A PROJECT to build a supportive community in Ross-on-Wye has just received National Lottery funding enabling it to continue for the next three years.

The award of £194,000 to @The Hub, located in Corpus Christi Lane, will be phased over three years and will continue providing a welcoming, inclusive space where some of the most disadvantaged and marginalised people in Ross can come together, support one another and build lasting connections within their community.

The project is designed to help people integrate into the wider community at a pace that suits their individual circumstances.

Through a range of activities, peer support and community engagement, more than 250 people each year are expected to benefit.

The funding will help local people to feel less socially isolated and more confident in making friends; feel better supported and understood by local people; develop a stronger sense of belonging, safety and trust; feel valued and able to contribute positively to their community and have a greater voice and influence in local decision-making.

The project will also invest in supporting staff and volunteers, many of whom draw on their own lived experience to help others. They will receive additional support and opportunities to build confidence in their roles while strengthening their own connections with the wider community.

Beyond supporting individuals, the project aims to foster greater understanding and acceptance across Ross by encouraging local residents to recognise the value of @The Hub's work and to become more supportive of one another, especially the most vulnerable.

As part of the project, @The Hub will enhance the way it measures its impact, building on existing feedback ensuring that the voices of people who may be less confident in sharing their experiences are heard and reflected in the ongoing development of the organisation.

@The Hub regularly shares stories of positive impact through social media, local media and community partners, with many beneficiaries choosing to tell their own stories about how the organisation has changed their lives.

Learning from the project is also shared through the organisation's trustees with partners across Herefordshire, including Herefordshire Council’s Housing and Homelessness teams, Social Services, the NHS, local GPs, Police and voluntary sector organisations.

Rachel Hankins, chairman of trustees, said: "This funding from The National Lottery is a significant investment in our community and the people we support every day.

“It will enable us to continue creating a safe, welcoming place where people who have experienced disadvantage or isolation can build friendships, develop confidence and become active members of our community."

“The team and clients @The Hub would like to thank National Lottery players for helping to make this project possible and for supporting stronger, more connected communities across the UK, saying with one voice “We are incredibly grateful to you all.”

The idea for the project began when Milly Boylan, who’d been a support worker in Ross hit on the idea of having a dedicated space after she couldn’t find a suitable to meet people to discuss their needs.

The new facility was formally opened in June 2024 by the High Sheriff of Herefordshire, Pat Churchward.