YEOVILTON LIFE: Commanding Officer opens new Community Hub in Yeovil

THE opening of a Community Hub on the Wyndham Park estate in Yeovil took place on Wednesday (February 8, 2017) to provide a meeting place accessible to all residents including service families.

The project, an initiative of Royal Navy Royal Marines Welfare organisation based at Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton, identified a need for a community resource due to the isolation felt by residents in Wyndham Park.

The facility was opened by Commodore Jon Pentreath, the Commanding Officer of RNAS Yeovilton, in front of many people involved in the project and local families.

“It gives me great pleasure to open this Community Hub,” he said. “Thank you to all the people that have made this possible.

“As Wyndham Park grows this is one positive step in making living here much better, a greatly needed and appreciated community facility.”

PHOTO – TOP: The opening of the Community Hub at Wyndham Park in Yeovil.

PHOTO – RIGHT: Commodore Jon Pentreath, Commanding Officer of RNAS Yeovilton.

Making this project work has involved many organisations that have given time, knowledge and funding to the Community Hub.

Amongst these parties are RNRMC, Yeovil Without Parish Council, South Somerset District Council, Knightstone and Somerset Crimebeat. There has also been local involvement from the local church and Wyndham Park residents’ committee.

Activities and groups that will meet at the hub will be diverse from parent and toddlers to a Community Youth Forum, a Job Club and Men’s Shed! Vital roles will include a health visitor and child development clinics.

Cllr Christopher Le Hardy, of Somerset County Council and chair of the Armed Forces Covenant initiative, said: “I welcome the establishment of a community facility at Wyndham Park.  It will provide a valuable much needed facility in an area where there is a shortage of community facilities for families on this new estate, which can only help bring the communities together.” 

Many groups will be run by volunteers from within the local community and will be open to all residents on the estate.

PHOTO – ABOVE: Pictured (from left) are Petty Officer Gareth Stockley, of Royal Navy welfare; community empowerment officer Kate Shepard; Barbara Appleby, parish clerk to Yeovil Without Parish Council; Corrie Robertson, community development officer; Natalie Fortt, of South Somerset District Council; and Commodore Jon Pentreath, of Commanding Officer of RNAS Yeovilton, outside a five-bedroom house that has recently been converted into a community hub for residents on the Wyndham Park Estate in Yeovil.

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