Waterlooville Community Centre supported by ‘fantastic’ £27,500 donation from Asda Foundation

A BOOST of £27,500 to Waterlooville Community Centre’s new kitchen fund will benefit up to 300 people each day.
By Belinda Dickins
Published 21st Jun 2019, 13:00 BST
Updated 21st Jun 2019, 18:32 BST
Pictured is: (back l-r) Gary Garnet, contracts manager for Purkiss Builders, Pat James, volunteer, Tom Newey, deputy store manager at Asda Waterlooville and Joan Manktelow, chair of trustees with (front l-r) Judy Clementson, treasurer, Jacqui Benham, community champion at Asda Waterlooville and Angela Riley, centre manager. Picture: Sarah Standing (200619-1253)Pictured is: (back l-r) Gary Garnet, contracts manager for Purkiss Builders, Pat James, volunteer, Tom Newey, deputy store manager at Asda Waterlooville and Joan Manktelow, chair of trustees with (front l-r) Judy Clementson, treasurer, Jacqui Benham, community champion at Asda Waterlooville and Angela Riley, centre manager. Picture: Sarah Standing (200619-1253)
Pictured is: (back l-r) Gary Garnet, contracts manager for Purkiss Builders, Pat James, volunteer, Tom Newey, deputy store manager at Asda Waterlooville and Joan Manktelow, chair of trustees with (front l-r) Judy Clementson, treasurer, Jacqui Benham, community champion at Asda Waterlooville and Angela Riley, centre manager. Picture: Sarah Standing (200619-1253)

After volunteers at the centre in Maurepas Way managed to fund most of the renovations themselves, Asda Foundation provided a generous donation to help them along.

The new facilities were launched this week, with special guests including Jacqui Benham, community champion at next-door neighbour Asda Waterlooville and Gary Garnett, contracts manager for Purkiss Builders which created the new kitchen.

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Jacqui said: ‘It’s going to make such a difference to the centre because they will be able to run more lunch clubs.

Pictured is: (l-r) Gary Garnett, contracts manager for Purkiss Builders, Angela Riley, centre manager, Jacqui Benham, community champion at Asda Waterlooville, Tom Newey, deputy store manager at Asda Waterlooville, Pat James, volunteer, Joan Manktelow, chair of trustees and Judy Clementson, treasurer. Picture: Sarah Standing (200619-1232)Pictured is: (l-r) Gary Garnett, contracts manager for Purkiss Builders, Angela Riley, centre manager, Jacqui Benham, community champion at Asda Waterlooville, Tom Newey, deputy store manager at Asda Waterlooville, Pat James, volunteer, Joan Manktelow, chair of trustees and Judy Clementson, treasurer. Picture: Sarah Standing (200619-1232)
Pictured is: (l-r) Gary Garnett, contracts manager for Purkiss Builders, Angela Riley, centre manager, Jacqui Benham, community champion at Asda Waterlooville, Tom Newey, deputy store manager at Asda Waterlooville, Pat James, volunteer, Joan Manktelow, chair of trustees and Judy Clementson, treasurer. Picture: Sarah Standing (200619-1232)

‘It’s really important for Asda because it’s right on our doorstep. It’s Asda’s way to give a bit back to the community.’

Asda Foundation provides funding and grants to support programmes which aim to improve lives for people and communities in the UK.

Each day, up to 300 people visit the community centre to enjoy baby showers, christenings, karate, tea dances, Slimming World, flower arranging, blood drives and more.

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The new kitchen is much larger than the old facilities, and will particularly benefit regular users of the lunch club.

The new kitchen at Waterlooville Community Centre. Picture: Sarah Standing (200619-1219)The new kitchen at Waterlooville Community Centre. Picture: Sarah Standing (200619-1219)
The new kitchen at Waterlooville Community Centre. Picture: Sarah Standing (200619-1219)

Judy Clementson, treasurer, said: ‘This is a fantastic contribution from Asda. We don’t have enough volunteers for the lunch club, the fact is we can’t run it without volunteers and it’s so important. It’s a lifeline to a lot of people, it’s just hard to find people to come and help.’

The grand plans for the community centre don’t stop there however, as the team is now raising funds to create an orangery as well as a Changing Places toilet, which will meet the needs of people with many types of disability and allow them to use the toilets safely and comfortably.