We’re delighted with the speedy progress of our new Companion Support and Wellbeing Hub, with many rooms, and the central courtyard garden now completed.
Starting just two months ago, the refurbishment of our central administrative building will bring our support and admin teams under one roof, thanks to a £30,000 grant from The Harpur Trust.
The newly renovated building will provide spaces and places to enhance our companions’ wellbeing, including rooms for therapeutic and developmental support, recreation and training needs. It will also upgrade our existing administration offices with bright and modern decor and facilities.
Our Chief Executive Officer, Donna-Louise Cobban, said: “I’m absolutely delighted with the progress being made on the project. Every day I’m seeing this fantastic multi-use hub springing into life around me, with rooms and areas undergoing a complete revamp.
“All the rooms in the building surround a wonderful new sensory garden which has been designed with different textures and elements to reflect different moods and feelings, creating a natural therapeutic retreat for our companions.
“A huge thank you to our wonderful team of builders from Orange Painting and Decorating Services, Ivel Roofing Ltd and DNR Fencing who are doing a wonderful job bringing this project to life, we really appreciate all their hard work.”
The hub is being created in the Dom Gregory building, named after the founder of Emmaus Village Carlton, the administrative core at the heart of our community. The refurbishment will enable our support team to be part of the main building, improving communications and easing access to resources for companions, staff and visitors.
The funding boost to make it all possible was from The Harpur Trust’s grants programme, which supports worthwhile community projects like ours. The Harpur Trust also funds a number of other projects in Bedford tackling homelessness.
For over 450 years, The Harpur Trust has been inspiring and supporting the people of Bedford to help them improve their lives by funding vital local projects, schools and vulnerable community groups. Find out more here.
Here are some images of some of the completed work…
