Fresh Hope in Hattersley
Howard Lake | 26 February 2007 | Newswire
LifeCentre Hattersley Trust is pleased to announce its intention to bring a LifeCentre to Hattersley – a large council estate on the eastern fringe of Manchester. Architects practices are invited to express their interest in the contract to design and oversee the construction of this multi-purpose community building.
A LifeCentre has been running for 6 years in another hard-pressed area, Langworthy, Salford, providing an important focal point for young people and addressing issues of youth inclusion, mental health, substance misuse, financial literacy and support for young people at risk of offending. There is strong support for a LifeCentre from both the local community and a wide range of stakeholders in the Hattersley estate, which is now at the start of an extensive physical regeneration programme led by Contour Housing Group, with plans to refurbish social housing within the area. A recent independent consultation highlighted the need for such a facility where the site for the LifeCentre is located.
The two/three storey general-purpose building will be constructed at Paignton Avenue and will serve as a much-needed community facility in a traditionally disadvantaged community. The services of the LifeCentre will be delivered by local partners and youth workers already active in the area. Its primary users will be local children, teens and young families.
LifeCentre Hattersley is commissioned by LifeCentre Hattersley Trust, a formal partnership between Hattersley Community Church and The Message Trust.
Matt Wilson, Executive Director at The Message Trust, said:
This is an exciting opportunity for a practice excited by the engagement of members of the public in architecture and committed to giving the best possible opportunities to people who are not used to getting the best of anything. LifeCentre Hattersley will aim to provide a safe environment for both the community in general and young people specifically, offering a varied range of activities to empower local people to make choices about their lifestyle and have access to and support for healthier and fulfilling livingâ€.
Interested parties should have a proven record of working amidst a regeneration context with imagination and commitment. The building must be must be multi-functional and flexible in its usage, as well as sensitive to the surrounding residential environment. An appreciation of working within a local political framework and to a range of audiences (including non-specialists and the media) will be an advantage.
Practices wishing to find out more details of the project with a view to registering interest may request a comprehensive PDF project brochure by emailing: ha********@************rg.uk. The deadline for submission of interest is 31st May 2007.
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About Howard Lake
Howard Lake is consultant editor of UK Fundraising. He founded the site in 1994 and successfully sold it in 2022. As director of Giving X Ltd he is exploring growing giving on a massive scale.
He is the founder of Fundraising Camp and co-founder of GoodJobs.