The much-awaited opening of a popular charity is finally happening. Spark Community Space is finally opening the doors of its forever home on Thursday, April 20. Founder Becki Simmons has been working on the big day for months after securing the site at the former Pompey Store in Fratton.
Up until now, Becki has been running the charity out of Sherlock’s Bar, where she ran coffee mornings, as well as within Portsmouth Library. She has built up a dedicated team of volunteers who help run the charity and have been working hard getting the new space ready for the opening. Many local businesses have also done their part to enable Spark to open, with several firms donating their time, skills, labour and materials for free.
Spark Community Space is a local charity, working to reach those who have been left out or left behind, to give people a place to belong, to be part of a community of support, to heal together and to spark back into life. The ethos behind the name is to want to welcome anyone who feels that they have been pushed aside or overlooked by society, perhaps because of long-term illness, or redundancy; perhaps because of lack of skills, or qualifications; perhaps because of disability, or race; or whatever reason.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony will mark the opening of the space at 11am, with members of the community, press and local businesses invited to celebrate over hot drinks and cake thereafter. Becki said: ‘I’m so excited to be opening after months of hard work from myself and all of the amazing volunteers, without whom this would not be possible. I’ve been absolutely blown away by the support from the community – people donating their time to paint walls, businesses offering us their services absolutely free and, of course, the people who help to run Spark day in, day out. ‘Their support means so much not only to me but to the people who will be able to make use of Spark and will use it as their safe space to come for a cuppa, have a chat when they need it and feel like they belong. That’s who it’s all for.’
Becki will be live on Express FM on the launch day, with the morning show being recorded live from the newly opened space. She founded the charity in October 2020 after having emergency brain surgery which turned her life upside down, and has built it up to what it is today. She raised more than £10,000 through a Crowdfunder to help her open the space.
Everyone is welcome to visit Spark Community Space, whether it’s for one of its coffee mornings or for another of the many events that will be held in the space. For readers of Southsea Folk you might not be someone that is need of support there, but there is going to be a shop open to the public that has a great stock of books for sale, and household items that have been donated and carefully curated to bring an income to the site. There’s also great meeting spaces available inside and with the cafe open and a mindset of pay as much as you can attitude, it means that if you buy a coffee, you might help someone who can’t afford a drink on that day and help them to feel valued and not isolated.
Pop along to the Spark Community Space and see what it is all about. Have a look at the socials below to find out more about this charity!
Thanks to HLD Media for the info and the photo footage.
