Big Local opens up in its new home

Whitley Bay Big Local, a 10-year community-led project funded through the Big Lottery, has relocated from its former base on Park View into the heart of the dedicated Big Local area on Whitley Road, opposite St Paul’s Church.

The Big Local shop has quickly become home to a wide range of activities and services. In addition to Big Local’s own drop-in sessions and regular craft and music activities every Thursday, Friday and Saturday, the shop also provides a dedicated credit-union service as well as a base for the town’s Citizens Advice Bureau.

Community involvement coordinator, Sarah Sutton, said: “With such a visible presence right in the Big Local area, we have already managed to engage with people who previously didn’t really know who we are, what we do or how they could get involved.

“The new shop has also allowed us to expand our own activities calendar and is proving popular with other local groups and organisations who are now hosting a range of community-focused activities throughout the week.”

To find out more about what’s on offer, contact [email protected]Whitley Bay Big Local is designed to help local residents to create a better community in which to live, work and visit.

With a £1million budget to spend over the 10-year period, the shop represents a significant investment and forms part of the Big Local three-to-five-year plan which has been drafted in response to community feedback.