Unite bolsters community work with opening of another centre
General union Unite has opened another community centre — to add to its five existing centres — to offer help and support to a community hit hard by the government’s austerity agenda.
The centre, established by the Stoke Unite Community branch, is in Milton in Stoke-on-Trent. Staffed part time by volunteers, its role is to allow people to learn new skills and to provide support for people with welfare problems and for those looking for work.
The aim is also for it to become a hub for the local community to campaign against detrimental welfare changes.
Unite regional community co-ordinator Shaun Pender said the community branch had “built a community resource that will offer strong support to many of those who have suffered from the government attacks on the vulnerable”.
And he said that with more cuts to come, “many more working families are going to need advice and support”.
The centre is open for four hours on Wednesdays and Fridays and Unite will also be operating outreach centres at two other venues in the area.
Unite opened its first community centre in Tower Hamlets in East London in May 2013.
It also has centres in Durham, Barnsley, the Forest of Dean and Belfast.