Kate ScotterA project which has taken nine years of fundraising and a year to build has been completed.The Narthex at Roman Catholic Cathedral of St John the Baptist in Norwich is now open and will be officially opened on March 16.Kate Scotter

A project which has taken nine years of fundraising and a year to build has been completed.

The Narthex at Roman Catholic Cathedral of St John the Baptist in Norwich is now open and will be officially opened on March 16.

Its opening coincides with the centenary of the cathedral itself and provides space and facilities for bringing together people from the local and regional communities and different countries and cultures, for welcoming children and young people, for education projects, and for the service and care of others, as well as serving as the focal point for the Catholic community of East Anglia.

Fr James Walsh, Dean of the Cathedral, said: 'The Narthex has a massive external presence which relates directly in style and materials to the adjacent Cathedral. But it is much more than an impressive building: it marks a new era in the life and history of St John's.

'Just as in 1910 the building of the Cathedral was completed, so in 2010 the Narthex will be open as a new and exciting complement to St John's. But the Narthex will also enable us to reach out to a wider community in a way that has never been possible until now.'

The Narthex has been built with the support of a major grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund and other funding bodies.

It is a flexible and welcoming space, providing a new venue for conferences, cathedral wedding parties, community clubs and functions and education visits from all over the region.