Worthing volunteers feel pushed out of Community House

A DEDICATED couple face tense talks to learn whether their award-winning community service will return to its former venue.

Mick and Chriss Smith run Mick’s Garage – a part-time drop-in centre for children, primarily between the ages of five and 16, which, among other things, provides support and guidance, day trips and bike repairs for youngsters.

The garage itself is in Angola Road, but, until earlier this year, the couple had also had a base in Community House, in Dominion Road, for around three years.

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They stopped using Community House amid claims they had been told they would not be a part of its future plans. This led the couple to return their drop-in service at their own home, where it had been based in its early days.

Having been the driving force behind Community House, where they worked as volunteers for 40 hours a week, the couple said they felt increasingly unwelcome after it was awarded a Lottery grant of £425,000 last year.

In August, when Worthing Homes took over management of the house, which it previously jointly ran with Spurgeons, the plaque on the building, named Mick’s Garage Community House, was replaced with the title Community House, causing the couple further hurt.

Now, they wonder if there is a future for them in the house their hard work helped to create.

For the full story, read this week’s Worthing Herald.

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