The Avenue Centre is a purpose built community facility, built in 1991 for the benefit of the residents of the Meadow Well Estate. Across the road is a well established community development organisation (founded in 1980), the Cedarwood Trust, working out of a former shop premises. The Cedarwood Trust has outgrown its premises, the Avenue Centre has stood empty for 18 months and is marked for demolition by the Council. The Cedarwood Trust wishes to purchase the building to increase its impact in the community through its work with families, children, older people and the wider community. The Cedarwood Trust provides tools for residents to create brighter futures for themselves.

What we'll deliver:

• Develop space and resources for play, socialisation and community development
• Purchase the Avenue Centre

Why it's a great idea:

The Meadow Well Estate faces many challenges in tackling the inequalities which lead to lower life expectancy and reduced life chances. Purchasing and re-vitalising the Avenue Centre will give the Cedarwood Trust the ability to increase its work in the community, increasing the confidence and aspiration in residents and enabling individuals on the Estate create a better, more sustainable future for themselves and the community.
The Avenue Centre will provide a hub for targeted work with those experiencing greatest challenges, particularly young families, children and young people and over 50's. The purchase of the Avenue Centre will also draw in additional resource to the community targeted at positive change within an area of high social stress.

Steps to get it done:

• We will continue to work with residents groups to develop the fabric of the building and grounds
• We will purchase the freehold of the building from the Local Authority through the Community Right to Bid process

This project has been developed after a great deal of consultation with local people through a range of processes including Community Organising, Cardboard Community processes and the development of a "Wor Place" group. These have led to many positive changes in the community. The Avenue Centre is the ideal building to increase the impact of the work.
The Cedarwood Trust has massively outgrown its current building - a former retail premises in a terraced row, neighboured by residential flats and established retail establishments. The Avenue Centre will enable the Trust to operate more effectively and increase its impact within the community.