Laleham Park Hub has been featured in the latest issue of Shepperton Matters. A big thanks to editor Monica Jones for letting us talk about our plans to bring back some of the community spirit to the park.
You can read the article below.
For those of you that can remember Laleham Park used to have a sports pavilion and was a bustling community haven by the river. It was enjoyed by families where children played in the fields and members of the WI served homemade cakes. But over the years the empty pavilion was neglected and left to ruin and eventually knocked down – meaning the loss of that vital community hub in a green space.
But a new charity called Laleham Park Hub is keen to bring back that community spirit with proposals for a hub and café on the site of the old sports pavilion, which will become a valued asset to the local community.
Proposals
The ethos of Laleham Park Hub is to encourage people to connect with nature and enjoy the outdoors as part of their wellbeing. In today’s digital age the need to get outdoors and connect with nature is greater than it has ever been - it’s essential for mental, physical, and emotional wellbeing. Laleham Park Hub’s aim is to create strong connections and social interaction between people and the outdoors so they can lead happier, healthier, and more fulfilling lives.
By working with partnering organisations, it will create opportunities in Laleham Park to help protect the vital landscape and riverside environment.
Background
The idea for the hub came from founder Michelle Eden, who was a trustee and co-founder of well-known local charity Here for Cats and has over 15-years experience in the charity sector. Michelle found that running an animal charity was more about people than pets, and sometimes like a form of social services. She constantly came across people with mental health issues, loneliness, isolation and even grief. This is where the idea for a community hub, within a green space, was formed and the search for a potential site in Surrey started.
After contacting every council in Surrey, a call from the property director at Spelthorne Council suggested Laleham Park as a potential site. Laleham Park Hub volunteers have been engaging with the local community, park users and stakeholders for the last two-years, as part of their research for this project.
Plans for a building are taking shape with the help of local architects. The proposal is for this to be built on the existing site of the Pavilion that will enhance the space and not overwhelm it. The building will be environmentally-friendly and provide those important missing facilities including toilets and changing rooms for those wishing to take part in water sports.
Laleham Park Hub is planning to partner with Brooklands College to provide opportunities for the catering students to help run the café. A flexible space will provide a place for events, exercise classes, workshops, etc. whilst being able to appreciate the beautiful park and surroundings.
Laleham Park Hub is applying to ‘Your Fund Surrey’ to fund the construction of the building combined with other grant funders.
Please sign up to receive the Laleham Park Hub newsletter which will provide information on the plans and proposals. The charity is keen to get feedback on the proposals which members of the public can do by going to the home page of the website www.lalehamparkhub.org
For more Information go to www.lalehamparkhub.org.uk
Email: hello@lalehamparkhub.org
www.instagram.com/lalehamparkhub/
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