Hopes of opening a permanent community hub on Exmouth seafront are a step closer as fundraising efforts continue.
In October Sideshore CIC launched a fundraising appeal to raise £10,000 towards its new larger, home, welcomed by a host of community groups and organisations.
The fund has almost hit the halfway mark, raising more than £4,500, prompting a call on the community to donate before the appeal ends on November 27.
Without a new hub volunteers face using their own homes to meet.
Without a new hub volunteers face using their own homes to meet. Pictured here are Exmouth youngsters at the temporary site.. Photo: with permission.
The Crowdfunder campaign funds are part of £150,000 needed to develop a larger, permanent, hub on a grass area of Exmouth seafront known as the Mallow.
Once built, the new hub will include bathroom and kitchen space, plus an outdoor area.
The hub will be available to environmental and wellbeing groups for their voluntary activities.
Volunteers in Exmouth reliant on the seafront space for their environmental work believe a bigger, permanent, hub would boost their community scope.
Jill Gathercole, Plastic Free Exmouth member who is one of 70 volunteers who regularly cleans the beach, said a base encouraged new members.
She said: “A larger hub will help us attract more members and mean we can shelter from the weather. It also means we can extend our remit, have meetings and hold other activities. The alternative would be to meet in our homes where there is limited space.”
The fundraising appeal launched after a temporary hut used by the groups had to return to retail use. Photo: with permission.
Members of community groups Transition Exmouth, Friends of the River Exe (FORE) and the Mushroom Food Network are also championing a larger community hub with longer opening hours.
More space would allow groups to expand their services, and continue with free sessions, they said.
Mary Culhane, FORE member, said: “Because the hub is ideally placed by the sea, it means our activities are accessible and convenient to members and we can focus on our work such as the water testing.
“With limited funds and resources, many events would be difficult to run without the hub.”
She added: “A bigger hub would enable us to involve more people, in turn making a bigger impact in the community.”
Sideshore CIC launched a fundraising appeal to raise £10,000 towards its new larger, home, a move welcomed by a host of community groups and organisations. Photo: with permission.
The fundraising appeal launched after a temporary hut used by the groups had to return to retail use.
But the fundraising drive aims to raise £10,000 to add to match funding by insurance company, Aviva.
The total cost of the build is expected to be £150,000, made possible through grants, match funding and sponsorship.
Donate to the Crowdfunder here.
