Thornacre Community Centre: Finding Your Way

About the centre

Thornacre Community Centre is run by local volunteers and is used by more than forty clubs and groups every week. The building is on one level, so everything described below is on the ground floor and can be reached without steps.

The front of the building

The entrance is in the middle of the south side of the building and opens into the Foyer, where you will find noticeboards listing the week's activities. On your left as you go into the Foyer are the Toilets, and beyond them, in the south-west corner, is the toy library. Families can borrow up to three toys at a time for a small yearly fee. On your right as you enter is the advice centre, where trained volunteers give free help with benefits, housing and money problems on Tuesday and Thursday mornings. The Office, in the south-east corner, is where rooms are booked and keys are collected.

The back of the building

If you walk straight through the Foyer, you will go into the Main Hall, which seats 150 people and has a small stage at one end. It is used for dances, plays, film nights and the Saturday market. To the west of the hall, in the north-west corner, is the games room, with table tennis, a pool table and board games. On the other side of the hall, to the east, is the kitchen, which has a large cooker and a dishwasher and may be used by any group that hires the hall. Beyond the kitchen, in the north-east corner, is the boiler room. This is kept locked, and only the caretaker may go in.

Hiring a room

Rooms can be hired by the hour. The Main Hall costs £22 an hour and the games room £10 an hour, with a reduced rate for registered charities. Bookings should be made at least a week in advance, either in person at the Office or by telephone.

Safety

In case of fire, leave by the nearest exit and gather on the grass on the far side of the car park. Smoking is not allowed anywhere in the building or on the paths outside.