Plans for a network of fifteen groundbreaking community-based multi-use facilities across Shropshire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire have been showcased at a conference held in Dorrington.
Advantage West Midlands’ Rural Regeneration Zone plans to create the network of multi-use facilities as part of a £5 million plan to increase access to services in its communities.
The first of the projects to be completed in the programme have already opened at Craven Arms and the newly built facility at Dorrington.
More are planned for communities across the Zone including proposed centres at Wem, Cleobury, Peterchurch, Oswestry and Bewdley.
Around 50 community representatives from around the Zone attended the conference to find out the best route to success from those who have already successfully secured funding or had come up with interesting approaches to develop their projects.
These included Sheenagh Davis from the HOPE Family Centre in Bromyard, Neil Wilcox from the Craven Arms Learning Centres,Tom Brettellfrom South Shropshire District Council who has been involved in the Cleobury project and Tom Williams from Dorrington Village Hall.
Gill Porterfrom the Community Council for Shropshire and Joe Bubb from Shropshire County Council were also on hand to guide attendees through the process pf developing their projects.
Multi-use centres provide a range of high-quality facilities for communities, from training and study areas to sports and leisure activities.
The Dorrington Centre, for example, combines a GP’s surgery with a community hall and changing facilities for the neighbouring sports fields.
Other proposed developments, however, include imaginative refurbishments of existing facilities to bring them up to date.
Peter Pawsey, Rural Regeneration Zone Chairman, said: “Because each of the multi-use facility projects is unique, the chances are they will need different streams of funding and different approaches to get them from the planning stages to becoming reality.
“Having an idea to provide a multi-use centre is one thing but it takes time, energy and support to get it to the stage where it can be opened.
“Funding options, relationships, business plans and how it will be managed and sustained all need to be taken into consideration.
“Craven Arms and Dorrington have shown just how this can be achieved and the whole aim of the conference was to inspire and reassure those who are at earlier stages that it is possible.
“The impact that these sorts of facilities have are tremendous – smaller, often isolated communities desperately need access to high-quality services.
“By investing in the network of multi-use facilities, the Rural Regeneration Zone is helping to make a real difference to the lives of people in these communities that will be felt for generations to come.”
Tom Williams, Chairman of the Dorrington Centre Board, said: “We are fortunate that we have had the very best people working with us to make this happen.
“The funding has been invaluable but the most important ingredient is the energy and effort of those who have the vision, energy and determination to drive the project.”