The coronavirus pandemic has revealed the true scale and increased demands for community centres across the UK.
With the rapid reduction in funding, youth organisations have found themselves at risk of closure and the added pressures of the previous lockdowns has caused huge financial losses.
Docklands Community Centre in St Pauls has been supporting generations of residents since 1927 and its youth service has been supporting the area's families since 1980.
READ MORE: Bristol Live launches Benefit Bristol campaign
As part of our campaign Benefit Bristol - which Bristol Live will be running over the next few months to highlight some of the support available to Bristol's most disadvantaged families - we spoke to the organisation about the toll the last 18 months has taken after it lost more than £90,000 in income from having to close the building due to coronavirus.
Jonathan Newey, managing director of Docklands Community Centre, said: “The pressures on all of us last year were immense, this resulted in burn out, high turnover of staff and a loss in connection between our team and community that can really only come from face to face activity.”
Charmaine Lawrence, Full Circle Youth development manager, said: "The Covid-19 pandemic and national lockdowns negatively impacted families and young people. The lockdowns were especially detrimental to the families already plagued with poverty, mental health, poor education, safeguarding and other issues.
“I knew first-hand how parents have struggled during the lockdowns—balancing remote working, home life, and then home schooling. The pressure was intense for even the most efficient families.
“Not to mention the emotional toll and various ways that lockdowns negatively impacted mental health.”
The Community Centre is now in the running to win a share of a £1million Persimmon Homes Building Futures fund aimed at supporting under-18s across the UK, where cash awards of £100,000, £50,000 or £20,000 will be made to those with the most online votes.
“We’re so proud to be chosen as a regional finalist and it’s given everyone a massive boost. If we could win any of the top three cash awards then it would make a massive difference to the communities we support on a daily basis.
“The £100k would be transformational, this would give us two solid years of youth delivery. This reaches over 2000 people each year and supports some of those most in need within our community,” said Jonathan.
“Winning the prize would allow us to offer further practical, immediate support, relieve some stress and make a positive difference. We would do this by supporting young people, parents, local schools and the broader community by extending our various provisions and community services.
“Holistic healing and community repair are desperately needed. We could not prevent the pandemic, but we will all remember how we respond and serve our community while moving forward for generations to come,” Charmaine added.
To support the community centre, click here and select Full Circle @ Docklands.
Voting closes at midnight on Friday, November 19.
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