Rejuvenate Silverdale

Thurmaston Community Centre (TCC) in Leicestershire was established in 1967. Originally a wooden sectional building gifted to the village by a local developer, only the rear wooden wall remains, with all other areas now of brick construction. Over the years the centre has been extended and now offers users a main hall, a meeting room, kitchen, toilets and a small office and storage area. A 2015 extension houses the community-run library, created after the council closed the village library. The centre supports 12 regular groups including dance and fitness sessions, NHS services, youth groups and social clubs for older residents. The building is in need of modernisation and TCC would like to improve access and compliance with modern health, safety, and safeguarding standards. The building is currently littered with trip hazards, the hall is cold and uninviting, and the toilets are unhygienic and not easily accessible. Through consultation with users and following a condition survey, a programme of improvement is planned to renovate and modernise key areas to make them more welcoming and attractive. Biffa Award has been approached to fund hall improvements to include the installation of wall and ceiling insulation, lowering the ceiling to make the space warmer, installing new smart radiators to work with a relatively recently installed boiler, and installing LED lighting and switches. The space will also have new skirting boards and be decorated. The applicant will self-fund accessible toilets and flooring throughout. Solar panels will be added as part of the wider project, funded by others, alongside a grant from the Dromintee Trust to fund car park improvements. The nearest alternative facility is across a busy bypass and unavailable during the day due to nursery use.