Volunteers at a community centre in North Bristol are hoping to raise £2,000 to make their outdoor space safe for local children in the summer holidays. Henbury and Brentry Community Centre relies almost entirely on volunteers to stay open and has been struggling for funding over the last few years.
The centre manager, Wendy Baverstock, volunteers full-time and has won several awards for her efforts in tackling food waste and feeding the local community. The community centre is situated on Crow Lane which is considered one of the most economically deprived streets in Bristol.
There are no youth clubs in the local area and few free activities for local families. Wendy has run a community fridge for more than four years which enables those who are struggling to put food on the table to have healthy food to take home. The community cafe also gives people the chance to socialise and get an affordable meal.
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The centre narrowly missed out on a funding grant, which would have enabled them to build an extra floor upstairs and generate additional income through rentals. Unfortunately, they were not granted the funding but with a safe outdoor space they can think about starting up more activities over the summer for children and young people.
Wendy’s daughter, Piper, set up a Gofundme and they hope they can raise the money in time for the school holidays next week. Piper said: “I am starting this fundraiser as I want to make our community garden safer and more accessible to others.
“Due to lack of funding and volunteers we are unable on a regular basis to cut the grass and keep the garden safe. My thinking behind starting this is so we are able to get some money for some AstroTurf so that regular maintenance won’t be an issue while also being safer. Sharp objects can hide in long grass and by having AstroTurf this will help make these items easily identifiable.
“I know that the total may seem a little daunting but honestly the smallest of donations count. Please help us create a better community for all.”
You can donate to the fundraiser here. You can contact the centre directly, find out about their regular activities or how to volunteer here.