BIG VENTURE CENTRE

1. Tell us about your organisation?

Big Venture Centre was created by local people in 2016 in response to the Scotlands Adventure Playground closing.

Based in Chesterton Road, it traditionally offers a ‘caring’ hub for families and individuals to enjoy the community cafe, hall and tranquillity gardens, not to mention a range of activities that include fitness classes, craft workshops, theatre performances and cooking sessions. 

The centre also offers a range of support from budget management and cooking on a budget through to coffee mornings and befriending activities.

During the height of the pandemic, the 10-strong army of volunteers pivoted their approach and instead rallied to deliver essential services that met the escalating needs of people isolating or facing hardship.

2. Who do you help?

Big Venture is a community centre with a unique special caring culture, providing support and services to all ages in WV10, whether you are a child, teenager, single parent or elderly person who is looking for help, support and company.

3. What services do you offer?

• Community Centre
• Tranquillity Gardens
• Community Shop
• Befriending service
• Domestic violence support
• Help with money management
• Food Delivery during the pandemic
• Activity packs for all ages
• Cooking Sessions
• Wide range of family support
• Crisis Support
• Fitness Classes

4. Give us an idea of some of your achievements?

All the hard work over the years was recognised in 2021, when the Big Venture Centre was named as a Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service winner.

This prestigious accolade demonstrated the impact of our volunteering activities and recognised every single person who gives their time to make a real difference in WV10.

Judges praised the overwhelming passion local people have for this community and special praise was given for the way local knowledge has been crucial in launching a host of exciting new programmes.

One such example was how the Big Venture Centre supported over 8000 individuals throughout the pandemic and in the way it launched the first WV10 Cookbook, which shows families how they can make a full week of meals for as little as £40.

There are food facts, meal plans, budgeting help and lots of different meal ideas covering breakfast, lunch and dinner across the 82-pages and these include anything from toad in the hole and fish curry, to potato, onion and carrot bake and apple and blackberry crumble.

The book is supplemented by a series of cooking workshops held as part of the ‘Life after the Food Bank’ project and the recently opened Community Shop, the latter giving local residents the chance to become members and enjoy access to reduced priced food and essential items.

5. What makes WV10 special to you?

“Working together, we are able to develop programmes that give people the opportunity to gain confidence, get started in new careers, offer support with money management and, importantly, cultivate skills that could lead to improving the quality of life for local people.

“Local people do not want hand-outs; it’s about creating an environment that delivers opportunities for locals to lead a better life.”

Karen Trainer, Centre Manager at Big Venture Centre

Contact Details

Big Venture Centre
17 Chesterton Road
Wolverhampton
WV10 8SP

T: 07866 658983
W: www.bigventure.co.uk
E: bigventureltd@yahoo.com
Facebook:@venturecentre1
Twitter: @big_venture