A local charity in Byker has received a generous donation of £30,000 from the Asda Foundation, which will go towards the construction of better facilities inside a much loved community centre.
For over 30 years, the Heaton Community Centre has played host to a wide range of activities set up by various local community groups. Day to day, a number of childcare groups, fitness classes as well as entertainment and social clubs all take place inside the centre making it a social hub for the people in the community.
Despite its ongoing popularity with the community in Byker, some of the facilities in the centre fell into disrepair and were in need of refurbishment. The grant from the Asda Foundation will go towards the complete revamp of these facilities with a particular focus on the café and kitchen areas where the Centre runs regular lunch clubs for the local elderly.
Paul Gosney, Facilities Manager at the Heaton Community Centre, said: “”We were overwhelmed to receive this funding – the committee were over the moon. Asda Byker has been great with us and Ashleigh’s been fantastic as well. There’s a real buzz around the place now.
“This money will help us refurbish our tired old kitchen area so we can offer a proper cafe to provide food and refreshments to the groups who come and use our facilities. We should also be able to decorate and upgrade others areas of the building too.
“We’re the backbone of the Heaton community. We’re like a little family and thanks to the Asda Foundation we can continue to keep the centre going for as long as we can.”
Set up in 1988, the Asda Foundation is a registered charity that aims to have a positive impact on local communities, making independent grants to provide support to a range of local good causes, chosen by Asda’s community life colleagues throughout the UK.
It funds charitable projects and activities what have the ability and potential to achieve change for the better – with the aim of making a significant difference to local communities and the people who live there, both now and in the future.
The application to the Asda Foundation by the Heaton Community Centre was supported by store colleagues at the Asda store at Newcastle Shopping Park in Byker.
Ashleigh Longstaff, Asda Byker’s community colleague, said: “The group and the centre are bringing the community closer together and it’s a pleasure to help them out.”
“We see the Foundation as one of the many ways to give something back to the communities that support us. That’s why we lend a hand to the wide range of good causes with which our colleagues are involved, sharing their passion and helping to make a difference through a variety of projects locally and across the UK.
“Supporting smaller, local applications such as the Heaton Community Centre is really important to us – and we hope it will make a real difference within the local community in Byker.”
To find out more about the Asda Foundation, including eligibility for submitting a funding application, either contact the Community Colleague at your local Asda store, or go to: www.asdafoundation.org