Southwick Community Centre has reopened its doors for the first time since the start of the pandemic, launching a new programme of summer activities for residents.
The new programme kicked off last Monday with the ‘big lunch’, serving free afternoon tea to residents and providing a place for them to reconnect and enjoy meeting up again.
Following the annual general meeting, a new management committee has been appointed, including Cllr Michael Butler as Chair, Cllr Kelly Chequer as Secretary, Cllr Alex Samuels and Ruth Walker from the Southwick Neighbourhood Youth Programme (SNYP), who along with others on the committee are planning to breathe new life into the community centre.
Upcoming activities include the Seedlings Play Group, community exercise classes, adult and toddler groups, and a community library and shop. SNYP will also be coordinating the local foodbank from the centre.
Cllr Kelly Chequer, said: “We are delighted to see new life in Southwick Community Centre. A new management committee has been appointed who are committed to serving Southwick residents and creating a vibrant, welcoming hub in our community.
“As local councillors, we have secured significant area committee funding for internal works and are delighted to have teamed up with Ruth from SNYP to really bring Southwick to life with a huge range of activities for everyone in the community, from the young to the young at heart.
“Our priority is bringing more people into the Community Centre to tackle isolation and provide a fun, safe and vibrant place for people to spend their time.
“Coronavirus has highlighted how important being together is, as we’ve spent so long apart, and we can’t wait to welcome people through the doors.”
Funding was given to the centre in March this year for new tables and chairs, sanitisers, kitchen shelving units and to refurbish the reception area. This follows refurbishments that were carried out in 2018, when Councillors aligned £25,000 of funding for a new kitchen, toilets, and LED lighting at the centre.
To find out more about the programme of summer activities, follow the Southwick Community Centre Facebook page: facebook.com/SouthwickCA
Southwick residents are invited to have their say about what they would like to see at the community centre and also at Thomson Park, either by emailing cllr.kelly.chequer@sunderland.gov.uk, or completing this short survey: surveymonkey.co/r/j5VP22M