Carlton Club reopening accessible and safe

Aim

Make our club accessible and covid safe, ready for re-opening after lockdown.

Now newly registered as a Community Interest Company we are striving to realise the club's full potential as an anchor institution in Whalley Range.  In 2019 our members voted to advance our community purposes around inclusion, well-being, health, arts, gardening and music and to develop more inclusive activities for older people, families and teenagers.   

The Carlton Club occupies the building and grounds of one of Whalley Range's original grand houses built in the second half of the 19th century. It has been a Social Club since 1913.

Last year saw an amazing response from our club members with over 100 people volunteering to keep our club running covid safe, decorate and revamp the 2 main rooms, entrance and hall way. reopen the kitchen, keep the community garden going and fundraise over £8,000 for emergency roof repairs. Our membership grew from 180 to 500 in a few months.

We also found out how much the club means to the local community.  We heard how the club became a focal point during covid, helping to bring old friends and new together, reducing social isolation and helping people feel part of a community.

There is a lot more to do, especially when it comes to bringing the upstairs rooms back into use. This will require significant funding and preparation of a feasibility study - and a business plan. But there are things we can do now.

So, we are raising money to install a, much needed, new fire alarm system, introduce ventilation, and at long last, install a platform lift at the front entrance so everyone can be a part of our wonderful club. Watch a video of the platform lift in action.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EeMsdOnBApE

Once this work is complete we can  make the club available during weekdays for a range of community activities, especially for our older neighbours, young Mums, people having a hard time and people with a shared interest who need help emerging from lock down.

This project successfully funded on 2nd June 2021