Cheltenham Borough Council has recently agreed to invest £75,000 of grant funding through Cheltenham Borough Homes to create two more community hubs, important in building and maintaining strong and resilient communities across Cheltenham.
The award of the funding followed a successful joint bid to the Better Care Fund from Cheltenham Borough Council and Cheltenham Borough Homes and will be used alongside further direct investment from the council to enhance communal spaces at two sheltered housing schemes in the town centre and Charlton Kings.
Cheltenham Borough Homes manages 517 sheltered homes on behalf of the council across Cheltenham, maintaining safe and secure homes and providing high quality services and support for tenants.
This significant investment will be used to convert the current spaces into more dynamic and interactive places, building on the success of community hubs at other sheltered schemes in Hatherley and Lynworth. They support the aim of increasing independent living by improving health and wellbeing and reducing isolation of older people living at the schemes and the wider community.
Councillor Peter Jeffries, Cabinet Member for housing, Cheltenham Borough Council said; ”We are delighted to be supporting these community hubs that will play a vital role in the health and wellbeing of our communities. This is another example of how we are complementing the £180m housing investment in Cheltenham to deliver quality homes and further invest in creating thriving communities. Having access to a varied resource of activities helps to bring people together and contribute to the provision of happy and healthy communities for all.”
Emma Wall, executive director of property and communities at Cheltenham Borough Homes added: “These new community hubs will provide more than just a building for activity to take place. They really do have a significant social value for the wider community to reduce isolation and to keep the body and mind active. I think over the past few months we have all reassessed our own personal value attached to social interaction and to the importance of shared space in which to carry out activities that contribute to our overall wellbeing.”
Work is due to start in Spring 2021 and will involve consultation with tenants for the final look and feel, with the Hubs to be ready for action by the Winter of 2021.
Hubs at other schemes have already been used for a range of activities involving partner organisations to deliver activities such as art classes, lunch clubs and exercise classes for example, which has received excellent feedback from attendees.
It is expected the new hubs will offer a wide range of activities/events/IT equipment with free on-line access, services, and therapies. It would also include a memory café, a multi-sensory area, suitable kitchen for lunch clubs, and garden areas with raised sensory planting beds and seating.
Contact the press office on communications@cheltenham.gov.uk | 0800 408 0000