Community Centre & Cafe
Community-run community centres provide an unparalleled range of diverse services and facilities throughout the borough, based mainly on self-funding and extensive volunteering, saving uncountable sums of money for the Council and statutory services. We promote community cohesion, awareness and empowerment, and all kinds of cultural, educational, social and economic opportunities.
Our centres are vital and popular community facilities, involving hundreds of the borough’s community groups and tens of thousands of local residents who use their facilities. To thrive, such centres need secure, long-term and affordable leases which enable, promote and guarantee community empowerment and self-management.
The Haringey Community Centres Network was set up as a solidarity network in 2015 to negotiate with the Council over controversial proposals to impose unviably high rents and short leases (which many centres refused to sign). Constructive discussions in 2019 led to the Council rethinking its policies and being more supportive – especially during the pandemic in 2020, which caused a major financial crisis for the voluntary sector in general and for community centres in particular.
HCCN meets regularly (see reports of some of the meetings below) to support each other, and has an internal email list to aid communication. We take up issues with the Council, urging it to support centres’ calls for progress and genuine partnership, in which the value of the services provided is properly recognised (and offset against the rent charged to those in Council-owned buildings). We and the Council are also trying to link up organisations wishing to hire spaces with centres looking for new hiring opportunities.
All such centres, whether in Council buildings or not, are urged to contact us to be added to our internal communications list.
Haringey Community Centres Network
Standing up for Haringey’s community-run community centres of all kinds, linking up and supporting each other throughout the sector, and celebrating the widespread and vital range of services and activities carried out on behalf of our communities.
Contact: davetottenham@gmail.com