{"id":55,"date":"2026-02-25T13:25:24","date_gmt":"2026-02-25T13:25:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dev.balmoralcentre.com\/?page_id=55"},"modified":"2026-03-23T16:16:30","modified_gmt":"2026-03-23T16:16:30","slug":"home","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/balmoralcentre.com\/","title":{"rendered":"Welcome To The Balmoral Centre Website!"},"content":{"rendered":"
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On Saturday, 20th September 2025, the Balmoral Centre proudly celebrated 50 years of dedicated service to the community with a free, family-friendly event, supported by SAVS, ROSCA, and the Fowler Smith and Jones Charities Trust.<\/span><\/p>\n

The celebration was a heartfelt occasion, bringing together staff, volunteers, service users, families and local supporters to honour its five decades of community impact. The Centre was beautifully decorated for the occasion, featuring displays of historic photographs and personal stories that reflected its rich history and enduring legacy.<\/span><\/p>\n

The day\u2019s highlights included:<\/span><\/p>\n

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  • Welcome speeches from key figures, including Stephanie Stamp, Chairman of the Balmoral Centre\u2019s Trustees, and Councillor Nigel Folkard, Mayor of Southend, who shared reflections on the Centre\u2019s journey and its vital role in the local community.<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Interactive sessions with Southend Emergency Services, where children had the opportunity to meet local police and fire service personnel, explore emergency vehicles, and try on official gear.<\/span><\/li>\n
  • A variety of free activities for all ages, such as face painting, a bouncy castle, and craft workshop, ensuring fun for the whole family.<\/span><\/li>\n
  • A wide selection of food and refreshments.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Throughout the event, it was clear that the Balmoral Centre is far more than just a building \u2013 it is a cherished gathering place and a vital community resource.<\/span><\/p>\n

    As we look ahead, the Balmoral Centre remains committed to its mission: to support, empower, and uplift individuals across our community. Here's to the next 50 years of making a difference!<\/span><\/p>\n

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    Article kindly provided by Emily French, Senior Communications Officer, SAVS<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

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    Trustee Week<\/h4>

    From a Lift to a Legacy: Celebrating Trustee Stephanie Stamp for Trustee Week<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

    It all started with a meeting at a lift \u2026<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

    When SAVS first connected with Stephanie earlier this year to discuss the Balmoral Centre\u2019s 50th anniversary and how we could support the celebration of this milestone, we were immediately inspired. While the original purpose was to shine a spotlight on the Centre itself, it quickly became clear that this was also an opportunity to highlight the remarkable woman behind it all, Stephanie, and the invaluable role Trustees like her play in the voluntary sector.<\/span><\/p>\n

    As the founding force behind the Balmoral Centre 50 years ago, Stephanie has poured thousands of volunteer hours into transforming it into the thriving community hub it is today. Though she humbly insisted the focus remain on the Centre, her passion, commitment, and story are too powerful to overlook - especially during Trustee Week, when we celebrate the often unsung heroes of the voluntary sector.<\/span><\/p>\n

    \u201cI used to live with my parents in the flats nearby,\u201d Stephanie recalls. \u201cAt the time, it was an \u2018adults only\u2019 building, so I was the youngest resident at 18. My father was very active in the community and had set up the residents\u2019 association. I suppose I was destined to follow in his footsteps.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

    The pivotal moment came one day when she was waiting for the lift. The building\u2019s caretaker, a much-loved and respected figure, approached her and invited her to a community meeting that evening, saying it was about a new community centre that was going to be built \"over the road.\" This was the first Stephanie had heard of any such plan.<\/span><\/p>\n

    \u201cI went to the meeting as a favour to him,\u201d she says. \u201cAnd I came home as a member of the newly formed Management Committee. I had to ask my mum when I got back: \u2018What does a Management Committee do?\u2019<\/em>\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

