Northampton Against Cuts protest to save community hubs
Campaigners from Northampton Against Cuts gathered outside west Northampton Council’s, One Angel Square this week to protest against the threat facing much-loved community hubs across the town.
The demonstration, held on Tuesday, saw residents, families and local activists calling on West Northamptonshire Council to safeguard the hubs in Brierhill, Bellinge and Semilong.
The group says the centres provide vital support to local people, from children’s activities and social groups to essential services tackling isolation and poverty.
Placards and banners outside the council’s headquarters carried a clear message: the hubs are not luxuries but lifelines.
At a community meeting following the protest, Jo Frost addressed supporters: “Community Spaces Northampton described these hubs as 'life-changing and life-saving'. Yet after making that statement, the organisation closed the hubs and we were made redundant.
"But we've kept them going voluntarily.We can't keep doing that without support.
"So my question is simple: Can West Northamptonshire Council help fund Semilong Community Exchange - and the volunteers at Briar Hill — to keep these hubs open? Because if we lose them, we're not just losing a meal or a friendly face, we're losing a lifeline for some of the most vulnerable people in our community."
Spokesperson James Treliving for Northampton Against Cuts added: “Community hubs keep neighbourhoods strong. Closing or underfunding them would rip the heart out of local areas. We are here to remind the council that people will not stand by while these vital services are put at risk.”
The group has pledged to continue campaigning, with further meetings and actions planned in the weeks ahead.