Builders on Site

The new extensions to the Community Centre finally began at the beginning of May, cheered on its way by a ceremony attended by lots of the residents despite the rain.  Councillor John Vereker who supported the project from the beginning, praised the cooperation between people living in and around the estate: Overslade Community Association, Overslade Residents Association, Overslade Church, Rugby Borough Council, Warwickshire County Council, Warwickshire Police, Oakfield School, Harris Sports College, Brook School, and many others who supported the project, all in full consultation with residents living in and around Overslade. But this project is not just about buildings: it is about facilities for a much wider range of activities for folk living in and around Overslade.

• We are going to provide new activities for children and young people which we hope will give them somewhere great to come and enjoy themselves
• We are going to encourage folk to organise events for themselves.
• We are already seeing new groups springing up and hope to see many more.
• We are going to provide education, training and other course that will help getting work in future
• We are going to provide facilities for those who want to get fit, to enjoy socials, to meet together – whether they are young and old

All these are in our promises to the Big Lottery Fund whose grant of £410,000 is paying the bulk of the cost - and to the many other groups and organisations who have given to the total of over £600,000.

The new building will have a much reduced ‘carbon footprint’. If you want more info about that, contact our architects Michael Partridge in Coventry, or the building contractor Ian Neale.

Once the building is finished, early in the new year, a Centre Manager will be appointed who will be on hand during the day to help organise events and to run the Centre.

The Centre is ours – it belongs to the community! It is not Council run, but a charity owned by the community, so to help pay for all this we need an income. To help, we have had a grant from Rugby Cement and others, but we hope eventually the Centre will pay for itself by having reasonable hire charges, so Overslade can feel proud to have a facility that is unique to this town.

At the “Turf Cutting Ceremony”, Rev Alan Cartwright, the Project Manager said, “People round here need a better deal than they have had in the past. I run the Overslade Church here and I know some of the problems around - I think this new facility will allow so many more people to get access to support and help that is really needed here, as well as a place to relax and have fun.”

Alan thanked Councillor John Vereker for his support and the Community Association and Residents Association, including Councillor Tina Avis and Councillor Fiona Barrington-Ward. He also praised the enormous help from Christine Slater the Overslade Development Officer who has worked tirelessly for the estate.

Ready, Steady, Build!

Overslade Community Association’s “Building for the Future” project will improve the Centre by providing a large extension to the left to house a new multi-purpose hall with a social area to the side for refreshments and young people’s drop in and new toilets A further extension to the right will enable the existing hall to be retained, but moved over to make room for a bigger kitchen, an additional small meeting room and a reception/office area. The builder has now been appointed and it is hoped that construction will start around mid March, the building will be staying open throughout the construction work but the car park will no longer be available.

*STOP PRESS*

OCA has just appointed Liisa Wiseman of Silver finn Consulting as interim manger/funding consultant from February till November. Watch this space for more updates!