A HISTORIC community building in a Tameside village which was at risk of closure has seen signs of a ‘remarkable turnaround’ but needs more support to secure its future.
For nearly two centuries, the Grade II listed building on Church Brow has been at the heart of Mottram.
Built in 1832 as a Sunday School and later serving as Mottram National School until 1955, Mottram Community Centre has welcomed generations of local people.
Since 1957, it has been run entirely by volunteers as Mottram Community Association – a registered charity – has hosted everything from toddler groups and craft afternoons to public meetings and private celebrations.
Earlier this year, the outlook for the centre looked bleak – with a shortage of trustees, a fall in bookings, and urgent maintenance needs putting it at risk of closure.
New faces involved
However, there have been shoots of recovery, starting with the centre’s longest-standing trustee being joined by three new faces.
Retired school admin assistant Sarah Davies has been joined by Lorraine Gilmore, who previously worked in housing within the voluntary sector; Joanne Jaeger-Booth, a marketing expert and local business owner who lives directly opposite the centre; and Thea Hanson-Orr, who has experience in venue management and community projects.
The four women have already begun turning plans into action to breathe new life into the centre.
Maintenance works have started, new events are in the pipeline, and more private bookings are being confirmed.
Local business owner Ben Leech, of CBRJ, has secured the roof by donating both time and materials.
On Saturday, September 13, the centre will host its first Volunteer Day – led by multi-award-winning gardener Lauren France – to begin transforming the ‘secret garden’ into a community kitchen garden and peaceful haven.
‘If we don’t act now, this beautiful historic building could close forever’
The journey, though, is far from over as the trustees say they urgently need a new commercial kitchen, a bar area for private events and fundraisers, new curtains for 24 windows, fresh entrance flooring, a lift and major support for the garden project to fully modernise the hall and make it accessible to all.
“I’ve seen first-hand how important it is as a gathering place,” said Sarah. “We’ve made great strides, but without more help we could still lose it.”
Lorraine added: “I’ve worked in places where community spaces make all the difference. This hall can be a safe, welcoming home for so many activities & groups, but we can’t achieve that vision without wider support.”
And Thea agreed: “This building is built on heritage and centred around community. It’s an asset to us all. With my background in venue management, I know how much work goes into keeping a place like this running. The goodwill is here, now we need the practical help to match it.”
Joanna said: “Living opposite, I see the potential every single day. This building could be buzzing with life all week long. We just need people to back us, whether that’s booking it, volunteering, or sponsoring improvements. My biggest fear is we will be forced to close our doors and this community asset is lost forever and our historic building is turned into expensive flats.”
The trustees are appealing to local businesses, tradespeople, and residents to step forward, whether by sponsoring materials, lending expertise, volunteering time, donations, or booking the hall for events.
“If we don’t act now,” Joanna warned, “this beautiful historic building could close forever. We simply cannot let that happen.”
To get involved, email mottramcommunitycentre@gmail.com, follow ‘Mottram Community Centre’ on Facebook, or join the Facebook group ‘Friends of Mottram Community Association’.