A key church serving the community in the Hawthorn Drive area of Ipswich has been given a £7,000 grant for urgent repairs.

Ipswich Borough Council’s south west area committee approved the funding at its most recent meeting, which will go towards repairs to the community hall, guttering, inside plaster and replacement of the outside pebbledash at St Francis Church.

The church has already raised half of the money needed through fundraising events and the St Lawrence Hall Trust.

The church and hall were built in the 1950s at the same time the Chantry estate was established, and is one of three to form the South West Ipswich Team Ministry.

The borough council report said: “The St. Francis Church hall is a well-used community space that serves residents of south west Ipswich.

“The repairs to the guttering and coping would protect the hall for current and future users.”