Community Spaces
Church Gate Community Centre
Creating Pathways To Participation
There will be no barriers to volunteering in the community centre. Everyone is welcome to participate. We are actively fundraising to be inclusive from day one. We want to strengthen & empower the community of Lutterworth, create greater social cohesion and pathways to participation within that community. Get in touch to find out more.
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A Community Space for Events & General Drop-ins
We believe that there are not only some parts of the community who ‘fall between the gaps’, in terms of the health and education sector and some who are harder to reach due to illness or incapacity, but also many who are simply looking for a reason or a way to connect. We have outlined several ideas for creating pathways to participation.
- Free use of Laptops & public wifi.
- A servery area which is accessible for socialising and informal meetings.
- Access & signposting to community services in the Lutterworth Area via a contact hub which will be manned by volunteer support.
- Connectivity with a wide range of other voluntary and educational groups. I.e. arts programs, organised events, and community initiatives.
- Meeting rooms for local organisations (booking & use of these may incur a fee butnsome income generation is required for the centre’s longevity).
A Big Fish
Lutterworth has played its part in world history. As the workplace of John Wycliffe – Bible translater – and later Frank Whittle – designer of the jet engine – the impact of our small town has been seen the world over. This building has stood at the heart of the community of over 800 years and is a place of memory for local families.
Disabled Toilet Facilities
The current centre’s toilet facilities are insufficient and do not meet the needs of disabled individuals. Therefore, the plan is to replace them with a Changing Places facility, which is a specially designed toilet facility that includes a range of equipment and features that make it more accessible and comfortable for people with disabilities. This can include features such as hoists, changing benches, and ample space to accommodate wheelchairs and other mobility aids. The new Changing Places facility will be accessible every day of the year, meaning that people with disabilities in the Lutterworth community will have reliable and consistent access to high-quality toilet facilities. This is a critical asset for the community, as it can help to promote greater inclusion and accessibility and make it easier for people with disabilities to participate fully in community life.
The Community Centre as it is Today
The present condition of the Church Gate community centre is such that it is rarely used except for storage & to support the work of foodbank & other vital existing groups, which frankly deserve better. The primary issues are accessible in terms of; entrances, exits & corridors. There are inadequate facilities for meaningful community use and poor access to services for people with disabilities. The building as a whole is cold and dark and requires extensive renovation and refurbishment, the general state of disrepair is evident.
We would like to create one open and light meeting area for renting out within the community and as a resource to support volunteer activity. At present, the ‘office’ which runs the community centre is not fit for purpose and is predominantly used for storage. We suggest adding this space into one of the wider open-plan areas of the renovated community centre. The kitchen area is very small and a challenging workspace. It is inaccessible for people with certain disabilities, so we would like to build a servery area with worktops and sinks accessible to all and to encourage peer support, collaboration and socialising.
Trussell Trust Food Bank
If you're struggling to afford the essentials or need advice and support you can use the Trussell Trust Food Bank.
Find out more →Contact Us
To find out more about what we do, please use the form below to send a message to our team.
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