ALTON Evangelical Free Church is marking its 50th anniversary this year with the purchase of The Maltings building which it hopes will meet various needs in the community.

To be launched shortly using the strap line 'Building Community in the New Millennium', the £2 million Maltings project is expected to breathe new life into the derelict grade II listed building.

Described as a "landmark building" which forms part of Alton's brewing heritage, The Maltings stands on Windmill Hill, behind Sainsburys, and is felt by the Alton Evangelical Free Church to be ideal for church and community use.

According to spokesman, Olaf Fogwill, the church already owns the building and has planning permission for its conversion. Now the race is on to raise the money needed to put the project into action.

Currently based at the old Foresters Hall building in Church Street, Alton Evangelical Free Church has just sold its Family Centre on Amery Hill for redevelopment and space is therefore at a premium.

The money from the Family Centre, however, has enabled the church to pay back the loan from the Architectural Heritage Fund, which helped in the purchase of The Maltings.

As well as preserving the building for posterity and to provide more space for the church itself, The Maltings project is expected to open up clubs for the elderly in the community

It also aims to help address the needs of young people by providing a safe meeting place for those who would otherwise hang around street corners; a venue for mothers and toddlers groups, parenting courses and children's clubs; a shoppers cafe, a resource centre, bookshop and toy library; and a facility for such as counselling services.

Already benefiting from the support of both the county and district conservation officers, plans are now going ahead to try and involve more local people, organisations and businesses in developing The Maltings into a building to benefit the wider community.