WORK has begun on transforming a former community centre near the heart of Bishop Auckland into a social enterprise and creativity hub.
Bridge Creative supports adults with learning disabilities and autistic adults across County Durham into employment and work experience opportunities.
Dorset Place Community Centre in Henknowle, Bishop Auckland, was previously owned by Believe Housing and first opened in the 1970’s as a community centre with laundrette and first floor flats, and has been derelict for a number of years now.
Bridge Creative will involve adults with learning disabilities and autistic adults in the refurbishment, working alongside contractors and tradespeople including Trades4Care CIC to renovate the building, gaining real work experience as part of the project.
The centre, once completed, will provide a permanent base for Bridge Creative to deliver its projects and services, and will include four affordable enterprise spaces for local social enterprises and community organisations as well as co-working space with mini office pods and a semi-commercial kitchen.
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A social enterprise is a business with a social or environmental mission, where profits are reinvested into their business or the local community to make positive changes.
Ben Tinkler, managing director of Bridge Creative, said: "It’s taken us a long time to get to this stage due to Covid, but it’s really exciting for work to finally be starting on our building.
"None of this would be possible without the support from our funders and I can’t wait to see the difference it’s going to make, not only for the local community, but for the many people with learning disabilities we support who are desperate to get into work."
Helen Golightly. chief executive of the North East LEP, said: “We’ve supported this project through the Local Growth Fund VCSE Capital Grant programme, which aims to help communities across the North East recover from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
"As well as breathing new life into the community centre, the new Centre of Social Enterprise and Creativity will mean that more people can gain skills and experience, and more social enterprises have access to the space they need to grow.”
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Works will include a living wall, accessibility improvements including widened doors for wheelchair users and the installation of a lift to make the first floor accessible.
Bridge Creative will be sharing progress updates via their Facebook page and a blog on their website as the project develops.
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