£180,000 grant for Wellingborough community centre to tackle isolation

Run by local people for local people, community centre Glamis Hall has been awarded a grant from Power to Change, the independent charitable trust that supports community businesses in England.

The £180,000 grant will enable the centre to purchase and run two electric cars a year for three years to replace their elderly fleet of diesel Citroëns.

They will use their new eco-friendly fleet to continue to transport elderly, isolated people to the centre.

Heather Saunders, chairman of trustees at Glamis Hall, said: “We’re delighted that Power to Change has awarded us a grant which will help our community business deliver even more services for local people.

“It will help us provide transport for people to our day centre and remove more elderly people from social isolation.”

After finding out that the future of the centre was at risk, campaigners including Heather decided to save the centre from closure in 2014.

Wellingborough Council agreed to transfer the centre, and the group set up a registered charity.

As well as the day centre for elderly people which was the original motivation for saving the building, Glamis Hall now offers services including youth and football clubs, a youth theatre group, various exercise groups for children and adults and a party venue for hire by local people.

David Chater, head of funds at Power to Change, said: “We believe putting business in community hands transforms places.

“This £180,000 grant will help Glamis Hall become less grant-dependent and provide much needed services for local people.”

The first cars will be purchased during the summer once test drives and accessibility checks are complete.