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The town council-run charity behind The Hub, off St Mary's Street, earlier this year awarded a £25,000 contract to KRM for new windows and doors. A meeting this week welcomed the investment, which also includes replacing the guttering, as councillors reviewed how plans are progressing. The charity's only trustees are members of Newport Town Council, who met on Wednesday (October 29) to review how the community facility is performing. Jo Reay, the town clerk, admitted that reading a review of the activities had "made [her] want to cry a little bit". "We have done a lot in such a short period of time. I think we are definitely on the right track." The town council took over as sole trustee five years ago and revised what it does two years ago. A review of the last year showed that it is open more often and is used by 21 regular community groups, and some 75 young people regularly attend its after-school safe space. It has seen 36 young people graduate from its Pathways café training programme. Councillor Bill Harper (West Ward), the town's deputy mayor, said: "I am very proud of all the efforts." The meeting was told that the café is having "ups and downs" but is "doing OK" in terms of business. While it is shut next week staff will be undergoing training and the menu is being re-written. Money to pay for the refurbishment is coming from a £23,202 grant that the Newport Youth Cafe Project received from the Asda Foundation and £10,755.90 from general reserves. The money from Asda came from Donnington Wood as part of an Asda Foundation grant pot of more than £1.2 million to transform 65 community spaces across the UK. The Investing in Spaces and Places grants support the redevelopment of community spaces that are designed to bring people together, offer support and create community connections.
