25 signatures reached
To: Bolton Council
Older People’s Campaign To Get Our Centre Back!
We want the council to hand over the now vacant Hibbert Community Centre building to the 'ZADA local elders forum' or run it themselves as a full time older people’s centre. We were using it until recently for our coffee mornings, luncheon and arts activities.
Why is this important?
We have been members of and attending functions including our own coffee mornings at what was known formally as Hibbert Community Centre/Chalfont Centre for many years now. All the voluntary groups that used the centre raised their own funds for all their various community activities. In January 2018, Bolton Council decided to close the centre for whatever political reasons. We, the elderly, do not care about their politics. Hibbert Community Regeneration Agency has moved to other premises in 3 other wards and have stated they have no intention of coming back to that particular centre which is a pity as they were the only agency we know who were providing this service for the elders of the area.
We want the council to hand over the building to the local elders or run it themselves as a full time older people’s centre. This was until recently, a thriving community centre based in one of the most deprived areas in Britain! (Top 5% most deprived - Government Index of Multiple Deprivation.) Bolton Council can give rich businesses £300,000 grants but does not wish to pay bills to keep a community centre alive that has huge demand from the older people of the community.
We want the council to hand over the building to the local elders or run it themselves as a full time older people’s centre. This was until recently, a thriving community centre based in one of the most deprived areas in Britain! (Top 5% most deprived - Government Index of Multiple Deprivation.) Bolton Council can give rich businesses £300,000 grants but does not wish to pay bills to keep a community centre alive that has huge demand from the older people of the community.
