Welcome to the first edition of “The Plungington Parrot,“ the community newsletter brought to you by Plungington Community Centre! Read on to keep updated on all the exciting events, activities, and news happening in our Community Centre and neighbourhood.
Good News!
Here at Plungington Community Centre we are celebrating after being awarded £25k per year for five years in funding from the National Lottery Community. We will be using the funding to strengthen and expand the centres current services and to reach out to the local community who don’t currently access the centre.
On 19th October we will be hosting a development day where we will be showcasing our wonderful groups that we have at the centre and what they and we can offer for you, members of the public and other services.
Thank you to all the National Lottery players that have made this possible.
Happy Retirement to Tony Hennon at Places for People
A big thank you and happy retirement to Tony Hennon from Places for People. Tony has been a big supporter of the centre and was instrumental in the refurbishment works carried out. We will miss Tony but are looking forward to working with his replacement Emily Newman as the new Community Investment Manager.
Welcome to Matthew Robinson who will be joining the team at Emmanuel Church as their new Vicar.
Exciting times ahead for Emmanuel Church as at the end of this month they will be Vicarless no more!
Matthew Robinson will be joining them as the twelfth Vicar of Emmanuel Church, a tad behind Doctor Who. Matthew and his wife Sarah came into the centre undercover, so some of us have already met, for those of you who haven’t Matthew is looking forward to meeting everyone in the near future. He already has tickets for the Emmanuel Hot Pot Supper.
Matthew is joining Emmanuel Church at a key time in the proposed redevelopment of the Church building. The Plungington Community Land Trust has worked so hard over the last few years and can now report that the legal contract between 123 Accommodation and the Church Commissioners has now been signed. This means that you should now see some activity happening around the building, as work begins on the intrusive survey, which will establish the viability of the project to refurbish the Emmanuel Church building to create fourteen affordable homes for rent to local people, as well as a community venue for local people of all faith and none.
Community Spotlight – DanceSyndrome
This section highlights the wonderful initiatives and achievements of our community groups and members. In this issue we shine a light on DanceSyndrome. In the heart of our community DanceSyndrome stands as a beacon of inclusivity, talent, and unyielding spirit. Marking their tenth anniversary in 2023 the charity has had a remarkable year.
In February the Strictly Come Dancing professional Giovanni Pernice became their Ambassador, having first met at Plungington Community Centre in June 2022 when he surprised them whilst filming for Steph’s Packed Lunch. A show which they subsequently went on to perform and talk about Down Syndrome awareness day and inclusivity, reinforcing the importance of inclusion in all corners of society.
A crowning achievement was Jen Blackwell, the founder of DanceSyndrome, being honoured with the British Empire Medal in the King’s Birthday Honours for her services to disabled people. We are incredibly proud to celebrate Jen’s well deserved recognition.
Hot on Jen’s heels Becky Rich was invited to Downing street to celebrate her work as a community champion. Her commitment to DanceSyndrome’s mission and values has resonated far beyond her immediate community
As the year unfolds, DanceSyndrome’s journey continues with their return to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival with a performance titled SENse. We have had the pleasure of watching the development of this piece at the community centre, one of the benefits of the kitchen being off the hall.
DanceSyndrome’s journey over the past decade serves as a testament to the transformative power of dance and community. As they continue to spread their message of unity and empowerment, the future holds the promise of even greater accomplishments.
An interview with Nicole Grundy
In this section we are celebrating creativity. Nicole’s newfound passion for drawing has not only brought joy to her life but has also brought a touch of beauty to our very own community centre. Nicole only took up drawing recently, her journey reminds us all that it is never too late to explore a new passion. So the next time you visit the centre, take a moment to admire Nicole’s artwork. Below is what Nicole has to say about her artistic journey.
“I have always been interested in arts and crafts since I was a little girl. I realised about a year ago I could draw portraits and I have art lessons at Caritas Care. Most nights I draw, I really enjoy doing this. My dream is to draw, and I want to show and share my work with others. I have been studying various art styles for a year and a half. I especially like portrait and animation.”
Upcoming Events at Plungington Community Centre
September
9th September –Â Plungington Table Top Indoor Boot Sale
15th September – Emmanuel Hot Pot Supper with entertainment from DanceSyndrome and Dawn Vickers (Singer)
October
5th October – Rebuild with hope pop up sale, high street goods at heavily discounted prices, clothing, accessories, homeware, gifts.
6th October – Emmanuel Wine Tasting event with Martin Burt
14th October – Plungington Table Top Indoor Boot Sale
19th October – Plungington Community Centre Development Day
November
11th November – Plungington Table Top Indoor Boot Sale
18th November – Emmanuel Annual Christmas Fair
December
8th December – Eccleston Brass Band concert
9th December – Plungington Table Top Indoor Boot Sale
To find out more about the weekly activities available at Plungington Community Centre click HERE
Notices
LemonDANCE is looking for new members starting September. LemonDANCE CIC runs a series of weekly dance and wellbeing sessions aimed at improving mental health through discussions and movement exercises. All sessions are free to attend, Wednesdays 6pm-7pm. For more information email hello@lemondance.org or call on 07368120398
Plungington Table Top Indoor Boot Sale is starting Saturday 9th September, then every second Saturday of the month. If you would like to book a stall call Julia on 07436005584
Essential Digital Skills is starting back up in September after their summer break. This group is free to attend and runs every Thursday 9.30-12pm during term time.
A big thank you to all the volunteers, sponsors, and community members who make everything possible. Your support is what keeps Plungington thriving.
That’s it for our first issue! We hope you enjoyed reading “The Plungington Parrot.” Stay tuned for more community updates and news in our next edition. If you would like to contribute or have any news to share, contact us at hazelcritchley@caritascare.org.uk
With warm regards The Plungington Community Centre Team
Ben, Emma and Hazel
