🌼 April Update 🌼

April has been a busy and joyful month here at the centre! We made the most of the sunshine with lots of Easter fun for children, including an Easter egg hunt and Easter games. Smiles all round and a brilliant time was had by everyone 🐣☀️

Our amazing allotment volunteers have continued their fantastic work every Monday. If you fancy getting your hands a little muddy and being part of the team, please have a chat with Carol or Claire—we’d love to welcome you 🌱

We’re also pleased to welcome a health worker from the NHS during April, May and June, offering free health checks. These include blood pressure checks and screening for early signs of heart disease. Appointments need to be booked in advance, so please speak to a member of staff and check the posters around the centre for more details ❤️

Don’t forget all the usual groups and support we have on offer! From yoga and art club to creative expression, IT support, laundry facilities, low-cost lunches, welfare rights advice and ESOL classes—there’s something for everyone. Pop in, pick up a leaflet and see what’s happening 📄😊

🌟 A HUGE THANK YOU to all our wonderful volunteers! 🌟
Everything we do here at the centre is made possible by your time, energy and kindness. Whether you’re helping in the garden, supporting activities, or lending a hand behind the scenes—we truly couldn’t do it without you


March Update

Spring has truly sprung at BUCFP 🌱
Veronika and her team have been working incredibly hard in the garden—planting bulbs and giving everything a fresh coat of paint to make sure the space is ready to enjoy the sunshine.

Have you ever wondered what goes on at the BUCFP allotment? Claire will be taking a small group up to the allotment to find out what it’s all about. We’ll meet outside the centre at 12.30pm on Monday 13th April and walk up together. Please speak to Claire or Carol if you’d like to join us.

With Easter just around the corner, join Joy and Mary for an Easter activity on 9th April at 10.30am. Please speak with staff or volunteers to make sure your children are added to the list.

We’re also excited to launch a new Art Club every Friday at 2pm. Stuart will be on hand to guide you if needed—bring along a project you’re already working on or start something completely new. No experience needed, just relaxed and chilled vibes.

We have lots of drop-in groups running, so please check out our website or give us a call to find out what’s on and when.

Opening times: Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, 10am–4pm
Lunch is available for £1. We are an inclusive space and welcome everyone.

Finally, a huge thank you to our volunteers—we truly couldn’t do this without you 💚

January Update 2026

Happy New Year to all our centre users and volunteers!
Things are a little calmer at BUCFP after the busy Christmas period, so here’s a reminder of what we currently have on offer.

Weekly Activities

Monday – Allotment Day
Please speak to Carol or Claire if you are interested in volunteering.
🕐 1pm – 5pm
Please note: the main centre building is closed on Mondays.

Tuesday

  • ESOL Drop-in with Paul: 10am – 11.30am

  • Drop-in Yoga with Becky: 11.45am – 1pm

Wednesday – CLOSED

Thursday

  • ESOL with Sue (women only) – restarting 26th February

  • Creative Expression with Janina: 11.30am – 1pm

Friday

  • ESOL with Lucinda: 10am – 11.30am

  • Yoga with Becky: 11.30am – 1pm

Other Services

Alongside our groups, we also offer:

  • Welfare rights service

  • Low-cost laundry

  • IT suite

  • Our lovely vegan lunch, served at 1pm each day we are open 🌱

Special Event

Friday 30th January
🕐 Happiness to Wellness Session: 1.45pm – 3pm

South East Dance will be joining us to teach us how to boogie 💃
There will also be a raffle with some amazing prizes on offer.

Everybody is welcome!

SIM Cards

We’ve recently stopped giving out free data, and SIM cards at the centre, but are now able to recommend o2 and other databank providers in the city.

The easiest way to get a free SIM loaded with data is to read about it here -

https://www.o2.co.uk/national-databank-t-cs

you’ll find o2 stores in the town centre.

