Loftus charity finally closes its doors Former lifeboat building set to get new lease of life

TheOld Co-op Community Building has been serving the community in Loftus for more than a decade.

But now, with Chief Exec Tony Gatehouse saying organisers have reached ‘a certain age’, the charity is finally being wound up.

Since 2010, the “Old Co-op”, as it’s known, has served with over 3,000 visitors a month as an independent charity providing a hub for the community and access to a huge range of services and support to the community.

Well known for the popular Hub café and charity shop, TOCCB has also offered employment services, job search and training facilities, mental health support, a drugs clinic, foodbank, start up support for new local businesses, local councillor clinics, MP surgeries as well as other social events including bingo, indoor bowls, singing and music classes.

The charity also welcomed the Middlesbrough Football Club Foundation to the building, which will continue to serve the local community.

The building that was the Co-op department store, also continues to host an excellent Martial Art Centre providing first class development for children and adults including one Kallum Bateman who was recently selected to represent Great Britain in the taekwondo European Championships.

After 12 years, the charity’s Chief Exec Tony Gatehouse, explained why he was calling it a day.

The 67-year-old said: “Having served our community for 12 years, it was time to retire as our team were all of ‘a certain age’. “The Old Co-op building is now in the hands of new operators, who have maintained the ground floor as community services, including Middlesbrough Football Club Foundation and the Martial Arts Centre and I understand, intend to provide homes on the upper floors in due course.

“So, as our last charitable act as TOCCB, before we deregister as a charity, we will pass our remaining funds - in excess of £20,000 - to two local charities - Footprints in the Community and Teesside Family Foundation.

“Both these charities do enormous amounts of good within our community and our intent here is to further enable them to continue their various excellent works, particularly during this current period of financial difficulty.

“Finally, may we extend our sincere and grateful thanks to all those who have supported us and helped us to help others over the years, in particular our staff and volunteers, our many customers, and donators of furniture and household goods for our shop, food for our foodbank and sometimes, cash donations too.

“The generosity of the local community was consistently shown in so many ways over the years and is a clear testament to the community spirit which abounds locally.”

Simon Clarke, Conservative MP for Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland, said:

“On behalf of everybody here in Loftus and beyond I want to say a massive thank you to Tony and all his team for everything they have done over the past 12 years.

“In that time they have helped literally thousands of people in everything from mental health support, helping people find work, helping people in financial difficulty, helping small businesses get started and offering training facilities.

“Their departure from Loftus is a big loss to the area but I am delighted that, in their act, the Old Co-Op is handing over £20,000 to two local charities.

“I particularly want to commend Tony for everything he’s done for this town and I wish him a happy retirement.”

AformerRNLI lifeboat building on Teesmouth, South Gare, Redcar, which was closed for good back in 2006, is set to get a new lease of life for community interests, thanks to the effort of the local ward councillor for Coatham.

Councillor Carl Quartermain, said he has been working with PD Ports for a number of months and can announce an agreement to reopen the building has been reached with the port authority.

Writing in his blog he said: “I have been working with PD Ports to gain access for community purposes, to the former lifeboat building at the South Gare. This building has been empty for nearly seventeen years and has the potential be used for multiple community purposes.

“I am very excited to announce that this facility, that was closed in 2006, has now been agreed as a lease opportunity, particularly for local community interest groups with a marine focus.

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“However, my wish is that this facility can also be used by multiple groups for a wide variety of purposes. Therefore all groups should consider how they might benefit from the location of this facility.

“For example, it could be used as a centre for; a marine animal rescue sanctuary; an educational and environmental outpost; a creative studio; a litter picking and wildlife base; mobility beach wheelchair support; a centre to support water sport groups; and/or a base to put on events and markets – the list is endless and the opportunity real and I hope to see a lot a of activity in the near future.”

Community groups with a proposal for river or marine-based activities who believe they could benefit from the use of the building should register their interest by contacting Kathryn Watson, Property Manager at PD Ports, on 01642 877042. Councillor Quartermain’s blog can be viewed at: https://diaryofacouncillor.com/