The Hive starts buzzing

The Hive Community Centre in Peasedown St John has got the green light.

From the beginning of March a group of local residents, drawn from the churches and community, is taking on the management of the former Youth Hub in Bath Road near the School. Bath and North East Somerset Council was no longer able to resource the Youth Work or the building, but now The Hive will be a place for people of all ages to use and we hope that it will be buzzing with activity once Covid restrictions are off.

Already the Centre is being used two days a week by the community library, run by the Peasedown Community Trust. But there’s more than just food for the mind. SWALLOW, a local based charity supporting teenagers and adults with learning difficulties, is going to be running a community cafe with a takeaway menu already available and during February they have produced food for some families in need in the community. To view cafe menu and opening times click here.

Open access youth work - a priority for both Bath and North East Somerset Council and the group taking on the building – is going to start soon. The three churches of Peasedown, with support from charitable trusts and the Parish Council, have appointed a Youth Worker. Because of lockdown it’s been impossible to organise activities for young people so far but the youth work team are ready, trained and raring to start running youth work as soon as possible after Easter.

In February the village lost its Post Office when John Barker retired but things are looking positive for a replacement. Plans are being worked on for a Post Office facility to be run from The Hive. There are details to be sorted so it’s not a definite development but the Hive team will let you know as soon as possible.

Joy Fraser, chair of The Hive management group said, “It is great that we have now got agreement to take on the building and once the coronavirus restrictions are eased, we know the building will be a real blessing to our community and full of activity.”

The building has a sport’s hall, large enough for a badminton court, an outside floodlit sports court, an art room, one large and three small meeting rooms, a fully equipped catering kitchen and a large social space from which the cafe will operate. All of these spaces will be available for hire by local groups and individuals. Contact: info@thehivepsj.org