As many townsfolk will know Doddridge Centre has been raising funds to reach a financial target their campaign "Buy A Brick" which has raised over £40,000 so far. This initial was target set by the government sponsored Community Ownership Fund (COF), that would have enabled them to continue through the application process so that they could be granted the remaining fund to complete purchase price set by their landlords, in a very rare opportunity to purchase the freehold of the Doddridge Centre.
Graham Croucher, Chair of Trustees said; This is an incredible opportunity that will give security to the Doddridge Centre charity and enable us to chart our own destiny well into the future, enabling us to expand the offer to the community and third sector organisations.We have until December 2025 before we review with our landlords where we are in terms of raising the required amount. The withdrawal of grant funding in this manner has really set us back and is a kick in the teeth for our staff and volunteers who have worked their socks off raising valuable funds. We feel that all applications (that were live) should have been honoured and not just summarily dismissed."
The campaign was going really well up until the middle of last year, with at least £40,000 raised so far that would have enabled the charity to unlock the further grant funding required.
Then a General Election was called and the fund was suspended until a new government was elected. It was then announced that the scheme was still suspended by the new government until a review had taken place. Several months have now passed and the charity has been in limbo awaiting their fate. It was announced recently that the fund has been closed by the government who say "The Community Ownership Fund is now closed. There will be no further application windows on the COF programme. We have taken this difficult decision due to the challenging inheritance left by the previous government."
The "COF" is being replaced by an enhanced "Right to Buy" scheme without any additional funding with details still to be decided.The Doddridge Centre Chair has made their thoughts clear to our supportive MP's and has asked them to lobby the Secretary of State to review this decision.
Doddridge Centre, Centre Director - Rachel Bott said: “This is really frustrating and disappointing after all the hard work that has been put in so far but we now have to redouble our efforts and find ways to raise the remaining amounts. We now call on the public for further support and from any businesses that want to sponsor us as their chosen charity. This is a wonderful and vital opportunity to save a valuable community resource for the future."
The charity says it can be helped by going to their website https://www.doddridgecentre.org.uk/donate-building/ or calling 01604 586384, emailing info@doddridgecentre.org.uk . Maybe you can host your own fundraising event for Doddridge Centre? They are also welcoming of corporate sponsorship and companies who wish to support a small, local independent charity, or they could be your charity of the year or of the month? Any amount helps, no matter how small.