When the capacity allows us, we’ll be giving SIMs out at the centre again, but for now o2 stores and other databank providers are available in the city.

https://www.goodthingsfoundation.org/find-support/map

Winter & Xmas Info Guide 2025

Live dashboard of useful info for referrers and people needing food support from December to January. It includes food project opening times and festive meal events.

https://airtable.com/appnh7kPQUvi6JofM/shrqlxicBTZmBdLjd?0Wzno=allRecords

Click on an event for full info. Use the top tabs to see the information displayed as a calendar or list view. These pages are available to print, but please be aware the document will update as new info is added. 

-

See also:

https://bhfood.org.uk/winter-opening-times-and-festive-meals/

-

https://bhfood.org.uk/directory-map/

And

https://ageingwellbh.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Festive-Directory-AG25-Dec03.pdf

And

https://www.cabrightonhove.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Festive-period-2025-Advice-and-Food-services-open-in-December.pdf

November & Xmas 2025

This month our winter wellness sessions went down a treat. We had soup making, hot chocolate, raffles, movement to music and prizes galore. Our next session is on 5th December at 1.45, we will then have a break for Christmas and commence again in the New year. Everybody is welcome to join the fun. 

Joy has been busy organising the Children party on the 6th December. The party is now full but you can still be added to the reserve list in case anyone drops out. If you are not on the list then you will not be able to attend and will be turned away on the day. If you are on the reserve list then please phone up that week to see if you have been put on the main list. Thank you in advance to the staff and volunteers who give up their time to make this event happen. 

Christmas party time – The date for the Christmas party is 12th December, we will open the centre at 12.30 for people to arrive. Please do not turn up before that as we have a lot to prepare before the lunch is served. All volunteers and centre users are invited, please add your name to the list on the cupboard door in the main area. 

Please note the centre will be very busy on party days and things will be loud!

Christmas opening hours. The last day before the Christmas break will be Friday 19th December and we will reopen on Tuesday 30th December and will also be open on Friday 2nd Jan 2026. Please ask staff for clarification if you are unsure.

In memory of Valerie Mainstone

Valerie has recently sadly passed away. At BUCFP we'd like to pay tribute to her well over 20 years of volunteering commitment to the centre, and say a few words from those who knew her best. 

Valerie was a much-valued and dedicated welfare rights advisor for many years at our centre and will be sadly missed. I clearly remember her chairing the weekly meetings with great humour as well as her boundless energy and compassion. I also knew Valerie from her leading role in the Defend NHS campaign group, one amongst many of her worthwhile causes, and am certain that she touched the lives of many, all of whom will remember her with great affection.

- Richard. BUCFP welfare rights. 

Valerie was deeply kind and caring. She was a helpful and courageous supporter of others. She worked tirelessly supporting many causes including the peace movement and defending the rights of minorities and had a keen interest in the history of these campaigns. She truly put people at ease, was a great listener. Her quiet supportive words helped many and she will be greatly missed.

- Ben. Previously BUCFP welfare rights. 

She was passionate about helping others. her never ending energy and ability to put people at ease. Having the pleasure working with her she definitely left her mark in my life as well as those lucky enough to know her.

- Paul. BUCFP welfare rights.

October update

This month was the launch of our Winter warmer well being sessions. The first session went down really well with games, quizzes, prizes and fun. We have another 3 sessions planned on the 7th November, 21st November and the 5th December. For 2 of these sessions we will have dancing and music, make sure you join in the fun. Everyone is welcome, centre users old and new, volunteers and staff will be around to introduce people who are here for the first time. 

This month we had a workshop about smoking cessation for people who are curious about giving up smoking. Quite a few centre users were keen to learn more about what their options were in terms of giving up without any pressure. We hope to have more sessions soon.

Our playroom had a Halloween party for all the playroom children and volunteers at BUCFP. All the kids had a great time. 

Please check out the website to keep up to date with the latest timetable of activities.

Happy Halloween everyone.