Pensby’s Hope Centre celebrating first birthday under community management

Mar 3 2010 Birkenhead News

THE Hope Centre in Pensby is celebrating its first birthday under community management.

Local community group, Pioneer People, has managed the former Pensby Community Centre since February last year.

Wirral Council is hailing it as an example of how community transfer, which is on the cards for many of the borough’s community centres, can be a success.

The centre offers free legal support, debt counselling, keep fit, afternoon tea for older people, band rehearsal space, support group for people with disabilities, street dance classes, various youth projects, winter cycling, and Tae Kwon Do classes.

Managers and volunteers were presented with a birthday cake at an event organised by the council to share the secrets of their success with other community groups.

Councillor Bob Moon, cabinet member for culture, tourism and leisure, said: “This success story has proved that with the right involvement at a grass roots level, new life can be breathed into buildings that people had given up on.

“We hope that other community groups will be able to learn from the lessons learned here so that we will have similar stories to tell across the whole of Wirral.”