North Stars newly refurbished Thornaby community hub.

October 18th 2019

Teesside based housing association North Star has refurbished a community centre in Thornaby in partnership with their contractors. The project is part of North Star's commitments to making a difference to the lives of their tenants and others living within the communities in which they operate.

The Community Hub, on Havelock Street, has been open for several years supporting the local community with homework clubs, arts and crafts sessions, lunch clubs, employment and training programmes. The refurbishment will allow this great work to continue and open up possibilities for even more activities.

North Star's Community Connector, Coral Smith worked with the staff, residents and contractors to get the hub in shape. Coral said: "Everyone who was involved in refurbishing the Community Hub embraced the idea with great enthusiasm. North Star staff, contractors, volunteers, partners and local residents have shown real community spirit and dedication to complete the project, I am blown away by their commitment, and the results are fantastic."

With the help of contractors, partners, staff, and volunteers North Star have improved the building layout and significantly updated the facilities. Over twenty contractors provided a huge amount of support for the project including providing staff for community labour days, donation of building materials and free equipment including a brand new kitchen as part of contractors social value commitments to North Star.

North Star are confident that the improvements to the hub will have a long term, positive impact for the local community. The venue will act as a catalyst to develop new activities, provide up to date cooking facilities for meals and refreshments and a place that local residents can meet, learn and have fun.

The hub now has several regular activities including pensioner lunch clubs, a local residents group, after school clubs for children, healthy cooking for young people and during the summer holidays, Creation Station held art and crafts sessions for children working on a community alley project.

If you would like more information about the Community Hub or would like to use it for community activities, please contact Coral Smith on coral.smith@northstarhg.co.uk or 01642 796 265.