22 April 2021
To Whom It May Concern
My constituents have asked me to provide a support letter for a new Community Centre at 10 Shirley Road, Shirley. The Shirley and surrounding communities has suffered a lot since the Canterbury Earthquake Sequence after having the Shirley Community Centre demolished in 2012.
When the original Community Centre was up and running it housed many learning and education spaces as well as supports from NGO’s.
The Richmond, Avonside, Dallington and Shirley Locals have a brilliant concept in their application to provide a Library and Education space and this new Community Centre could also provide a range of opportunities for the locals such as learning the Art’s, cooking lessons, gardening, exercise classes and various groups could be formed such as Seniors Knit and Natter or walking groups plus a cafe date where you could meet your neighbours over coffee. A space for after school activities and holiday programmes and possibly a venue for hire.
The Community Centre could also house NGO’s as well as drop in sessions for local organisations who could provide advice and assistance to those in need including Wellbeing/Health and Youth Clinics.
A Community Centre is a place where you are bringing everyone in the community together of all ethnicities and therefore I fully support this application and if you would like to discuss this further, then please don’t hesitate to contact me.
Yours sincerely
Hon Poto Williams
Member of Parliament for Christchurch East
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