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Castlehaven Community Centre are introducing a new weekend nursery to help local parents
Castlehaven Community Centre are introducing a weekend nursery – thought to be one of the first of its kind.
The innovative scheme is designed to help out parents who have to work on a Saturday or Sunday – such as those manning stalls at nearby Camden Market. In such difficult economic times, with huge pressures on funding, it is those charities who are constantly innovating and prepared to try out new ideas that will best whether the storm. It’s great to see Castlehaven doing just that.
The weekend nursery opens on 14th January, but there will be an open day on Saturday 10th December for those who would like to find out more.
If you would like to book a space, you can give Castlehaven a call on 0207 485 3386, or email them here. Full details, including directions to the community centre, can be found on the weekend nursery flyer (pdf document).
Castlehaven Community Centre are hosting Winter Wonderland
It may be only the first week of December, but the local Christmas invitations are coming in thick and fast this year.
Hot on the heels of the Steele’s Village Christmas lights switch on, with Sir Derek Jacobi, Castlehaven Community Centre have sent me details of their “Winter Wonderland” celebration.
“Winter Wonderland” – Friday 16th December, 4pm – 7pm, Castlehaven Community Centre
The community festival will include a Santa’s Grotto; food and gift stalls; music and entertainment; a raffle, and lots more. Download the flyer for full details – and do pop along if you can. This excellent local charity really does deserve your support this Christmas.
Local councillors supported the proposals to expand Castlehaven Community Centre
After a thorough consultation with the local community, Castlehaven Community Centre in Camden Town has been granted permission to expand.
The plans will see this excellent local charity almost doubling in size, with two side extensions providing an extra hall, kitchen and offices. Once built, the revamped community centre will be able to help even more local people in the Camden Town area, which is probably why so many residents enthusiastically backed the proposal.
If you were one of those who joined me in sending in representations urging Camden Council to give the plans the go-ahead, thank you. You can take a look at what the completed development will look like here.
Castlehaven Community Centre have joined Facebook so more local people can keep up to date with their latest news.
Castlehaven are a fantastic, frequently innovative, local organisation that have been serving the Camden Town area for over twenty five years. It’s well worth keeping an eye on what they’re up to: click here to “like” their new page.
Local councillors Rahel Bokth, Jill Fraser and Matt Sanders are supporting Queen's Crescent Market
Jill Fraser has played a major role in steering through and championing new plans that will secure the future of Queen’s Crescent Market.
On Wednesday this week, Camden Council’s Cabinet will be asked to agree to transfer the management of Queen’s Crescent Market from the council to Queen’s Crescent Community Association.
Queen’s Crescent Market is one of the oldest street markets in London. British supermarket chain Sainsburys had their second, third and fourth shops on the Crescent, and the original Mr J Sainsbury was once a market stall holder. And it’s still popular with locals – one Kentish Town blogger has described it as an “NW5 institution” and one of the top ten places to visit in the area.
Jill, who lives and breathes Queen’s Crescent and has been going into battle for the market for years, said:
“This is a wonderful opportunity for the whole Gospel Oak area. Queen’s Crescent Market has been here continuously from the 1870s, and now it looks set to be bigger and better than ever.
“Despite offering local shoppers some great bargains, the market has sadly been failing for many years. These new plans will benefit local shops, and reinvigorate the whole area.
“Even better, we will be able to offer local young people training to set up their own market stalls and learn how to run a business.
“I am thrilled that the local community will be put in charge of their own market. Queen’s Crescent will be run by the community, for the community.”
Don’t forget you can drop into the market every Thursday and Saturday.
It was standing room only when I arrived at Castlehaven's 25th anniversary birthday party
I’ve often written about the good work of Castlehaven Community Centre on this blog, so it’s great to be able to let everyone know that the fantastic local charity is set to expand.
They will be holding a consultation event to get feedback from local residents this Tuesday 17th May, at Castlehaven Community Centre from 7pm.
Castlehaven have been bursting at the seams for some time and, with more room, will be able to do even more good work within the community. If you want to see the plans for yourself please do pop along to the event on Tuesday.
Local Councillors Jill Fraser and Matt Sanders discuss the future of Queen's Crescent Library
In a packed meeting room, the very first Friends of Queen’s Crescent Library was set up tonight. This is great news and means that Queen’s Crescent users will now have an even stronger voice in Camden.
A diverse crowd well and truly busted the patronising myth that only the middle class care about libraries. The great thing about libraries is they are one of the few council services equally loved by young, old, rich, poor and everyone in between. Spend half an hour sitting in Queen’s Crescent Library and you really see all of Camden.
The first job for the new users group is therefore, of course, to fight off the closure threats coming from the council. It is incredible that local libraries could be boarded up, especially in places like Queen’s Crescent where they sit at the heart of the community. More visits to the library means more visits to the Market, which can only be good for the local economy in an area that Camden desperately wants to regenerate.
We will be backing the new users group all the way. Lots of people were signing the petitions – one organised by Unison, and one by CPLUG (the Camden wide library users group) – and will be presenting it to Camden Council at the meeting on April 11th. Local people have successfully fought off Labour threats to Queen’s Crescent Library once; they can do it again!
Matt celebrates Castlehaven's lottery award last year
I’m delighted to learn that Camden Council has just announced £65,000 for Castlehaven Community Centre, which serves people in the Camden Town area.
One of the most rewarding parts of my role as a Councillor is getting to work with the great team at Castlehaven, which is often held up in the national press of an example of what a modern day youth and community centre should be. Young people in this area have phenomenal attitude and potential, and it’s places like Castlehaven that give them the time and space to be themselves and to get to grips with what the world has to offer.
The capital grant will allow Castlehaven to re-plaster and paint their internal walls, adapt an area in the main hall for cookery classes, and to buy new tables and chairs.
Liberal Democrat councillor Janet Grauberg, who is responsible for Camden’s youth services said “Liberal Democrats believe that every child and young person deserves a fair start in life. That’s why we were determined to find the extra £1million pounds in last year’s budget to improve youth services across Camden. Projects like this one are really making a difference to young people in this area and I’m so pleased that they have now got this extra funding.”
Castlehaven Community Centre, which does great work in the local area with both young and older people, has been awarded £350,000 from the National Lottery Fund. The money, which is richly deserved and a real tribute to the hard work of all the staff and volunteers, will guarantee the HELPS programme for older people for another few years.
They also put on a great barbecue and today was the perfect weather for it!
