New Whitley Wood community centre opens

• A larger community space will be available for a range of activities for residents
• Local groups will be holding introductory and taster sessions to showcase their activities

A new temporary community centre has been opened in Whitley Wood replacing the old, outdated facility in the community.

The new temporary space in Lexington Grove will be officially opened for all residents in April. During the next few weeks, the new space will be used for introductory and taster sessions for new groups to showcase their activities to residents.

The aim of the centre, which is larger than the previous building, is to improve the health and wellbeing of South Reading residents by connecting them to voluntary and community organisations who can offer a range of rewarding activities.

The centre hopes to provide a range of activities and sessions for residents aimed at all ages and interests.

Cllr Micky Leng, Lead Councillor for Planning and Assets, said:

"I am delighted that we now have a new temporary space for the community centre which is larger than the old site.

"It was fantastic to see over 40 residents attended the opening ceremony and I look forward to residents enjoying the new facility.

"There will be some introductory and taster sessions for residents to enjoy and try out before a regular programme of sessions is set for the centre. These activities are intended to encourage residents who are not currently engaged with local community activities to connect with voluntary and community organisations, as part of a process of building trust and identifying individuals or families who would benefit from additional support to improve the self-sustainability of their lifestyles."

The Whitley Wood community centre will officially open in April with a programme of activities for residents to enjoy.

Anyone who would like to get involved or find about more about the centre should keep an eye on local noticeboards, check in the centre itself and on social media. Anyone who would like to receive emails about what is happening at the community centre, should email: [email protected].

The centre is managed by the Council which also looks after Hexham Community Centre, Lyndhurst Community Centre, and Coley Park Community Centre. The Sustainable Communities team will use these locations as a base to attract and engage with residents.

The old Whitley Wood centre was in a temporary building in Swallowfield Drive which is now at the end of its life following a two-year extension. The new site is also temporary with work underway to find a new permanent site in the same area.