Cottonmill Community and Cycling Centre

Join our Cottonmill Adventure #LoveWhereYouLive 

Help build our new community centre with added cycling activities - bang in the heart of Cottonmill! 

We need your donations to get past the final challenge!

There are loads of 'rewards' given by local businesses for your donation - give as gifts or keep for yourself! From Tote Bags to Spa Days..

It all began in 2018 with two local people having a chat about the lack of community and youth facilities in Cottonmill, one of the most deprived areas in St Albans.*

3 years later, after loads of meetings, resident surveys, consultations, fund-raising, and zooms… the building work has finally begun at the Marlborough green space.

We now need your help at this last stage! And if you're quick - there are great rewards donated by our fabulous local people & businesses! Give as much as you can! 

The all-inclusive building will be an eco-friendly Community and Cycling Centre, with St Alban’s flagship Cycling Hub and outdoor cycle activities - bang in the heart of Cottonmill. It provides a space for all people - the young, the elderly, the isolated, young mums,  people with disabilities, and everyone else -  to meet, come together, learn, enjoy, socialise and build health and well-being for everyone.

More about the centre - designed by the community for the community

• All-inclusive brand-new community and cycling centre 
• Environmentally sympathetic build with solar panels, heat pumps, green roof
• Large and small halls for hire
• Community café
• Community kitchen
• Quiet Room – safe wellbeing space for people to have a moment's peace and self reflection. Dementia friendly, suitable for people with disabilities, and those with mental health stress.
• Space for hire for keep-fit; yoga; dance; advice, health; lunch-clubs; meet-ups; art classes; film nights; foodshare, homework clubs; foodbank, cooking classes; youth clubs; socials; weddings and more
• Wudu washing (ablution) facilities for both men and women
• Disability access and facilities (including specialist Changing Places toilet) for people with disabilities 
• Cycling hub for bike repairs/workshops
• External Cyclo-cross track and BMX track – with space for all-ability bikes – so young and old, beginners and experienced cyclists – all abilities can develop and practice cycling skills; get fit, have fun, get healthy
• Changing rooms for indoor/outdoor sports activities including football

Donate a brick - with your name engraved!

For £50+ you can actually help build the centre with a brick engraved with YOUR NAME on it - this is a lasting memory of your contribution - on one of the inner walls. See example on the photo. Go to 'Rewards' to #buyabrick

Business? - please see here

Who Are We?

The Cottonmill Community and Cycling Centre Fund-raising Group consist of  Cottonmill and Sopwell Hub campaign group, Verulam Cycling Club and Sopwell Community Trust and this Crowdfunding is a major part of our task.

What is this about?

This Community Crowdfunding is aiming to raise £20,000

St Albans City and District Council has worked hard to secure major funding for Cottonmill’s amazing new inclusive community and cycling centre. With rooms for hire, a community café, and an environmentally sympathetic build, the centre will be accessible for all local people to use and enjoy. Facilities and activities will benefit the whole of St Albans and beyond!

The plan is to complete the new building at the former Marlborough Pavilion site, off Old Oak, Cottonmill Lane AL1, in 2022.

Building costs have recently increased, and the local community have been asked to help raise a total of £79k funds, through grants, business donations and this crowdfunder - all before March 2022!

What will the money be spent on?

• £10,000 towards  the Changing Places toilet – to ensure that disabled people can access the centre and all its activities, with dignity
• £5,000 to kit out the community kitchen – we need good quality kitchen units, ovens, large fridge/freezer - to help create community events/cooking skills/support for food poverty 
• £2,000 for the Quiet and Well-being Room – to help build, furnish/decorate this space for people to take a moment's peace and self reflection -dementia friendly accessible space, for people of all ages/abilities needing space away from the crowds.
• £3,000 towards the external all-ability cycling track to inspire an increase in cycling for leisure and transport – for kids and adults

Rewards - images of exclusive Sopwell print designs

More about Sopwell - one of the most deprived areas in St Albans

Sopwell ward is among one of the most disadvantaged areas in St Albans*.  It’s home to 7,500 residents, many of whom live in the Cottonmill estate, which was built after the Second World War. Despite being in the affluent city of St Albans, Sopwell has two Super Output Areas (SOAs)/sub-ward areas (17A and 17B) that are in the 40% most deprived in England. Both of these SOAs are located in the Cottonmill Estate. 

Many indicators in Sopwell are lower than the district average. It has one of the highest rates of people with no qualifications, unemployment, residents reporting their day-to-day activities are limited, self-reported bad and very bad health, and the lowest life expectancies.

In addition, Sopwell has a diverse population, with a large Bangladeshi community, yet it lacks inclusive community facilities.  Unlike most other St. Albans estates, there is no dedicated community building, no social club, no library, no central pub, very few shops and a limited bus service.

Our new inclusive, accessible community centre will play a central role in delivering activities and services that will benefit our local community. It will reduce isolation - for young and old - bringing people together with a facility that can be used to support the physical and mental health and well-being of all our residents.

*LGA Basic facts about St Albans