Welcome to Heart on the Terrace
Heart on the Terrace is a unique social hub that offers a little something to everybody. Located within the village of Murton, its is at the heart of a community that experiences strong levels of social isolation and economic hardship. To overcome this, the team have developed a community hub that offers social groups, support networks and the help needed to progress social mobility and opportunities for all to enjoy.
Making Memories
Launched in October 2021, Heart on the Terrace is Murton to the core. It is run by local people for local people, with a strong sense of community and belonging imperative to all it does. With the help of the Communities of Hope initiative, a former photograph shop has now become a vibrant and active pillar of the local community and it is reaching out to those in need.
An example of this would be the wonderful ‘Heart Full of Memories’ group that offers up a warm and friendly atmosphere for locals to enjoy a light lunch, makes friends and share stories about the people and places of their community. A sense of community is integral and can be found running throughout their activities, be it their ‘Ramblers@Heart’ walking group, their ‘Yarn on the Terrace’ crafts group or the vibrant toddler group, 'Little Hearts'.
The Heart of the Community
Communities change over time and the presence of the Heart on the Terrace community hub in Murton truly reflects that. To combat the threat of food poverty, there is a twice-weekly pantry available for locals to access a wide range of food and drink sold at competitive prices, alongside a selection of preloved clothes and toys available too. The pantry has been well supported with donations from the local Co-op store and also the local branch of Morrison’s ‘Community Champion’ scheme - both partnerships have blossomed for the benefit of customers. When paired with the job search facilities available, the team are readily creating a reflexive project that is set to combat the issues of unemployment and deprivation within Murton.
Like so many pit villages within the northeast of England, Murton has faced issues of crime and anti-social behaviour, stemming from a lack of educational and employment opportunities. The hub is moving towards fighting this by hosting PACT meetings in which residents can converse with local councillors and community police about such issues. The hub also hosts their ‘Stay and Play’ playgroup to offer support to local parents, as well as interactive children/youth groups to stimulate and encourage imagination and talent in a wide range of activities such as crafts and dramas.
Reimagining the Community
Through the Communities of Hope initiative and the hard work of local volunteers, the Heart on the Terrace community hub is restoring a sense of identity, self-worth and prosperity to the people and streets of Murton.
The Heart is in its infancy and further initiatives are planned to continue to meet the needs of the community: practically, socially and spiritually. This is truly an exciting time for both Heart on the Terrace and the community of Murton. To find out more about their good work, you can follow them on their Facebook page.