Community Plus Project is a Louth charity that runs Louth Youth and Community Centre on Park Avenue. Its week starts on Monday with a support group for young people, takes in a youth club, a garden club and a group for children with additional needs, and ends on Sunday morning with a social group for the over 55s. Most of it is free to join, and none of it needs booking.
Walk past the centre on Park Avenue on any day of the week and there is a fair chance something is going on inside. That is no accident. The charity behind the building has quietly built a timetable that gives most age groups in Louth somewhere to go.
From the 13+ Project to Community Plus
The charity's roots go back to 1992, when the 13+ Project began providing youth services in Louth. It became a registered charity in 2000. When County Council youth services withdrew from the centre in 2011, the project took on a lease of the building, and it later became Community Plus Project, registered charity number 1204879. Volunteers and a board of trustees keep it running.
A Week at the Centre
Monday afternoon belongs to Dom's Place, a support group for young people aged 8 to 19. It is a relaxed place to spend time and talk, with no pressure to say anything you would rather not, and it is supported by BBC Children in Need.
On Tuesday afternoons, D.O.T.S. takes over. The name stands for Don't Over Think Stuff, and the group is for young people aged 8 to 19 with autism, ADHD and other additional or different learning needs. Sessions can mean arts and crafts, cooking, gardening, jewellery making or a film night, and parents are welcome to stay.
Thursday morning is for the Community Garden Club, open to all ages and abilities. Nobody needs gardening experience, and the charity says the garden itself is free to visit every day of the year.
On Friday evenings in term time, Louth Youth Club opens its doors to 11 to 16 year olds. There is sport, craft, cooking, pool and games, a chill-out zone and free snacks, and it costs nothing to come along.
Sunday mornings are for the 55+ Project, a social group for people aged 55 and over. Games, quizzes, crafts and book swaps fill the two hours, and the group also runs seasonal events, including its Christmas Fair on Sunday 15th November.
Hiring the Centre
The building is also available to hire. The charity says it has an indoor space for up to 50 people, a kitchen, and a fenced, floodlit court that suits five-a-side football or basketball. Other clubs and classes already use it and run their own sessions. Prices and dates are best asked about directly, on 07873 861353 or at communityplusproject@gmail.com.
How to Help
The charity is open to new volunteers, and anyone curious about becoming a trustee can ask for an informal chat. It also welcomes donations of craft supplies, gardening items, board games, puzzles and working games consoles, though it asks people to get in touch before bringing anything to the centre. You will find everything on the Community Plus Project page on inLouth.