Allerdene Community Centre

The Decades PlaqueEarly in 1989 some residents of Allerdene Estate in Gateshead got together to form a Residents Group with the aim of hearing any problems people had on the estate with the hope that any issues could be aired and, hopefully, solved collectively and mutually. After the formation of the group it was given a title - Allerdene Community Group.

From this, and after a serious incident on the estate, it was established that there was no particular place for the youth of the area, and indeed the adult populous, to go and busy themselves in a productive manner.

So it was that demands by the locals led to the group undertaking a survey to find what was required to give the people something to be proud of. The results of the survey found that there was a distinct lack of community provision for the residents. So, in June 1989, the group put forward a bid for a community centre and hence Gateshead Council’s Department of Education received Urban Programme funding to the tune of £300,000 to go ahead and build it.

After funding had finally been received and plans were passed it was by now April 1992 and this is when the Centre’s first Area Worker was officially put into place. Office space had to be found at Gladstone Terrace Community Centre for the Worker because of the building work in progress at Allerdene. At one point the Worker also had to make use of a tent on a field not too far from where building work was going on!! The building work was finally finished about two weeks before Christmas 1992 and the keys were officially handed over to the Area Worker, the elected Management Committee (made up from local residents) and Gateshead Council. Furnishings and equipment was arriving at all times and proved hectic but this all made for good, solid teamwork for those involved early on.

One of the first events held for fundraising for the centre was the annual Community Festival in September 1992. Lots of events were organised and equipment had to be borrowed from other centres which proved hard work because of the organisation of it all. However the day was officially opened by the European MP Alan Donnelly and Deputy Mayoress Councilor Mrs Joyce Pearson. The day proved a success and approximately £500 was raised for the Centre. A good start.!! Several other events down the years have proved successful including the International Exchanges - part of the Educational Programme - and the Gateshead International Women’s Event held in 1993. Another success was the visit of the Tall Ships to the River Tyne in Newcastle which presented the opportunity of giving the then Community Education Service the chance to organise several groups to visit and sail on board the ship De Tukker. A great experience.

January 1993 saw the Management Committee employ two part-time Area Workers for twelve weeks to further research the needs of the community and develop work with women and girls. This resulted in the formation of the Allerdene History Group and Allerdene Women’s Group. The Centre currently has on secondment from Gateshead Council’s Youth and Community Learning Service one full-time Senior Area Youth and Community Worker and four part-time Youth and Community Workers, one part-time Cleaner-in-charge and one part-time Administration Worker.

Each employee or volunteer, no matter what their capacity, is valued greatly by the community for all their dedication and hard work given on their behalf. Without the support of the staff and volunteers and local residents Allerdene Community Centre would not be around today. It is a great testimony to all who have supported the Centre in the past and, of course, the future that the Centre has been and will remain a success.

Because Allerdene Community Centre was the first in Gateshead to be built in ten years the Management Committee, Officers of the Authority and elected members wanted the official opening of the centre to be very special. As the late Rt. Hon. John Smith MP, then the leader of the Labour Party, was visiting Gateshead for a civic occasion on April 23rd it was suggested that he may like to come along and officially open the Centre. To everyone’s great delight Mr Smith accepted even though his visit could only be brief. A planned Ceilidh night for the locals was enjoyed by everyone as they ate, drank, sang and danced in the hall of their new and hugely admired Centre.