Main hall
an hour, from$35
A sprung wooden floor, a small stage and a hatch to the kitchen, for parties, dances and big meetings.
- Tables and chairs set out
- Hearing loop
- Kitchen hatch
A hall, a kettle and something on every day of the week
Riverside Community Centre is run by local volunteers and open seven days a week, with rooms to hire, clubs and classes from toddlers to retirees, and events on the green through the year. Drop in for a cup of tea, join a club, or ask about a room for your next gathering.
7 daysopen every week
4 roomsto hire by the hour
60 volunteerskeep the doors open
- Clubs for every age
- Rooms by the hour
- Run by volunteers
- Events on the green
What's on in an ordinary week
Clubs and classes run all year apart from public holidays and the last week of December. Most ask a small contribution, from $2 for the coffee morning to $6 for a class, and nobody is turned away for being short.
| Club or class | When | Who it is for |
|---|---|---|
| Toddler group | Monday 09:30 | Under fives with a grown up |
| Chair exercise | Monday 14:00 | Over sixties, gentle pace |
| Job club | Tuesday 10:00 | Help with applications and interviews |
| Knit and natter | Tuesday 14:00 | Anyone, bring your own project |
| Lunch club | Wednesday 12:30 | Over sixties, hot meal for $5 |
| Youth club | Wednesday 18:30 | Ages 11 to 16 |
| Homework club | Thursday 16:00 | Ages 8 to 14, volunteer tutors |
| Community choir | Thursday 19:30 | Adults, no audition |
| Repair cafe | Saturday 10:00 | Bring something broken |
| Community breakfast | Sunday 09:00 | Everyone, pay what you can |
Times change at the start of each term, so check the printed programme by reception or ask at the desk. Sessions for children always have at least two adults present.
Rooms to hire for a meeting, a class or a party
Book one evening or the same slot every week. Local charities and residents' groups pay a lower rate; ask when you enquire.
Garden room
an hour, from$22
Light and quiet, with glass doors to the garden, for classes, workshops and small celebrations.
- Sink and worktops
- Folding tables
Meeting room
an hour, from$14
A calm room for a committee, a support group or a quiet one to one.
- Tea and coffee tray
- Ground floor
Children's party
three hours, from$120
The main hall and kitchen for three hours, with tables, chairs and the soft play mats set out.
- Setting up time included
- Use of the kitchen
A $100 deposit holds a date and is returned within a week of the event once the room is checked. Parties finish by 23:00, music goes down at 22:30 for the neighbours, and alcohol needs the centre's agreement in advance; the rules on selling it vary by country.
Kept open by neighbours who give an hour or two
Sixty volunteers run the reception desk, cook the Wednesday lunch, mend lamps at the repair cafe, tend the garden and help with homework. Some give an hour a month and some come every day; both are just as welcome, and nobody is asked to commit to more than suits them.
New volunteers meet the coordinator first, try a session alongside someone experienced and get the training each role needs. Anyone helping with children or older people has the background checks that the law in your country requires before they start.
- Roles for an hour a month or more
- Training and a named contact
- Tea, thanks and a summer party
Something for every age
Clubs are led by volunteers and local tutors. Come once to try one before deciding.
Under fives
Toddler group, rhyme time and a soft play morning, with tea for the grown ups.
Ages0 to 4
Children
Homework club with volunteer tutors, and a Saturday drama group that puts on a summer show.
Ages5 to 11
Teenagers
Youth club with table tennis, cooking and trips, led by a trained youth worker.
Ages11 to 16
Adults
Choir, evening art, a job club and a book group that meets in the garden room.
Ages16 and over
Over sixties
Lunch club, gentle chair exercise and a monthly outing by minibus.
Ages60 and over
Everyone
Repair cafe, community breakfast and the garden group, where ages mix.
AgesAll
Through the year on the green
Bigger events bring the whole neighbourhood out, and most need no ticket.
- Spring plant swap
- Summer fair on the green
- Open mic evenings
- Quiz night for the roof fund
- Harvest supper
- Winter makers' market
- Warm room afternoons in winter
- New Year's Day walk
Dates go on the noticeboard by reception and on this page about a month ahead. Stallholders and performers can use the form below to ask for a place.
A week at Riverside
From the Saturday party set up to the Wednesday lunch.
What neighbours say about Riverside (example reviews)
Hired the main hall for a sixtieth. The tables were out when the family arrived, the kitchen was spotless and the deposit came back four days later.
The Wednesday lunch is the best hour of the week for Dad. He goes for the stew and stays for the dominoes, and the volunteers know him by name.
Joined the repair cafe as a volunteer after retiring. Two hours on a Saturday, a lot of toasters and some very grateful neighbours.
Asked at the reception desk
Can anyone come to the clubs?
Yes. Clubs are open to everyone in the age group, and most need no booking. Come once and see whether it suits you before paying anything for the term.
How far ahead should a room be booked?
Saturdays in spring and summer go about two months ahead. Weekday evenings and regular weekly slots are usually easier to find, so ask even at short notice.
Can we bring our own food and drink to a party?
Yes, and the kitchen is yours for the booking. Alcohol needs agreement in advance, and the rules on selling it depend on the country.
Is the building accessible?
All the rooms sit at street level, with level entrances, an accessible toilet and a hearing loop in the main hall. Tell us about any other needs when you book.
How is the centre funded?
Room hire covers most of the running costs, with the rest from session contributions, grants from charitable trusts and donations. The accounts are presented at the open annual meeting each spring.
Can my group run a regular class here?
Often, yes. Send the form with the day, the time and how many people usually come, and the bookings volunteer will check what is open.
Ask about a room, a club or volunteering
Tell us the day, how many are coming and which room you fancy, or simply describe the plan. Within two working days the bookings volunteer writes back to say yes, to offer a different day or room, or to explain what is already taken.
- Viewings on weekday evenings
- Lower rates for charities and residents' groups
- A $100 deposit holds the date
Find Riverside
Reception is staffed by volunteers on weekday mornings and early afternoons; leave a message at other times.
Reception
On the green beside the river footpath, five minutes' walk from the station, with a small car park and bike racks
When the building is open
| Building, Monday to Friday | 08:30 to 22:00 |
| Building, Saturday | 09:00 to 23:00 |
| Building, Sunday | 09:00 to 17:00 |
| Reception desk, weekdays | 09:00 to 15:00 |
About the centre
Riverside Community Centre is a charity run by a committee of local residents elected at the open annual meeting. Anyone who lives nearby can join the committee or come to the meeting and ask questions.