Former Strictly Come Dancing star cuts the ribbon on the new charity-run Winchmore Hill venue

Melvin Odoom (centre) joined Friends of Firs Farm, Leon's Café and Home Care Preferred for the celebration event — Melvin Odoom (centre) joined Friends of Firs Farm, Leon’s Café and Home Care Preferred for the celebration event

A new community hub that aims to bridge the divide between Edmonton and Winchmore Hill has been officially opened with a summer celebration today (Friday 26th).

Scores of people gathered at Firs Farm Community Hub to enjoy fresh-cooked food, live music and children’s entertainment – all in celebration of the venue’s official opening.

The new hub is owned by the Friends of Firs Farm, a registered charity, which had long sought to provide public facilities for users of the recreation ground and wetlands. After several years of fundraising the £300,000 total needed, the venue was installed last year and finally opened its doors for the first time in February.

Toni Guiver, chair of the Friends of Firs Farm, said at Friday’s official opening event: “It has been an amazing journey of nine years. Without all our volunteers it would never have happened, so thanks to all of you for your amazing dedication and hard work, coming back time and time again to create this wonderful space […] it is a space that will bring the community together.”

She also thanked Enfield Council, Sport England, Thames21 and Thames Water for their support for the project.

Scores of people attended Friday’s celebration event at Firs Farm Community Hub

Ken Waterhouse, managing director of Home Care Preferred, the social enterprise which manages the hub on behalf of the Friends of Firs Farm, thanked Toni for her “amazing” commitment to the project and added: “She is very modest but without Toni we wouldn’t be here.

“The idea of the Friends of Firs Farm Community Hub is to bring all of the community together.”

Firs Farm is sandwiched between Edmonton and Winchmore Hill and is used by a diverse range of people.

Radio 1 DJ and local resident Melvin Odoom, who grew up in Edmonton and appeared on Strictly Come Dancing in 2016, was given the honour of cutting the ribbon on the new hub and said: “It is fabulous to see everyone from all walks of life here, it is incredible.”

As well as a café, run by local catering firm Leon’s, the hub provides office space for Home Preferred and the Friends of Firs Farm, changing facilities, and community rooms for hire. There are toilets open to anyone and not just café customers, including a registered Changing Places toilet for people with special needs – only the third to open for the public in the borough.

Find out more about the hub and get involved with its events and activities:
Visit firsfarmn21.org

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