Arbourthorne community centre receives a fantastic face lift
Sheffield Homes and its Decent Homes partners have teamed up to give a local community centre a fantastic face lift.
Arbourthorne Tenants and Residents Association (TARA) has a long history of working with the community and has been established for over 22 years. Thanks to its fundraising efforts, support from local tenants and residents, Sheffield Homes and its partners, its centre on Eastbank Road has a brand new look. This has included new CCTV cameras, burglar alarm, cooker and a new hall floor. Sheffield Homes has paid for and installed a new hot water boiler and Keepmoat contributed to the makeover by laying down a new floor in the reception and painting the walls in the offices. Lovell Partnerships Ltd generously fitted a new kitchen and supplied new office equipment. Kier are currently installing new lighting part funded with Sheffield Homes.
To mark the official opening of the centre there will be a fun packed re-opening day on Saturday 19th July. A competition has been rolled out for children from Arbourthorne Primary School and Sheffield Springs Academy to name the new games evenings for young people which will include X-Box 360 and Nintendo Wii games. There will be a buffet served throughout the day, computer games will be set up by retailer, Gamezone and the winners of the competition will be announced.
The TARA has recently elected a new committee who have been keen to establish new long term plans to create a real hub to serve the Arbourthorne community. The TARA already has long established bingo nights, regularly arranges trips to the coast for elderly residents and plans to role out the soon to be named youth nights and garden schemes for over 65s and disabled tenants.
The new look hall is already proving very popular with bookings ranging from weddings and carers lunches to pea and pie supers and even ballroom dancing attracting up to 70 dancers at one time.
Winnie Smith, TARA Committee member said: “Our TARA has worked so hard over the last 6 months to get where we are today. We are very proud of what we have achieved in such a short space of time and we feel we truly have a facility that will serve our community well.”
“The new games evenings will provide a safe place and fun activities for young people in the area. Sheffield Homes Wardens and Police Community Support Officers will be present to talk about their role in the community and how they can help young people in the area. Further down the line we aim to have specialised youth workers present to teach basic life skills such as budgeting and planning your time.”
Simon Young, Sheffield Homes Central Area manager added: “Arbourthorne TARA is a shining example of what a creative community led approach can achieve. When Sheffield Homes heard of their plans we were only too pleased to team up with our Decent Homes partners, Kier Sheffield, Keepmoat and Lovell Partnerships Ltd, to support them to develop a 21st century community centre which in every sense, truly is a centre for the community.”
“My team and I are excited to be working so closely with the TARA and I genuinely believe through working together we will be able to further build upon our already strong relationships with the community in the area.”