New Sustainable Community Hub for Shipley

Article dated Monday Jul 24, 2023 at 02:25 PM

A £2.51 million grant will see the development of an exciting new community hub in the heart of Shipley.

Two charitable organisations, the Hive and the Kirkgate Centre will work in partnership at the brand-new Shipley Sustainable Community Hub, which will be sited in the old school buildings on Kirkgate.

The Shipley Sustainable Community Hub will become a focal point for the community, offering services to tackle social isolation, promote well-being, provide activities for families and make cultural and artistic activities accessible for local residents.

There will also be opportunities for training, work experience and volunteering to support local people looking for employment. Community engagement is also being planned to highlight any particular programmes or initiatives people would like to see at the hub.

Nathan Tanswell, Chair of the Kirkgate Centre said: “The building itself needs significant repairs to make it safe, comfortable and sustainable for the community of Shipley.  There is a lot of work to do. Funding will enable us to do that and more, and we can’t wait to get started. This is such an exciting opportunity for Shipley.”

Joy Hart of the Hive added: “This is a great opportunity for Hive and the Kirkgate centre to work together to offer even more services and reach more people in a modernised building that the people of Shipley can be proud of.”

Councillor Alex Ross-Shaw, Bradford Council’s Portfolio Holder for Regeneration, Planning and Transport said: “The Shipley Sustainable Community Hub is an incredible project and one that will give the local community access to a range of important services. I look forward to seeing this project develop and ultimately improve the health and wellbeing of local people.”

Adam Clerkin, Chair of the Shipley Towns Fund added: “The intention is that the Kirkgate Centre building, through the custodianship of these two inspiring organisations, becomes a focal point and a catalyst for regeneration and community development.”

Work to repair and fully refurbish the building to make the facilities safe, accessible, comfortable and sustainable for the future is due to finish in Summer 2024.

About the Towns Fund

The £2.51 funding is part of the Towns Fund which is a Government-funded support programme to boost the economies of towns across the UK, as part of its Levelling Up plan. The scheme has secured £25m for projects in Shipley and the Shipley Sustainable Community Hub is part of this.

About The Hive and the Kirkgate Centre

The Hive and the Kirkgate Centre have joined as The Old School Building Company Ltd to acquire, under a Community Asset Transfer, the long-term lease for the Kirkgate Centre building, renovating and refurbishing it, reducing its carbon footprint, and subsequently assuming responsibility for managing the facility.

The Old School Building Company Ltd was successful in getting a Community Ownership Fund grant of £300k to make the Community Asset Transfer possible. The Community Ownership Fund is a £150m, UK wide fund that helps community groups to protect assets in their local area through community ownership. 

The Hive and the Kirkgate Centre will continue to run services while the renovation is undertaken but they are moving to St Peter’s Church, Saltaire, with activities taking place across several locations. For more information people can visit: https://hivebradford.org.uk/onlocation/ and www.kirkgatecentre.org.uk 

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