A town has gained a new church after the place of worship opened in a former bank.

The Triumph of Grace Ministry will also be used as a community centre for people in Maidstone.

The ministry is in the former NatWest bank in Sutton Road, which closed down in May last year.

On Saturday, around 100 people joined the Prophetess Christy Idahosa for a noisy and joyful celebration of the opening of the building.

The Mayor of Maidstone, Cllr John Perry, cut a ribbon to declare the church open, and afterwards he gave a speech from the stage.

He said: “I’m a great believer in community and in multicultural communities, and our town and our borough is a very fine example of that.

“It gives me great pleasure to be here and to support you (Rev Idahosa) in the work that you do for the community in the name of the Lord.

Other guests included Cllr Dave Naghi, the borough council’s cabinet member for community cohesion, and Amanda Sidwell, the founder of the Christian charity Making a Difference To Maidstone (MADM), who was also one of those called on stage to give witness to Jesus.

The congregation then celebrated with music, with some worshippers dancing in the aisles and clapping along.

Cllr Naghi said: “It was a pleasure to attend today and I hope this ministry will grow and grow.

“It’s nice to see something for the community; you never know what might have been built on this plot otherwise.”

As well as being a place for worship, it is intended the new building will offer activities for older people, veterans, and individuals with disabilities or mental health challenges, as well as hosting charity workshops and youth entertainment.

Rev Idahosa said: “It will be a place for prayer, therapy, and support—designed to promote the well-being of people at every level.”

“We believe this building will be a source of hope and support for many in Maidstone.”