The Chester Deaf Centre a building situated in the heart of a conservation area known as the Garden Quarter, Chester. This community used resource has been situated here for well over 100 years. In 1976 it was bought and taken over by Chester & District Committee for Deaf People This space is not only used by the local Deaf community on a daily basis but also 13 other groups and organisations:- Chester Stroke Club, Chester Guitar Circle, Youth Clubs, Disability Disco Sessions, Deafero5 (British Sign Language Courses) rented space for Deafness Support Network(DSN) services. Youth Vibe where up to 30 young people from 8-18 years of age meet every week to enjoy D/deaf accessible inclusive activities with opportunities to achieve Duke of Edinburgh Awards. A building important for social and mental well being for all those who use this space.
Over the last 46 years the building has been used on a daily basis and its now clear that works are needed to refurbish the Centre as a whole. The refurbishment is now at STAGE 3 THE KITCHEN which needs to be updated . This will be made as inclusive as possible, with the aim to create a space for all. The Garden Quarter is home to over 5,700 people (CWAC Snapshot, 2015) with an ever growing reputation and is a popular area of redevelopment due to it's close links to Chester University Campus' and Chester City Centre. In recent years it has become very clear that Chester Deaf Centre is in need of redevlopment with numerous organisations, groups and individuals enquiring about the space for private hire to then back out due to it's dated decor facilities and layout. This has obviously been disappointing but gives us a positive look into the future of the Deaf Centre and the potantial market out there as a community space.
During the last 25 years a group of volunteers (Volunteers in Partnership) function as a fundraising body for the Charity namely Dee-Sign British Sign Language Choir who hold practises in the premises on Saturday mornings and were Awarded the Queen's Award for Voluntary Groups in 2012 (MBE). this group adds to the sustainability of a building totally managed by volunteers - Chester & District Committee for Deaf People.
