VOLUNTEERS SET TO GIVE ‘BAGS OF HELP’ TO COMMUNITY

Centre back open again after 6 months

A COMMUNITY centre in Alsager has reopened this week for the first time in more than six months.

Alsager Community Support Centre closed to clients on March 23 when the country entered lockdown. But throughout the summer volunteers at the centre helped vulnerable people in the town with shopping and prescriptions.

In June and July the centre also ran their Community Kindness Campaign and delivered gifts to isolated residents, all of which were donated by local people.

Since June, the centre has been operating from an outdoor stall twice a week and has been distributing fabric face masks, mask exemption cards, as well as continuing with their lost property service.

And the popular pre-owned school uniform scheme has also been operating this year. Donations have been quarantined and orders have been placed by email, rather than the typical walk-in service. More than 220 uniform items have been recycled this year thanks to the scheme.

The centre is now open again for the face-to-face services that were available before lockdown, with Covid-19 safety measures in place. Alsager Community Support Centre assistant manager Rachel White said: “I am very pleased that we can open our doors safely again and talk to our clients face to face.

“This is as a result of much hard work from the volunteers led by our manager Liz Pinkney. “We were pleased to receive a grant from Tesco’s Bags of Help scheme which paid for our two screens and other PPE equipment.” The community centre is open on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings from 9.30am to 12.30pm. Alsager residents can also access the centre’s helpline is from Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm by calling 01270 876 605.