Bringing people & places together in small ways that really matter.
Through the provision of the Abergavenny Community Centre people are getting together in a casual environment to socialise & share – keeping more of us active and involved for longer.
In addition to offering affordable spaces for people and organisations to use we also host communal events like
The Big Lunch in June
and
apple pressing days with the community orchard group in Autumn. The Centre offers
children's holiday activities and
we host
Cooking for Life sessions aimed at getting back to cooking from scratch. As well as various 'Supper Clubs' we have ongoing activities like
Wednesday Lunch, Thursday Chair Yoga & Movement, Community Kids for families with babies & toddlers, Friday Coffee Morning and a Midday Lunch, a monthly
Sunday Afternoon Tea, the Dementia Friendship Support group, and 'Singing with Meg' after lunch on Wednesdays. All these are affordable activities that are open to everyone - so, please bring a friend; come solo and meet new people; or come with people who help make you feel safe. There's no need to be shy or worried that we want something in return - a simple warm welcome awaits.
The pandemic lockdown period over 2020/21 provided an opportunity for us to stop, listen and respond to other pressing matters. There are many priorities but as problems/solutions are always co-joined we know that a longterm, slow-burn approach is the only way to begin to put any light on complex societal problems.
Together (over two decades) local residents have got behind our mission to create a space that combats lonliness and isolation and over seven years we have sustained those efforts. We are very pleased to announce that following a successful application to the Garfield Weston Foundation the Trust is now in a position to direct more help to the front line. In July 2023 we welcomed Lucy Brown, Activities Coordinator, who will help steer our Supporting Families work.
As parents and grandparents ourselves we have personal insight into balancing family and work life, and as so many people now live far away from extended family and support networks, the Trust places great value on the role that the wider community plays in supporting and enriching family life. Guiding these simple actions is the
proverb - ' it takes a whole village to raise a child ' - our call to gently bring generations, knowledge, skills, and needs safely together to learn from each other and nurture community ties.
A place of safetyThe Abergavenny Community Centre
is a place to be. It's a 'third place' ~ ie.
not home and not work.
As an organisation that is truly home-grown and rooted in place and experience we understand that it's vital to make your donations work hard for the people living around and about Abergavenny. Your gift is our promise.
The PeopleFrom its inception in 2006 the Abergavenny Community Centre plan has been led by residents for the benefit of fellow residents. The Centre, staffed by four part-time employees, is open most days and evenings and the charity governance is performed by capable Officers and Trustees. Together we are repurposing a building for longterm communal gain, in a shared effort to bring pressing matters and actions together, in practical meaningful ways that enrich lives, and tackle complex social and environmental problems in the process.
Finance
For donations over £199.00 will you please speak to the charity manager, Marion Pearse, on 07751666481 or send an email to aber.hub@gmail.com. Thank you for reading this.
In 2023 the Trust was awarded funding for two years from The Garfield Weston Foundation. This investment has secured the 'Activities Coordinator' role which is enabling further outreach and underpins the Centre's capacity to respond.
Abergavenny Community Centre website https://abergavennycc.org/https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-search/-/charity-details/5108702