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Hopes for new community hub offering families help

Hannah Brown
Local Democracy Reporting Service
LDRS Anita Gatt is standing inside. She has brown hair and is wearing purple-framed glasses. She is wearing a blue lanyard. Behind her appears to be a picture painted by a child, and her charity's blue brandingLDRS
Anita Gatt, the clinical services manager at Blue Smile, said the hub was a "lovely bright space"

Two charities said they hoped a new community hub would make it easier for families to access support.

The Core opened on Thursday in the grounds of Orchard Park Community School in Cambridge.

It has been designed as a space for education, including English courses for adults, health events and social occasions.

Maria David, from family support charity the Red Hen Project, said the space could "break that barrier" for people needing help.

"We often struggle to have venues to bring people together," she said.

"We need a space sometimes to meet [families] as it is not always ideal to go to houses, so it is nice to have a space."

Anita Gatt, clinical services manager for mental health charity Blue Smile, said it was "such a lovely bright space".

LDRS Maria David is looking at the camera, she has a checked red scarf, and is standing in front of the charity's branding, along with photos.LDRS
Maria David said the space could encourage more families to come forward for support

Vera Kladi, a local NHS education mental health practitioner, said she looked forward to being able to use the "lovely space" and improve access to services.

Orchard Park is a modern development in the north of the city, with most homes having been built over the last two decades.

LDRS The outside of the community hub. It is a yellow single-storey building, with an arch of coloured balloons by the entrance.LDRS
The community hub opened in Orchard Park, a modern development in Cambridge

The new hub is run by the school and was funded by a grant from the county council's Cambridgeshire Priorities Capital Fund.

Janice Fuller, chair of governors at the primary school, said: "We are delighted to offer this bright airy room to the local community and hope that it will host many events to bring people together."

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