Community hub in Holme Wood helps more during cost of living crisis

Funding for the extra Sunday evening sessions at The Sutton Centre in Holme Wood has come from an emergency fund set up amid the current cost of living crisis.

As the cold weather returns, the centre on Kyffin Place is opening from 4pm to 8pm on Sunday evenings until the end of March, in addition to its regular weekday times.

It will be hosting a family games night for local people to get together and help to save money on their own energy bills.

People will also be able to enjoy free hot drinks and snacks, and staff will be on hand at the centre to signpost those in need to welfare advice and wellbeing services.

Since 2018 the centre has been run by local charity, The Sutton Centre, as a community hub serving residents of Holme Wood and Tong ward, working in partnership with Clarion Housing Group which owns and manages hundreds of homes across the city.

Clarion has launched a cost-of-living emergency fund to support its residents, awarding funding to partners through its charitable foundation, Clarion Futures, to deliver projects including warm spaces like this one.

Thanks to additional support from other local organisations, the centre is open six days a week, offering a range of activities for residents of all ages.

A community centre in Holme Wood is handing out boxes of fresh fruit and vegetables to Clarion Housing tenants in need in the area (Image: Newsquest)

On Mondays there is a community lunch, where Clarion’s local housing team are on hand to answer questions and provide support.

Each Tuesday and Thursday the centre runs a breakfast club for different age groups, and on Wednesdays the centre plays host to a community pantry which provides access to cut price groceries to help local people make ends meet.

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In addition to Sundays, the café at the centre is open from 9.30am until 3pm each weekday, apart from Thursdays when it is open from 9.30am to 12pm, providing a warm space for local people to come together and enjoy hot drinks, snacks and meals. 

Sam Kirkby, manager of The Sutton Centre, said: “We know local residents are struggling over the winter months and by opening our doors for longer with the backing of Clarion we know that we’ve been able to make a real difference to families and local people when they have needed it the most.”

 Matt Parsonage, head of communities at Clarion Futures, said: “We recently saw the difference the warm space makes when Sam, who runs the centre, noticed a local man who visits on a regular basis hadn’t been in.

“Sam went to the man’s home where he found him very unwell and called an ambulance, saving his life. This shows the value of projects like this, and we look forward to continuing our work with The Sutton Centre throughout 2023 and beyond.”