Tuckingmill Community Centre gets £240,000 for renovations

All Saints Church Community Centre, which is a registered charity, successfully applied for £239,965 from Cornwall Council to fund improvements.

Funding for the project came from developers’ contributions secured by the Council when a development of new homes was given planning permission off Foundry Road in the Pengegon area of Camborne.

When a planning application is submitted the Council secures such money through what is known as a Section 106 agreement.

This cash is then spent on a range of improvements in the wider area, from road schemes or new play parks to community facilities such as those at All Saints.

The cash will help fund a stairlift, new flooring for the main hall and downstairs area and painting and decorating.

Just over half of the money will be spent on building two new rooms and extending the existing computer room.

Funds will be spent on electrical and plumbing work and for life skills training at the charity’s VIBES Help Your Community Shop and Community Centre Hub in Camborne.

The funding will also pay for a minibus for a new outreach project – Pengegon Opportunities Partnership, known as Project POP.

Project POP will engage 255 people from Pengegon in its first year, helping them to attend activities at the community centre and church, as well as delivering new outreach services and support.

Finally, money will be spent on increasing the capacity of the church building, including installing toilets, hand basins and a baby changing area.

All of this will make the centre safer and more accessible, increasing capacity and allowing the charity to support more vulnerable people.

Centre and Projects Manager, Bev Price, said: “The fact that we can now help even more people is just such a relief.

“Five years ago, there were 75 people a week attending the centre. At the start of this year, there were 3,000 vulnerable people a week and since the first COVID-19 lockdown in March we have supported over 6,000 new people in crisis.

“I know the demand is going to be even higher.

“Some days over the past few years, when I have had four groups running at a time and all the available rooms in use – I have had people walking in from the streets in crisis and had people waiting in the corridor, car park, office, toilets and church yard.

“What the funding means to me is that I will have a safe welcoming space in the church as well as the community centre and VIBES.

“The new rooms in the centre will make life so much better, and people can get one-to-one support quicker. Our elderly and vulnerable people will no longer be cold in the hall, as the ceiling will be lower.”

David Orchard, 74, has volunteered at the centre since 2002 and runs a health and wellbeing club there for people dealing with mental health issues, said: “This centre is a flagship not only for Cornwall, but for the UK.

“I know an awful lot of people who use the centre. We need these renovations done to keep All Saints Community Centre running to the best and maximum efficiency for the area.”

Another centre user said: “With the roof being lowered it will be a lot warmer and will encourage more people to come. Lots of elderly people will be warmer and with no pits in the floor they won’t trip up.”

Tuckingmill Indoors

Cornwall Council Portfolio Holder for Planning, Tim Dwelly, said: “This is a fantastic example of how new housing developments not only provide homes for those in need, but benefit the wider community too.

“In this instance the Council secured substantial contributions from this development, which is now going to help many people.

“The Council is committed to planning good quality and affordable development in the right places and making it work for the whole community, not just those living there.”