WORK to build a church community in the Rufford and Stambermill areas of Stourbridge is continuing.

A dedicated group have been meeting on a regular basis at either the Sunshine Club, on New Farm Estate, or Rufford Primary School.

They recently staged an open air service on the community green, situated in the centre of the estate, and this week held a series of events and activities on nearby Rufford Field.

The group is being led by the Rev Tom Fish, a curate from Christ Church in Lye, who claimed: “It's a slow process, but we're bringing people together and connecting with the community.

“I must admit, I wasn't quite sure what response we would get from an open air service on a Sunday morning on the green and whether people would object to the noise.

“But all the feedback I've obtained has been massively positive and one person told me it was the best thing to happen on the estate for 50 years.”

The group now plan to stage more open air services on Rufford Field, meeting at 11am every Sunday while refurbishment work takes place at the school.

They also publish a newsletter entitled 'The Rufford Brick' and Rev Fish explained: “The economy of the area was once based on bricks and now we're trying to build on living bricks.”