New Chair of Trustees for The Foundry Sheffield

Methodist Minister the Rev Ashley Cooper is the principal of Cliff College in Derbyshire.

He takes the place of the Rev Phill Borkett, who is retiring after eight years in the post.

Since 2015 The Foundry Sheffield has been running the city centre’s famous and iconic Victoria Hall, ensuring the safety of the building and operating in the interests of all tenants, users and visitors and with the ultimate aim of improving the lives of people throughout the city.

Currently used by more than 1,500 people every week, charities already working out of the Victoria Hall’s range of offices include Age Active, Assist and City of Sanctuary, who work mainly around supporting vulnerable and needy people in Sheffield and the surrounding areas.

The main hall is already a popular venue for choral, instrumental and other events and South Yorkshire's finest amateur orchestra, The Sheffield Philharmonic, holds its weekly rehearsals and the majority of its concert season performances there.

“The Victoria Hall has been well known too as the home of Methodism in the city since the early years of the 20th century and Methodist services are still held in the main hall twice every Sunday,” said the Foundry Sheffield chief executive Rose Durant.

“Various other activities are also held throughout the week and it continues to be the home of the Sheffield Methodist District office.

“Today though, and under the operation of The Foundry Sheffield, the Victoria Hall is become firmly established as a real community hub and one that welcomes many people, many interests and many cultures through its doors every week.

“We believe that the Rev Cooper brings with him a clear understanding of the way the Victoria Hall needs to develop to meet the needs of 21st century users.”

To find out more about the The Foundry Sheffield and the facilities being offered at the Victoria Hall visit www.victoriahallsheffield.org