Latest news with #communityhub
Yahoo
36 minutes ago
- General
- Yahoo
Pupils set to use old train carriage as classroom
Students will be welcomed aboard a new classroom that used to be a train carriage in a former life. The decommissioned carriage was moved to a playground at Upshire Primary Foundation School in Waltham Abbey, Essex, and was being renovated. Pupils were given a sneak peek at the revamp of the first-class section ahead of its official opening at the end of July. Head teacher Ross Jones, 44, said it was originally going to be turned into a library but was instead transformed into a classroom that could also be used as a community hub around lessons. The train carriage was donated to the school just before the pandemic and has undergone extensive renovation. Some chairs were ripped out to make it an open learning space, and a kitchen and toilet were also added. Mr Jones said pupils were accustomed to learning outside, and he hoped to also turn the carriage into a quiet area for students during breaks. He said students and staff are "absolutely desperate to get on there" and added: "It's taken quite a long time and a lot of dedicated hard work. "It just looks amazing. One of the things for me was that it needs to still look like a train." A student from the school, Amy said: "It's really nice to have somewhere to learn in because it's a nice open space. George said: "I feel very thankful to the people who did this. "I really like this train, and I think it was a good choice to get it. Olly said: "I think it is really good because it is really different to our normal classrooms." The headteacher said he would not be able to give the exact amount the work cost, but he said the figure was around tens of thousands of pounds. Follow Essex news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X. Train carriage classroom marks 300th anniversary Train carriage converted into new school library 'Run-down' train carriage becomes classroom
BBC News
an hour ago
- General
- BBC News
Essex pupils to learn in a former train carriage
Students will be welcomed aboard a new classroom that used to be a train carriage in a former decommissioned carriage was moved to a playground at Upshire Primary Foundation School in Waltham Abbey, Essex, and was being were given a sneak peek at the revamp of the first-class section ahead of its official opening at the end of teacher Ross Jones, 44, said it was originally going to be turned into a library but was instead transformed into a classroom that could also be used as a community hub around lessons. The train carriage was donated to the school just before the pandemic and has undergone extensive chairs were ripped out to make it an open learning space, and a kitchen and toilet were also Jones said pupils were accustomed to learning outside, and he hoped to also turn the carriage into a quiet area for students during said students and staff are "absolutely desperate to get on there" and added: "It's taken quite a long time and a lot of dedicated hard work."It just looks amazing. One of the things for me was that it needs to still look like a train." A student from the school, Amy said: "It's really nice to have somewhere to learn in because it's a nice open said: "I feel very thankful to the people who did this. "I really like this train, and I think it was a good choice to get said: "I think it is really good because it is really different to our normal classrooms."The headteacher said he would not be able to give the exact amount the work cost, but he said the figure was around tens of thousands of pounds. Follow Essex news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
BBC News
7 hours ago
- Health
- BBC News
Sports hub has 'dramatic effect' on young people in Gloucester
A new community and sports hub in one of England's most health-deprived areas is having a "dramatic effect" on the lives of young people, according to youth Community and Sports Hub in Podsmead, Gloucester, includes a fitness gym, studio spaces for dance, yoga and Pilates classes, a sports pitch, and a social space for community activities.A youth team offering support has also moved in and will host an open day and celebration later."We wouldn't have been able to do any of this in the previous locations where we were, it just wasn't feasible in the hall we hired," said head of youth provision Debbie Etheridge. Podsmead is within one of the most health-deprived areas nationally for people aged 16 to 64, according to the latest government data, which is from Blackbridge Youth Work Team is offering regular youth activities and has a packed programme of summer holiday events. "We're going to have a new session called Fit Fridays, so they'll be learning about healthy options, healthy foods, healthy lifestyles, which we do anyway for the over-14s," Ms Etheridge 16, is one of the teenagers enjoying the larger premises."When we were back in the old youth club, we weren't able to do things like cooking," she explained. "We just had a TV, but this is a massive place." Bentley, 14, enjoys meeting friends at the hub."There are quite a few more things to do now we've got a bigger space," he said. "We've got a pool table now, table tennis, and I enjoy the baking." Ms Etheridge said the centre has had a "dramatic effect" on young people, but was also a great resource for all said: "We're offering employment skills and training, and creating resident-led opportunities that empower people to shape what happens here."
