Great Yarmouth community centre to reopen after renovation work
Plans for the Newtown Community Centre include new youth groups and an expansion of the local foodbank
A Great Yarmouth community centre is set to reopen soon under new management, after renovation work was completed.
The Newtown Community Centre in Beatty Close was was previously run by youth group Revolutionary Roots but has now been passed to locals Darren and Laura Wheeler, who already help run a local foodbank.
The centre is set to open its doors to the public soon, with plans for new youth groups and an expansion of food distribution.
Ward councillors Paul and Donna Hammond said: "We first met Darren and Laura when we were elected as borough councillors back in 2019."
"Since then, the work we have seen Darren and Laura do to help the community is endless, including setting up a food bank during the Covid-19 pandemic and organising a clean-up of the area under the Jellicoe Road bridge.
"There is a lot to do to prepare for this community centre to be the success it deserves to be, but we are looking forward to working with Darren, Laura and the community to ensure it succeeds.
"We would like to thank the officers at Great Yarmouth Borough Council who have been involved in helping this happen and trusting that we will do all we can to ensure this is a success."
The centre's executive director, Darren Wheeler, said: "Getting the community centre back up and running is something we are really looking forward to."
"We have lots of exciting plans for the place, including offering it as a space to book for children's birthday parties, coffee mornings, kids' clubs and, of course, the expansion of the food bank.
"We're confident that the community centre will continue to be a valuable resource for all who live in the area."