Developing Change Making Concepts in Newham
In 1977 the Newham Community Renewal Programme (NCRP) moved their headquarters into the then thriving and autonomous community-led Harold Road Centre. Monica is recording the history of the Harold Centre in more detail, and this is included in a separate section. Unfortunately the Harold Road Centre was only given to the Renewal Programme on a 25 year lease. It has since been reclaimed by the Methodist Church and is currently up for sale. The Renewal Programme's headquarters are now in a more central and prominent High Street premises of a redundant URC church building which had also been part of their heritage from the 70s.
News broke in early 2024 that the URC have commissioned Seedbeds, national Christian change makers with similar principles to our own, to work with and alongside the NCRP to plant and recreate a Christian community church. They are using links with the Renewal Programme who are, at the same time, launching a major ‘people-powered’ community development project Manor Park Oasis on adjoining land.
We will, I am sure, be reporting further on the progress of both these projects.