A Southampton community is being called on to help shape its own future.

The Oasis Lord’s Hill Community Hub is preparing to acquire charity status, which means it will be able to broaden what opportunities it can offer to the public.

The Hub already boasts a variety of services and facilities, but now those behind the newly-established charity are calling on the Lordshill community to help develop the services it wants to see.

The Community Hub has been working in the west of the city for six years under the umbrella of the Oasis Academy Lord’s Hill secondary school.

Its remit is to strengthen the ties within the community and provide services for people of all ages.

Oasis Lord’s Hill Community Hub director Kate Bulpit said: “We are passionate about our local communities and are committed to serving them and working with them, providing them, within our capacity, with facilities and services that will enhance what is already there.

“We are also very open to members of the community sharing their ideas with us as to what they feel may benefit their local community. We believe in strong communities.

“We believe that these are the foundation stone of living life together. We would very much like to invite members of our local communities to talk to us, share ideas, share what you would like to see, say what you believe would be good to have in the community, and let us see, together, if this can enhance the area in which we live and work.”

Already volunteers from the hub in partnership with Lordshill Youth Project, Youth Options and the Saints Foundation Charity, has started work on refurbishing The Venney centre in Coxford and are hoping to have open to the public for community use again soon.

A new pre-school has opened with plans for a second pre-school to open at the Zoe Braithwaite centre this September.

Kate added: “As well as community activities at The Academy building in Romsey Road, we offer a constant stream of courses and activities at our Green Lane site as well as the Oasis Down to Earth farm in Green Lane.

“Oasis Lord’s Hill Community Hub is positioned well to empower local people to become an even greater and stronger part of local community.”

For more information about the programmes and facilities, visit oasisacademylordshill.org/ content/community-12.