CONSERVATIVE leader and MP for Chingford Iain Duncan Smith has lent his support to community initiatives at St Anne's church, Larkshall Road, Chingford.

The STATIS (St Anne's Training Initiatives) centre and garden will bid for Lottery funding to help raise three quarters of a million pounds for redevelopment and Mr Duncan Smith has offered to give an independent reference.

He visited the centre which is used by 1,100 people a week for activities ranging from pre-school clubs to line dancing.

Outside, he took a walk around the training garden which is used by physically and mentally disabled people from organisations such as MENCAP and SCOPE.

The plans to improve the services at St Anne's are two-fold.

In the garden, St Anne's hopes to go into partnership with Waltham Forest College to be able to take on more students and train people to NVQ level 1 in amenities horticulture in addition to general planting and groundwork.

In the centre, money for redevelopment will make additional places available for the clubs and for organisations.