The Newtown Centre is a well used and highly valued community asset right next to Nuneaton town centre. Each week we welcome over 500 people. For a building nearing 60 years old it's not doing too bad, but it's become tired around the edges; in October we were awarded £73500 funding to refurbish the toilets, makeover the kitchen & create a new lounge. This will enable us to share cooking skills, feed more people, host more relaxed & informal social & learning opportunities. But it also needs a roof that doesn't leak, flat paths & we'd love to create a safe outdoor space, making the most out of our front garden. Working with local crafts people & gardeners we will create a large social seating area, with plenty of sensory planting, possibly even space to grow simple foods. We want the Newtown to be the best place it can be - welcoming existing users & new people too, we've got lots of exciting plans for new services that can be offered, we just need the right space to do it.

What we'll deliver:

• Fix the leaking roof in the main hall
• Re-pave the uneven & unsafe path around the centre
• Create a sensory garden and social seating area
• Update our CCTV
• Have a re-launch party

Why it's a great idea:

The Newtown Centre meets many needs of the community in Nuneaton, in particular families, the elderly, those with access needs & impairments in a unique accessible town centre space. Due to the town centre location, more people are coming into Nuneaton, many coming for NHS appointments rather than travel to hospital; it's already a hub for local people, & so the project will enhance their experience of accessing a modern, fit for purpose facility, close to the shops & transport. The Newtown is a place for people to meet in a clean, safe, inspiring, supportive space. It encourages active, healthy lifestyles with diverse activities & services on offer, reducing stress, loneliness & isolation, encourage volunteering opportunities, increase access to learning & personal development. The garden project will make the most of the under-utilised outdoor space, giving people the opportunity to improve their mental health & well being, whilst improving the town centre environment.

Steps to get it done:

• Liaise with contractors & agree timings
• Communicate with community centre users
• Work commences with contractors
• Work with centre users on planting designs & produce ideas
• Purchase plants for garden
• Press release
• Organise relaunch 'raising the roof' party