We have just 6 weeks! The fundraising campaign must end on Thursday 20th July 2023. We need your support NOW!

Who are we?

Chinley, Buxworth & Brownside Community Association is a registered charity that was established in 2006 to deliver the community and leisure priorities identified in the parish. We manage the Chinley & Buxworth Community Centre, which is a highly valued and well-utilised resource, used by both the residents of the parish and the neighbouring towns and villages. Our aim is to facilitate and support a wide range of activities and events for people of all ages, in order to improve the health and wellbeing of local people and enrich community life. We have a dedicated group of volunteers who help us to achieve this.

Why do we need a new Community Centre?

Our existing Community Centre is over 50 years old, made of a timber frame with timber cladding and single glazed windows and doors, and has minimal wall and roof insulation. It is expensive to both maintain and run, and regular repairs are required to the fabric of the building to keep it in a safe working condition. The building is well past its shelf life, no longer fit for purpose and in desperate need of replacing, as can be seen in some of the photos below. 

Despite tirelessly exploring all possible options over the last 10 years, it is now deemed beyond refurbishment and our only option is to rebuild. Without funding, it will likely be demolished in the next couple of years and most of the community activity that happens here will be lost. The new building will allow us to not just continue but expand our work in providing activities for people of all ages. Below you can see comparison photos of the building as it is now and an artist's impressions of how the new Community Centre will look. Help us to deliver this fantastic new building that our community deserves.

Why does our Community Centre matter?

"The whole family uses the Community Centre, from exercise classes to brownies, the cinema and book swap and drop. Its a really good place that brings the community together."

The Community Centre provides a home for numerous sport, health & fitness activities. The main hall is used for weekly table tennis sessions and matches, yoga, pilates & kettle bells classes, and exercise to music. The floodlit outdoor hardcourt provides a base for tennis, netball, pickleball and over 35's football. The playing fields are predominantly used by the local football teams for both training & matches , and they also benefit from the onsite changing facilities inside the Community Centre. In addition, they act as the meeting point for local running & cycling groups, and also include a skate park and popular children's playground. 

"For a rural village, we have really valued the facilities and range of sporting activities for our kids on our doorstep. From a knock about on the field and tennis on the hard court, to playing football, table tennis, cricket and dancing competitively, the community centre and playing fields have been part of it all!"

clockwise from top left - Chinley Churners cycling festival; table tennis practice; Chinley table tennis club; Chinley netball team; kettlebells class  

It enables volunteers and local businesses to offer physical & social activities for preschoolers. The weekly Parent & Toddler Group has run for many years and is extremely popular; it brings families with young children together and has been particularly helpful for parents who are new to the area. Footy Totz and Chinley Tunes run fun sessions to help preschoolers develop their physical and musical skills.

"My family moved to the area 20 years ago and we didn't know anyone. I was really lonely at first, looking after my son at home, but then I went to the Parents and Toddlers group and it was so welcoming. I met people there who, after all this time, are still my closest friends."

The building provides a much needed base to a range of weekly children’s groups/clubs. Both the football and table tennis clubs have thriving Junior teams which compete in local leagues, and have a strong focus on attracting and developing both boys & girls within their sport. In addition, Brownies, Guides, Youth Club, Junior Wind Band, Dance & Theatre Classes offer diverse opportunities for local children of all ages. 

Chinley Juniors Football Club; training session; Under 12's girls team

We have a number of regular groups and providers which hold a range of arts, crafts and interests sessions at the centre, including the Community Cinema which offers screenings of current films on a large drop-down display, a Book Club, Craft Club, art & language lessons and felting workshops.

The centre hosts a number of social groups each week, which are open to all but are particularly popular with the over 50's, to combat potential isolation & loneliness - Friday Friends offers a range of activities including quizzes, bingo and day trips out; the weekly Book Swap & Drop was initially set up when the local mobile library service was under threat and has grown into a very popular community coffee morning.

"A lot of activities are based here for the older generation who really wouldn't get out if it wasn't for the building. Its a godsend, an absolute godsend"

Friday Friends quiz and coach trip

The Community Association delivers an array of sessions aimed at supporting vulnerable residents within the community. In particular, we identified a local need to help those affected by dementia and started up Musical Memories, a singalong session using live music to benefit people with dementia, but also providing a support network for their carers; as well as special monthly cinema screenings of nostalgic classics in a relaxed environment. Last winter, in response to rising fuel costs, we introduced weekly Warm Space drop-in sessions offering a friendly ear and free refreshments. Monthly Citizens Advice surgeries are available to help residents to access a wide range of support and advice. 

