The Abbey Centre is a vibrant community hub serving south Westminster’s population of over 50,000 people. They celebrate and welcome the diverse cultures of south Westminster providing support, advice and practical services to address physical and mental health and wellbeing, poverty, employability, homelessness, isolation and dementia. They also provide a range of volunteering opportunities and host a number of smaller community groups providing pro-bono legal advice, support with addiction and to people recovering from abuse.
Occupying a five-storey former Victorian wash house and baths, the building was converted into a community centre in 1991. Since then, the centre now faces a range of necessary works that need completing to bring the building up to a required standard to allow their services to continue.
After reaching out to LandAid’s Pro Bono team they requested initial support to help fix the issue. They asked for support with:
- Evaluating the maintenance and refurbishment works needed.
- Establishing an initial and ongoing maintenance plan.
- Advice on costs and resourcing the work.
Through the LandAid Pro Bono Programme, they were connected with CBRE GWS, a facilities and project management firm, to support with the building refurbishment. They have been delighted to assist with the required works and make a difference to the local community in Westminster.
This kind support has enabled the centre to make substantial savings whilst having necessary maintenance to allow them to continue to provide their crucial services.