A space in Melksham where community and friendship groups meet has reached its first birthday.
Based behind the familiar red doors in Melksham’s Market Place, That Meeting Space, formerly known as the ArtHouse Café, closed in 2020 leaving a gap in the community.
It re-opened in 2021 as a meeting space for some of the town’s community and friendship groups, facilitated by GoodNews Church.
Coordinator from That Meeting Space, John Firth from GoodNews Church said, “We are amazed by what we have achieved over the past year, the space has really met a need that was in the community.
“We have many different types of groups that meet during the week. There’s a music and singing group on a Monday, these are people who just meet to have fun and sing together. They’re not practising for anything in particular, they just like to sing together.
“Then there’s the art group on a Thursday. This started out as a workshop with Celebrating Age Wiltshire but those who came enjoyed it so much, they wanted to continue meeting. They’re just a group of friends who like to meet and do some crafts together.”
One of the most successful groups held at the space has been the bereavement classes.
John said, “We have run five of these this year and have another in January. The restoration among people has been amazing. It’s really helped people get back to living.”
As well as running these groups, the GoodNews Church has been using the space to work with Ukrainian families independently of the council, to help them learn English twice a week.
John said, “We really like to see ourselves as an incubator for local groups. It’s been an amazing first year and we are always open to new groups that want to join the schedule.”
To run a community or friendship group from the space, contact John Firth on 07389 866714.
Below: That Meeting Space in the Market Place.
