COMMUNITY church Kings Bolton has announced it will be moving into the historic Ainsworth Mill.

The church, which was founded by Pastors Derek and Georgina Smith in 2005, is currently based in Boundary Industrial Estate, in Millfield Road.

As well as religious services, the group tries to run programmes to tackle need in the area, including cooking clubs, craft courses, health awareness programmes, keep fit clubs, free dancing classes, and youth clubs.

More than 500 people currently visit the church every week and to increase capacity further, they plan to move to a ‘multi-functional premises’ at Ainsworth Mill in the next couple of months.

A spokesman for Kings Church said: “This derelict mill has been fully refurbished and renovated before being leased to Kings Church.

“The potential of this currently empty building is immense. The new premises will include meeting rooms, training rooms and office space, a children’s centre, a multi-sensory room and an outdoor play area.

“Alongside our growing volunteer base of enthusiastic individuals, we know that we can continue to increase the impact of our current community work, help more local residents and see many more local individuals being supported physically and emotionally.”

Ainsworth Mill, in Bury New Road was in use as early as 1850 and has been occupied by Blackshaw Dyeing and Finishing Co, Ainsworth Mercerising Co, and Lancashire Cotton Corporation, among others. It has been empty since 2006, when Ainsworth Finishing Company went into liquidation.