CROSS-LINKS DOVER
We are an ecumenical fresh expression of church working in Dover, Kent with a particular focus on the Buckland estate. We provide a wide range of community based activities and services as part of a common effort alongside other agencies, groups and organisations to transform community.
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- am the Chair of Trustees at Crosslinks in Dover. We are an Ecumenical project on Buckland Estate in Dover which is seen as one of the most deprived areas in the County.
Our project runs from a building on the estate which is in a prime position in a row of local shops. We have amazing support from Dover District Council who are keen for us to expand our project into an adjoining building and giving us the opportunity to increase the impact we have on the estate by creating a coffee shop in our initial building and a technical hub in the new building for homework groups, cv writing, after school clubs etc. The buildings would also become a hub for outside agencies to use for meetings and group sessions.
During Covid19 our youth worker and Centre Manager Becky remained in contact with the community providing assistance through Dover Foodbank and working closely with Kent County Council Youth Service. The emphasis shifted slightly during this time from youth work to looking at what the community as a whole needed and our plans for the future changed to reflect this.
The coffee shop would be run by the community enabling work experience, qualifications and the opportunity for an extremely isolated community to have a place to go and call their own.
Needless to say we are going to have to fund this project. Dover District Council are prepared to renovate the new property as closely to our needs as possible. We already have funding for a new frontage and for CCTV and Wi-fi to go into the building.
Our initial contribution to the project is £20,000. We will then need to refit the kitchen area and provide furniture which we are expecting to be in the vicinity of a further £30,000.
We provide emotional as well as practical support to help our young people access opportunities and support them in their journey. We have worked closely with Kent Police and KCC to break down Cross County gangs and decrease anti social behaviour. This has increased the sense of pride in their community and has built intergenerational bridgrs our work will expand this as we go forwarded and open our new community hub in September.