Downside Community Centre
& the Community Café

Mission & Values

Our formal charitable objects are “to further or benefit the residents of East Newport and the surrounding area, without distinction of sex, sexual orientation, race or of political, religious or opinions by associating together the said residents and the local authorities, voluntary and other organisation in a common effort to advance education and to provide facilities in the interests of social welfare for recreation and leisure time occupation with the objective of improving the conditions of life for the residents”.

Many people in our community face multiple challenges and a significant proportion of local residents are amongst the most vulnerable and marginalised people in society.

In February 2019, Pan Together’s trustees were successful in receiving substantial grant funding from the National Lottery Community Fund.  Working with a range of partners, their vision is to develop the already vibrant centre’s role at the heart of the community to new levels and to focus 100% on its development as a community hub to further support more and different local residents of all ages and abilities.

Photo shows, left to right:  Rachel Thomson (Community Centre Manager), Cllr Geoff Brodie (Hon. Treasurer) and Laura Byrne (Chair of the trustees).

Our registered charity number is 1176740. 

We are also a charitable incorporated organisation, registered in England:  CE012974. 

Pan Together is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. For a copy of our safeguarding policy, please email enquiries@pantogether.org.uk       

We work closely with:

• Barnado’s which runs the Family Centre next door;
• the Island Learning Centre which provides specialist alternative educational provision for particularly vulnerable young people;
• St George’s School for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities;
• Barton Primary School which is adjacent to the community centre;
• the Isle of Wight College’s supported internship programme;
• Sovereign Housing Association which funds a number of courses at the centre for adults and children/young people alike;
• the Island’s Youth Offending Team who use the centre as a venue for parenting group sessions and restorative justice programmes;
• Children’s Services for their resilience-building service for primary-aged children who have faced adverse childhood experiences;
• Newport & Carisbrooke Community Council; and
• with the local Isle of Wight Councillor, Cllr Geoff Brodie – who is one of our trustees.

In May 2022, the community centre was visited by the then Earl and Countess of Wessex – Prince Edward and Sophie (now Their Royal Hignesses the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh) – accompanied by the Lord Lieutenant of the Isle of Wight, Susie Sheldon, in recognition of Pan Together’s invaluable work in the community, particularly during the pandemic.

Open since November 2022, we now run the Pan Community Larder twice a week for residents of Pan, Pan Meadows, Barton and Fairlee.  Membership is free and the larder is open every Tuesday and Friday from 12 noon to 2 pm.

Larder visitors pay £5 per weekly visit for two carrier bags of fresh, frozen, tinned and dried food and other household essentials which people choose for themselves. If they pick wisely, they receive £20-£30 of goods.

Particular thanks are due to The Isle of Wight Foundation which provided the start-up costs.  We are also extremely grateful to the wide range of organisations, companies and individuals which have helped to fund the community larder’s stock and/or donated goods and/or provide collection points for much-needed donations of non-perishable goods.

Our community larder is becoming increasingly essential to local people when the cost of living crisis is biting so hard for so many.  We urge everyone who lives in our local area to join.