About MCFT
Learn more about us and what we do here at MCFT
Mission Statement
Merstham Community Facility Trust (MCFT) was created to meet the needs of the people in Merstham. We aim to support, connect, and empower our community alongside the residents. We aim to achieve this through working with an amazing team of staff and volunteers to run multiple projects, to bring people together and providing a shared, safe space for the community. The activities, events and projects undertaken by the MCFT team help to create opportunities, access, provision and shared understanding. We ensure we remain inclusive and authentic by consulting with the community to identify what the community would truly like to see available at the Hub and in the local area.
Background
Portland Drive has been a focal point of Merstham for many years, with numerous shops along the parade, which hosted flats above, along with the local pub at the Bletchingley Road end. However, it was felt the area needed some modernisation and in 2015 a regeneration plan was agreed by Surrey County Council, Reigate & Banstead Council and Raven Housing Trust to develop the land which formerly hosted The Iron Horse pub and Portland Drive shops.
The work on Portland Drive saw 48 new homes created, along with the Community Hub, where the MCFT, Friends of Merstham, Merstham Library, the YMCA and Merstham Mix Café reside.
Portland Drive before the The Hub & Redevelopment
History of the Merstham Community Facility Trust
The Merstham Community Facilities Trust (MCFT) has been established since 2006, with a community of friends, volunteers and staff who have provided a safe and welcoming space for the Merstham community.
The Merstham Community Facilities Trust has been, and continues to be, the vehicle for encouraging funding, new projects and community involvement.
The group moved from a ‘re-purposed’ shop along the road the Merstham Community Hub in 2018. This gave the MCFT a much better base to operate from, and new opportunities for the local community.
MCFT has been able to secure two significant funding streams, one being from The People’s Health Trust, through which we have developed a whole range of innovative projects, overseen by local people through The Friends of Merstham. The Friends of Merstham identify what local people want to see developed for their community and enables and oversees these developments.
More recently MCFT were successful in gaining funding from the National Lottery Community Programme and as a result were able to increase our volunteer number from 24 to 89.
Photos below of The Hub being built
