ACCOLADE FOR EX-TEACHER:
Now Carole’s been recognised with British Empire Medal
A FORMER teacher who transformed a ‘wreck of a building’ into a thriving community hub has been recognised by the Queen.
Carole Kind, from Newcastle, spent two years setting up the venture in Christchurch Street, Fenton, now known as The Hub.
She had worked as a teacher for many years before moving on to a role at Stoke-on-trent City Council, heading up the Extended Services department.
The 65-year-old oversaw city schools and became more aware of the challenges families were facing.
Now her efforts have earned her a British Empire Medal in the Queen’s Birthday Honours.
Carole said: “I was absolutely stunned when I got the email. I was just scrolling and checking my emails as you do, and there it was.
“I’ve had to really keep quiet about it which has been hard. Someone has nominated me for it, and I don’t know who, but I do have a sneaking suspicion!
“As a charity we were also awarded the Queen’s Voluntary Award fin June and we were delighted. There’s a big team and the whole charity is a real community effort.
“The Hub was an absolute wreck of a building when we first arrived. It was completely empty and we have really built it up and put in a lot of work over the years to make it what it is today.”
Volunteers have worked tirelessly to make the charity a success. This includes evening and school holiday activities for young people and daytime activities for the elderly and those with learning difficulties.
Residents are invited to cook, play games and share jigsaws. In the winter, people are asked to come in to make soup with vegetables from The Hub’s garden.
Carole continued: “We thrive on being inter-generational.
“There is a young girl who joined us when she was six and now she’s 13. She has now taken on more of a leadership role and is looking after the six-year-olds. People don’t want to leave us and our young people are turning into our future volunteers.”
The Hub had to close its doors in March due to the pandemic.
Carole said: “We had to furlough our two part-time staff, so they were limited on what they could do – and more than 50 people lost their weekly sessions.
“On top of that, we have our elderly friends who do not have internet access – only a landline. They became very anxious and worried as they were unable to go and get their pension.
“They tended to just use cash and were worried what would happen if they couldn’t pay certain things, such as their water bill or TV licence fee.
“It became a priority for us to keep in touch with these people”
It is unclear when The Hub will reopen but Carole wants to celebrate the award with the charity ‘family’.
She added: “Our local community, such as Fenton Co-op staff – who I go to at 7am every morning to take leftover food for the charity – and our PCSOS and council officers are always brilliant and so supportive of what we do.”