Woodgate Hub handed over toSt Catherine's hospice

We've celebrated a significant milestone in the delivery of our Woodgate scheme, in Pease Pottage. The team have officially handed over the newly built community hub and shop to St Catherine’s Hospice and Plunkett UK. The delivery of the project has been a collaborative venture between all three organisations, who have created the multi-functional space for the benefit of Woodgate residents and the wider community.

St Catherine’s Hospice, which provides expert end of life care and support to terminally ill people and their families across West Sussex and East Surrey, will run the café in the community hub building as a fundraising initiative, as well as managing the building and its meeting spaces.

The shop will be run by the community, for the community, by a Steering Group made up of volunteers from the local area. They will be supported by Plunkett UK, a charity that has operated for almost a century providing practical advice, support and training to help new communities become more established and run successful businesses with long-term success.

This milestone gift to the community means that St Catherine’s and the Community Steering Group can now occupy their respective spaces within the Hub and make plans for opening their doors to customers from the surrounding neighbourhood and beyond.

Ben Colclough, Head of Marketing & Communications at St Catherine’s Hospice, said: ‘We’re really excited about having the chance to run the Woodgate Hub and café. It’s a fantastic building that we’re sure will become a popular destination for local residents. We’re looking forward to giving everyone a warm welcome, and great cup of coffee, very soon.’

Plunkett Foundation Head of Engagement, Harriet English, said: ‘Today marks an exciting milestone in the creation of a brand-new community hub at the heart of Woodgate and for the innovative partnership between the local community, St Catherine’s Hospice, Thakeham and the Plunkett Foundation.

The new community hub will not only provide a much-needed café, shop and meeting rooms for the residents of Woodgate, but it will serve everyone from the surrounding communities of Pease Pottage, Slaugham, Warninglid, Handcross and beyond. Plunkett recognises that communities thrive when they have access to core services as well as a place to meet and to socialise. By placing the hub at the heart of Woodgate, the partnership is building a resilient local community not just for today, but for future residents for decades to come.’

Wednesday’s event gave us and St Catherine’s the opportunity to acknowledge and thank all those who have been involved in the design and construction of the building for their hard work and dedication in facilitating the delivery of this vital community asset. It is hoped that this multi-functional space will continue to serve future generations for years to come.

Our CEO Rob Boughton, said of this milestone: ‘’We build sustainable, enduring communities and the Woodgate Hub is a central feature of the Pease Pottage scheme and shows what can be achieved with great collaboration. The building is an incredible facility and will serve so many people for years to come.

As we hand this building over to St Catherine’s Hospice and the local community, I want to express huge thanks to everyone involved in this project. This achievement is a testament to a collective effort and demonstrates all of our dedication to the Pease Pottage community. ‘’

Woodgate, located to the south of Crawley, is being built in partnership with Abri, as part of a flagship joint venture. In addition to the Woodgate Hub, we have delivered a host of amenities for the benefit of residents and the surrounding area including a primary school, village green and play areas, as well as its new homes at Woodgate.