The story of Telegraph Hill Centre goes back to the 1960s when the Canon of St Catherine’s Church, Hatcham, Allan Auckland, outlined his vision for a Community Centre which would serve the Community. He said:
“ The Vision behind this Centre and church is that you will find some material comforts here and much greater things as well: that through friendship you will experience increasingly the things that give to life its joy and purpose: such things as love and trust and hope.
Offer yourself in friendship to others you meet here, of whatever age, or race or background, and you will help us all to make this real.”
Allan Auckland c 1963
That guiding vision drives much of what the Centre does today.
Activities Telegraph Hill Centre supports:
- Lunch Club for Elders
- Stretch & Strengthen 60 +
- Bumps, Babies & Toddle On
- Light House Social Club
- Youth Club
- Kick Boxing
- Hat Making
Whether by providing subsidised, materials or other support, Telegraph Hill Centre remains committed to providing services which sustain the Community in very real ways to combat isolation and disadvantage. In the context of being a self-funded organisation this is no mean feat, resources are tight, but the commitment to our founding values remains strong.
Did you know . . .
- The Centre is open 24/7 52 weeks a year
- The Centre is run by the equivalent of one full time post & some fantastic volunteers
- 550 children and adults attend an activity in the Centre every week during term-time (approx)
- Over the year an average of a thousand people visit the Centre each week (approx)
- 45 plus groups and individuals hire the Centre on a regular basis Monday to Saturday running 39 activities
- During the annual Telegraph Hill Festival several hundred extra people visit the Centre
- In 2012 the Centre was hired out 23 times on a Saturday for social and other events out of an available 26 Saturdays
- The Centre is self-funding we receive no public or grant funding. The Centre is financed by St Catherine’s Church which ploughs back £30K of the annual rental income from Askes, The Hill Station, a residential let and studio lets to keep the Centre open & running smoothly, in addition to this the Centre hires the ground floor spaces to individuals and groups on an hourly basis.
- Telegraph_Hill_Centre_History
Activities – click here to find out what’s on regularly
For more information contact Jane Hartley, the Centre Manager
Pop in to the Centre
The office is usually open 10.30 am to 1.30pm Monday to Friday but it is a good idea to call first just to make sure the office will be open.
Telegraph Hill Centre
Kitto Road
London SE14 5TY