Community
The Hub aims to be at the heart of the Fernhurst community in every sense
It is run by residents, for residents - with friendship, community spirit and public service our main focus.
We wish to acknowledge the fantastic support of all of our volunteers, trustees, local businesses, clubs and societies throughout the Hub’s journey from a tiny internet café in 2003, to the present day.
We really appreciate your help, and thank you.
Volunteering
Volunteering is a great way to share your enthusiasm, skills and ideas, whilst having fun and working with likeminded people. The volunteer team is at the heart of our organisation and in 2020 the Hub won the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, regarded as the MBE for the voluntary sector.
A Board of Trustees is responsible for oversight of all the Hub’s activity, see the button below for more information. The Trustees are very much hands on and contribute a great deal to the day-to-day operation of the Hub.
Many of our volunteers give their time with regular or occasional behind the counter duties helping with sales, cafe service or answering phone or visitor enquiries - but support can be given in many other ways. We work with volunteers to find the role that suits them best and whatever your age, experience, or availability, the Hub will welcome your contribution. Duke of Edinburgh or other volunteering arrangements can also be accommodated.
You can find out more by viewing our Volunteer Policy, or click Volunteer Now if you’re ready to help.
Friends of the Fernhurst Hub
The Hub is a registered charity and prices for our events and services are kept as low as possible so everyone can enjoy them. We have been running as a voluntary organisation since 2003 and are proud of the wonderful breadth of users, courses and events we have achieved. Fundraising and relying on support from the community have always been integral to our work.
Alongside the volunteers, our donors are the backbone of our organisation as their contribution under the Friends' Program allows us to provide more for less.
For just £50 a year, you receive a number of membership benefits, regular newsletters, and most important of all, the satisfaction of knowing you are a key part of this wonderful village enterprise.
To those who are already friends, thank you!
Donate
Other ways you can support us including buying from our great range of gifts and cards or organising a challenge like a sponsored walk, cake bake or litter pick. As a registered charity, we can claim Gift Aid on all donations, and provide a sponsorship form. You can also donate directly on this page, just click the PayPal donations button:
Easyfundraising & Amazon Smile
We’re registered with Easyfundraising and Amazon Smile, quite possibly the easiest ways you can support us! All you need to do is register and shop! Every time you make a purchase through either site, we receive a small percentage of your purchase from that retail outlet. Whilst the donations are small, they soon add up.
Leave a Legacy
Loyal users or supporters, especially those who live in Fernhurst Village, may wish to consider leaving a legacy to the Fernhurst Hub. We can arrange for a local solicitor to provide codicil wording or advice on making a will. You don’t need to tell us if you wish to do this, but we would be delighted to assist you if this is something you are considering.
Carer’s Discount Card
If you are a Carer and would like to join the Hub’s Discount Card scheme, please complete the application form and return it to us.
Business & Community Support
The Hub is indebted to Chichester District Council for its early encouragement and for ongoing support in the form of grants and subsidies. Financial awards have also been received from the Trusthouse Charitable Foundation and a community award from Tesco.
Our grateful thanks also go to the following local enterprises whose occasional or regular donations make a significant contribution to the Hub’s ability to expand its courses, events and facilities: The Fernhurst Revels, The Fernhurst Parish Council, Fernhurst Films, the Fernhurst Pharmacy and the Midhurst Grange Community Association.
The Fernhurst Hub - supporting local businesses & suppliers
A short history of the Hub…
The Hub, a registered charity originally named the Fernhurst Centre, was established in 2003 with support from Chichester District Council and is largely run by volunteers. Its mission is to offer a social, leisure and educational meeting space for all and it soon became a focus for local information and village initiatives. It has benefitted over the years from generous grants given by local organisations and clubs, from individual donations and legacies and the hard work of a wonderful team of volunteers.
How times change! In 2003, far from every household had a computer, mobile phones were for the tech savvy only and tablets were a twinkle in Steve Jobs’ eye. As a result, the Hub’s IT courses were an instant success and over the years craft workshops, languages and an eclectic mixture of new courses have been added, as this website will attest. However, the Hub won’t rest on its laurels and is always on the lookout for the next opportunity, topic of public interest or popular activity.
In the early days, a kettle and a jar of instant coffee was all that was on offer but it soon became obvious that the Hub (or Centre as it was then) was in demand as a place for friends to get together and mums and toddlers to congregate before the school pick up. A major refurbishment in 2016 included the purchase of a high spec bean-to-cup coffee machine and expansion of the café which has since been further enhanced by the card and gifts shop section. The Hub is now a busy meeting place for people of all ages and has earned a reputation for being the place to be in the heart of the village.
Without doubt, it is the volunteer team that gives the Hub its special atmosphere and has built it up into the village gem it is today. The receipt of the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service in 2020 was a fitting tribute to the many hours given by people wanting to give something back. During the pandemic weeks of 2020 and 2021, the Hub provided information and support to Fernhurst residents and, once permitted, a welcome safe space where people could meet again face to face. As the Chair of the Queen’s Award, Sir Martyn Lewis said: