A GROUP with its sights set on keeping a building open for community use is feeling optimistic as a new year of activities gets under way.
The Zone Health and Wellbeing Hub is the name for the former Methodist Church building in Downderry, now a thriving centre for groups of all sorts from parents and toddlers to first aid training.
The chapel has long hosted community activities, but when, 18 months ago, it closed as a place of worship, local people decided that a plan of action was needed.
Chairman of the management group Adrian Kemp explained: “We knew we needed a target to work towards.
“We quickly pulled together a steering group of eight people with skills and experience in things like property, finance and community engagement.
“One of the first things we did was have the building declared as an asset of community value through Cornwall Council.”
This meant that should the property be put up for sale, there would be a six month grace period before sale on the open market, to give the community time to raise funds to buy the building.
The Saltash Methodist Circuit did put the chapel up for sale in 2024, and the six month period has now passed. In the meantime though, The Zone Community Interest Organisation has been managing the building on behalf of the Methodists, and the venue has proved itself sustainable.
In December, The Zone learned that it had been successful in a £80,000 bid to Cornwall’s Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) Fund, money which will go a long way towards the purchase. The management group had hoped that a parallel application to a national Community Ownership Fund would make up the difference: sadly, this fund was scrapped entirely along with the change in Government, and it’s yet to become clear what the equivalent scheme will be, says Adrian.
Nonetheless, he and the committee are confident in what the future holds. The next step will be to put in a planning application for change of use. The parish council has been supportive and so too has the Downderry and Seaton Residents Association, which has funded the application process.
“We were really pleased with the response from Cornwall Council on the CIL funding, because when you have one funder in place, it’s more likely others will come on board as well,” said Adrian.
The Downderry Activities Group (DAG) coordinates much of what goes on at The Zone and thanks to their own grant funding, and working together with the local Primary Care Network and Social Prescribers, they’re able to offer free or heavily subsidised sessions to local people.
Art, music, yoga, gentle exercise and dance are among the regular activities for all ages that take place, with one-offs such as a silent film night and defibrillator training also on the calendar.
“It’s a space people say is calm and allows them to relax,” Adrian says. “We have increased footfall here by 75 per cent in the last year. We are confident about being able to realise the project.”
