Local club reopens following £25,000 transformation
Duckmanton Miners Welfare Centre reopened its doors for the first time last weekend following a £25,000 transformation project.
The centre, which provides social, recreational and cultural facilities for local residents, successfully secured funding from Chesterfield Borough Council’s Community Grants Fund. The charity has used the investment to renovate the building and revitalise this important community hub.
Funding from the scheme has enabled a major refurbishment of the centre’s main room, creating a modern, welcoming space that can be used as a social gathering point for residents to come together and take part in a wide range of events and activities.
Councillor Tricia Gilby, Leader of Chesterfield Borough Council, visited the club before the grand reopening. She said:
“It was fantastic to go along to Duckmanton Miners Welfare this week to see how the money awarded through our Community Grants Fund scheme is being used to renovate this space – providing a valuable place for this close-knit community to get together and socialise.
“Duckmanton Miners Welfare Centre have really transformed the space, and it is clear to see that a lot of hard work has gone into the project.
“This is just one of over 100 projects benefitting from our Community Grants Fund scheme and I’m looking forward to seeing even more progress like this one.”
Isabell Herrmann, Duckmanton Miners Welfare Centre’s stewardess, said:
“All the works that have been carried out means everything to me! I love my job and all people who come in. With the change of the outlay, the decorating works and all other bits, I don’t feel scared to invite people in. I have always tried to make people feel welcome, now it looks welcoming too!
“We are looking forward to more community events and activities. We want people to feel the club is for them – to come and socialise and come to us with ideas of what they would like to see.”
Sue Ready from “This Girl Can Paint”, a Chesterfield-based painter and decorator, was heavily involved in the transformation of the space working alongside Craig Watson Joinery, other local trades, and the club’s team to understand the overall vision for the refurbishment.
During the project, Sue and Craig also welcomed and mentored painting and decorating students from Chesterfield College onto the project, offering them support, guidance, and real-life experience of working in the trade.
Since the Community Grants Fund scheme launched in 2023, more than £500,000 in grant funding has been awarded to community groups and voluntary organisations across Chesterfield.
The aim of the scheme is to help community groups and voluntary organisations from across our town to deliver key projects that have a positive impact on local communities.
More information on the scheme can be found at: www.chesterfield.gov.uk/community-grants-fund
