Ownership

The Exeter Community Centre is owned and run by the Exeter Community Centre Trust, a registered charity. The trust was formed in 2010 by the St David's Neighbourhood Partnership - our community-based association of residents, community groups, businesses and local councillors.

Background

The Centre is a listed building of historical interest. It was first a Georgian merchant's house, and then a Victorian residential school for the blind before becoming a local authority-owned community centre after the floods of the 1960's.

In 2010, with the Centre threatened by private development, the community of St David's raised £1.8 million in public grants and loans to buy the centre and refurbish it. The Centre is now owned in perpetuity by a charitable trust run by local volunteers. The Trust's mission is 'to provide a space for our community to thrive' through offering tenanted office space and sessional hire of over 18 rooms of various sizes for meetings, classes and projects as well as a training and events kitchen.