ST. Philip’s Anglican Church in O’Connor will celebrate the opening of a new community centre this weekend.

The Lamerton Centre is a new community centre, developed to fulfil the needs of the St Philip’s Anglican community to better respond to community needs through its outreach work.

It also houses the parish’s op-shop, Pandora’s, a boutique of pre-loved clothing, hats, shoes and accessories. The funds raised by Pandora’s volunteers are used for the work of the parish in the community.

The Lamerton Centre project was funded in part by the ACT Government through Infrastructure Grants funding, Anglicare, Pandora’s donations and by donations from members of the Parish. Many, many hours of voluntary work were involved in completing the project.

It is named in honour of Revd. Rob Lamerton, the much-loved Rector who served St Philip’s for ten years and who died after a short illness in 2008; and after his widow, Mrs Sandy Lamerton who conceived and brought into being the Pandora’s op-shop.

The Centre will be dedicated and blessed this Saturday by the Bishop of Canberra & Goulburn, The Right Reverend Stuart Robinson. Following the opening ceremony and lunch there will be a parade of spring fashions from Pandora’s. This fashion-parade is an annual event designed to celebrate the arrival of spring.