A much-anticipated new voluntary sector hub has opened in Portsmouth to enable local charities and voluntary organisations to share facilities, reduce costs and collaborate on projects.
HIVE Portsmouth yesterday officially opened the doors of the new HIVE Portsmouth Hub at Aggie Weston House, Edinburgh Road, marking the start of a new chapter for the sector in the city.
The hub was created thanks to funding from BAE Systems, which made a £250,000 donation to HIVE Portsmouth to help set up two such hubs in the city.
A launch event saw people gather from across Portsmouth to celebrate, including Deputy Lord Mayor Jason Fazackarley, Managing Director of BAE Systems Maritime Services Scott Jamieson and representatives from the voluntary sector.
The newly-opened space offers coworking, virtual office spaces, hot desking options and dedicated desk space for voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations in the city.
A number of networking, mentoring and social events will be run from the hub across the year, and those using the space will also be able to access a range of in-house business services and mentoring to further support their organisation.
Stand Up Portsmouth will be one of the groups using the space. The community group will be hot desking in HIVE Portsmouth Hub, as part of their mission to expand and help increasing numbers of people in the city.
The group has been set up and run by parents and carers of children with Special Educations Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND) and works to provide a safe, welcoming and non-judgemental space for children and their families to meet and play.
Helen Barter runs Stand Up Portsmouth. She said: “As a group we’ve grown so much over the last few years. The demand just keeps building and we want to be able to help absolutely everybody we can. I currently work from home and, with three children, two of whom have additional needs, it’s so difficult to find the quiet space to really focus on what needs to be done for the charity.
“Signing up for the HIVE Portsmouth Hub will give me the ability to find that headspace when I need it and to have a dedicated desk for all of the paperwork. It’s much-needed and I hope that it will allow us to really grow.”
The hub will help provide greater resilience within the local voluntary sector and will offer valuable support to organisations serving local people.
Revd Canon Bob White, Chair of HIVE Portsmouth Trustees said: “For a long time the sector has been crying out for a space such as this, a place people can go to share ideas and make connections, somewhere which can be used as needed to help them continue to provide essential services to the people of Portsmouth.
“We’re very lucky to have such passionate and committed people in the sector who work so hard to provide a wide range of services to those who need support. The opening of HIVE Portsmouth Hub is a great step forward for the sector locally and I’m delighted that the doors are now open.
“It has been truly inspiring to see how people have come together from across the city to lend support. Our former CEO and Strategic Advisor Louise Wilders and Julie Hawkins were instrumental in setting the wheels in motion. We are so grateful to BAE Systems, to SSE who kindly donated so much of the furniture, to the Yardboiz who helped us move in, to Incuhive who have worked alongside us to set up the space and to many, many more who have offered guidance and practical support to help make our vision a reality.”
Scott Jamieson, Managing Director of BAE Systems’ Maritime Services, commented: “Portsmouth is really important to BAE Systems and our employees and we’re exceptionally proud of the active role we play in the local community.
“We hope the launch of this Hub, the first of two, will make a difference to how local charities and organisations can work together in the future. By sharing resources and working together they can develop and grow, and ultimately help more people within the local community.”
To find out more about HIVE Portsmouth Hub and how to get involved, visit www.hiveportsmouthhub.org.uk.
