AFTER a successful fundraising campaign, the new Sedbury Space is inching ever closer to opening with volunteers working last weekend to give the building a makeover.

The campaign has raised more than £55,000 to redevelop the building on King Alfred’s Road and upgrade it into something for the whole community to use.

Community Minister and chairperson of Sedbury Space, Revd Janice Hamilton, was one of the many volunteers with paintbrush and wallpaper in-hand at the weekend.

She said: “Hopefully we will get the decorating finished this weekend, we have then got the builders coming in to do the snagging and the flooring.

“Then we will probably re-start some of the activities that were running already. Things like the homework club will probably start in February.”

It has taken lots of effort to reach this point, the group has worked hard to secure a number of grants and crowdfunded £5,000 itself, so to see the project come together is satisfying. Revd Hamilton added: “It’s really exciting to see the space remodelled and see how much more usable space there is, whereas before there were dark corners and corridors.

“The accessible toilet which is also an amazing addition this space, it just looks so much more welcoming.”

While the official opening is planned for April once the finishing touches, like a presentation screen, have been completed, there is no shortage of plans already in place.

Revd Hamilton said: “The memory café, which we have been running at the village hall, will come here. We are in the planning stages for a one-stop café which will be a drop in for coffee, cake, company, a listening ear, a helping hand and expert advice.

“Youth club will hopefully restart, we are also going through a recruiting process to get more staff and volunteers to make that viable.”

“Anybody who wants to start up their own activity club or group, then we can help facilitate that,” Revd Hamilton added. “For example somebody has suggested they would like to start a scale model club. If we can get three or four volunteers together to start that up they can use the space we can access funding for them and we can encourage people to do that.”

None of this would have been possible without lots of help, the organisation has benefitted from significant grants from Gloucestershire Environmental Trust, Barnwood Trust, Summerfield Trust, New rove Trust, The Forest of Dean Lions and Hanley Farm to make the remodelling possible.

Two Rivers Housing Association, who own the building, also made a significant investment, providing a ten year lease on peppercorn rent.

Revd Hamilton also thanked the volunteers, who encompassed what this campaign was about, she said: “We had 50 people doing deliveries, people doing volunteering in the homework club and the memory cafe and we are always looking for more volunteers, because that’s what builds community, is getting people participating.”

To volunteer or enquire about Sedbury Space contact [email protected]