Sedbury Space has reached its £55,000 target to fund a redevelopment project to make an underused youth club more accessible and welcoming.

This project came about following a community consultation and feasibility study and seeks to provide a space in the centre of the community for support and advice as well as actively encouraging participation and volunteering to enhance the sense of community in the village.

The management committee, formed of local residents and representatives of community groups, has been encouraged in their ambitions by the support of Two Rivers Housing Association, who have provided the premises on a peppercorn rent, and of Barnwood Trust who engaged the services of an architect to draw up the initial plans. Barnwood, a Gloucestershire charity, then offered a grant of £25,000 towards the project which enabled the newly formed company to secure further monies from other funders.

In May, the Gloucestershire Environmental Trust awarded Sedbury Space £17,240 in their last round of funding and this was further enhanced recently by a generous donation of £6,000 from Summerfield Trust. The community project has also benefitted from local funding, with a grant of £2,000 from the New Grove Trust, £500 from Forest of Dean Lions and a donation of £250 from Hanley Farm who distributed the proceeds of their recent open day to local charities and community groups.

Sedbury Space successfully raised over £5,000 from their recent crowdfunding campaign too, demonstrating local support.

Community Minister and Chair of Sedbury Space, Revd Janice Hamilton, said: “We were really encouraged by and grateful for the generosity of local people, both the many businesses who kindly donated rewards for the campaign, and all those individuals who contributed to the crowdfunding online and through direct donations. We have also begun to recruit and train a number of volunteers who are keen to get involved and make a difference to their community.”

The Space has already launched a Homework Club and Memory Café and is keen to encourage and support people in starting up self-help and interest groups in the premises. If anyone is interested in volunteering or requires further information please contact [email protected]

Plans for the redevelopment of the centre will be available to view at Sedbury Space, on King Alfred’s Road in Sedbury, on Wednesday 27th September, when it will be open for refreshments 9am to 11am. This will also form part of the Barnwood Trust countywide roadshow, as they raise awareness of their charity and available grants for groups and individuals. All are welcome to drop in for a chat, to ask questions and make comments on the proposals and make suggestions for community activities.