It's good to be back at the Grafton Centre

Thursday, 20 May 2021 11:52

The Civic Mayor of Tameside Cllr Janet Cooper and Consort, Mr Dennis Fitzpatrick, get the open day underway.

At last the long wait is over after the official Grafton Centre Grand re-opening this week.

Thanks to the easing of lockdown restrictions from May 17, the much-loved centre was once again able to open its doors for a reunion that brought old friends together again.

To mark the occasion the centre held an open day for people to pop along, say ‘Hello’ and find out more about the many groups and activities the centre provides.

The Civic Mayor of Tameside Cllr Janet Cooper attended to officially get the day underway.

It is among the first of the official engagements the Mayor has been able to attend with last year’s calendar so seriously disrupted by the ongoing pandemic.

Hyde Newton councillor Philip Fitzpatrick, on behalf of the centre trustees, stated: “It’s been a tough period in our history, our whole ethos is about combating loneliness and isolation, yet we have all been isolated for most of the last year.

“But we’re a resilient bunch and are determined to get the Grafton up and running at full capacity as soon as we are able.

“We will be restarting our old favourites such as bingo and exercise classes, but there’s also an opportunity to refresh our programme and maybe try a few new things.

“We’re also hosting a Job Club, funded by the European Social Fund, and anyone needing support with CVs, applications etc. are welcome to sign up.”

The trustees and members would like to thank Tameside Council, Action Together and Forever Manchester for their support during this difficult time. For centre updates visit their Facebook page.