Information on Loughborough

New community flat opens in Loughborough

Posted on 17/09/2009

police,constabulary,leicestershire police New community flat opens in Loughborough

Police officers from Loughborough will be at the official opening of a much needed community venue which has transformed an empty flat on the Bell Foundry Estate. 

The Marios Tinenti Centre on Russell Street will be opened by the Mayor of Charnwood, Cllr. Roy Brown at midday on Saturday 19th September 2009. 

The community flat has been named as a tribute to popular Loughborough man Mr Tinenti - the former chairman of the tenants association for Peel Drive who died in April.

The centre will provide office and desk space for a variety of agencies, including the neighbourhood beat officers, Charnwood Neighbourhood Housing, Charnwood Borough Council and The Hastings Community Association, which will use the centre to carry out outreach work and hold surgeries.

It will also serve as the first point of contact for residents who may be hesitant in approaching service providers directly. 

Mr Tinenti's wife, Cherie, speaking for local residents said: “I am so sad that Marios missed this day he would have been so pleased to see the centre finally up and running.  Speaking on behalf of all of his family I just want to say how proud we are that the centre will serve as a permanent reminder of the work he did for the community.” 

Cllr Brown said: “The flat is a real asset to the community and I am delighted to have the honour in officially opening it.  This is something that has been much needed in the area for sometime. It has been named after Mr Tinenti in recognition of all his hard work for the community and hopefully through it his legacy will live on.” 

Inspector Tim McCabe, Commander of Loughborough Local Policing Unit, said; “A great deal of effort has gone into turning the idea of a community flat into a reality and it is a real achievement on behalf of all those individuals and organisations involved.  I think it will make a big difference to people in the area to have this facility on their doorstep and will give the local beat team a place to base themselves.  This means officers will spend less time at the police station and more time in the heart of their neighbourhood which will benefit everyone.” 

Cllr. David Snartt, Chair of the Charnwood Community Safety Partnership and a leading supporter of the project said:  “I am very proud that the Community Safety Partnership played such a key role alongside residents in making the community facility a reality.  I hope you are able to attend this event to celebrate the realisation of one person’s dream; the commitment of many in the community and the recognition of need by many service providers.” 

A spokesperson for Charnwood Neighbourhood Housing (CNH) said:  “The new centre at Russell Street enables us to bring our services right into the heart of one of the areas that most need them. CNH is proud to be a member of this partnership, all the more so because of its association with Marios Tinenti who worked so tirelessly for the benefit of his whole community.”

The flat, which is established following a call from local residents, will contain a phone which people will be able to use to contact service providers and book appointments. 

Some agencies which do not have the resources to provide surgeries in the flat will be able to use the space to promote their services while a specially created meeting room can be used to deliver training or workshops for small groups who use it. 

The centre is a partnership project between Charnwood Borough Council, Charnwood Neighbourhood Housing, the police, Hastings Community Association (HCA) and Loughborough Town Centre Collective. 

It was established thanks to £10,000 of funding from Charnwood Borough Council.