Towcester Community Hub Secures Long-Term Future with Council Approval
West Northamptonshire Council's decision grants SNVB greater security, enabling investment and expansion of vital community services.
By Aisha Mahmood
••3 min read
AI
Generic image of a community hub building undergoing renovation.
The West Northamptonshire Council has approved a long-term lease for the Riverside Community Hub in Towcester, securing its future and enabling significant investment in community services.
The decision, approved by West Northamptonshire Council’s (WNC) Cabinet on 10 November, will provide the South Northamptonshire Volunteer Bureau (SNVB) with greater long-term security. This will allow SNVB to attract external funding and invest in the building, strengthening Riverside as a hub for community support, volunteering, and local services.
The Riverside Community Hub currently hosts the Towcester Food Larder, Towcester Food Bank, and a Community Café. The Food Larder serves between 350 and 400 visitors weekly, with the Food Bank operating two days a week. SNVB also extends its support to surrounding rural communities through a food larder in Roade and a volunteer driver car service in Brackley.
Future plans for the hub include essential roof repairs, heating upgrades, and broader improvements to create a more modern, welcoming, and sustainable building. SNVB aims to bring more community groups and organisations together under one roof, simplifying access to advice, practical help, and other services for residents. ‘renew169 Wellbeing’ is among the organisations set to join the hub.
The enhanced hub will feature meeting rooms, hall space, and a boardroom for local organisations. SNVB also plans to expand its existing provisions with additional community support, dedicated case workers, and an improved community café. Over 200 volunteers currently support SNVB’s work, and the transformed hub will serve as a stronger base for volunteering and community action.
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"SNVB makes a real difference to people’s lives every day, whether that’s helping people access food and advice, tackling isolation or simply providing somewhere welcoming to turn to. Its staff, volunteers and partners show just how important our voluntary and community organisations are to life across West Northamptonshire. Giving SNVB long-term security at Riverside Community Hub means it can invest in the building, attract further funding and build on the fantastic work already happening there. Most importantly, it creates the opportunity for more organisations to work together in one place, making it easier for residents to find the help and support they need, when they need it."
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"Securing Riverside Community Hub is a huge milestone for SNVB, and testimony to the amazing efforts and generosity of staff, volunteers, local businesses and partner organisations who have come together to make Riverside such a vibrant place for the hundreds of local residents who enjoy visiting us every week. This long-term lease gives us an exciting opportunity to invest in the building, attract vital funding, and create a modern, sustainable hub for local people and community groups in South Northamptonshire. We are deeply grateful to West Northamptonshire Council for their support and trust in our vision for the future of community service in Towcester."
