A couple of weeks ago I visited Fens Pool Community Centre. The last time I met with trustees and volunteers was in a local coffee shop. The centre had been all but completely destroyed by a fire in August 2025.
Many would have given up. Years of hard work had gone up in smoke, along with much of the building and all of its contents. But the outpouring of support, donations and practical help from the Pensnett community showed the team how much they and the community centre are valued.
The determination of Becky, T-Jay, Tracey and the wider team was staggering! Not only did they manage to deal with everything that comes with a catastrophe like this – clearing up, dealing with insurance, liaising with builders and the Charity Commission, fundraising, working with the fire service – but they also managed to keep some activities going in other locations. They ran a fun day at Brockmoor Community Centre and held regular bingo sessions at a local social club so that older people still had somewhere to go while the building was out of commission.
And just a few months later, the new centre looks better than ever! (It was mostly rebuilt by March 2026). I couldn’t believe my eyes when Becky, T-Jay and Tracey took me round the building and told me about their plans.
The facility is booked up with events, activities and parties for the rest of the year, and the team is keen to throw off what might be the traditional image of a community centre, a much-loved, but worn around the edges building. The team is rightly proud to host a centre that is attractive, tidy, state-of-the-art and welcoming – a venue the community can be proud of, right in the heart of the Pensnett estate and on the gateway to the nature reserve. Why shouldn’t it be the best it can be for local people?
T-Jay spoke really highly of local builder James from J&J Constructions. James continued rebuilding the centre, ploughing in his own money to finish the job when the centre’s funding was uncertain. James received a well-deserved Mayor’s Award from Dudley Mayor for his selfless help to the community.
That, and many other things, demonstrate that the centre is more than bricks and mortar. It’s volunteers’ commitment to welcoming all sections of the community, from children and families accessing HAF activities and enjoying trips together, to older people getting out of their homes. It’s how local people have been nurtured to set up their own activities, take some ownership and invest in their community. It’s how, when disaster struck, the trustees and volunteers were overwhelmed with kindness and support from local kids who washed cars to raise money to rebuild the centre; the people (including local councillors) who mucked in, donated money; the local businesses who stepped up to rebuild the centre.
This didn’t come from nowhere. It came from years of positive engagement, dedication and unwavering hard work from T-Jay, Tracey, Becky and the team. Long may that continue!
@DudleyCVS
/CVSDudley
/CVSDudley
/CVSDudley
Sep. 09, 2026
From the ashes: An even better Fens Pool Community Centre emerges
Aug. 06, 2026
Coombeswood Canal Trust: The Hidden Gem at the End of the Canal
Jul. 17, 2026
From Feeling Overwhelmed to Looking Forward: Destiny’s Social Prescribing Journey
Jul. 13, 2026
Restoring wellbeing, building community, providing hope: The Afiyya Foundation’s journey
Jun. 26, 2026