CHURCHGOERS in Didcot are putting their faith in the Almighty to help them beat the credit crunch and raise £600,000 for a new youth and community hall.

All Saints’ vicar, Rev Karen Beck, said they believed the vision for the new hall was inspired by God and he would help them find the resources for it.

A decision by the planners is expected early in the new year.

Architects WestWaddy have drawn up the plans for the £600,000 project and they have been submitted to South Oxfordshire District Council.

The plans will be displayed in the church, and local people — not just churchgoers — will be able to view them and express their opinions.

The new hall will be slightly bigger than the present one, which was built 40 years ago.

The vicar said: “We’ve been meeting with the community to see what kind of thing they would like for the hall.

“The parochial church council decided that it was important that whatever was built should be something that would be used by future generations.

“Therefore, a substantial investment will have to be made to ensure the building is of a high and durable quality.”

Estimates have been put at £600,000 and the hall sub-committee and the fundraising sub-committee are looking at plans of how to raise the money.

Details will be issued in the new year.

Rev Beck said: “This is a large sum of money to raise at any time, but particularly so at a time of economic difficulty, “However, we believe that this is a vision that God has given us for the church here at All Saints’ and we need to trust that if this is indeed the case, he will provide us with the resources we need.”