Buy a brick and help build foundations

A thousand special sponsors are being sought under a new ‘buy a brick’ campaign to help fund Christchurch’s new Druitt Community Centre.

By donating £250 each, the sponsors will give a solid foundation from which the steering group for the centre can bid for further funding from charitable trusts.

£1 million is needed for the project, which will replace the ageing hall behind the library in the High Street. Christchurch Community Partnership is hoping that people will ‘buy a brick’ either as an individual donation or perhaps to commemorate a loved one or celebrate a birth or anniversary. The names of the donors will be recorded in the community centre.

Sandra Prudom, chairman of the Druitt Community Centre Steering Group, said: “We need a good foundation for our fundraising campaign to enable us to bid for funding from charitable trusts. Many trusts like to see evidence that the community is behind a project before they give funding. If ‘buy a brick’ is successful, that will give us £250,000 which is a long way towards the million that we need.

“However, we realise that £250 might be too much for some people to give, so we are also looking for people to give any amount they can afford. Details of how to donate money are on our website www.thenewdruittfund.org.uk as well as ideas for getting involved in fundraising activities.”

Leaflets about the ‘Buy a Brick’ campaign are available from the Civic Offices, Christchurch Information Centre, the libraries and other venues throughout the borough.

The New Druitt Community Centre will be a landmark building in the very heart of Christchurch and a fitting gateway to a newly restored Druitt Gardens. As the town centre community centre with a hall, meeting rooms and café space it will be available for a wide range of community organisations and activities.