Our new home was formally opened on the 12th September 2024 by Mrs Gwen Parkin and Major General Mark Armstrong JP, Deputy Lieutenant of Worcestershire.
Following a £1.6m investment the derelict historic grade 11 listed building has been transformed into a multi-use space containing a large hall, smaller meeting space, toilets, changing rooms, a cafe and bar and an outside patio area. Further investment has enabled us to create a meeting space for young people in what was an unused part of the building.
The project has been backed by Wychavon District Council through section 106 money – funding linked to planning agreements- £100,000 from Wychavon’s Community Legacy Grant scheme and another £100,000 from the council’s share of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
A Big Lottery grant supported initial running costs, while Severn Trent Water also provided more than £80,000 to install green measures such as solar panels and electric vehicle charging points. Norton-Juxta-Kempsey Parish Council also provided funding to install wi-fi.
A huge thank you to Wychavon, other funders, volunteers and the wider community for their support to help us to turn what was a semi-derelict sports club into a wonderful community hub that offers a range of activities for all age groups and abilities in our community.
Please do get in touch if you have any suggestions of the types of activities that would appeal to you. All suggestions will be gratefully received.
A brief look at how we got here
Extracts courtesy of Norton-juxta-Kempsey Parish Council where you can find an excellent history of the whole parish including our site – https://nortonjuxtakempseyparishcouncil.gov.uk/parish-publications/
The Sergeants Mess is a Grade II listed, beautifully refurbished, facility set in the heart of our parish on Brockhill Lane overlooking the Gordon Jones Memorial Ground cricket pitch. There is a choice of different sized rooms and the bar area to hire, along with a brand new kitchen, access to a store room with 20 trestle tables and over 100 folding chairs, as well as an AV system – its a great venue for parties, exercise classes or meetings.
The Cadets Mess, also available for hire, is self-contained in a separate part of the building and is complete with disabled access and toilet, kitchenette, dart board, pool and air hockey table and AV system.
The site has its own parking including disabled access, external toilets, a car charging point, a hard surface multi-use games area with football goals and basketball hoops, an outdoor gym area, patio areas with seating and complete with beautiful views of the cricket pitch and Norton Barracks.
The main building was originally built in the 1920’s to accommodate the ever growing needs of the Worcestershire Regiment and was at that time used as the Sergeants Mess. Following the purchase of the site by Worcester Norton Sports Club Ltd (WNSCL) the building became their clubhouse with adjacent changing room facilities.
During the 2010’s it became apparent that the building was not self sustaining financially and was gradually declining in condition and discussions began on how to raise funding to renovate the facilities. In 2019 a new opportunity arose for grants from monies held by Wychavon District Council and provided by property developers in the area for local amenities (known as S106 grants).
In order to gain access to this public money WNSCL had to change its structure from a private company to one with an “asset lock” to protect any investment for the long term and for community benefit. The new structure was proposed and accepted by WNSCL members during the summer/autumn of 2020.
The Worcester Norton Community Interest Company Ltd (WNCIC) was formally registered at Companies House on the 18th December 2020. By the end of the first quarter of 2021 a period of intensive activity had taken place with an initial project grant of £60k to kick off the project. Heritage, bat and drainage reports were commissioned, architects appointed, a business plan prepared and discussion with solicitors regarding a lease had commenced. Also in this period the company structure, articles and formal documents were established.
Quarter 2 2021 saw formal grant applications made, planning permission granted and building controls approved. A professional project manager was appointed and a Drainage, Electrical & Structural feasibility study completed including ground survey, to inform the production of a cost plan to satisfy the need for more detailed costings.
The project then reached a hiatus when the detailed cost estimates were way over the 2019 outline cost plan due to the massive rise in construction costs over that period (estimated at 44%).This situation forced several iterations of the construction plan and additional funding sources needing to be obtained to reach an affordable solution. There had also been difficulties agreeing a lease regarding which parts of the site were included as the shooting club had expressed a wish to not be part of the WNCIC. Eventually a compromise was reached with the shooting club, bottom field and the semi-detached house on the top field being excluded. A 40 year lease on the rest of the site was finalised on the 18th August 2023.
Following the lease signing detailed work on the tender and appointment of contractors took up the remainder of the year. The construction project commenced in January 2024 and the completed building was handed over to the WNCIC at the end of August. The formal opening ceremony took place on the 12th September 2024 conducted by Major General Mark Armstrong JP, Deputy Lieutenant of Worcestershire, Edith (Jane) Price (nee Dalloway), daughter of Sgt Alfred “Curly” Dalloway and Gwen Parkin, wife of Sgt Gordon Parkin.
The building has been renamed the Sergeants Mess in honour of its heritage, and each of the rooms has been named after local men who were former sergeants serving in the Worcestershire Regiment “Dalloway” “Parkin” and “Cubberley”. Since that time the CIC has managed with a combination of their own funds and further grant opportunities to improve and add to the facilities. Over £100K was spent completing the unfinished part of the building now renamed The Cadets Mess with a focus on youth usage. A new outdoor gym available for free public use, external public toilets, external seating, additional block paving and equipment for the multi-use games area have been provided.