The project addresses critical gaps
A £5 million partnership project has been announced that will expand essential services for the vulnerable in Folkestone, where homelessness has doubled in the past two years.
The Folkestone Rainbow Centre and Folkestone Methodist Church have joined forces to demolish the existing Methodist Church in Sandgate Road and construct a purpose-built facility that will serve as a year-round multi-service hub.
Building plans have been submitted, with demolition hoped to begin soon after approval.
The project addresses critical gaps in Folkestone’s provision at a time when the town faces acute challenges. A total of 115 households are currently in temporary accommodation in the area, and four Folkestone neighbourhoods rank in the top 10 per cent most deprived nationally, with a child poverty rate of 19.1 per cent and a ten-year life expectancy gap between different wards.
The new facility will provide a permanent central home for the Rainbow Centre’s expanding work, which includes managing six foodbank sites and 350 volunteers, while maintaining the Methodist congregation’s spiritual mission.
The integrated facility will house critical support for those experiencing hardship, including:
- A year-round emergency shelter.
- Food pantry and hot meals.
- Dental services and clothes washing facilities.
- Worship and spirituality programmes.
Dr Peter Le Feuvre, chairman of trustees for the Rainbow Centre, said: “The town, with its high level of homelessness and deprivation, has an urgent need for this centre.
“Working closely with our Methodist partners, we have the opportunity to integrate and expand our services under one roof, helping those faced with hardship to re-establish a life of stability, dignity, and hope.”
This partnership strengthens a long-standing collaboration, especially through the Folkestone Churches Winter Shelter. Since 2009, this shelter has involved over 200 volunteers each year.
For the South Kent Methodist Circuit, the decision to demolish their historic Sandgate Road building represents a move of “faithful service”.
The Reverend Adrian Roux, superintendent minister for South Kent Methodist Circuit, said: “The opposite of poverty is not prosperity. The opposite of poverty is community.
“We are creating a place, and a community, that will be filled with grace, justice, and peace, through which lives can be transformed, and healing and hope be made real.”
While the town has recently earned recognition as the Sunday Times “Best Place to Live in South East England” in 2024 due to regeneration, the project ensures that this transformation benefits its most vulnerable residents.
The Rainbow Centre, which has been celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2025, was founded when Christians from different church traditions decided to work together to help people who society often overlooks. It was named Kent’s overall Charity of the Year in 2022.
The £5 million project has secured initial funding but requires significant additional support to reach completion. The organisations are actively seeking support from potential funders, local businesses, and individuals to create this important facility.
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