The Minister of the Old Presbyterian Church and TOPzone and TOPtotz volunteer, Rev. Dr. Scott Peddie, commented: “The whole ethos of our church and its mission is one of service to others, regardless of their background and church affiliation.

“That means we reach out to the local community and serve them as needs dictate. We are blessed with a team of dedicated volunteer leaders who give up their time each week to organise and facilitate our activities”.

Open from 9.30 to 11.30am each Friday, the parent and toddler group has been very popular with parents from the Templepatrick area and beyond. Dr. Peddie said of the new group: “We’ve been delighted with the response from the local community to this new facility. Providing a space where parents can relax and chat over a cup of tea and coffee while their toddlers play and interact with other children is very important.”

The TOPzone youth club and coffee bar has also got off to a flying start. Running from 6.30-7.45pm for the seven to eleven age group and 8.00 to 9.30pm for the eleven to sixteens, the aim of the club is to provide youngster with a space to chat, relax and have a bit of fun with the wide range of activities on offer. Dr. Peddie commented: “By affording the youngsters the opportunity to make their own decisions regarding the future of the youth group, we hope to foster a sense of inclusiveness, ownership and responsibility”.

Further information on both groups and related forthcoming activities is available on the church website: www.opctemplepatrick.org.uk.