Work to build vital facilities within a church in Teddington has started.

The work on St Mary with St Alban Church is part of a new £1.6m building project to add two much-needed toilets, a community space, a small kitchen and improved facilities.

The project aims to "create a welcoming community space that unites people of all ages and ensures the church continues to serve future generations".

To help raise funds for the project, local vicar, David Cloake, parachute jumped 12,000 feet in June.

The vicar's jump raised over £9k for the project.

Teddington vicar, David Cloake, parachute jumped 12,00 feet to raise money for the project (Image supplied)

The first phase of the work is nearly complete and included the demolition of the old choir vestry and the laying of the footprint for the base of the new building

The parish has had to undertake a number of archaeological surveys because the work is taking place in a closed churchyard and to comply with civic and ecclesiastical planning consents. No graves have been disturbed.

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The second phase is the construction of the superstructure of the extension, the installation of ground-source heat pumps and all other utilities.

The third phase will be the connection of old and new with adaptation of a current window into a new door. This requires the relocation of a stained-glass window which will replace a plain-glass one.

This phase will also bring with it a new digital organ that replaces the old and decrepit pipe organ now discontinued in the church, and the eventual redecoration of the whole church.