About Danesholme Community Centre

A group of community buildings, to be known as the Danesholme Communicare Centre, has been built at Danesholme Square to cater for the residents of the Danesholme and Oakley Hay areas.

HOW IT STARTED

The Centre is the outcome of many years of careful thought and planning which commenced in 1965 with discussions between the Development Corporation and the Corby Churches Interdenominationl Committee, under the Chairmanship of the then Bishop of Peterborough, Cyril Eastaugh, and plans which the Corby and District Council of Churches had at that time for ecumenical co-operation.

By 1967, the Anglican, Baptist, Congregational (know United Reformed), and Methodist Churches had made their provisional committment to create an ecumenical experiment at Danesholme. The original of the Danesholme Communcare Centre was a large multi-use building where all the residents from Danesholme and Oakley Hay areas could come and where all local aspects of their social, medical, spiritual and community needs could be fulfilled. The building would include not only community facilities, but also ecumenical, medical, health, library, and youth provision, and would be a place where the local Authority and Welfare Services could function with facilities for the elderly, One O'clock Clubs, etc.

For various reasons, but mostly due to timing in the provision of finance, it was not possible to fulfil the objective, and, instead, a Centre has been designed which provides for the community and ecumenical activities. Provision has been made for a Health Centre and Dental Centre to be constructed nearby in the future, and the Cenre itself has been constructed so that it can be extended at a later date to include a County Library and facilities such as a Youth Hall.

DESIGNED WITH THE COMMUNITY IN MIND

Facilities which have been provided are many and varied, and are designed to cater for the needs of an eventual community of about 10,000 persons. They consist of:-

The ecumenical, that is the church area, consists of a large worship room for Sunday sevices and other activities and community work. Opposite is the chaple, open daily for prayer. It is constructed in the form of an oast house, and is attractively hung in Collyweston tile. The Danesholme church was set up by a Sponsoring Body representing the Anglican, Baptist, Methodist and United Reformed Churches.

The Community Hall is available for formal and informal gatherings, indoor recreation and receptions. Nearby is a further meeting room and store. Leading from the hall is access to the comfortably furnished Club Member's Lounge and licensed bar.

Common to both the church and the community areas are the kitchen, office and cloakrooms

Other features adjacent to the Danesholme Community Centre are:-

Shopping facilities in the form of a large supermarket, with pharmacy department, of about 6,000sq. ft, and two smaller shops, one of which has been let as a newsagent/tobacconist with sub-post office facilities.

A temporary library has been set up in the second shop which, in due course, will be replaced by a purpose-built library, provided by the Northamptonshire County council, to be situated opposite the Community Hall.

To the rear of the shops, a bungalow has been converted for use as a doctor's surgery. However, a site has been reserved for a permanent Health Centre and Clinic to be built in about 1980.

The elderly have not been over-looked, and, included at the Centre, 21 warden-controlled flats for the elderly have been provided by the Northamptonshire County Council, together with a full range of communal facilities, consisting of a common room, laundry room and a guest room for the overnight vistor.

The infants and junior schools, with a capacity of 240 and 320 children respectively. They are situated in their own playing fields. To the west of the schools, and running north and south, is the Danesholme Recreational Area, amounting to 11 acres. The District Council will, in due course, furnish the area with playground and other recreational equipment.

A well-known local brewer, Mitchell & Butler Limited, is well advanced with the construction of a public house, with off-license facilities. It is to be called "The Taliman" and will be opened lated this year.

MANAGEMENT AND FINANCE

Due to the number of organisations having an interest in the scheme, the method of control and the organisation for running the centre is complex. A Communicare Association has been formed, consisting of the Country Council, the District Council, the Development Corporation, the Church Sponsoring Body, and the Danesholme/Oakley Hay Community club. The Communicare Association consists of one representative from each body at member level to supervise the Centre. The Communicare Association will lease the Centre from the Development Corporation, who are the owners, and, in turn, will sub-lease the ecumenical area to the church Sponsoring Body, and the bar and the lounge to the Community Club. They will also appoint a Management Committee conaiating of three representatives each from the Church Sponsoring Body and the Community club, and one representative from each of the three Statutory Authorities. The Management Committee will be responsible for the overall management of the Communicare Centre, and, particularly, its maintence, caretaking, and day-to-day running. The local Community Club will take a major share in running the Centre, and the Chairman of the Community Club is the Chairman of the Management Committee. 

It is intended that the Centre will be self-supporting and that all expenses will be covered. Income will be derived from lettings, profits from the club bar, and other fund raising efforts. In the first instance, it is expected that the three Statutory Authorities will have to provide some financial assistance, which will either be in the form of a grant or services, for example the salary of the caretaker.

THE COST

The Danesholme Communicare Centre was built by the Development Corporation at a cost of £125.000. Capital contributions towards its cost were from the Northamptonshire County Council, £25,000, and from the Church Sponsoring Body, £35.000. The balance of £65,000 has been found by the Development Corporation from their Amenity Fund, with the agreement of Corby Districk Council.

Contributions towards the cost of furniture and fittings were made by property developers and contractors who have built houses in the Danesholme area. these include Henry Boot Construction Limited, Sheffield; Chalgray Limited, Beaconsfield; Jelson Limited, Leicester; and Wilcon Constructions Limited, Northampton.

The Centre was designed by the John Stedman Design Group and built by Shanks & McEwan (England) Limited, Who have both generously contributed towards the cost of furnishings the worship room.    (Back to the top)