"This is a real lifeline for both sufferers and their carers. When I came to Musical Memories with my wife it would really lift her mood. She would smile and raise her hands and become more relaxed"

The Community Centre is the focal point for many annual events & special celebrations for the whole community, with the Community Association organising a seasonal Summer Fete with its hotly contested Tug Of War competition; Christmas Market, full of mulled wine, mince pies and festive gifts; Over 60's Christmas lunch; and recent Platinum Jubilee & Coronation parties

Family fun at recent summer fetes 

The Centre is also used for a range of one-off events, including a polling station for elections, parties & wedding receptions, private functions and music concerts. 

The community found ways to support each other during the pandemic, with zoom classes and Christmas dinners delivered to people in their own home. But it was clear that the centre was central to community life and wellbeing. It has been really exciting to support community recovery as activities restarted again. Some have even continued to run hybrid activities, such as combined Zoom and in-person exercise classes, which are more inclusive for those with young children at home, and those who prefer solitary rather than group activity.

The Community Centre is at the heart of everything we do. It is what enables us to be there for the people in our community. There is overwhelming support for the new building, and it will ensure we are able to continue to offer a warm, welcoming and safe space for all local residents for years to come.

We also have big plans for the future, and the new community centre would allow us to expand the current range of activities on offer. Particularly we would like to focus on introducing initiatives for local residents with physical and mental health support needs, as well as sustainability projects, such as a repair cafe.

"I live in the next town to Chinley. 4 years ago I saw an advert in the local paper saying come to Chinley and walk with us on Fridays. This opened up my life. I met wonderful, friendly people. My new friends introduced me to Book Swap and craft club and I haven't looked back. I don't know what I would have done, at a really bad time in my life, without my Chinley friends and activities"

How the money raised will be spent

The new Community Centre will be built on the same site but will be slightly larger and with a better layout to offer additional facilities and allow multiple groups to use the space at the same time. It will include a main hall, multipurpose meeting room, social space with library area, an outside terrace with views over the playing fields, a communal kitchen and changing rooms. 

To ensure that our services will be fully accessible by all members of the community, the new building has been designed with step-free access, disabled toilets and shower, and includes a hearing loop system in both the main hall & multipurpose room.

The new building will include the use of recycled materials; solar panels and an air source heat pump will provide renewable energy. It will be highly insulated with a number of energy-saving features including LED lighting and underfloor heating. The sustainable design will significantly reduce running costs and carbon emissions over its lifetime and ensure that the building can serve current and future generations of residents for many years to come.

For the past decade we have been working together with the local Parish Council on a project to replace the old building, and are nearly at the point of being ready to begin construction. We were recently awarded high profile grants towards the cost of our project, including £490,000 from the National Lottery Community Fund and £100,000 from Derbyshire County Council. 

This means we are three quarters of the way toward reaching our target. We must secure the final £350,000 by the end of this year. We have a number of bids pending, have approached local businesses for support, and are launching this crowdfunding campaign with the aim of raising a further £25,000. This is one of the last pieces of the funding jigsaw.

How you can help

There are three simple ways to help us reach our target, and make this project a reality:

1. Make a pledge. Bag yourself some goodies in return for your generosity by claiming pledge rewards. We have a wide range of rewards on offer, valued from £5 and more. Each reward has a minimum value, but any additional amount that you can donate is very welcome. But if you would prefer, you can simply make a donation and not claim a reward.

2. Spread the word. Share our project on your social media pages and tell the world to get behind the new Chinley & Buxworth Community Centre! The more people we reach, the more funds we will raise.

3. Run your own fundraiser. Do a sponsored activity/challenge, or organise an event. Use the 'contact project' button at the top of our page to let us know. Setting up your own page only takes a few minutes and you won't need any bank details. All you need is a fun idea!

Recent celebrations for the King's Coronation

We'd like to thank all of the wonderful local businesses who have so generously offered Rewards for our campaign. Take a look and decide which one you'd like to claim today. Thank you for your support.