Thank you to the Horden Hub House and The Coalfields Regeneration Trust for inviting me to the official reopening of the Hub House on Seventh Street on Friday, 25 March.

The Hub House opened its doors this month for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic began. The Hub has undergone a thorough makeover and is well equipped for the volunteers and staff to pick up where they left off in serving the community of Horden.

The Hub House has been a great asset to the community since its opening in 2017, and it was a privilege to visit to meet staff, volunteers and residents in the revamped hub house.

The staff and volunteers are what make the Hub so successful. I am confident that the new organisational approach adopted at the Hub will help better serve residents’ needs.

Paula Snowdon who runs the project outlined the new approach, which involves working very closely with various local organisations such as Believe Housing, Workers’ Educational Association, Local Councillors, Home Group, and others to enable residents to get the help they need.

The Hub House project is made possible through funding and support from The Coalfields Regeneration Trust. The CRT carries out incredible work in helping residents of former coal mining communities to improve health, skills, and employment. The Hub provides a space for residents, community groups, and local agencies to meet and creates a vital focal point in the village where residents can turn for help and support.

The Hub is an example of best practice of community and partnership working and should be viewed as a model that could be rolled out across the constituency and the North East to improve people’s lives in former coal mining communities significantly.