The Boiler House

Who we are

The Boiler House is a community-based charity whose aim is to develop under-used community assets. Initially the organisation worked primarily with under-used buildings, creating safe ‘common grounds’ for local residents to meet. It now also focuses on helping local people develop their skills and wellbeing via activities, projects and the new nursery.

Today, it runs two community centres situated within estates in Hackney: The Boiler House Community Space on the George Downing Estate, and the Myddleton Grange Community Centre on the Myddleton Grange Estate. The Boiler House was initially set up in 2010 as a social enterprise. It focused on the under-used premises of the George Downing estate community centre, but soon expanded under its new status as a charity, to incorporate

the Myddleton Grange site. Anna and Claire, local residents and today the charity’s coordinators, were instrumental in getting the project up and running. From the start, they worked hard to make the community space accessible to local residents by organising diverse activities, courses, events, rehearsal space and general hire at affordable rates. The organisation formally became a charity in September 2012.

The Boiler House has an active board of trustees who meet every 6 weeks and oversee the work and advise the two charity coordinators. It also employs a part-time administrator and a cleaner.

Since July 2015, with the objective of raising funds for the overall charity and to meet high local demands for childcare, The Boiler House set up a nursery on its Myddleton Grange premises.

The nursery employs a Manager, a Family Support Worker (also deputy to the Manager), an Early Years teacher, four Nursery Practitioners and a cook. At this point in time, it provides childcare to 15 children, with 57 children registered on the waiting list wishing to start between now and 2017.