Charlton Athletic Community Trust (CACT) were proud to welcome a range of special guests to the Hawksmoor Youth Hub in Thamesmead as part of a celebration of the recent transformation the building has undergone. The Youth Hub underwent a major renovation last year to modernise the facility, which has allowed it to better meet the needs of local young people.
Young Greenwich is the Royal Borough of Greenwich’s universal youth service, which has been delivered by CACT since 2012. The delivery operates across four main youth hubs, including Hawksmoor.
Originally built in the 1980s, the Hawksmoor Youth Hub had started to show its age. While structurally sound, the interior had become dated and no longer reflected the needs of its users. In early 2024, an extensive refurbishment programme aimed at modernising the building and improving its layout began. The transformation was supported by the Royal Borough of Greenwich and was completed over the course of several months; it involved major improvements throughout the facility.
Key updates included the renovation of the kitchen and toilets, the removal of a spiral staircase to create a dedicated games room, the conversion of a former storage room into a music room and the installation of security doors and a security fence to make the outdoor garden area safer and more secure. New windows, electrical wiring, fire safety systems and an air conditioning system were also installed.
Head of Youth Services Jeannette Harrison said: “We celebrated the Hawksmoor Youth Hub relaunch after its major renovations which were completed last year. We’ve welcomed councillors, partners, families and young people. The event was to show the impact the building is having now, compared to what it was before. We’ve been able to show how much better we can use it now and what services we can deliver to young people and families following the renovations.
“The building was not particularly fit for purpose prior to the renovation and every day different issues seemed to arise. Now, it’s fully operational and a nice place to be.”
Hawksmoor Unit Manager Claire Hallinan added: “It was a long road to get to this stage. Royal Borough of Greenwich offered us funding to support the renovations a long while ago and we first had major jobs done, such as re-wiring the building and installing new fire alarms.
“The Met Police also supported us by investing in a new front door which is a security-friendly double door. They also gave recommendations to the council about how the security of the building could be improved. The council took up these recommendations and spent money on installing a new fence, adding CCTV and renovating the building so that there’s more space for people to use it.”
Click here to learn more about Young Greenwich.
Photo credit: Chris O’Donovan and CACT