Brighstone’s new community hub – formerly the village Library – was this week declared open to residents and voluntary groups.
Brighstone Hub will support a youth worker, an Age UK IW support worker as well as other voluntary groups and will also give the police a base in the village. The hub will cover the parishes of Brighstone, Shorwell, Brook with Mottistone and Chale with over 5,000 people falling into its catchment area.
A community proposal to take over the Old Library building was handed to the Council last summer, and agreed at a Council meeting this month. Final legal agreements are still being sorted, but this week the keys for the building were handed over to the church-led community bid.
Bob Seely, Councillor for Central Wight said:
“This centre will be an important asset for communities along the Back of the Wight. It will enable voluntary and other groups to support old and young in our area.
“On behalf of our community I’d like to thank our vicar, Helen O’Sullivan, and Roy Bromley, both of whom worked hard to make this scheme happen. I’d like also to thank council officers who supported the Community Transfer project, and Cllr Steve Stubbings for making this policy happen”.
Vicar Helen added:
“I am delighted that we are now able to use the Old Library. Our local parish churches are in a unique position to facilitate partnerships to flourish locally for the good of all parishioners. We’ll be busy in our new hub, but we would still be very keen to hear from any local groups that think they would benefit from using this wonderful new community facility.”
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Police Sgt Mark Lythe, from the West Wight Safer Neighbourhood Team, said:
“We are very pleased to be involved in the Brighstone Hub project and have been fully supportive of this community asset remaining for the benefit of the village.
“It’s our intention to use the hub on a regular basis to allow the community better access to their local policing team. Stop by for a chat with either myself, Tim or Cat when we are there for help, advise, or just to say hello”.
The Community Transfer scheme aims to retain Council-controlled assets, such as buildings that are no longer required, and see them leased at an affordable rent to community groups who use them for the greater good of the local residents. The church-led scheme will pay £1 per annum.
Cllr Seely continued:
“The Council is under increased financial pressure and services are becoming stretched, so having the hub as a community asset as a base for voluntary teams to be able to serve people in our community has become more important to the wellbeing of our residents.
“Whilst Community Transfer may not work everywhere, in our community it made good sense. The Old Library Building was worth very little to sell as a potential property, but will make a big difference to our community as a communal asset”.
The organisers also plan to enhance the contribution of various local charities and social activities by providing them with an administrative and service provision base, freeing up their time to focus on work and enabling them to localise provision more responsively to local needs.
Photographed: Sgt Mark Lyth, Robert Rimmer, PCSO Catherine Quinn, Roy Bromley, Judith Stratton, Ewam Brammell, Mark O’Sullivan, Rev Helen O’Sullivan and Cllr Bob Seely
