New Community Facility Gets Helping Hands From Island Roads

Work to get a new Wootton community facility ready for opening this autumn has been given a helping hand by Island Roads staff.

Aspire Ryde has recently taken over the lease to re-open and run the Church Close Community Centre, which has been out of use since the Covid Pandemic in 2020.

The aim is to use the building as a local meeting place where the community can come together in various activities.

But the first task is to get the venue ship shape again after years of laying dormant.

With its own volunteers already committed, Aspire asked Island Roads if staff would be able to volunteer some time to undertake DIY tasks such as filling, sanding and painting.

The Highways PFI company runs a scheme under which its employees are encouraged to take two days paid leave annually in order to support deserving community causes.  

Five ladies from across the business answered Aspire’s call and went to work with paint, brushes, Polyfilla, sandpaper and dustsheets.

“They attacked it in numbers and made some really good progress,” said Steve Johnson, Aspire’s director of community and development.

“It was a really great help for us, a lot was achieved, and it keeps us on track for opening in September – we’re all really grateful.”

Already a number of uses have been lined up to make the most of the revitalised

community centre.

Coffee mornings, knit and natter groups and gourmet nights are among planned social events.

Sessions in which residents can get help with issues like changing energy suppliers or other household financial problems are also in the pipeline.

The venue will also be available for public hire with money raised helping with the building’s upkeep.

 Island Roads has a strong relationship with Aspire having previously supplied volunteers and by supporting them with grant money through Island  Roads’ Isle of Wight Foundation.

Samantha O’Rourke, Island Roads communications manager and one of the DIY

team said:

“So it was great to keep that relationship going by helping out with this brilliant new project which we are sure will make a really positive local impact.”