Residents of Bude are set to benefit from a new community hub project.
The Neetside Centre in Bude have announced the establishment of a new hub which aims to support struggling residents.
The Neetside Community Hub in Bude is part of Community Hub network in Cornwall. Community hubs are places that provide support and resources for their communities. Hubs rely on organisations working together to identify the best support available for people at a local level. At our community hub we offer safe welcoming space for community members. Here, they can find help, advice, support, and join in activities.
The new group comes off the back of the centre’s warm rooms initiative last year. The hub provides friendly welcoming spaces for people to get together with others.
A spokesperson from the centre explained: “The hub provides friendly welcoming spaces for people to get together with others. It’s a space to chat, exchange ideas, and find out about what’s happening locally. Refreshments are provided and the sessions are free to join – donations towards running these sessions are welcome.
“We learnt loads from offering warm spaces in Bude and Stratton last year. So, we know it is very important for people’s wellbeing to feel they are not alone. Our weekly schedule of activities is set out to make people feel welcome, to share their experiences with others in peer support groups, to have a go at crafts and learn new creative skills, to have a cuppa, a chat and learn what is going on in the community through speaker session at cuppa companions and coffee mornings.
“For some people, joining a community hub activity or coffee morning is the only sociable thing they do every week.
“Many of our sessions are supported by volunteers. While people usually volunteer to help others and make a difference, they note that they also benefit from taking part.
“From running warm spaces to the community hub, it’s led us to the development of the new Community Café in Berries Avenue. We hope it will serve as a hub and a warm space and enable us to expand our offering of service and activities for the local community.”
Vika Bundy, Neetside Community Hub Coordinator added: “From my point of view, it’s been great to have different groups and organisations come together and offer many different activities and advice in one place. From coordinating volunteers, to gathering information, signposting, working closely with other organisations, and looking for opportunities for the hub, it’s an exciting and very worthwhile project to be a part of.”
The project is currently running until March and includes a variety of different services and sessions.
One of the most recent additions to services is the hub’s bereavement café.
A spokesperson explained: “We started the bereavement café last summer, with the hope of providing a space for face-to-face peer support for people who have been bereaved. This was in response to feedback that much of the available support is geographically far away or is online or on the phone. The café has been a welcome resource for people to share their stories and experiences, support each other and feel supported. On average 14 people have attended the café in the last few months, and many of these have been coming regularly. The café sessions have been supported by a qualified counsellor. Our hope is that attendees take a more active role going forward with this becoming a facilitated peer support group.”
More information about the Neetside Centre can be found on their website: neetside.co.uk