Nusrat Ghani, MP for Sussex Weald, was pleased to meet with Hadlow Down Community Centre Trustees and Hadlow Down Parish Council Chair Cllr Michael Lunn to learn more about the plans to deliver a new community centre.
Hadlow Down Community Centre (HDCC) is a charity established to deliver a new dedicated community centre to support local residents, social groups and businesses. The existing village hall building and pavilion on the playing field are aging, do not meet modern building and safeguarding standards, and lack appropriate amenities as well as accessibility and sufficient parking. The new facility would combine the two facilities in one large hub, opening up opportunities for a wide range of activities including workshops, education classes, sport activities, social gatherings, cultural experiences and much more.
Nusrat has been supporting the TN22 Club, who provide assistance and community activities for elderly individuals and those living with dementia, and are one of the local organisations that would benefit from an upgraded facility. Accessible premises would make access easier for wheelchair and walking frame users as well as carers.
For more details on the project, please visit the Hadlow Down Community Centre's official website www.newvillagehall.co.uk.
Nusrat Ghani said: “Village halls are key assets for our rural communities, providing vital spaces and facilities for people of all ages to connect. This fantastic project would be a real legacy for residents of Hadlow Down and I am pleased to support it. The proposals for an accessible, safe and welcoming space would open up opportunities for a huge variety of community events, activities and gatherings. The provision of a new, multi-purpose facility in the centre of the village would not only enhance sports facilities in the area but also boost extracurricular activities for local schools and help combat loneliness and isolation amongst elderly residents. I’m pleased that Hadlow Down Parish Council are actively supporting Hadlow Down Community Centre Trustees and I look forward to continuing working with them to help secure this much-needed local hub.”
Cllr Michael Lunn, representing Hadlow Down and Rotherfield, said: "I am extremely proud of the huge amount of work by local volunteers to support this multi-user space, which will be a major asset for our local community. I am extremely grateful to Nusrat for giving up time to meet with representatives of the new Hadlow Down Community Centre and I look forward to working together."
Pictured above from left: Cllr Michael Lunn; Mandy Chapman, Hadlow Down Community Centre (HDCC) Trustee; Nusrat Ghani MP; Sarah Prall, HDCC Trustee and Bob Lake, HDCC Chair and Trustee.
