There's a lot of money going into infrastructure in Shipley at the moment. This building here is now called Farfield: the Shipley Health and Wellbeing Community Centre. It has had the benefit of £3m for a full renovation from the Shipley Towns Fund (part of the government's 'Levelling up the UK' plan to invest in areas that have historically been underfunded). Formerly St Walburga's Primary School, it belongs to The Cellar Trust, a charity providing specialist mental health support. They have sought to create a calm, inclusive and accessible space for the community and are now looking for partners to run a café and offer therapeutic services. They say: 'Over time, our objective is to continue bringing people and organisations together to provide holistic support, amplify positive change, foster innovation and build a stronger, more connected community for everyone.'
Rather grand words... it would be good if they could bear positive fruit, as mental health is an area where support is very much needed and quite hard to come by.
The renovation has been masterminded by Saltaire architects Rance Booth Smith (see HERE) and includes a new atrium, linking two wings of the original building, and a sensory garden. It looks as though it has been beautifully done, with great attention to detail.
Rance Booth Smith have also designed and overseen the conversion of another former school building, dating back to the 1850s, in the centre of Shipley (see below). It's used by The Kirkgate Centre (a community and social action charity) and The Hive (a community arts charity). It's now the 'Shipley Sustainable Community Hub'. (See HERE) Again, it's been funded by Shipley Towns Fund, to the tune of £2.5m. The Hive now has bright and welcoming craft, pottery and woodwork rooms and the Kirkgate Centre provides a cafeteria and rooms that are extensively used by local groups for youth work, exercise classes, support groups and such like. I popped in when it was open and it is lovely inside, light and welcoming. I was going to take a few photos of the interior but it's been divided up in such a way that 'views through' are limited. In the main hall, lots of small children were having a great time playing with tons of Lego, but it wasn't appropriate to take photos of that.
I like the way the architects have kept the original buildings and linked them with modern structures, all rather elegant.
ReplyDeleteYou are right, mental health support is badly needed and hard to come by. Two of my friends in Yorkshire work in the mental health sector. Their waiting lists are long - and that's only those with mental health issues who actually look for help; way too many don't.