Washington Church of Christ is very actively involved in the community and positively welcomes people from all backgrounds. The building is run Monday to Saturday as a centre for the people of Washington and surrounding areas. Situated in Brady Square, Columbia the building has an on-site car park, is near to a bus stop and shops.

We provide small and large meeting rooms/classrooms for a number of groups meeting each week. These rooms and a large hall can be hired out for public events, birthday parties etc, along with a fully equipped kitchen facility.

Washington Church of Christ holds a franchise agreement with City of Sunderland College. We offer accredited English (ESOL) courses through Edexcel. They range from Pre-Entry to Level 1 and 2 for Asylum Seekers, Refugees and Migrant Workers living in Washington and surrounding areas.

The church is also the base for an Electronic Village Hall, supported by a great team at Sunderland Community ICT. This facility allows unlimited Internet access and printing facilities to all members of the community.

Childcare facilities are available within our lovely Ofsted registered crèche, staffed by a team of fully qualified experienced childcare practitioners.

Learn What an Electronic Village Hall is Here - Learn about our Faith based activities at our Church

Doreen's Story

Doreen now uses the equipment to help her in her volunteering capacity – researching nutritional and varied recipes that she serves to the luncheon club at the Church, but also in her personal life - using social networking and email to keep in touch and working on the laptop together with her grandchildren to download music.!

Enabling Technology & Engagement

The ICT@Home project provides Doreen with a laptop computer and a desktop printer. The laptop is connected to the Internet via a 3G modem which gives her access to a whole new world from the comfort of her own home.

Benefits

In 2006, Doreen took over the running of the Wednesday lunch club, which now serves almost 50 people each week. Doreen uses her laptop to research new recipes to help keep the menu varied and nutritional. She also likes to take regular trips with her husband, Trevor, and uses the Internet to check for flights and hotel deals.

She now has a digital camera and enjoys taking holiday snaps – her confidence and new skills has quickly grown. Doreen has set up her own email address, and now has a Facebook page. Her grandchildren also make use of the laptop and her husband transfers music to his MP3 player.

Quite a journey for a self-confessed techno-phobe, and a journey whichshe is

looking forward to continuing.

In her own words.............

"Thanks for writing about me. I still have a lot to learn, but I am getting better. I'd like to say thank you very much to the Community IT team for all the support they have given me since I have had the laptop."

Typical centre activities