Almost all the 150 staff of Holy Trinity Brompton and Alpha moved into their new Cromwell Road offices last month after nearly five months of renovation work to the six-storey building.

The office building, which is situated opposite the Natural History Museum equidistant between Holy Trinity and St Paul’s Onslow Square, was purchased by Alpha International in March.

Builders have demolished many interior walls, giving it an open-plan feel on each of the six floors.

Renovation work has taken place to the roof and windows and new computer and electric wiring has been fitted.

Two staircases have been reconstructed and a lift has been installed. The project has involved around 40 separate contractors.

HTB Maintenance Manager Michael Ander-son, who has been overseeing the project, paid tribute to the ‘fantastic team of all trades who have worked so well with one another’.

The move into Cromwell Road took place during the week of HTB’s church holiday week Home Focus in order to keep disruption to a minimum.

Only the Social Transformation depart-ment, which is to be housed in the Cromwell Road basement, has not moved because of continuing building work.

Ever since Alpha grew into a worldwide ministry in the mid-1990s and Holy Trinity Brompton’s congregation and church planting ministry grew under Sandy Millar and Nicky Gumbel, there has been a pressing need for more office space on the HTB and St Paul’s sites.

The purchase of the new offices frees up a huge amount of pastoral space on the Brompton Road and Onslow Square sites.

This will be used for church activities including children and youth groups, cafe facilities, social transformation projects, Alpha and family life groups, theological training and other community projects.

The releasing of space has already allowed for plans to open a day shelter for vulnerable and homeless people at St Paul’s (see page five).
After the purchase of the Cromwell Road building in March, Nicky Gumbel said, ‘For many years the work of Alpha and the church community of which it is a part here at Holy Trinity Brompton has been in need of space.

‘This new building will enable the work of the charity and the church to expand in ways which are hugely exciting.’

The financing of the purchase was made possible through a large mortgage and a number of generous donations given for the purpose of purchasing the building.

Ken Costa, Chairman of Alpha International (and also Churchwarden of Holy Trinity Brompton), said, ‘The Alpha and HTB members of staff are part of a community who need to be on call to help with ministry at conferences and meetings.

‘Having this facility so close is a wonderful provision. It’s a marvellous invetsment for ourselves and future generations.’