Monastery revival restores local Pride

THERE was an award of a different kind for social enterprise organisation The Monastery in Gorton, Manchester.

The accolade was NW Business Masters Pride Award for outstanding corporate and community work and was received by Paul Griffiths, chairman of The Monastery of St. Francis & Gorton Trust, which operates the venue.

“The Monastery is a beautiful world monument building about two miles away from Manchester,” he said.

“The connection with me is that when I was a seven-year-old I was an altar boy at The Monastery. When I was 20 something I moved away for work and then when I eventually came back 20 years later, the building was looking like it was about to fall down. It had become a ruin just seven short years after becoming vacant.”

Griffiths and his wife Elaine started a charity in 1996 and spent the next seven years raising £7m to restore it.

“For 150 years, the building was at the heart of the community and when the monks left in 1989 the whole place became a bit of a disappointment.

“Since we started to operate the building as an events venue we’ve  been able to employ local people, buy all our services locally and create a real up-surge in our local economy and, crucially I think, we’ve made people feel proud again to live in the Gorton community.”

The Monastery’s restoration received £1m from The Stoller Charitable Trust – which was founded by philanthropist Norman Stoller – who won the Ambassador Award.

The shortlist for the Pride Award also included City in the Community Foundation – Manchester City Football Club, Inciner8, and ISG.