‘Community spaces can be a lifeline’ – Portsmouth’s Spark hub boosted by Asda Foundation grant

The Asda Foundation informed 31 different community groups nationwide that their Spaces and Places grant application had been successful.

The grants total over £600,000, ranging between £10,000 and £25,000 with the aim of improving community spaces in local communities across the UK.  

Spark Community Space is a registered charity, based in Southsea, which was launched in October 2020 by Becki Simmons.

Asda Portsmouth Community Champion, Danielle Dean, told Spark that they were being awarded the maximum £25,000 grant.

In addition to paying for a new heating system, the cash will also go towards creating a social media suite.

Danielle, together with store manager Joe and community lead Catherine, presented the Spark team with a big cheque.

Danielle said: ‘Anyone is welcome at Spark at anytime. It is a pay-as-you-can afford space. They serve tea and coffee, toasties and cake. Having heating will mean the space can be used all-year round and will be a place of warmth and friendship.

‘The social media suite will be used to teach people, old and young, how to navigate social media.

‘I've been working with Becki for the last two years and it’s been a pleasure to see the group grow.

‘What started with a small donation of cake for a weekly coffee morning has developed into funding a heating system and social media suite.’

The criteria for the funding included costs to go towards renovations, repairs or transforming outdoor spaces, with projects ranging from upgrading a community kitchen and café, to roof repairs, to refurbishing a whole community building to improve accessibility, to creating an outdoor nature and sensory trail.

The challenges faced in local communities are complex and bigger than ever with the challenges to get appropriate space and the funding for general running expenses. It is often small, grassroots groups which are the lifeline for many, but funding is needed to ensure these vital spaces from where they operate don’t vanish from local communities.

Alexandra Preston, Asda Foundation Senior Manager, said: ‘Every community needs a safe inclusive space for people to be together and be themselves.

‘Community spaces can be a lifeline, but we know many are in desperate need of funding to maintain, develop and repair these spaces to enable community groups to continue delivering their vital services and activities.

‘That’s where Asda Foundation have helped with funding at Spark Community Space.

We want to continue playing our part in uniting communities and reducing loneliness by improving community spaces for people to be together.’