A new community hub has opened in Bury aimed at improving the quality of life of residents.

Green Café at Clarence Park Bowling Pavilion was officially opened today by the Mayor of Bury.

It has been funded by the Ageing in Place Pathfinder, a GMCA-led programme designed to improve the quality of life for older people across Greater Manchester.

The café will be used as a central hub for residents of Moorside and the surrounding areas.

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Volunteers run the café which has made it affordable and community events and activities including bingo, mother and baby groups, and music sessions will take place in the coming months.

Bury Times: The Green Café The Green Café (Image: Newsquest)

Steven Greason, community engagement manager for Ageing in Place, said: “We opened The Green under the Ageing in Place project about how we can make the area more age friendly.

“We identified the area as a community hub and café where we can engage residents and get their thoughts and ideas on the area and then how to make improvements.

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“We opened on December 5 as a soft opening and now we’re open we’ll have different services coming in like GMP and Citizens Advice to do talks and activities.”

Mayor Councillor Sandra Walmsley said: “I can’t tell you how thrilled I am to see the café open again and full.

“It’s been many years since it was operated in this way, and since then we’ve had events on with Friends of Clarence Park who kept it alive, and I think a difference came when Steve came in from Ageing in Place.

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“The research that Steven did over a period of months, meeting local residents here at the bowling club and everywhere in between, listening, responding and taking on board the feedback for what would make this area better for people to live in, to just enjoy their day to day lives and not come across problems and issues and that all fed into the programme for Ageing in Moorside.

“It’s wonderful to see this and such an important thing because so many people use Clarence Park. Because it’s a natural, central focus point for the community, having this here closed from Monday to Friday felt like something needed to be done so I’m delighted that it’s open again.

“It’s a safe place, a warm place, it’s a place where you can come and have a brew or a nice meal but it’s where you’ll meet people and friends.”