Rebuilding Project
FRS has been on this site since 1960 and the current main building was completed in 1974. Since then, the Synagogue has become an important part of the wider community, as well as supporting causes all over the world.
The Synagogue has approximately 2,000 members (almost 1,300 adults and 700 children), with the majority living in the local area. As with any community building, different sections of the community use the building at different times.
Why we need a new building
The main hall does not comfortably accommodate the current community on well-attended celebrations and festivals, and does not allow normal services to take the shape and layout which work for us. Moreover, the cramped and dilapidated nature of our current building impacts upon our ability to accommodate our range of other diverse functions.
The portacabins that house part of our Outstanding rated Kindergarten, are at the end of their life and the staff car park currently doubles-up as the children’s playground.
The buildings are thermally inefficient, have high running costs and repair costs increase year on year as the fabric deteriorates.
We are past the point where we can maintain or refurbish our buildings. A modern, environmentally friendly, safe and sustainable building is now needed.
The use and intensity of the site will remain broadly the same. The Kindergarten’s approved capacity (60 children), for example, will not change. We simply want a building which meets our needs.
