New Blyth community group hopes to convert disused bungalow at Newsham Primary School into hub

Held at Newsham Primary School, the events ranged from cookery lessons to coffee mornings for non-native English speakers, and were funded by the North of Tyne Combined Authority.

And they were so successful, the Lighthouse Community Hub has been created so events and services can continue to be held to benefit the entire neighbourhood.

Wendy Atkinson, senior leader at the school and one of the charity’s organisers, said: “It is brilliant but I am very conscious that I have only hit a small minority of people and this needs to expand further.

“Therefore, we need the community hub for us to be able to engage with more people.

“We have got parents who are now engaging in an adult learning programme that will give them a qualification in basic maths and basic English that is equivalent to a GCSE. It is going to open up job opportunities for them.”

The group is continuing to operate existing sessions, which also include a uniform swap shop and adult learning classes, and has ambitions to expand the types of workshops and classes on offer in the area.

Lighthouse Community Hub has taken ownership of the school’s old caretaker bungalow and, if they can get planning permission, will begin the process of converting the three-bedroom property into a physical hub for its work.

Mrs Atkinson said: “We are very mindful that we need to raise some money to do the structural work that needs doing to the bungalow to make it fit for purpose.

“We are hoping to put out a DIY SOS kind of thing for local businesses to come forward and help us and support us.

“If there is a builder out there, a joiner, a kitchen fitter, we are looking for all of those.

“A painter. A decorator. We are looking for all of those people out in the community to come and help us.”

In order to start fundraising for the renovations, which will cost an estimated £60,000, the group has begun selling hot and cold drinks at school pick up and drop-off times.

The group is also organising a St Patrick’s Day fundraising event on March 17 and an Easter disco on April 15.

While the organisation is based at the school and it is predominantly engaged with parents for the minute, the aim is that its work will benefit the whole community.

Mrs Atkinson said: “I think this is an amazing opportunity for all of the people in Newsham to become involved, whether you have children at Newsham Primary School or not.

“We would welcome anyone from the local area to come and get involved in it and bring their ideas. There is nothing we will not consider.”

Like the charity’s other trustees, Mrs Atkinson’s strong ties to the Newsham community are motivating her commitment to the project.

She said: “Yes, it is a deprived area, but I do believe that everybody should have the same chance.

“I'm very passionate about making this work for all of the people in Newsham to have these opportunities.”