Case Study : Elephant and Castle Community Hub
At the start of the first lockdown, it was clear that many businesses and people would be in desperate need of support and Delancey was quick to acknowledge this and identify ways it could continue and extend its support in the Elephant and Castle Community.
In March 2020, Delancey launched the Elephant and Castle Online Community Hub to bring together the local community at a time of great distress, the Hub moved online while the physical Community Hub located in the shopping centre remained closed. The virtual platform hosts an extensive range of free activities focussed on wellbeing including online yoga, meditation, arts and crafts, choir practice, baby music groups, cooking classes and online cheerleading classes for the over 60’s. Delancey has also worked with local partners including Apex College to host inspiring workshops including ‘How to become an entrepreneur’ and ‘How to start your own business’. Other free sessions have been hosted by Arthritis Action, Art in the Park, Disability Sport Coach, Silverfit and Retribe. Since its launch, the Hub has welcomed 14,700 visitors in total including 25,000 views from people benefiting from the 14 free online activities on offer.
With a following of over 1,000 people on the Community Hub Facebook page, the local community has benefitted from the Hub, this is exemplified by the following feedback; Lee Kempster, a member of the local community said “It’s been a godsend to the community, it’s really great. Because every day there is a different activity going on.” Mo Oriogun, another local in Elephant and Castle said “It brings inclusion, no discrimination. So it’s including old, young, people of different ethnicities, disabilities. It brings together a community. Definitely, no matter what language you speak. Especially with dance, everyone knows how to dance. That’s a language that everyone can interact with.”
As of October 2021 the Elephant and Castle Community Hub have been hosting activities in different venues across Elephant and Castle to invite their current members and welcome new ones to meet and connect in a physical space. Delancey’s ambition is to open a new permanent physical location for the Community Hub in Elephant and Castle so that the activities can run both in person and online. Building on the engagement and connections forged during the lockdowns, the Elephant and Castle Town Centre team are also set to launch a new community fund in the coming months to continue to support local charities and organisations affected by the pandemic.
For more information on the Elephant and Castle Online Community Hub and to watch a video from members of the Community Hub visit: https://communityhubse1.co.uk and Facebook @whatsonatelephant
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