The Whaley Bridge Community Trust

Footsteps is a drop-in community centre at the heart of Whaley Bridge in the beautiful Peak District. It is a favourite spot for many local people since it opened 20 years ago in Mr & Mrs Hill's former shoe shop in Market Street.

Now it is assured of staying there, as the charitable trust that runs Footsteps has decided to buy the building outright.

Warm, safe and friendly, Footsteps is open six days a week and is staffed by a group of 20 plus volunteers under the leadership of 12 trustees.

With well over 100 customers Footsteps is valued as a place to have a friendly chat, relax and pass the time while out shopping, waiting to visit the dentist or the arrival of the bus. For those who feel isolated by disability, loneliness or boredom Footsteps provides a sanctuary from life's stresses:

"A perfect place to meet other people from the community - a place where everyone can feel welcome and safe - it brightens your day" A typical comment by a customer.

Besides the town of Whaley Bridge, Footsteps has loyal customers who travel in by bus or car from the nearby communities of Chapel-en-le Frith, Chinley  and Buxworth. However many of the customers are visitors to the area or passers-by.

Footsteps operates a community cafe and book shop selling a wide range of fiction and non-fiction books at a notional price. The proceeds of these sales provide the income that sustains the charity, supplemented by customer donations of money and books.

Footsteps aims to provide a neutral unthreatening environment, open to all on an inclusive basis. Here, you can also join in structured learning and meet as friends or as part of a community group. We also seek to assist residents who need direction as how to get help with their day to day problems. The building has a lift giving level access to all three floors and there are rooms for hire.

We now have the opportunity and challenge to buy-out our lease following our landlord's decision to sell the property.

Ownership will let Footsteps continue to meet local needs with greater confidence.

Martin Thomas, Chair of the Trustees said: "Whereas the regular 'shop' income will be enough to cover the mortgage repayments, we are seeking donations to meet unfunded purchase costs (£5000 gap in funding, fees, and surveys) , increased running costs of insurance and heating bills, repairs, redecorations and lift renovation. We are also on the look out for volunteers with relevant experience and free time".

You may make your donation from the link on this page, but if you wish to support our Closing the gap on the Building Purchase project, please donate through that page. Thank you!