We, the residents in Meads and users of the Parish Hall in Meads Street, Eastbourne, express our strong support for the campaign by the local community to take over, repair and run the hall, preserving its use as a Meads Community Centre.
Why is this important?
The Parish Hall has suddenly been closed for safety reasons and all events and hiring in the run up to Christmas have been cancelled.
During this year a working group, under the auspices of the Meads Community Association, has been doing due diligence and having discussions with the church authorities to take over the building and restore it to modern-day standards. The detailed work on this project has revealed that parts of the hall need immediate safety work and shorter-term remedial work, as well as longer-term investment - all of which is achievable.
The future of the hall is at serious risk without intervention, which is why we need your support to reopen it as soon as possible. If closed over the winter (other than a short period to make it safe) it will be left empty and unheated, and will deteriorate further, possibly to the extent that it will be permanently closed.
This hall is the centre of the local community, it has good access, with public transport nearby and is regularly used by local community groups with a wide range of activities. Envisioned improvements will make it the 'go-to' venue for even more.
Closure, for other than a short term, will mean local groups who regularly use the hall will be forced to find alternative venues, which will impact finances at such a critical time.
Please sign to show your support for the preservation and running of this well-known and much-loved community space by a community-led group to form a Meads Community Centre.
[email protected]
How it will be delivered
This show of support will be used to evidence the community feeling.
It may be referenced in funding applications by Meads (Eastbourne) Community Centre.
