The Resource Centre has experienced a surge in bookings from training companies utilising its fully-equipped rooms and IT suite. Organisations including Northumbria College, Aspire, Sulzer Chemtech and Working Links have all made use of the centre’s facilities in recent months.

Working Links has recently utilised the Resource Centre’s IT Suite to deliver its Level 1 ICT course aimed at providing learners with a basic understanding of computers including navigating the internet and email communications. Michelle Peacock, tutor at Working Links who is delivering the course, says: “We chose to deliver our Level 1 ICT course from the Resource Centre because of its IT set-up. There are not many facilities around that can provide a fully equipped IT-suite to support the delivery of a course like ours. Not only that, the staff at the centre are really friendly and helpful.”

Angie Kelly, assistant facilities manager, said: “The centre is easily accessible from all of the main road routes and is fully equipped with Wi-Fi and presentation equipment, making it an ideal environment to deliver a range of training courses from.

“I’m delighted that companies like Working Links are recognising what the Resource Centre has to offer as a training venue, and I hope that more organisations follow suit.”

For further information or to book contact the Resource Centre on 01642 255 001.

For further information about Working Links’ courses please contact 0800 3100 401.

Twenty-four-year-old Louis Marshall is carving out a career in joinery since gaining employment with Actes.

Louis, who is originally from Nottingham, located to Middlesbrough to study Computer Games Animation at Teesside University before deciding on a change of direction. At this time Louis’ girlfriend was living in one of Actes’ properties where work was being undertaken, inspiring Louis to offer a helping hand.

Louis comments: “My grandad was a painter and decorator and I was always interested in his work. When I saw the work Chris and John from Actes were doing at the house I offered to help out and I really enjoyed doing it and realised that joinery and carpentry was the direction I wanted to go in.”

Recognising that he needed some support with employability skills, Louis then signed up to the New Directions Youth Employment Initiative (YEI), one of Actes’ delivery programmes, where he received a wealth of support to set him up for entering the workplace. His youth advocate Carl helped him to secure his Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) card and encouraged him to take on a volunteering role within Actes’ facilities team.

When an opportunity arose through Talent Match to fund the role, Louis was appointed as assistant caretaker with a responsibility for supporting the maintenance of the organisation’s two business and community centres, the Resource Centre and the Acklam Green Centre, as well as Actes’ housing stock.

Louis’ day-to-day tasks are mainly focused at the Resource Centre where he is involved in maintaining the gardens so they’re in pristine condition ready to host a variety of events and activities and tidying and setting up rooms. With guidance from site facilities worker Chris Wilson, Louis is also getting the chance to gain experience in more technical tasks within the properties, such as creating a decked patio; work which supports the Joinery Level 2 qualification he’s currently undertaking with Learning Curve. 

Louis commented: “Chris has been a great motivator and mentor and has given me the opportunity to work on more challenging projects. He has taught me plenty of tips and tricks of the trade and a good work ethic which I will be able to carry forward into my future career.

“I’m thoroughly enjoying my time with Actes; the people are very motivating and are giving me a push in the right direction and I love the projects and making a difference in the local community where I live. I hope in future to develop a career in fine woodworking and furniture making, and my time with Actes is giving me some great experience that will set me off on the right path.”

The Resource Centre continues to be a draw for party bookings in Middlesbrough. The centre’s 90 capacity Ford Hall has private access to beautifully maintained gardens and a patio area, which have been preened ready to host children’s birthdays, weddings and cultural celebrations this summer.

Last month the centre hosted a teambuilding event for over 40 Actes staff which included a business update, awards ceremony, quiz and a three-course meal, and the centre is geared up to host similar events during the school holidays, and all year round.

Angie Kelly, assistant facilities manager, said: “With our large hall, gardens, kitchen and on-site parking, the Resource Centre is the ideal venue to ensure celebration events are successful and memorable.”

For booking enquiries contact the Resource Centre events team on 01642 255 001.

A group of green fingered residents have got the gardening bug at the Resource Centre, as part of an initiative to unite the local community by growing produce and flowers.

The gardening club has recently began meeting at the Meath Street facility each Friday afternoon to plan projects in the Linthorpe and Gresham communities, and grow an array of produce in the centre’s greenhouse including tomato plants, courgettes, broad beans, French beans and more. 

The club, which comprises a core group of eight residents, is an offshoot of the alleyways co-operative established five years ago to encourage people to take pride in their area. The gardening club hopes to support the homeless café and is currently planning community improvement projects including a hanging basket scheme in the Essex Street and Harford Street alleyway, entering the annual Gresham in Bloom initiative and a partnership with the local Police Community Support Officers to develop an allotment garden and alley space to help tackle anti-social behaviour and provide residents with a safe and beautiful shared community space.

The gardening club is led by Catherine Howell who previously worked with Middlesbrough Environment City’s One Planet Middlesbrough project, which was designed to engage Middlesbrough residents in actions that promote sustainable living and behaviours.

Commenting on the Resource Centre gardening club, Catherine said: “The Resource Centre is an ideal base for the gardening group to meet. The outdoor space and centre facilities are fantastic and the staff are very welcoming and supportive. Not only that, the centre’s location in the heart of the community works really well for us.

“We look forward to meeting at the centre each week to grow produce in the greenhouse and to plan projects designed to enhance the communities where we all live and to bring people together by growing food.”

Angie Kelly, assistant facilities manager at Actes who looks after the Resource Centre, said: “The Resource Centre’s community gardens and greenhouse are ideal for the local gardening club to meet. We’re pleased to provide them with a base to plan projects and grow produce that ultimately benefit the local community. At the same time their work helps to maintain the gardens here which are available to hire for all kinds of events and functions.”

The gardening club also meets and grows plants and different types of produce at Newport Community Hub and at the People’s Park Community Allotment in Gresham to encourage people from across the area to engage with shared spaces for growing fruit and veg in their local communities.

For further information about the gardening club contact Catherine Howell by emailing barefoot.bellis@gmail.com or visit the gardeners’ Facebook page Alley Pals Middlesbrough or visit the Gresham Community Garden Facebook page @greshamcommunitygarden for more about growing spaces in the ward.

For further information about the hiring the Resource Centre’s interior and exterior space contact 01642 255001