Firs Farm Community Hub is celebrating its official opening

Former Strictly Come Dancing star cuts the ribbon on the charity’s new Winchmore Hill site

A new community center that aims to bridge the divide between Edmonton and Winchmore Hill was officially opened with a summer celebration today (Friday 26).

Dozens of people gathered at Firs Farm Community Hub to enjoy freshly cooked food, live music and children’s entertainment – ​​all to celebrate the venue’s official opening.

The new hub is owned by Friends of Firs Farm, a registered charity which has long sought to provide public facilities for recreation land and wetland users. After several years of fundraising the total £300,000 required, the venue was installed last year and finally opened its doors for the first time in February.

Toni Guiver, chairman of Friends of Firs Farm, said at the official opening event on Friday: “It has been an amazing nine-year journey. Without all our volunteers it would never have happened, so thank you all for your amazing dedication and hard work, coming back time after time to create this wonderful space (…) it’s a space that will bring the community together.”

She also thanked Enfield Council, Sport England, Thames21 and Thames Water for their support of the project.

Ken Waterhouse, managing director of Home Care Preferred, the social enterprise which runs the hub on behalf of Friends of Firs Farm, thanked Toni for her “amazing” commitment to the project and added: “She’s very modest, but without Toni I wouldn’t have have done it don’t be here

“The idea of ​​the Friends of Firs Farm Community Center is to bring the whole community together.”

Firs Farm is located between Edmonton and Winchmore Hill and is used by a diverse range of people.

Radio 1 DJ and local resident Melvin Odoom, who grew up in Edmonton and appeared on Strictly Come Dancing in 2016 he was honored to cut the ribbon on the new hub and said: “It’s fabulous to see everyone from all walks of life here, it’s incredible.”

As well as a cafe, run by local caterer Leon’s, the center offers office space for Home Preferred and Friends of Firs Farm, changing facilities and community rooms for hire. There are toilets open to anyone and not just cafe customers, including a Changing Places registered toilet for people with special needs – only the third open to the public in the borough.

Learn more about the hub and get involved in its events and activities:
Visit firsfarmn21.org

Independent news outlets like ours – which report for the community without wealthy backers – are under threat of closure, turning Britain’s cities into news deserts.

The public they serve know less, understand less, and can do less.

If our coverage has helped you understand our community a little better, please consider supporting us with a monthly, annual or one-time donation.

Choose the news. Don’t miss the news.

Monthly direct debit

Annual direct debit

£5 a month backers get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else, £10 a month backers get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else and a print copy posted each month. Annual £50 backers get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else.

More information about our monthly or annual support

More information about donations