Vision 21 has received a £60,000 donation from the former Cheltenham West End Partnership (CWEP), enabling it to hit a key funding target and give the green light to commence the construction phase of the Planet Cheltenham Eco-Hub.

CWEP has wound up and must redistribute any remaining assets within the community. Vision 21 purchased a brownfield site a short walk from Cheltenham High Street, which it plans to redevelop into a community climate hub in Malthouse Lane as part of its 'Planet Cheltenham' project.

The hub will act as a venue to share sustainability skills and provide the know-how to help communities to mitigate and adapt to a changing climate, as well as being a place for connection, improving health and wellbeing. The donation of £60,000 from CWEP has helped Vision 21 to reach the target that enables them to start the build phase.

A project manager has been appointed and renovation works will commence in early 2025.

Starting in 2000, CWEP worked to address communal regeneration issues in the lower High Street and surrounding areas. It championed numerous community causes across a district that houses Cheltenham's most ethnically diverse population and where many poor quality, environmentally substandard properties exist.

As part of CWEP's closure and disposal of assets process, its resources must be redistributed for the benefit of the local community, some of which have been given to Vision 21.

Dave Entwistle CEO of Vision 21, said: "Vision 21 is very grateful to receive a most generous donation of £60,000. It allows us to start the final piece of work on the development of Cheltenham's first, permanent sustainability centre, which will be under 10 minutes' walk from the lower High Street.

"It is a bittersweet moment though. We have lost a most valued and active member of Cheltenham's voluntary sector and CWEP will certainly be missed by many. However, the redistribution of CWEP's assets means that valuable resources will still continue to benefit this community.

"As such, I would like to thank the former CWEP staff and board of trustees for their efforts over the years and for the donation that will enable Vision 21 to take another step forward with its Planet Cheltenham initiative."

As part of the Planet Cheltenham initiative, Vision 21 intends to create a permanent Eco-Hub in the St. Paul's area of Cheltenham. Vision 21 purchased a single-storey workshop in 2021 and it has subsequently obtained planning consent for its redevelopment into a two-storey sustainability centre. Since then, Vision 21 has been raising money to enable it to realise its re-development. CWEP's donation means that Vision 21 now has sufficient funding in place to trigger the start of work at the site.

Other organisations and charitable trusts have also donated money towards the redevelopment work. Once it is completed, the centre will be an asset to the community and will be open as an environmental information hub for the public, community groups, especially young people to use.

The building will not only house all Vision 21's innovative project work, it will also be working hard as a sustainable building example, with solar PV, rainwater harvesting and the latest energy efficiency technology.

Vision 21 is continuing to fundraise for this project to ensure its successful completion and to undertake community focused initiatives based at the centre.