Following the AGM of the Gedling Youth and Community Hub on 17th May here is the Chair’s (Francis Rodrigues) Annual Report:

“Over the last 12 months volunteers have continued their excellent work of repairing & restoring the house and grounds of the Charity.

With Covid restrictions lifted it has meant we can mix as usual – mostly.

Our arborist Peter Wood has over seen the transformation of the former 5-a-side area by rewilding it with regular contributions from Claire, Clelia & Doug.

Please have a look before you leave tonight. Its still a work in progress but is now an area where you can sit and contemplate.

The big change of course took place at the end of this January (2023) with the demolition of the old gym section which was deemed unsafe.

In December 2022 the Trustees met to discuss 3 quotes received for the demolition of the gym and unanimously agreed to award the contract to Art Demolition. The work commenced on the 30th January and was complete by the 8th February. ART Demolition did a fantastic job.

We received a visit from Jeremy Barlow Principal Building Control Officer GBC who gave his approval and stated that the demolition works ‘have been carried out to a good standard and the site has been left in a safe and tidy state.’

Also in December the Trustees applied for planning permission following demolition of the gym for construction of a new canopy and entrance lobby, change of use for first floor rooms to commercial office spaces, and installation of solar panels to a restored pitched roof. Planning permission was granted on the 15th March.

Gedling Youth & community Hub have several funding applications at various stages of determination/submission.

We have recently submitted an application the NLHF for £249,000. This is now being assessed by the Lottery assessment team

Gedling Borough Council have short listed our application for a Community Infrastructure Levy Grant of £75,000 and this will be determined at the end of May.

Myself & Andy Owens met with two representatives of EMR in April as they have a community fund pot. They both said they were impressed with our project plans and encouraged us to apply for a grant of £25,000. Our bid will be submitted shortly.

If we are successful in all these bids we will be in a great position to bring about the fulfilment of the stated regeneration aims of the Charity. Still a long way to go and lots of hard work to do. We will let members and our supporters know how these funding applications progress in due course.

We have continued to hold seminars for Nottingham Trent University students on sash window restoration and lime mortar application.

Several paranormal events have been held at the Hub in 2022/23 and although not everybody’s cup of tea they do bring in much needed revenue – £1200 in the last financial year.

I would like to thank all my fellow trustees for their continued support & hard work over the last 12 months. We have made real and tangible progress.

‘Onwards & upwards’ as my late friend Gordon Tunnicliffe said many times.”

Francis Rodrigues

Chair GYCH.