About Sidings
Sidings Community Centre, which opened in May 1983, celebrates 40 years of providing services primarily for the local community in the wider area around West Hampstead and North Kilburn. We are currently one of Camden’s funded community centres and offer a range of services which include: Early Years Centre Services, Play and Youth projects, UK Online Computer and Digital Learning Centre, Adult Community Education Classes, and Health & Fitness activities. Our premises offer a range of facilities for local group meetings, large and small consultation events, and training rooms, both public and private hire – according to availability.
The centre works in partnership with local voluntary and Camden-wide organisations to develop more opportunities for the wider community and improve the inclusion of communities which are currently under-represented in decision-making and local service use. We encourage local people to “have a say” in the design and development of their local community and produce regular newsletters to local residents up to date with news about the wider neighbourhood. Our Services aim to give local people the opportunity to acquire skills to maximise their chances in life, turn aspirations into reality, nurture and develop creativity, and enable people of all ages to be better equipped to play an active role in community life and enjoy being part of their neighbourhood.
Our Centre Charter emphasises our key aims – welcome people, foster a climate of respect and act as a broker for the community to provide opportunity, nurture aspiration and offer support to those most in need.
The centre premises are purpose-built, all on one level, and offer flexible, multi-use space which is used within a busy programme 7 days a week throughout the year. We are uniquely situated on the edge of Maygrove Peace Park and are able to use the sports and open space facilities for health, fitness, sports, youth and play activities. As of Spring 2016, the area around the centre is somewhat surrounded by a programme of intensified development, identified as a Growth Area – prompted by the excellent transport connections. The centre is therefore looking ahead to how best to be able to respond to this influx of new people in our community.
Like all VCS organisations, the centre is facing a future that must be less dependent on council-led funding and is also busy looking at how to reshape services and create new funding and resource structures to take us forward to maintain sustainability. This will place a renewed emphasis on the use of volunteers, and introduce new opportunities for engaging with the business, health and other sectors to develop new partnerships. We are looking forward to launching our new Business Plan in March 2016.
The centre is a Registered Charity and Company Limited by Guarantee, managed voluntarily by a group of Trustees/ Directors. The activities are delivered or coordinated by an extremely dedicated staff and volunteers. We welcome input from the community for new ideas and offers of help.
For further information about our services, how to offer support and get involved – please look through the website and contact us for further details.
