The RUSS Community Hub is offering affordable events, exercise, meetings and workspace at its Church Grove site. It’s a welcoming space with some great features built by the community for the community, writes Olly, the volunteer hub manager.
Built by more than 90 volunteers – using a significant amount of reclaimed materials – during the summer of 2019. The Hub is a flexible multi-use space that can accommodate up to 30 people (seated) for events like meetings, talks and small conferences and up to 45 people for stand-up events.
It also has a fast internet connection and offers hot desking space during the week. With pricing based on your circumstances and usage rather than a flat fee.
The Hub is on one level and fully accessible for wheelchair users, and includes a kitchen area, toilet and cycle parking. Please note there is strictly no general parking at the RUSS Hub or surrounding streets.
With the impact of the pandemic now reduced, we are keen to share the space again with our community, along with RUSS’s School of Community-led Housing training workshops and regular meetings of future residents of the Church Grove flats.
The creation of the Hub is based on the RUSS guiding principles, particularly the following:
- RUSS will create socially, environmentally and economically sustainable neighborhoods in the city.
- Our developments should be embedded in the local community and include space for community use.
- RUSS developments should create opportunities for training in organising and building for residents and others.
The Hub is intended for use by residents of the Church Grove flats (currently under construction next to the Hub), by the local community, and by other community groups from a wider area.
In researching similar spaces available in the local area, we identified a shortage of quality spaces of the following types:
- Affordable meeting space for small voluntary community groups.
- Cost-effective space for larger organisations, with suitable availability (evenings & weekends) – e.g., school and church halls are often only available on weekdays.
- Spaces available for regular, repeat, bookings.
- Small private space for light exercise or discussion (e.g., yoga, clubs, conversation groups).
- Flexible, affordable desk-space for freelancers.
A projector and screen, free wi-fi, kettle and urn, shared fridge, coat storage, bike shed, heat and light, are available and included in the venue hire fee.
While the Church Grove housing is under construction, at times there is noise being made close to the Hub, this is worth bearing in mind when considering hiring the Hub for your particular needs. If you are interested in booking the hub or finding out more, please visit https://www.theruss.org/about-the-hub/ where you can also find pricing and contact details.