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Build Project
The Multi Purpose Activity Centre

THE BENEFITS

The benefits of this community building are widespread and fall into the following categories;

• Energy Efficiency

The new building will encompass as many green features as it is practical to employ, including up to date insulation, double glazing and under-floor heating and will be made ready to employ others as new technologies become financially viable.

The roof will be built ready to take solar panels, so that as and when further funding becomes available we will be able take advantage of low cost renewable energy.

• Improvements for People with Disabilities

The Activity Centre will be purpose built, rather than being modified to cater to those less able bodied.  It is anticipated that climbing classes will run specifically designed for disabled people, bringing them the opportunity for a radically new experience locally and at a very low cost.

• Increased Number of Users

We are in a position at the moment of having to turn away people who would benefit from using our facilities because we haven’t the space to accommodate a growing need.  Without the special features of the new build i.e. the climbing wall, we already have an established and growing client base.  The climbing wall, dance mirrors and staging we intend to provide will only embellish this potential.

• Social Inclusion

We are consistently reminded by our users of the growing feeling of isolation in our area, and within Tiverton as a whole.  Certainly people in Westexe feel cut-off from the rest of town, especially at off-peak times when there is no public transport to take them into town or further afield to the amenity rich cities.  The provision of a new community building, where organised activities can easily be accessed by parents of young families, young people and the older generation all of whom tend to lack their own transport will help to combat this trend.

• Attracting Young People

Offering something new to the young people of the town will encourage them to become involved in an activity which has been shown to improve self-esteem and confidence.  We will provide somewhere not too far from home to participate in confidence building activities and to find a sense of belonging and gain self respect.

• Sense of Community Pride

It is also our belief that seeing such an ambitious project unfolding and growing on their doorsteps will only increase the communities’ view of itself, what can be achieved and what the community as a whole has to offer.  We are determined to get this building off of the ground and to bring a positive vibe to Westexe, Tiverton and the surrounding areas.

FUND RAISING

We are trying to raise enough money to build the Multi Purpose Activity centre, including the indoor climbing Wall.   The new building will cost £300,000.   So far we have raised over half of the amount needed.   (please check the top of the page for latest update).

• Buy a Brick

by buying a brick for £5 either as an individual or as a family, you help us get closer to the dream.
when you buy your brick, we send you an offical brick signed by a trustee thanking you for your contribution.  your name will be added to a display in the new building.

• Quizes, Bingos and Christmas prise draw.

we run lots of inhouse competitions, that are a £1 entry with a 1st prize being £10. these are held every couple of months.   if you like to enter, you may enter at the onsite Cafe.

• Grant making Trusts

The majority of our fund raising comes from these people or organisations such as: Uffculme Environmental Ltd,  our Local Councillor and an anonymous local benefactor.

THE SOLAR PV PROJECT

 

The Trustees decided that as a community building we had a duty to set a positive example, and a responsibility to the community we serve to take steps to not only reduce our increasing utility costs but play our part in helping the environment by reducing our carbon footprint.  With an ideally situated south facing roof, Photovoltaic cells were considered to be the best option for putting this belief into practice.
The return on our investment via the income from the Feed in Tariff will also secure the long term future of this community building.

 

After investigating the best possible product within our budget we decided on a 3.68kwp system which was installed by a local company – Woofenden Renewables.  The array was installed on September 12, and made us the first Community Building in Tiverton to utilize renewable energy sources.

All of the information that our system generates and records is available on the website;

 www.sunnyportal.com/Templates/PublicPageOverview.aspx?plant=8b0b1132-623d-4bb3-ba72-0d0e8f294b3d&splang=en-GB

this information is also available live to the public using the centre on a large screen in our building and a link to it can be found on our website.  Heathcoat Primary – a local school is using the information gathered from the “sunnyportal” to carry out a long term project studying solar energy. 

We are very grateful to the Naturesave Trust for their donation of £2000 and to Councillor Polly Colthorpe for her donation of £750 which has enabled this project to go ahead.

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Registered Charity No: 1063152