Over 120 people attended the official opening of the newly refurbished Howlands to recognise and celebrate the centres re-birth.
Pictured left-right Amanda Cunoosamy, Big Lottery; Deborah Hall, Howlands Manager; Barry Stephenson, Big Lottery; Kevin Keogh, HB Projects; Sam Cullingworth, Stakeholder; Tom Ellis, Howlands Chairman; Steve Voke, Voke Consltancy; Dewsbury Labour MP, Paula Sherriiff.
Special guests were Barry Stephenson and Amanda Cunoosamy from the Big Lottery, Dewsbury Labour MP Paula Sherriff, and Kirklees Deputy Mayor Clr Gwen Lowe.
Everyone who attended had in some way helped with the transformation. Whether it was with words of encouragement, donations, fundraising, or help in kind.
All the hard work for the grant was delivered by the local people of Dewsbury. Not just ordinary people, special people who had overcome their own varied abilities and difficulties to make the refurbishment a success.
Tom Ellis, Chairman, said that he had heard of the regeneration in other parts of Dewsbury but he believed the real regeneration in Dewsbury was happening in Howlands.
Our first morning back we received a surprise visit from Chris Clarke Managing Director of HB Projects, the company that made it all happen, and the opportunity to thank him directly for the high standard of work from his team who were keen to preserve the integrity of building and preserving many of the interesting aspects of the building whilst installing new facilities such as air conditioning, central heating, double glazing and black out blinds in the Community Room.
Howlands is now open watch the refurbishment time lapse video here Howlands Refurbishment Time Lapse Video and come along and join us.