A week's a long time in Whitfield

The first week after volunteers took control of Whitfield Community Centre saw frantic activity aimed at getting the building up and running. The essentials like gas safety certification, electrical testing and fire safety ran alongside cleaning, licensing, getting the central heating working and taking bookings.

After 10 days, there was already something scheduled for every day of the week. Volunteer Gerry Dominey explained, “After the Glossop Chronical ran its article on us taking control of the building, we had a spate of enquiries. We now have regular bookings from Glossop Dart Club, Mary Mansfield Yoga, Whitfield Playgroup, Whitfield Food Club and Bread & Roses community café. We also have one-off bookings for two birthday parties, Whitfield Well Dressing and we’ll be a polling station in May!”  

Further interest has come from Dancercise, the National Childcare Trust and some ballroom dancers. A bring-and-buy sale will happen this Saturday 22 March. This will raise much-needed funds. “Following the Chron article, there was nearly £1,800 in donations in a few days”, Gerry explained. “That’s above and beyond our normal, regular donations. A lady called Nina phoned me from Newham in London and donated £100 because she used to go to the youth club in the building. We need to keep the money coming in to secure the future of the building.” 

“People have been have been generous in other ways, too. GT Removals moved Whitfield Food Club’s fridges and freezers into the building and installed them free of charge last Wednesday. Then, by the time he had left the building, owner George Turner had started Glossop Darts Club. He installed 5 darts boards on Friday and Darts Club held its first two sessions on Monday and Wednesday. A week’s a long time in Whitfield!” 

Thanks to George, Food Club weas able to hold its first session back in its old home on Friday 14 March, when it distributed essential food to a record 48 people.  

Others donated a table tennis table, darts, table tennis equipment, raffle prizes and above all, their time. A small group organised Bread & Roses community café and ran it on the Saturday. The hall was packed with people and so they did it again on Sunday. Now it will happen once a weekend. 

This is an amazing, heart-warming story of a community coming together around its own community centre.