By Brandon Freeman, Community organiser
I have been re-establishing relationships with the Lanes community and their community centre which was built in 1997 after the group secured £245,000 from lottery funding. The centre is a sustainable venue as they do not rely on funding and they have charges in place to fund the venue, the cost of membership is only £2 per year. The leader of the group Lorraine has managed to sustain a bank account with a surplus of £18,000 for maintenance and repairs.
After speaking to local residents in the area it was clear people knew that the community centre existed but didn’t know what events were available. An online presence (in the form of a Facebook page) was suggested and this is currently in the works. The Lanes community centre offers daily events such as: coffee mornings, games nights, bingo and the most popular event the lunch club where you can get a hearty home cooked meal for as little as £3!
After speaking to Lorraine who runs and leases the community centre, it is clear that the local residents are not happy with the raised plant beds outside the centre as they are overgrown and unkempt. She mentioned that the raised beds needed work and wants something low maintenance as majority of the local residents are elderly. I am in the process of gathering interest from volunteers, organising equipment and discussing what plants the local residents would like to see sourced. I am hoping to link the event with the local school and other older volunteers I have met with an interest in outdoor activities in an attempt to encourage intergenerational work.