High Kirk Community Project
A transformation of the church in a way that meet the needs of the community
High Kirk Community Project
Back in 2006 the High Kirk had looked to transform into a multi-purpose facility and therefore the idea came to re-visit these plans and look at how the High Kirk building could be transformed in a way that would meet the needs of the community and assist with the delivery of the Mission Plan.
The Cowal Kirk at present supports the local Foodbank by offering space for the storage and dispersing of the food together with facilities for the Hub Grub to offer free hot meals to those in need. Thus the High Kirk Project could offer a real enhancement to the service both in quality and quantity by the introduction of a “Social Bite” cafe offering fresh and ambient food on a daily basis, a training kitchen, ancillary support and counselling services. Together with the Starter Pack Plus service who supply household good to those going into accommodation and need support whom we currently assist with storage and dispersing we can offer a coherent and combined service in order to make a real difference within our community.
The High Kirk sits within a conservation area of the town and historically offers a summer exhibition attracting over 600 visitors, working in tandem with the Castle House Museum next door. Part of the transformation looks to retain many of the original features and offer an enhanced historical exhibition of Christianity in the whole area.
A business case was prepared, submitted and accepted by Argyll Presbytery. The formation of a Steering Group is now underway and they will take the Project forwardto the next stage.