Petition launched to reopen Middlesbrough community centre after charity had to pull out

A petition has been launched to reopen a Middlesbrough community centre.

Brambles Farm Community Centre closed just weeks ago after the charity which ran it for more than two years has had to pull out.

Len Junier, ward councillor for North Ormesby and Brambles Farm, said: “Despite the best efforts of a third sector organisation - The Hope Foundation - they were unable to make a go of running the centre and now it’s once again closed.

“Residents are looking to the council to make best use of the centre for nursery provision during the day and community use in down times and evenings/weekends.

“The petition is a call to arms for local residents to become a part of the solution.”

He said the centre is used by an elderly group of residents for meetings, families and a parent and toddler group.

He said it would make an ideal venue for a nursery to be used by children in the community.

“We’re calling on the council and Mayor Ray Mallon to support the reopening of the centre,” he said.

“We’re not asking them to throw lots of money at it. What we’re asking for is their support so we can reopen it and apply for funding.

“We have a pot of money as a community that we can use towards the running of it.”

Cllr Junier said scores of signatures had been collected so far but expects it to be more as petitions had been left in local shops.

Val Pearce, from Brambles Farm, said: “I’ve used this centre since the 1960s when it was a shed.

“I can’t believe that the council would leave us with nothing.”

Debbie Whithead, also from Brambles Farm, said: “We haven’t got much, now they want to take away the little we have.”

A spokesman for Middlesbrough Council said: “The running of Brambles Farm Community Centre on Marshall Avenue was transferred to local charity The Hope Foundation under a community asset transfer arrangement in 2012.

“The council has been informed by the charity, which continues to have its base in central Middlesbrough, its presence in Brambles Farm was to end. As a result the community centre has been closed for two weeks.

“We are now working very closely with the local community to resolve the situation and are investigating several options that will potentially provide a sustainable community based use of the centre.”

No one was available for comment from The Hope Foundation.