The Gregson: Lancashire’s 134-year-old community centre transforming lives

Built in 1889 with donations in memory of former Lancaster mayor Henry Gregson, the Gregson building has, for the past forty years, been managed, owned, and run by the Gregson Community Association, who are on a mission to make the charity one of Lancaster and Lancashire’s finest.

With the centre’s work over the past three years having re-established the newly-refurbished Gregson at the heart of the local community, the charity boasts a new team of dedicated staff, a refreshed board of trustees, and almost 80 volunteers supporting some 40 groups who use the centre on a regular basis.

From dance classes and art workshops to creative writing sessions and film clubs which meet in the secret cinema, The Gregson also plays host to a range of one-off events. Now, having been granted a stay of execution and a subsequent new lease of life after being saved by volunteers during lockdown, the centre is embarking on the latest chapter in its long history.

Looking to take things one step further by providing use of an on-site café bar to act as a safe space during the daytime, where people can relax and socialise while enjoying high quality coffee and cake, The Gregson is appealing to volunteers old and new to lend a helping hand.

Already home to a range of groups from the Lancaster Craftivitsts, Chess Club, and the Board Games Club, to a monthly knit and crochet night, weekly live jazz and folk music sessions, and a monthly family quiz, the café bar is a home from home, a ‘living room for Lancaster’ which prides itself on being the most welcoming social space in the city.

“I’ve never been involved with an organisation that the community feels so passionately about,” explains Charles Tyrer, The Gregson’s Chief Executive Officer. “I'm committed to developing relationships with our existing community and welcoming new people in so they realise how brilliant this community and place is.

“We want the Gregson to be a safe space in Lancaster and we need volunteers to make that happen. We will continue to serve the groups that already use the centre but also want to welcome new people,” adds Charles. “The more people we welcome in, the more relevant we become in our community.”

Serving a wide range of cask ales, bottled craft beers, quality wines and non-alcoholic drinks (including beers) as well as a range of teas and barista coffees, the café bar also serves cakes and other sweet treats from brownies to lemon drizzle cake made by Lone Wolf Bakery, a micro-bakery based out of Morecambe.

The Gregson’s café bar all but guarantees a relaxed vibe, boasting a roaring fire in the winter and a beer garden in the summer. Whether you’re looking for a nook to spend an hour in with a book, a place to socialise with friends, or a corner to play games with your little one, the Gregson has swiftly emerged as the go-to place for good reason.

For more information on The Gregson and any volunteering opportunities, email Lisa on [email protected]