New Community and Family Hub to launch in Market Drayton
A new Community and Family Hub run by the community, for the community, will open its doors in Market Drayton on Wednesday, 15 April, at the Festival Drayton Centre.
Operating monthly as a drop-in, the Market Drayton and Rural Parishes Community and Family Hub is run by local volunteers. It will provide a safe, caring space where residents can come and share their concerns and needs, get a comforting drink and a place to relax and unburden. No rush, no allocated time, just a friendly person wanting to listen and help.
The concept has been born through the hard work of the pioneering Market Drayton and Rural Parishes Community Covenant. This is national pilot, power-sharing partnership between Shropshire Council and 20 community representatives within and around Market Drayton including Fordhall Community Land Initiative, Festival Drayton Centre, Churches, Schools, Youth Association, Parish and Town Councilors, Patient group, Sports Associations and more. All with equal voice and equal responsibility this group has looked at the needs of Market Drayton and the rural parishes and is hoping the new Hub will offer much needed support to anyone in the community who needs help.
Charlotte Hollins, General Manager for the Fordhall Community Land Initiative said “the community covenant group has worked hard over the last 18-months to understand the needs within our community, working in partnership with Shropshire Council, we have collectively decided how and where a Community and Family Hub will be delivered within our town.”
Festival Drayton Centre – a much-loved, volunteer-led community venue in the heart of the town – has been chosen as the administrative centre and “heart” of the hub.
Community needs identified by the partnership group include; Adult mental health, Rural isolation, Access to health services, Children and young people’s support, Crime and safety concerns, Cost of living challenges, Transport and infrastructure barriers. With that in mind, some of the services available on April 15 include free Blood Pressure checks, the open ear of the local Police and Fire Service, advice from public health professionals from Shropshire Council, access to local charities and volunteer opportunities, plus one-to-one support to access online council services such as blue badge applications, housing options, making online payments, council tax queries, benefit applications and more!
Iana Jacobson, spokesperson for the Market Drayton and Rural Parishes Community and Family Hub, said: “We want this hub to be a place where anyone in Market Drayton or our surrounding villages can walk in and feel supported. Whether it’s for guidance, signposting, or simply a listening ear, this will be a space where our community knows they are not alone.”
Gary Hoggarth, Manager of the Festival Drayton Centre, added: “The Centre has always been at the heart of Market Drayton life. We are delighted to host the new Community and Family Hub and our volunteers are eager to help make it a warm and welcoming space for all.”
The Hub will officially launch Wednesday April 15th and will be open from 10am-5pm and it will run every four weeks thereafter.
Everyone is urged to pop over throughout the day to find out a bit more, access support, offer your own services as a volunteer, or to find out if the Hub can help someone you know.
