New kitchen is helping out residents in need
A new community kitchen in the Seaham area is enabling many people in parts of East Durham to receive muchneeded support.
ThetransformationatEastlea Community Centre means the refurbished kitchen has been able to help out in a big way by providing hundreds of meals for residents who are vulnerable or isolating.
Durham County Council’s East Durham Area Action Partnership (AAP) supplied a £5,000 grant contribution fromlocalmembers–CllrsEddie and Jennifer Bell’s Neighbourhood Budgets. A further grant of £10,000 was issued by the National Lottery’s Awards for All Community Fund.
With additional appliances and food preparation sinks included in the fixtures and fittings, the community centre has been putting the new kitchen to the test to support its local residents.
Inasix-weekperiod,almost 400 lunches have been deliveredorpickedupfromthecentre. It also enabled vulnerable support groups to prepare, cook and enjoy a socially-distanced Christmas dinner.
Irene Waller, manager of Eastlea Community Centre, said: “Our grateful and sincere thanks are sent to Cllrs Eddie and Jennifer Bell for their consideration and to the Awards for All Community Fund for helping us to realise our dream.”
Cllr Brian Stephens, Durham County Council’s cabinet member for neighbourhood and local partnerships, said: “Community centres are at the heart of so many communities and it is fantastic to see howtheyarecontinuingtoprovide support for their nearby residents, thanks to funding from our AAPs and members’ Neighbourhood Budgets.”
More information about the council’s AAPs at www. durham.gov.uk/aaps