St George’s Church in Littleport Open Its Doors To New Community Hub
Littleport Community Hub has been re-launched with the aim of bringing together a range of experts from a variety of organisations, support groups and charities to help individuals from across the district.
The hub, which officially opened on November 5th, offers advice and assistance to those dealing with budgeting, benefit problems, job loss, debt, alcohol/drug addiction, mental health crises, relationship breakdown and domestic violence - all triggers for homelessness.
The Community Hub originally opened in Littleport Village Hall in March 2018 but due to under-use, has been moved to St George's Parish Church, where it is hoped that links with the independent food bank also operating from within the Church will help reach those most in need of the Hub’s services.
Councillor Ambrose Smith added: "The new location will hopefully help us to target those in most need of support. Community hubs offer the most vulnerable people in our district a chance to get help, answers and advice without having to go through a long referral process."
Some of the groups being represented at the hub will be East Cambridgeshire District Council's housing team, mental health charity Red2Green, Women's Aid, Christians Against Poverty and the Job Centre but the services offered can and will be tailored towards client need going forward.
Rev’d Howard Robson, vicar at St George’s stated “East Cambridgeshire District Council approached us as a Church regarding hosting the Hub, due to our established relationship with the local community, which has built up through both the Foodbank and the Church’s wider outreach. The first session has already seen higher attendance than when held at the previous location and we hope to increase the number of people who can receive support by leafletting the Foodbank bags and via word of mouth through both clients and volunteers.
“Currently there is a brief interval on the first Tuesday between the Foodbank closing at 12 noon and the Hub opening at 1pm, so as a church community we are currently looking into the option of bridging this gap, to provide a more streamlined service.”
The town’s Foodbank is open every week from 10am-12noon on Tuesdays and Fridays and demand remains high. This vital service is run by volunteers who so far this year have supplied over 600 clients with everyday food and toiletry essentials. It is hoped that the renewed Community Hub endeavour, which will be open from 1.30-3pm on the first Tuesday of every month, will provide additional services to those most at risk of homelessness within the town. Members of the community can simply ‘drop-in’ to the hub to talk, where tea, coffee and cake will be available within a friendly and informal environment.
Article/Photo credit: Rebecca Parnell, Operations Manager, March Team Ministry (@RebeccaMarchChurches) and
