Connect Cumbria

Whitehaven Community Trust

Whitehaven Community Trust is a locally based independent charity that serves the community in which it is based with the delivery of projects relevant to the area continually evolving to meet changing social needs.

The Whitehaven Community Trust was established in 1990 and in 1993 the Market Hall Café opened providing training and work experience for people of differing ages and abilities. As the Community Trusts flagship project the Café had helped a total of 638 people with training by the end of 2008.

We provide two Supported Accommodation Projects for 16-25 year olds providing a total of 15 bedspaces in Whitehaven. Bakewell House was the first supported accommodation in the area providing the young people with assistance towards independence through training, education and life skills.

We were one of the first organisations to open a Healthy Living Centre in May 2000 in The Senhouse Centre.  The aim is to provide a wide range of services to help the local community make postive choices about health and well being as well as promoting healthy living in the community.

The Centre has therapists, counsellors and community groups using the facilities who supply a range of treatments and services, the rental income from this enables the Trust to give free room hire to groups and counsellors offering free services to less fortunate people in the community

The Wellbeing Programme provides free services in Confidential Listening, Young People’s Anger Management and Stress Awareness, Stress Management for all ages, Self Confidence/Self Esteem Workshops and subsidised Well Women Workshops.

The Whitehaven Pottery is an ongoing project, which started with the renovation of a listed building on the site of the original town pottery aimed at the promotion of arts, education, and tourism and retail opportunities. The pottery has produced mugs for the Maritime festival and the café and shop have provided employment and training for local people.

The building has provided accommodation to the West Lakes College who offer courses in IT, ESOL, Counselling and Drug Awareness and the Credit Union providing a much needed service for the local community.

http://www.whitehavencommunitytrust.co.uk/

Related Articles

• The Senhouse Centre (connectcumbria.co.uk)