    A few weeks later, after attending her first committee meeting, she returned home again with more news. \u201cThat\u2019s when I asked my mum, \u2018What does the Chairman of a Committee do?\u2019<\/em> And, when she asked me how I\u2019d ended up as Chairman, I said \u2018I have no idea!\u2019<\/em> But, I was decades younger than everyone else on the committee, and I\u2019ve since realised that they were far more experienced than me \u2014 they stitched me up!\u201d Stephanie jokes.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Her mum\u2019s advice at the time has stuck with her: \u201cBe honest, always act with integrity, and work it out as you go along.\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

    \u201cAnd that\u2019s exactly what I\u2019ve done,\u201d Stephanie says. \u201cI've been working it out for over 50 years.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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    The First 30 Years<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

    During the Centre\u2019s early life, the Management Committee was primarily a representative voice for residents and service users. The Housing Department still held ultimate responsibility, setting hire fees, managing upkeep, and covering most of the running costs. The committee had limited financial autonomy, responsible mainly for things like crockery, soft furnishings, and internal decorating every seven years.<\/span><\/p>\n

    But things changed dramatically after 30 years.<\/span><\/p>\n

    A Turning Point: The Fight to Save the Centre<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

    As part of a cost-cutting exercise, the Council announced plans to close community centres across the town. In Balmoral\u2019s case, they proposed to demolish the Centre and build another tower block on the site. With no other community facilities in Victoria Ward, the closure would have been devastating.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Stephanie, alongside fellow community champions Trisha and Beryl, couldn\u2019t stand by and let it happen.<\/span><\/p>\n

    \u201cWe mounted a campaign that irritated, exasperated, and ultimately shamed the Council into letting us take over the Balmoral,\u201d Stephanie recalls. \u201cThey agreed on the condition that it wouldn\u2019t cost the Council a penny.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

    This marked the beginning of the Centre\u2019s \u2018second life\u2019, 20 years ago, but the handover came with serious challenges. \u201cThe Council condemned both kitchens, the boiler, the heating system\u2026 we had single-glazed windows in rotting softwood frames, leaking roofs, unfit toilets, and a crumbling hall floor that had been the wrong material from the start,\u201d Stephanie adds. A total refurbishment was needed, costing \u00a3250,000.<\/span><\/p>\n

    \u201cI didn\u2019t even have broadband back then, just a dial-up connection! I had no idea where to go or who to ask for funding, I had to learn \u2018on-the-job\u2019. I was so na\u00efve. But we got there. And that laid the foundation for the Centre as it stands today.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

    Self-Sufficiency as a Policy<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

    While grants and donations have played a critical role in funding specific projects, such as a \u00a330,000 refurbishment of the toilets or the long-running Street Tough Challenge programme at \u00a39,000 a year, Stephanie is clear about the Centre\u2019s operating model. \u201cOur firm policy has always been that the Centre\u2019s day-to-day expenses must be covered by its own income,\u201d she says. \u201cThat\u2019s not just a goal, it\u2019s non-negotiable. Special projects rely on external funding, but the Centre must run sustainably on its own.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

    And it does. Through affordable hire rates, regular bookings, and dedicated volunteer hours, the Balmoral Centre continues to serve its community with integrity and heart. \u201cWe cut our coat within our own cloth,\u201d Stephanie says. \u201cThe more people use us, the longer we\u2019ll be here to serve the community.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

    A Legacy in the Making<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

    Stephanie is quick to point out that the Centre\u2019s success has never been about her alone.<\/span><\/p>\n

    \u201cThere are so many others who\u2019ve been part of this journey \u2013 past Trustees, volunteers, community members. Every one of them deserves a mention,\u201d she says.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Looking to the future, she is both hopeful and realistic. \u201cI won\u2019t be here forever. But this is a team game. Between the volunteers, users, and community backing, we have every tool to keep this going for another 50 years. And there\u2019s nothing more rewarding than thinking about that.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

    What began with a lift, a conversation, and a favour to a well-loved caretaker has become a lasting legacy of community, care, and commitment.<\/span><\/p>\n

    This Trustee Week, we celebrate Stephanie, a shining example of what it means to be a Trustee: passionate, resilient, and deeply rooted in community spirit.<\/span><\/p>\n

    \u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

    Article kindly provided by Emily French, Senior Communications Officer, SAVS<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

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