A new community hub promising 'playdates' and a 'public living room' has opened on the coast.

The former Scout hut on Amethyst Close in Gorleston has been transformed by local housing provider Orbit into a new 'Better Days' centre.

The facility will offer free face-to-face support on issues such as managing finances, health and wellbeing, employability and skills.

It will also host sessions by local organisations including Cliff Park Community Church Wellbeing Group and Camerados, an organisation which hosts ‘public living rooms’ across the country to encourage social interaction.

A ‘playdate’ session also takes place every Friday morning for children aged five and under. 

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Orbit worked with social enterprise Volunteer It Yourself to revamp the community space and enlisted the help of young local residents to gain hands-on work experience in trade skills, to give the building and garden a new purpose.

Lucy McGovern, head of thriving communities at Orbit, said: “Having a local presence and being able to offer people the face-to-face support they need to lead happy and fulfilled lives is really important to us.

"By working with partner organisations, suppliers and local volunteers, we’ve transformed an unloved building into a place which offers a safe place for people to seek help, build friendships and support networks and socialise with their neighbours.”

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Nineteen local young volunteers recruited from the local Orbit housing community, YMCA Norfolk, Catch-22 Great Yarmouth and Dial Great Yarmouth, had the opportunity to work on the project and gain trades experience.

The hub was officially opened by the mayor of Great Yarmouth, Penny Carpenter, at a celebration event.

Orbit hosts a free coffee morning at the Hub every Wednesday from 10am to 1pm when customers can drop-in and chat to a member of the thriving communities team.