Venture House welcomes community hub

Stratford-on-Avon District Council has provided a lifeline for Stratford Town Trust's community hub by offering it a new temporary home at Venture House.

The future of the community hub was uncertain after the Trust were given notice to leave Foundation House on Masons Road in June.

Foundation House had established itself as a place for charities, groups and local people to come together in Stratford to learn, share, meet and the offer of ground floor space at Stratford District Council's Business Centre at Avenue Farm Industrial Estate off the Birmingham Road in Stratford-upon-Avon, means the community hub can continue while it looks for permanent accommodation.

The Trust will host a regular Community Café and Warm Hub from Venture House, as well as offering meeting space and hot desks for local charities and voluntary groups.

Tony Perks, Deputy Chief Executive at Stratford-on-Avon District says: "We are very pleased to have been able to offer this support to Stratford Town Trust and the community.  This arrangement also gives the District Council a chance to develop its business strategy and carry out a review that will look at Venture House Business Centre and the District Council's business support programme as a whole.

"The first floor at Venture House continues to offer serviced offices to small and new businesses. These offices give small business owners the rare opportunity to occupy affordable and flexible workspace alongside other friendly and supportive small businesses."

Mary Lee, Community Hub Manager said: "Foundation House, our community hub, helps us to deliver our vision to create a vibrant and connected community and we know it has played a pivotal role in bringing people together since it opened in 2018.

"Although we are sad that we won't be able to offer our full range of events and activities at Venture House, we're grateful to Stratford District Council for stepping in to help at short notice. We will be taking the ethos of Foundation House with us and are pleased we can still provide a warm, accessible and friendly space for our local community to come together whilst we look for long-term premises."

"Our first Community Café at Venture House will be held on Friday 26 June, 10am - 12 noon and we look forward to welcoming everyone to our temporary home."

For more information, please visit: www.stratfordtowntrust.co.uk