Southsea-based charity Spark Community Space has been shortlisted for the Ansell Shine A Light campaign which aims to recognise the valuable work these projects and initiatives do to support their communities. The winning project will receive a lighting installation worth up to £5,000 to improve their facilities.
Spark Community Space offers access to support and services for people who feel like they don’t ‘fit in’
The charity, founded and run by Becki Simmons, is about to move into its ‘forever home’ in the Pompey Centre, Portsmouth. Becki hopes that winning the competition will help her to create a great ambience in the new space, with quiet zones and places for relaxation.
She said: “After I underwent brain surgery nine years ago I was looking for a space for people like me – not diagnosis-led groups, but a place whhttps://shinealight.anselluk.com/ere I would be known by my name, not a label or condition. During Covid I launched some online coffee mornings and in May 2021 moved to a bar in the town and Spark was born. By July this year, we had more than 160 people a week visiting us over the two days we opened and it has helped so many people.
“We’ve now secured a permanent home and would love to be able to use lighting to create different areas and zones that will suit the various groups of people who visit us. It will be a safe space for others who are fighting their own personal battles to reintegrate into society and to find their ‘spark’.”
Spark Community Space will be open three days a week and the space will be open for other non-profit community groups and charities to hire on the other days.
Voting closes on Friday, October 14th at midnight and the winner will be announced later in the month.
