THE community group - Heart of the Community is celebrating the news they have received funding from the National Lottery - securing their home at Coleman's Farm for anothe 18 months.
Heart of the Community has been based at the Coleman's Farm Community Centre for 18 months and during that time they have seen growth and diversity in numbers beyond their expectations. Mary Wakeham told us: "Our average guests between 12 and 16 per meal with two meals on Friday, this means we feed approx 84 people a week, or a staggering 4,200 a year.
"The majority of our guests are struggling with grief, social isolation and mental health issues. For many Heart of the Community represents an extension of their family, and indeed a family atmosphere is evident in the building.
"Becoming independent of other charities and registering as a CIO was the best thing Heart of the Community ever did. We were able to choose our own agenda and listen to what our guests wanted and create activities to suit them. We have come a long way since we opened our doors in July 2021 to 3 guests."
The group have received funding from the National Lottery for just under £10,000 which will secure the venue hire for another 18 months - but that doesn't mean they can relax - they are currently seeking additional funding to subsidise their food and weekly activities - they even have plans for a Coronation Party in May.
If your business would like to help this vital work to continue or if you think you'd benefit from the hospitality offered at the centre, you can find more information here: https://www.heart-of-the-community.org/
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