Ealing councillors, local MP and Clarion Housing Group officially unveil a new community centre in West Ealing on Friday, 18 October.  

Leader of Ealing Council, Cllr Peter Mason, Cllr Blerina Hashani, Cabinet Member for Thriving Communities, and Deirdre Costigan MP for Ealing Southall cut the ribbon to officially open the Colin Bryant Centre in West Ealing.

The new community centre is part of the 'multimillion-pound' Sherwood Close regeneration project being delivered by Clarion Housing Group, the UK's largest housing association, in partnership with Ealing Council. 

Matt Parsonage, Head of Communities at Clarion Futures, said: "The impact of the cost of living crisis continues to be felt in households nationwide, so the work of organisations like Nucleus has never been more important.

"The new Colin Bryant Centre will be a place for local people to come together and take part in a wide range of activities, as well as accessing advice and support, and we're excited to see how this evolves as the regeneration of Sherwood Close continues."

Clarion say the project is transforming a former 1970s estate into a "thriving, green neighbourhood of high-quality new homes".

The development is now in its third and final phase, and will ultimately deliver 362 new homes, with over 60% being affordable. 

Named after the late Colin Bryant, who lived at Sherwood Close for more than a decade and was "instrumental" in helping to shape the vision for the estate's regeneration, the new community centre on Holbeck Road will provide a place for people to come together to take part in activities and access support.

The space is managed by Nucleus Community Action, a not-for-profit local advice and guidance organisation, in partnership with Clarion Futures, the charitable foundation of Clarion Housing Group.

Nucleus also runs a community hub at The Lido Centre providing guidance and practical support to local people.  

(Left to right) Deirdre Costigan MP, Matt Parsonage and Cllr Peter Mason (credit: Clarion Housing Group).

The team at Nucleus will be working closely with residents to enable a variety of activities to take place at the centre, and Clarion Futures' Jobs and Training team will be on hand at agreed times each week to provide tailored employability support for local people.

Cllr Peter Mason, Leader of Ealing Council, added: "The opening of the Colin Bryant Centre marks an incredibly important milestone in the partnership between Ealing Council and Clarion Housing Group at Sherwood Close. We have been working for well over a decade to fulfil our ambition to renew Sherwood Close and build genuinely affordable homes.

"Once complete, our partnership will have created 214 affordable homes, and a new facility that will be the heart of the community, where neighbours can come together and residents can find friendship, a sense of belonging and support to develop new skills and secure employment." 

In addition, as part of its commitment to the regeneration of Sherwood Close, Clarion continues to award funding to local organisations through the West Ealing Community Grants Programme which was established in 2021. 

Managed by Clarion Futures in partnership with A2 Dominion, since its launch the West Ealing Community Grants Programme has awarded more than £200,000 in funding to support ideas to improve local spaces, invest in community projects and enhance the lives of residents.

Deirdre Costigan MP said: "I am delighted to welcome the official opening of the Colin Bryant Centre. This amazing redevelopment has repurposed this 1970s development into a modern green neighbourhood that promotes cooperation and community.

"The centre here will be the heart of the community and provide services and guidance to those living here. As a councillor and now as a Member of Parliament I know that centres like this offer hope and help when it is needed. I look forward to seeing it go from strength to strength." 

Baljit Badesha, Director of Nucleus Community Action, said: "As we celebrate our 50th anniversary, we're excited to move into our new home at the heart of the community, and are delighted to have found a supportive partner in Clarion.

"We're committed to working together to make the Colin Bryant Centre a one-stop shop for advice and support that will benefit everyone living locally, and I can't wait to see what the future holds."

To find out more about the support available through Nucleus Community Action, visit www.nucleus.org.uk.

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