The transformation of historic Jamestown Parish Church into a digital hub is set to be charted on YouTube.
Project consultant Martin Sansone completed the purchase of the Main Street building earlier this year and plans to use it as the base for his business.
But he is also intending to provide meeting space for the community and small businesses as well as providing free digital courses.
Martin told the Lennox Herald: “We are beginning to renovate the church, maintaining many aspects of the building with the intention of it being a mixed-use building, including modern meeting spaces available to the surrounding communities/small businesses for ad-hoc use inside a great architectural setting.
“Amongst my personal qualifications, I am also a lecturer and mentor having delivered technology courses earlier in my career at a college in Nottingham.
“I am keen to see Scotland fulfilling its potential in a constantly evolving digital world.
“I want to do my bit to help realise Scotland’s strategy for our Digital Nation by providing free digital/technical vocational training in the church and via Zoom with commercial insight/experiences and coach an entrepreneurial spirit in those wanting extra opportunities to learn or practise new skills.
“I believe the working environment is changing far quicker than many realise and like the Scottish Government, do not want to see people left behind.”
The grand building closed in August 2019 as the congregation linked with Lomond Parish Church in Balloch.
Complementing Martin’s vision for the future, the church was borne out of booming industry in the area 150 years earlier.
The village of Jamestown itself being formed through the industrial revolution with the principal industry being the bleaching, dyeing and printing of fabrics.
Initial work on the building by Martin and his team will focus on making the roof watertight before the overhaul is begun.
And people interested in the project will be able to keep close tabs on its development.
Martin added: “Some folks have said I must be crazy to take on such a huge task. We are setting up a YouTube channel to document every aspect of the church restoration, the work undertaken, the history contained and decisions being made along the way.”
Meanwhile work on the Kilmaronock Old Kirk is progressing after community ownership was passed to the Kilmaronock Old Kirk Trust earlier this year.
The committee are aiming to turn it into an arts and heritage hub.
