A “lively and friendly” new church will officially launch in Thetford following more than a year of meetings in the town.

Hope Church Thetford is part of the Newfrontiers Christian Church which teaches the new testament, and currently meets once a week at the Bell Hotel. From May 22 however meetings will be held on Sunday afternoons at the Carnegie Room on Cage Lane.

The previous week a launch event will be held with a youth band from Wymondham, and a chance for people to find out more.

Church leader Nigel Worth said: “We’re just one of several such churches and part of the reason for the launch is to gather more folks who may not be certain about going to church but are interested in our particular style of church worship.

“We thought Thetford was a place of great potential and it’s a large enough place for one more church, that’s for sure. We certainly felt a draw to the town.”

Mr Worth, who currently lives in Braintree in Essex but is in the process of moving with his wife Glenda to Thetford, said the Hope Church Thetford began with just four people but now accommodate 20 adults and 12 children.

“We’re not trying to compete with other churches but I feel we bring a new solution,” he said. “We’re not trying to take their people and certainly don’t claim to have all the answers but we do bring something fresh. Meeting in the Carnegie Room is superb as it is a central location so when we talk to people it’s a place they identify with. The launch is a chance for us to make a splash in the town and give people the opportunity to find out more if they want to.”

The launch will be from 3.30pm at the Carnegie Room on May 15. From the following week meetings will be held regularly on Sunday afternoons at 3.30pm.