Business people in Poole’s Alder Hills area are being invited to taste the Eco Coffee™ and help boost a charitable housing association. A new café area has been set up at The Factory, the workspace, business development and social enterprise centre administered by Bournemouth-based housing association BCHA. And, given the dearth of nearby coffee shops, The Factory hopes to attract … Read More
Make a date for BCHA Festival of Wellbeing
A Festival of Wellbeing is back for its seventh annual event in Boscombe Gardens on Friday, July 26 from 1pm to 4pm. It will be a free and fun packed afternoon, featuring activities for all the family including face painting, live music and a free raffle that will be drawn for top prizes. Organised by Bournemouth-based charitable housing association BCHA’s Ignite programme, it … Read More
Partnership boost for The Factory social enterprise hub
Charitable housing association BCHA is celebrating the successful completion of a partnership with Dorset Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) which has seen The Factory, its multi-use facility in Poole, acquired, refurbished and operational during the past three years. Through its Growing Places Fund scheme, Dorset LEP provided a low interest five-year loan of £775,000 which enabled BCHA to purchase the former … Read More
Igniting the future
An initiative aimed at giving people the self-belief and skills to get back to work has now supported more than two thousand people. Ignite, part of charitable housing association BCHA, has run free courses based at the organisation’s HQ at St Swithuns House in Bournemouth since 2010. The six-week programme, focusing on self-development and well-being, is available to anyone over … Read More
New Directions graduates find work
Charitable housing association BCHA is celebrating the success of its second cohort of 23 graduates following the completion of the 12-week New Directions programme designed to identify routes into employment or further education. A graduation ceremony, also attended by employers and trainers, was held at The Factory, BCHA’s premises in Alder Hills, Poole, where the course was predominantly delivered. Already, … Read More
New board appointment for BCHA
A wealth of experience in NHS management is now benefiting charitable housing association BCHA with the appointment of Mike Wood as Chair of the Board. Mike has been a manager at every level of the NHS nationally and regionally including 12 years as a chief executive. Having moved to the town centre three years ago, he wanted a new challenge … Read More
Affordable homes plan for Weymouth
Much-needed new affordable homes are set to be built in Weymouth. Charitable housing association BCHA is intending to develop a mix of 31 houses and flats off Radipole Lane at Southill. A planning application for the £4.5 million scheme was being submitted to Weymouth and Portland Borough Council this week. The site is currently occupied by the 25-unit Marchesi House … Read More