The church is a Historic Grade B+ listed building and has been closed for almost nine years to undergo extensive renovation and restoration work.

This included measures to tackle dry rot damage, the replacement of the roof and restoration of stained glass, windows and organ, and repairs to the interior and exterior fabric of the church and ancillary buildings to enable it to be used once again as a place of worship.

(BMcC/GK)