Bishop Auckland-based social enterprise Bridge Creative has unveiled ambitious plans to transform a former community centre into a new 5,000 sq ft employment, skills and community hub, creating opportunities for people with a learning disability, autistic people and the wider community.
The organisation has completed the purchase of the former Henknowle Community Centre from Believe Housing for a nominal fee of just £1, securing the future of a building that has been closed for over a year.
The new centre, named Bridgeworks, will be located directly opposite Bridge Creative’s existing centre, The COSE, and will bring together vocational training, work experience, enterprise and community activities under one roof.
Bridgeworks aims to become an incubator for talent, helping people with a learning disability and neurodivergent people develop practical skills, gain qualifications and access meaningful routes into paid employment across a diverse range of industries.
The hub will offer opportunities in catering and hospitality, creative production, events, logistics and warehousing, facilities management, digital skills and more, with a focus on developing specialist skills and opening doors to careers beyond traditional entry-level roles.
A key ambition is to support young people as they prepare to leave education, providing early experiences of work and the ongoing support needed to make successful transitions into employment.
Ben Tinkler, Founder and Managing Director of Bridge Creative, said: “It’s fantastic to be bringing this community building back into use, and we’re really excited about what we can create here, not just for the people we support, but for the whole local community.
“There’s such a huge need locally for these kinds of opportunities, particularly for young people with a learning disability and autistic young people who often face significant barriers when leaving education and moving into employment, but also for the local community who have been without a community centre for over a year now.
“We want Bridgeworks to provide that nurturing environment where people can explore their interests, develop practical skills, build confidence and gain real experience of work, with the right support around them as they take those next steps.
“But it’s also about changing mindsets. We want to open doors to a much wider range of careers and demonstrate what people can achieve when they’re given the right opportunities.
“We’re incredibly grateful to Believe Housing and Bishop Auckland Town Council for their support in helping us make this happen, and we’re looking forward to working with local people, businesses and partners to bring our ambitions to life.”
Alongside its employment and training activities, Bridgeworks will provide new opportunities for local businesses and the wider community.
Plans include a commercial training kitchen and community café, creating a welcoming space for local residents while providing practical catering and hospitality experience.
Bridge Creative also plans to expand its existing creative design and build workshop into the building, enabling its Creative Placements team to take on larger commissions for events, festivals and cultural projects.
The organisation hopes to work with socially-minded businesses, offering affordable space and practical services while creating new employment and work experience opportunities as those enterprises grow.
The building will also provide space for community groups, activities and initiatives that bring local people together.
Bridge Creative has released a series of early concept images showing how they intend to transform the space.
In early 2027, the organisation plans to work with Trades4Care CIC on painting and decorating the building, providing opportunities for young adults to gain practical experience in the trades while contributing to its refurbishment.
Further improvements will take place in stages throughout 2027, with plans to welcome the community into the building through an open day.
Bridge Creative is now inviting local businesses, employers, colleges and community organisations to get involved as they develop Bridgeworks.
For more information and to view the concept images, visit www.bridgecreative.org/bridgeworks or email hello@bridgecreative.org