Plymouth: Bishop Hudson opens new community hub

Fr Mejuru with Bishop Hudson unveiling the plaque at Holy Family Hall. Image: etinosa_osagie_films

The Right Reverend Nicholas Hudson, Catholic Bishop of Plymouth, opened and blessed the newly redeveloped Holy Family Hall, of the Catholic Church of the Holy Family in Beacon Park, Plymouth on Sunday 12 July 2026. The modernised community space will support parishioners and local residents in the years to come, and the project was made possible thanks to a generous grant from The Albert Gubay Charitable Foundation.

This is the only parish hall which serves the wider parish of three churches, with two of these churches being located in some of the most deprived wards in Plymouth: Holy Family, Beacon Park (Peverell ward), St Paul's, St Budeaux (St Budeaux ward), and Our Most Holy Redeemer, Keyham (Devonport ward).

The hall already hosts a wide variety of activities, including dance classes, other fitness classes, Slimming World, private functions, parish social events and the parish's popular Welcome Mondays which was started by Caritas Diocese of Plymouth, providing weekly meet-ups for members of the local community to enjoy one another's company, with refreshments and activities.

The parish also supports the wider community by supporting the Plymouth Soup Run, food bank donations and outreach to elderly and isolated residents via the St Vincent de Paul Society.

The project included the construction of a new link building between the church and hall, unifying the two buildings, improving access between them, and creating a more welcoming frontage. Alongside the new link building, the grant has enabled accessibility improvements, energy efficiency and environmental improvements, and modernisation, including: improved accessible toilet facilities; baby-change provision; improved fire safety measures including a new escape to the rear (which also removes an access barrier to garden events); new energy-efficient kitchen; upgraded LED lighting; insulation of external walls to new link for heat retention and energy efficiency; new suspended ceiling to address previous damage; and internal and external redecoration.

The Diocese of Plymouth has previously hosted events at the venue and this refurbishment will offer greater opportunities to use this space for common benefit.

A representative from The Albert Gubay Charitable Foundation said: "We are delighted to have been able to contribute to the redevelopment of this much needed community space which the parish and all those involved have worked so hard to see it come to fruition."

Parishioners and local residents say the activities hosted in the hall are an important source of friendship and support.

One Welcome Monday participant said: "It's a chance to see a smiling face."

Another said: "It's made a difference to my life, I think the people that are coming here are lovely, very, very friendly and I really do enjoy it."

Others described the meetings as giving them "something to look forward to" and helping them meet new people each week.

Fr Appollos Mejuru, Priest in Charge of Holy Trinity Parish, said: "This hall has been at the heart of the parish and local community for many years, but it was becoming a tired space in need of modernisation. Thanks to the generosity of The Albert Gubay Charitable Foundation, the hall has become a lot brighter and uplifting. It is making a real difference to the people who use it every week."

Bishop Nicholas Hudson said: "I wish to offer sincere congratulations and thanks. Congratulations to Fr Petroc who initiated the whole feasibility of this project as Parish Priest; and to Fr Appollos who realised his vision. Words of St Paul in his 1st Letter to the Corinthians come forcibly to mind: 'Paul planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.' So we can surely say, 'Petroc planted, Appollos watered, but God gave the growth'!

"We do indeed give heartfelt thanks to God for helping us make this possible. We give thanks to God for the generosity of the Gubay Foundation in particular. We thank the Gubay Foundation on behalf not only of the Beacon Park parishioners but on behalf of the whole Diocese. We also thank everyone at Holy Trinity Parish - the parishioners and the diocesan property team, project architect Daniel Atkins, Crayon Architects and construction team, Obedair Construction - whose dedication, hard work and vision have made this project a reality. Through the Gubays' generosity, we have now a wonderful resource not just for the Parish, but for the wider community. The list of activities which are scheduled to take place here is impressive: from dance to fitness to slimming to soup runs and foodbank collection and so much more. To the Albert Gubay Foundation we wish to say we thank you, we congratulate you, we salute you, and will be eternally grateful to you."

The redevelopment was made possible through funding from The Albert Gubay Charitable Foundation, which supports projects that strengthen community life, improve access to places of worship and increase energy efficiency amongst many other things.