A community hub supporting neurodiverse adults and people with learning disabilities in Oldham has been shortlisted for a national fund which could provide it with £15,000 towards completing a major renovation project.
Pennine Mencap is one of four finalists in Certas Energy’s Community Bloom Fund, with local people being asked to vote to help the charity secure one of two £15,000 grants available this year.
The charity, which has been running since 2012, supports around 80 adults with learning disabilities and complex needs each week.
It provides a safe space where people can take part in activities, build friendships and develop new skills.
Pennine Mencap is currently carrying out a major renovation of its centre, with the proposed funding helping to complete the final stage of the work.
The charity plans to transform its yard and terrace into accessible outdoor community spaces, including seating and lighting, as well as an area where service users can grow plants and food.
It also hopes to install outdoor musical instruments to complement its weekly music therapy sessions.
Madison Holt, Communications Officer at Pennine Mencap, said adults with learning disabilities and neurodiverse adults can often lose access to services and support after leaving college.
Madison said: “Adults with learning disabilities or neurodiverse adults are often a forgotten demographic. Once people leave college, services and support can fall away almost completely.
“This funding would allow us to complete the final stage of our renovation, giving our service users the beautiful outdoor space they deserve and allowing us to welcome wider community groups to use this space too.”
The new garden space could also help people feel more comfortable when accessing the centre’s activities for the first time.
Madison said: “It can be really daunting for people to come in and start a session, even those who’ve been before.
“Having a welcoming garden space means people can see what’s going on before they join our sessions, which will make it so much easier for them to take that first step.”
The Community Bloom Fund was launched by Certas Energy in 2025 to support grassroots projects which bring communities together.
This year, two £15,000 grants are available to help local projects make a lasting difference in their communities.
Niki Holt, Marketing Director at Certas Energy, said: “Our judging panel was struck by the variety of ways Pennine Mencap’s service users will use this garden, from planting and growing food, to cooking with what they harvest, to simply having a space to relax outdoors.
“It’s also a space that will open up to other local groups in the area, and that combination of multiple users and uses is exactly what we hoped the Community Bloom Fund would achieve.
“The team’s renovation work so far has clearly been a labour of love, and it would be wonderful to see them finish the job and give their community the beautiful, therapeutic space the team has been working so hard to achieve.”
Madison added: “Having a fund like this that recognises smaller, grassroots initiatives like ours is rare, and we’d be so grateful if the local community could vote for our project.”
Voting is now open and closes at midnight on September 8.
Votes can be cast at: https://certasenergy.co.uk/community-bloom-fund
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