How to find and contact us

 

We're just up Bell Lane in Northchurch, on the outskirts of Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire. About 150m up the lane on the right, set back from the road, with our own large carpark for Centre hirers/users.

Northchurch Social Centre
Bell Lane
Northchurch
HP4 3RD

01442 863243

Centre Manager: Linzi Wesley
(Mon, Wed, Fri 9:30-11:30-am)

info@northchurch-social-centre.co.uk

Follow us on facebook.com/NorthchurchSocialCentreOfficialPage or instagram.com/northchurchsocialcentre

Northchurch Community Newsletter

In September ‘24 we launched a brand new community newsletter - aiming to celebrate Northchurch; its people, businesses and community groups, we well as share more about the work of Northchurch Social Centre. Read our current edition by clicking ‘view full screen’ at the bottom right of the image on the right, or download:

This biannual community newsletter is brought to you and paid for by Northchurch Social Centre, for our community. We produce the newsletter every 6 months, with a copy delivered to 2000 homes in Northchurch, as well as to local businesses. If you have any feedback, are interested in sponsoring future editions or articles or taking out an advert, want to be our Northchurch Spotlight, have news or would like to help with distribution, please contact info@northchurch-social-centre.co.uk, thank you!

Supporting our community

As well as running a fantastic venue for hire for all sorts of activities and gatherings, it is a core purpose of Northchurch Social Centre to support the well being of residents in Northchurch and surrounding areas. We do this by a series of community activities:

  • Weekly Community Coffee sessions, inviting anyone who would like to come for coffee, chats, and regular (optional) activities such as games, gentle movement and yoga, drawing etc. Every Friday morning 9:30-12:30 - no charge, donations welcome but not expected.

  • Regular community events such as quizzes, dances, bingo nights, as well as our annual Open Day - see what’s coming up

  • Working in partnership with other groups such as Berko Repair Café, to provide services to the community

  • Operating a Community Pantry in conjunction with The Food Hub Berko and St Marys Northchurch - situated at the entrance to the NSC drive and exists to provide emergency food and hygiene products to those in need in our local area. Residents are invited to take what they need whilst being mindful of others who may also be experiencing hard times. The Pantry will be topped up by volunteers using donations from the public, as well as via The Food Hub Berko and St Marys Northchurch. If you would like to donate, you can place items directly into the pantry, or in the collection box in the foyer of the Centre. Non perishable items only, please.

A little about us and our history

Northchurch is a village on the outskirts of Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire. Northchurch Social Centre opened its doors in September 1969 and for over 50 years has provided a space for the community to meet, learn, play, dance, grow, socialise and flourish together.  In doing so it serves all ages within the community, ranging from the very young with baby and toddler classes, right through to the more mature at the University of the Third Age; and serves groups that provide learning, skills development, physical exercise or an expression of faith.  The Social Centre truly represents all the diversity of the community it serves.

The idea of a village hall was first discussed in 1965, and shortly after, local residents started to give money into the newly formed Northchurch and District Association.  Soon after that, Albert Seymour very generously gave the land, which had previously been the yard for his taxi and coach company, to the Association.  To this day the Social Centre remains a community space in an area where property prices are soaring and such an asset would be almost impossible to create again.

In 2018 the Centre became a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) – an independent charity run by volunteers. It works closely with one off and regular hirers and partners and remains unequivocally committed to being a resource for all the regular and occasional user groups that come to it from Northchurch and the surrounding areas.  

We have seen our busiest period so far in the last year, welcoming new groups and hirers, and an annual footfall of over 30,000 people. In order to meet local need, a refurbishment programme has been undertaken to upgrade the building – read more on on our refurbishment page.

Our team

As an independent charity, Northchurch Social Centre is run by a dedicated team of volunteers, supported by one part time staff member.

  • Centre Manager – Linzi Wesley (Mon, Wed, Fri 9:30-11:30am) - info@northchurch-social-centre.co.uk

  • Chair of Trustees – Gillian Austin, Chair of Trustees - gillian@northchurch-social-centre.co.uk

  • Trustees: Andrew Payne, Yvonne Larkins

  • The Centre is also supported by volunteer committee members, as well as a dedicated team of volunteers who help run our Community Coffee on Friday mornings, and other events such as our annual Open Day.

    To find out more about supporting the running of Northchurch Social Centre by giving your time, visit our get involved page.