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Historic Catford venue set to reopen as community hub
A historic Catford venue is set to reopen as a community hub this autumn, it has been revealed. The former Catford Constitutional Club and original farmhouse will be unveiled as The Catford House after extensive restoration. This initiative is spearheaded by the Greenwich Co-operative Development Agency (GCDA). The council began working with conservation experts in 2021 to uncover the building's past as a farmhouse, clubhouse, and pub. The venue will now be a space for the community to enjoy. The restoration effort will see the pub and garden revived, alongside a community kitchen and smaller, flexible spaces. Catford's oldest building, the Georgian Hall, will be opened to the public for the first time. The GCDA, a not-for-profit organisation with more than 40 years' experience, will operate the venue. Visualisation showing the proposed Georgian Hall (Image: Hayatsu Architects) Having worked in the borough for the last 15 years, GCDA have found a permanent home in the heart of Catford. Alongside drinking, the group plan to host casual social gatherings, food pop-ups, exercise classes, exhibitions, and performances at the venue. James-J Walsh, councillor responsible for inclusive regeneration and planning, and councillor for Rushey Green ward, added: "The Catford House is a vibrant example of the Council's ambitions for Catford brought to life. "This is regeneration with a clear social purpose, bringing together conservation, culture and community to transform Catford's almost 300-year-old building into a space shaped by, and for, local people." Residents and groups in the area are encouraged to propose event ideas to the GCDA. The GCDA is a London Living Wage employer and aims to support the local economy by creating jobs and sourcing from local suppliers. Partnerships with Portobello Brewery and others will help bring their vision for The Catford House to life. The restoration project is part of the Catford Town Centre Framework, shaped by thousands of residents and adopted by the council in 2021. The £1.8 million refurbishment was supported by the Mayor of London's Good Growth Fund. Earlier this year, Thomas Lane Yard, a significant housing and mixed-use regeneration scheme, was unanimously approved by the Council. This will see an underused carpark transformed to provide more than100 new affordable homes, green public spaces, and commercial and affordable workspace. Brenda Dacres OBE, Mayor of Lewisham, said: "This marks the start of an exciting chapter for Catford. "This new multipurpose community venue will breathe life into this area as well as creating new local jobs, opportunities for Lewisham businesses and a boost to our cultural and creative scene." Claire Pritchard, CEO of the GCDA, added: "GCDA has been working in Lewisham for nearly fifteen years and has always wanted a base there, a place to grow roots and connect with the community. "Our search ended when we found the former Catford Constitutional Club, a building that holds a special place in the hearts of many. "Imagine a place where the warmth of a classic British pub meets the soul of the community. "We're not just pouring pints, we're creating a space where neighbours become friends, local musicians and artists find their voice, and fresh, locally sourced food fuels meaningful conversations."
Daily Mail
18 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Greg Wise calls his Nanny McPhee star wife Dame Emma Thompson the Winch Wench
She starred in Nanny McPhee, and the Harry Potter films. But in her downtime Oscar nominee Dame Emma Thompson loves nothing more than a bit of woodwork. The 66-year-old's husband said Dame Emma is known as the 'Winch Wench' for getting creative at home on the banks of Loch Eck in Argyll. Speaking on Virgin Radio, Greg Wise, 59, told show host Chris Evans of the BAFTA-winner's fondness for his 'madly dangerous' power tools. 'I have something called a portable capstan winch Em fell in love with and became the Winch Wench,' he said. The couple have owned their Scottish home - near the picturesque Clyde town of Dunoon - for 20 years. Such is their involvement in the local community that they recently threw their weight behind a campaign to save local arts venue Dunoon Burgh Hall. In an effort to highlight the plight of the venue and the efforts to save it, Dame Emma, 65, and Wise, who married near the town in 2003 and have a house nearby on the shores of Loch Eck, recorded a video message. In it, Dame Emma said: 'It's the most extraordinary building - so beautiful but inside, so vibrant and alive. 'They have the most wonderful art shows and the most wonderful resources for the elderly, the young. It's a community hub like no other and we are so lucky to have such a thing in Dunoon.' Wise, 58, who described the hall as 'extraordinary', then said: 'So please help as much as you can, spread the word, help raise funds, keep this wonderful building open. 'It's a crown for Dunoon and it would be an absolute travesty were it to disappear.' Dame Emma, who spent much of her childhood in Scotland, then ended the video saying: 'Help us save this precious treasure.' The Tutti Frutti, Harry Potter and Love Actually star's mother is Glasgow-born actress Phyllida Law, 92. As well as their home near Dunoon, Dame Emma and her husband own a £3million house in Hampstead, north London, and another property in Venice.
