Buddy up at The Bridgend Centre

Bridgend Centre Manager, Ms Rebecca Lea, and her team are expanding their buddying scheme whilst continuing to deliver a wide range of services to the community. 

The Bridgend Centre, made up of an active team of staff and volunteers, offered vital services for vulnerable local residents during the pandemic, and since lockdown restrictions eased, they’ve been able to build upon the wide range of activities on offer. 

Following successful bidding for a Cheshire East Covid Recovery Grant, the Centre has recently expanded the Bridgend Buddies project which aims to link someone who may be isolated or vulnerable in the community with a volunteer, offering companionship and support. The Centre currently has around 17 partnerships and the team are looking to recruit more buddies to expand on this impressive initiative.

During a recent visit, Macclesfield MP, David Rutley, was shown the wood workshop which offers both drop-in sessions and a professionally run structured course for all skill sets. Some of the highly skilled items made in the workshop can be found for sale in the charity shop with bespoke items – such as outdoor planters, aeroplanes, etc being made on request.

The Bridgend guided walks continue in 2022 along with with a shorter evening ‘walk for health’ on a Mondays – running until September – a great way to explore the local countryside.

The 12^th Bollington Walking Festival, which the Bridgend Centre helps coordinate, begins on 10^th September, with approximately 40 walks of various lengths and themes. Some walks do require advance booking and payment, and all information can be found on the website www.bollingtonwalkingfestival.co.uk or by contacting the Centre.

The Bridgend Centre is located at 104 Palmerston Street, Bollington, SK10 5PW. Anyone looking for further information on the buddy scheme and other activities available at the Centre can find information at https://bridgendcentre.org.uk/. Also, if you are seeking to support the vital work the Bridgend Centre does, further information can be found on their website.

Speaking after his meeting, David said, “I always enjoy visiting the Bridgend Centre and seeing first-hand the important work Rebecca and her team are doing for so many vulnerable people and our community. Bridgend Buddies, will continue their vital work against isolation and as a Patron, I am very proud of all the team continues to do. I would encourage more local residents to do all they can to support the Bridgend Centre.”