A town’s community centre may soon be offering a breakfast club for nearby schools after being granted £42,000 in funding to tackle loneliness.

Thetford & Brandon Times: The Charles Burrell Centre has received more than £42,000 in funding to help tackle loneliness and provide opportunities for people Thetford. The money will go into the Engine Room Cafe in the centre where they will host weekly activities for people within the community. Photo: Engine RoomThe Charles Burrell Centre has received more than £42,000 in funding to help tackle loneliness and provide opportunities for people Thetford. The money will go into the Engine Room Cafe in the centre where they will host weekly activities for people within the community. Photo: Engine Room (Image: Engine Room)

The Charles Burrell Centre, in Thetford, is home to businesses, as well as community groups and projects.

The Engine Room café in the centre began running this year as a project to provide training and learning opportunities for people in the community, as well as being a friendly space for people to meet.

After applying for funding from the Co-op Foundation, the centre has been awarded £42,456 through the Space to Connect partnership, designed to help community organisations improve and protect spaces where people can connect.

This funding will be put into The Engine Room café, where they will be offering a range of weekly activities for people of all ages, to tackle loneliness, provide opportunities to learn skills and for people to just have fun.

Thetford & Brandon Times: Terry Jermy, chief executive of the Charles Burrell Centre and Tracey Terry, manager of the Engine Room with the Meet up Mondays in Thetford, a community group to help tackle loneliness. The group takes place in The Engine Room Cafe from 12pm to 2pm every week. Photo: Emily ThomsonTerry Jermy, chief executive of the Charles Burrell Centre and Tracey Terry, manager of the Engine Room with the Meet up Mondays in Thetford, a community group to help tackle loneliness. The group takes place in The Engine Room Cafe from 12pm to 2pm every week. Photo: Emily Thomson (Image: Emily Thomson)

Terry Jermy, chief executive of the centre said: "We are thrilled to receive the funding because we are doing our best to bring people together here at the Charles Burrell Centre and this is what The Engine Room is all about.

"A lot of people are incredibly lonely, so this money is going to allow us to put on activities everyday Monday to Friday, to encourage people to get out, do new things and meet new people.

"We're also looking forward to liaising with local schools and parents to explore options for a new breakfast club to be based at the Engine Room."

The new weekly activities will begin as soon as possible, with the Meet up Monday group, where people can come for free tea, biscuits and a chat, Talk on a Tuesday, with guest speakers discussing different topics every week, Wednesday bingo, Thursday chair based exercise for those with mobility issues and Friday arts and crafts.

Mr Jermy added: "The Engine Room at Charles Burrell Centre has established itself as a key hub for people working, volunteering and using services at the centre.

"With this funding from the Space to Connect fund we are really looking forward to expanding our reach and opening up the building to a greater number of people from our local community."