Charity group CVA Blyth Valley appeals for donations to help secure a permanent hub in Blyth town centre

Community and Voluntary Action Blyth Valley (CVA) used to be based in Keel Row Shopping Centre but was forced to find a new home after the centre closed earlier this year.

The organisation, which supports a range of other community groups in the area, has now set up a new home at 14 Market Place but has only initially taken a three month lease.

CVA is applying for grants and has launched an online fundraiser to try and get the money required for a longer term lease of the property. It is hoping to raise £30,000, which will cover rent and bills as well as staffing costs for the charity.

A bare minimum sum of £10,000 is required to be able to keep a physical hub.

Helen Gray, office manager for CVA, said: “We have acquired a new initial lease for three months for a central community hub in Blyth town centre, giving local residents access to support services, community groups, activities, training, information, and a warm space to meet.

“We want this to be a more permanent fixture so we just need as much support from everybody as possible.”

CVA allows other organisations and charities to use its hub for free to host events, whether that is at a regular time or on an ad hoc basis. This ranges from craft sessions, wellness events, meetings, councillor drop-ins, and more.

There are also plans to start a small library at the hub where people can come to play games, swap books, or sit and read.

Staff from CVA are also able to direct people in need of support to other local services, something having a physical presence helps with.

Helen said: “It is a huge advantage because a lot of the people who need this space, the elderly, people with mental health problems, a lot of these people do not have access to online stuff.

“Having this facility, making them aware of where they can go to get help, what groups are available in the area, it is targeting the right audience.

“We still can put stuff out on social media, which we do, but sometimes it does not get to the right audience.”

The charity’s former base in Keel Row was “a great spot” with the added bonus of a reduced cost, as CVA was permitted to use the space without paying rent.

Helen said: “It was a great big space, it was indoor, we could have bigger events in it, so it was a real shame that it closed.

“The sudden closure was sad for the residents to not have somewhere to go and that is why we have tried to fight as much as possible to find somewhere suitable.

“To be honest we thought we were never going to find anywhere and suddenly this came up and the landlord was flexible with us.”

To contribute to CVA’s online fundraiser, visit spacehive.com/blyth-community-hub.