MONEY left by a lifelong Southampton resident will enable his local church to become a "beacon of hope" in the post-pandemic era.

Retired teacher John Shepard, who died aged 94 in 2018, lived in Bitterne all his life and began attending Holy Saviour Church in his youth.

Now a legacy left by Mr Shepard is helping to fund an extension to the church room. The size of his donation has not been disclosed.

Church members are hoping the extra space will enable people to come together and support each other following the isolation and loneliness caused by the pandemic.

The extension will provide the community with much-needed space that groups in the area can hire. It will also enable the provision of a cafe, debt centre and food bank.

The vicar, the Rev Tony Palmer, said: “We at Holy Saviour owe enormous thanks to this generous and dear gentleman for the substantial legacy he has left to our church.

"At Holy Saviour we are passionate about serving our local community in ways that make a real difference to their lives.

"There is no escaping the fact that Holy Saviour is prominently placed on the top of the hill and visible for miles around.

"Our dream is that Holy Saviour will be a beacon of hope, a sanctuary for those in need and a place where the whole community can gather and experience the welcome of Jesus.”

The extension will enable Holy Saviour to open seven days a week.

It will also allow the church to enhance its partnerships with community groups and local charities such as Transforming Lives for Good, Christians Against Poverty, Southampton City Mission and the Carraway Trust.

The Right Reverend, Debbie Sellin, Bishop of Southampton, said: “Being part of the local community is what our mission is about.

"The redevelopment of Holy Saviour will ensure we can continue to offer our communities a place to come together and join in friendship.

"All of these things have become increasingly important as we begin to recover from a world of isolation brought on by the pandemic.”

Holy Saviour was built in the Victorian Gothic style in 1853 and is the largest church in the area, with a 120ft octagonal spire.

The second stage of redevelopment is expected to begin later in the year and will focus on creating a more flexible space within the church.