The Savoy Centre Celebrate 1 Year

It is now twelve months since the opening of the Savoy Centre in Netherton. This purpose built centre is at the heart of a joint regeneration initiative involving the Black Country Housing Group, Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council and Advantage West Midlands. The partnership has been able to provide ten full time staff posts at the centre and since its opening it has had a considerable impact on the local community.

Black Country Housing's spokesman and Savoy centre manager Chris Woods said:-

"We are very proud of what the centre has already achieved; it has so far helped to get nearly 200 people into work with a further 300 or so people successfully taking up places on vocational or general education courses through the centre.

"In addition to this over 800 people have enrolled onto community courses, such as ICT starter courses, organised and developed by the Savoy centre staff. This takes the total number of individuals, benefiting from the service in relation to employment opportunities to more than 1,000 since the funding was allocated"

"Over fifty different businesses, community organisations, individuals or departments have so far hired the Savoy's facilities, many on a regular basis for a wide range of reasons including community events, training courses, conferences and meetings"

Also on the campus, building work is now nearly complete on a community caf� which will provide the local people of Netherton with a meeting point to enjoy a range of snacks and refreshments as well as offering the centre a catering provider for events and courses staged there. Central to this new venture will be the opportunity for those with a disability or disadvantage to access supported employment and training in catering.

The Savoy Centre is a flagship regeneration project offering a wide range of opportunities and facilities to the people of Netherton and Woodside as well as those throughout the Black Country......... Back