A local Miners Welfare has reopened its doors following a £25,000 transformation project.
Duckmanton Miners Welfare Centre - a charity which provides social, recreational and cultural facilities for people living in the area - was successful in securing funding from Chesterfield Borough Council’s Community Grants Fund scheme. The charity has used the investment to renovate this key community hub.
Funding secured through the scheme has allowed the main room at Duckmanton Miners Welfare to undergo a major facelift - creating a modern space that can be used as a social gathering point for residents to come together to take part in events and activities.
Councillor Tricia Gilby, Leader of Chesterfield Borough Council, visited the club before the grand reopening. She said: “It was fantastic to go along to Duckmanton Miners Welfare to see how the money awarded through our Community Grants Fund scheme is being used to renovate this space – providing a valuable place for this close-knit community to get together and socialise.
“Duckmanton Miners Welfare Centre have really transformed the space, and it is clear to see that a lot of hard work has gone into the project.
“This is just one of over 100 projects benefitting from our Community Grants Fund scheme and I’m looking forward to seeing even more progress like this one.”
Isabell Herrmann, Duckmanton Miners Welfare Centre’s stewardess, said: “All the works that have been carried out means everything to me! I love my job and all people who come in. With the change of the outlay, the decorating works and all other bits, I don’t feel scared to invite people in. I have always tried to make people feel welcome, now it looks welcoming too!
“We are looking forward to more community events and activities. We want people to feel the club is for them – to come and socialise and come to us with ideas of what they would like to see.”
Sue Ready from “This Girl Can Paint”, a Chesterfield-based painter and decorator, was heavily involved in the transformation of the space working alongside Craig Watson Joinery, other local trades, in addition to the club’s team, to understand the overall vision for the refurbishment.
During the project, Sue and Craig also welcomed and mentored painting and decorating students from Chesterfield College onto the project, offering them support, guidance, and real-life experience of working in the trade.
Since the Community Grants Fund scheme launched in 2023, more than £500,000 in grant funding has been awarded to community groups and voluntary organisations across Chesterfield.
The aim of the scheme was to help community groups and voluntary organisations from across Chesterfield to deliver key projects that have a positive impact on local communities.
Find out more about the scheme.
The Community Grants Fund scheme is part-funded from the Mayor of the East Midlands and East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA) as part of the Government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF). The scheme was also funded with money raised through the Community Infrastructure Levy Neighbourhood Portion (CIL).
Mayor of the East Midlands, Claire Ward said: “This transformation of the Duckmanton Miners Welfare Centre is a wonderful example of community spirit in action. Funding like this, delivered through the Community Grants Fund and backed by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund in partnership with EMCCA, shows what we can achieve when local people and organisations come together to breathe new life into cherished spaces.
“Community hubs like this are at the heart of everyday life for so many residents, offering places to socialise, share skills and build connections with neighbours. Seeing the revitalised main room and knowing it will bring people together for events and activities is exactly the kind of positive impact we set out to support with this investment.
“I congratulate Duckmanton Miners Welfare Centre and all those involved in making this project a reality. This reopening is a testament to the dedication of the volunteers, local tradespeople and partners who’ve worked tirelessly to ensure this valued community asset has a bright future.”
