North Herts Council gives £3,479 to three Royston projects: a weekly hub for lonely older people, free art workshops on 14 and 15 Nov, and addiction support.

Three Royston projects are sharing £3,479 from North Herts Council: a weekly hub for older people who are lonely, a weekend of free art workshops in November, and a drug and alcohol service that is the only one of its kind in the district.

The grants were recommended by the council’s Royston and Villages Community Forum, the council said in a press release sent to Stevenage Today on 9 October. They are approved by Councillor Daniel Allen, the council’s Executive Member for Governance, through a delegated decision, and the council notes they are still subject to “necessary formalities”.

Project Grant What it pays for
Caring Herts CIC £1,485 Venue hire for the Royston Community Wellbeing Hub
Herts Visual Arts CIC £1,494 Free art workshops at the Big Makers’ Fair
Resolve £500 Key workers for group therapy and one-to-one support

A Tuesday morning hub for older people

The largest share by purpose goes to Caring Herts CIC, which gets £1,485 towards the cost of hiring Coombes Community Centre on Burns Road for its Royston Community Wellbeing Hub. The council says the weekly hub supports more than 50 Royston residents, offering companionship, activities, advice and support to older people dealing with loneliness and social isolation.

Caring Herts was set up this year to carry on the Community Wellbeing Hubs previously supported by Garden House Hospice, and now runs 15 hubs a week across North Herts and Stevenage. The council says it received £1,500 from Letchworth Community Forum in July and has applied to the Baldock and Hitchin forums for grants towards hubs there too. A new Baldock hub was separately given £1,000 by a county councillor this week, which we reported here.

Richard Julian, director of Caring Herts CIC, said:

“We are extremely grateful to the Royston and Villages Community Forum for this funding which will enable [us] to continue to host our weekly Wellbeing Hub every Tuesday 10:30am to 12:30pm at the Coombes Community Centre on Burns Road. Many older people already benefit from attending this, but we would love to offer it to more people to help them feel happier, healthier and less lonely. We plan to use the funding to help us reach out to more people in the community and offer our services to them.”

Free art workshops at the Big Makers’ Fair

Herts Visual Arts CIC has been given £1,494 for a programme of free art workshops at the Big Makers’ Fair at Royston Town Hall on Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 November. The council says residents will be able to try printmaking, weaving, collage, drawing and mixed media, with up to 150 people taking part across the weekend, and that professional local artists will share their skills.

Val Lawson, head of community engagement at Herts Visual Arts CIC, said:

“Herts Visual Arts CIC (HVA) is delighted to bring the Big Makers Fair to Royston in 2026. Making art offers great benefits to wellbeing so we hope many of our visitors will join in the drop-in taster workshops. These sessions will allow people to ‘have a go’ at something creative. With free tuition, materials provided and no need to prebook, people can just come along, take a seat and then the artists will explain what to do.”

£500 towards addiction support

Resolve gets £500 towards its key workers, who run group therapy and one-to-one support for people affected by drug and alcohol misuse. The charity provides treatment, rehabilitation, counselling and practical support, and the council says it is currently the only drug and alcohol treatment and recovery day service in North Herts. Six Royston residents used it between the start of 2025 and June 2026.

Gary Sutcliffe, Resolve’s head of income, communications and impact, said: “We are so grateful to Royston and Villages Community Forum for the £500 grant. Our kind and compassionate key workers make a real and tangible difference to the lives of local people so any support towards our vital service is very much appreciated, thank you.”

Councillor Allen said: “We are pleased to support projects that make a positive difference to residents across Royston and the surrounding villages. These grants will help tackle social isolation, provide opportunities for people to come together and be creative, and support residents affected by substance and alcohol misuse.”

What it means for you

  • Older and on your own in Royston? The Wellbeing Hub runs every Tuesday from 10.30am to 12.30pm at Coombes Community Centre, Burns Road. Caring Herts runs hubs in Stevenage and elsewhere in North Herts as well.
  • Fancy trying something creative? The workshops at Royston Town Hall on 14 and 15 November are free, materials are provided and you do not need to book.
  • Running a group in North Herts? The council’s area forums take grant applications; details are on its community grants page. Stevenage groups can also look at the borough’s £54,000 Community Chest, open to 18 October.