A fantastic update to share with everyone.

PRESS RELEASE

Huge investment in Mossley Community Centre

We are delighted to be able to share that Mossley Community Centre has been awarded three substantial grant awards to improve our building and run vital services in the area.

A grant of over £72,000 from Veolia Environmental Trust is funding the installation of solar power and batteries. It will also provide us with a new, efficient hot water system and improve our heating. This will reduce our fuel bills massively, meaning more to invest for the local community. The Veolia grant is also funding a complete refurbishment of our toilets – something that we’ve needed for a long time. Not only will this make them brand new and squeaky clean, but it will also greatly improve accessibility and make the facilities fabulously, family friendly.

Through the Pride in Place Impact Fund, we have secured over £51,000 to replace our windows, all of which are old, and many are broken. New windows will provide better insulation and reduce heating costs. The funding will also pay for redecorating to provide clean, fresh, and comfortable spaces for classes, events and parties.

We’re planning to have this work done over the next few months, so it’s going to be busy.

Chris Frost, Secretary of Mossley Community association, said

“As a registered charity and voluntary run organisation, Mossley Community Centre delivers accessible, affordable, and meaningful activities and events to the whole of Mossley and beyond. We lease the building from Tameside Council and securing a new 25-year lease in June this year has opened up many other opportunities. The Centre is based in the old Mossley St John’s School and was built in 1865. It needs updating. The grants from Veolia Environmental Trust and Pride in Place will make a huge difference. It is fantastic that funding is making its way to grass root organisations who deliver what is needed in the community. Our users are looking forward to seeing the changes ahead. A huge thank you to Veolia and to Pride in Place for recognising the positive impact the voluntary sector provides. “

But that’s not all. We have also been awarded over £33,000 from Tameside Council’s Best Start for Life Community Fund, to develop our family and pre-school services. Next Steps at Mossley Community Centre already provide high-quality services for families from pre-birth to school entry. This additional funding will secure these existing services for the next three years, whilst enabling us to develop sessions for children with additional needs and support the growth of our Dad Club through an increased offer.

This substantial funding ensures that Mossley’s precious Community Centre will be part of the town for many more years. The improvements to the building and funding for services means that we can do even more fabulous things; supporting all ages in our community to get the best out of life in the town.

Notes to editors

Mossley Community Centre is in the old Victorian School House on Roughtown Road. Built in 1865, and a key feature in the town, the building will now get the long-term investment that it deserves. It is an independent charity, led by 8 Trustees and a team of approximately 60 volunteers. Over 600 people use the Centre each week: accessing 22 sessions through the week, with something for all ages from pre-school through to clubs for older people. It hosts several large events every year, including the very successful Spring Scarecrow Festival and the annual Christmas Tree festival.