The Resource Centre continues to be a venue of choice for many businesses and community groups.

Last month saw Yoga with Michaela launch a new class from the centre on Mondays, 7-8pm while other activity groups extended their presence. 

Destination Judo now runs for three hours 3.45-6.45pm on a Tuesday, and Kumon English and maths tutoring now runs three sessions a week on a Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday due to popular demand.

Meanwhile, the Meath Street based centre has continued to see regular bookings from the likes of Darlington Disability and Action for Hearing loss, with dates already scheduled for January and February 2018.

Angie Kelly, centre manager for the Resource Centre, said: “We’re pleased with the mix of businesses and community groups that the centre continues to attract. The fact that regular clients are committing more time here is testament to the versatile space we have on offer.

“We do however still have plenty of availability, so if you’re looking to make a one-off booking, or to secure a regular space, we’d love to hear from you.”

For further information, availability and room rates please contact the Resource Centre on 01642 244 001.

A medical device specialist who has travelled the world undertaking work for some of the largest manufacturers in the US, Canada and the EU has returned to his hometown of Middlesbrough and established a base at the Resource Centre close to the centre of town.

Paul Rowden managing director of European Device Solutions Ltd, an expert medical device and IVD consultant for global professional services consultancy Procorre, has signed an agreement to ‘hot-desk’ at the Meath Street based business and community centre on an ongoing basis.

Paul said: “After living and working across the UK and overseas for many years, working from a home office, I was keen to establish a base for my business which would not only enable me to be closer to family in Middlesbrough where I grew up, but which would enable me to present a professional image to a global client base who I often speak to over Skype.

“I was instantly impressed by the Resource Centre which has all of the facilities I need including wireless broadband and access to professional meeting space. I was also really struck by the large conference hall which supports my ambitions to host seminars to showcase Procorre’s expertise in the sector, something that would help put Teesside and the North East on the map within this niche sector.”

The agreement marks a return to Teesside for Paul who originally grew up in Grangetown and has lived and worked across the UK and overseas during a 27-year career. After working on oil platforms at the start of his career he then decided to focus his attention on quality assurance, completing nine qualifications at Teesside University within a year to fast-track his career and becoming a member of the Institute of Quality Assurance (IQA) in the process.

European Device Solutions Ltd., which has operated as part of Procorre since last June to provide them with medical device expertise, has supported the development of Quality Management Systems (QMS) and CE Marking Technical Construction Files for companies manufacturing medical devices and In Vitro Diagnostics (IVD) ranging from non-powered wheelchairs to MRI scanners.

Paul has recently produced advanced oncology procedures and technical files on behalf of a manufacturer of Proton Beam Accelerator which is about to go on clinical trial in two UK hospitals.

The Resource Centre and its sister Acklam Green Centre provide a range of office space options from part-time ‘hot desking’ and ‘co-working’ to permanent desks and private office space.

Angie Kelly, assistant facilities manager at Actes which owns the Resource Centre, said: “We are really pleased to welcome Paul to the centre. He provides a really specialist service to a global client base and we are delighted that we can support him through his next stage of growth by providing a professional business environment and support with his future planned seminars and events.”

The Resource Centre provides first-class meeting training, conference and events facilities, for hire to businesses across Tees Valley as well as the local community. For further information call 01642 255 001, email info@the-resource-centre.com or visit www.the-resource-centre.com

A new four-day course is set to run each week from the Resource Centre’s IT suite starting from the end of June and aimed at long-term unemployed young people in Teesside.

Supported with a grant from the Virgin Money Foundation, Defining Futures is a fully funded intensive NOCN Level 2 Award in Employability.

The course covers practical employability skills such as preparing and tailoring CVs and personal skills development, such as communication, team work and problem solving and the use of social media to build a personal brand.  Defining Futures will also help people to develop an understanding of what it means to be enterprising including exploration of the self-employment as an alternative to paid employment. 

The course will run Tuesday to Friday from 26 June from the Resource Centre’s fully equipped IT suite.

Angie Kelly, assistant facilities manager at the Resource Centre, said: “The centre is perfectly suited to deliver a course of this kind. Our IT suite comes equipped with 14 desktop PCs, excellent connectivity, presentation equipment and in-house catering.”

For more information about Defining Futures contact Abigail Fields on 01642 856 044 or email abigail.fields@actes.co.uk.

The Resource Centre is set to welcome a new weekly fitness class from Monday 15 May.

Dancercise, a low intensity dance classes designed specifically for adults aged 50 plus, will take place between 11.15am and 12.15am each Monday offering people the chance to have fun, get active and meet new people.

The class is organised by Nouveau Dance and Fitness, an award winning community interest company established in 2008 to encourage people in local communities to feel positive, be active and live well.

Angie Kelly, assistant facilities manager at the Resource Centre, said: “We are delighted to welcome the new Dancercise class from Nouveau Dance and Fitness to the Resource Centre, adding to the mix of activities available for the local community to get involved in. We hope plenty of people take the opportunity to increase their fitness in a fun and supportive environment.”

Classes take place on the Ford Hall at the Resource Centre and are suitable for people of all abilities, no dance partner is required. Each session is priced at £1.50 per person.

To join the class simply turn up to the session or call 0191 587 8154 or email: dance@nouveaufitness.co.uk

Hundreds of free heart screening tests took place at the Resource Centre in March. 

The two day event ran by Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY) was organised by local mum Karen Campbell and funded by the James Campbell Memorial Fund, set up in honour of her son Jamie who tragically passed away in 2013 aged 16 from an undiagnosed heart condition.

For further information on heart screenings visit visiting www.testmyheart.org.uk 

It’s been all go at the Resource Centre over the last few months.

The reception area has been revamped to create a warm and welcoming entrance into the centre. The overhaul has involved lowering the reception desk, adding informal seating areas and the installation of a mosaic created by members the local community.

In addition, new signage has gone up to enhance the exterior of the building and road signs have been put in place on key transport routes to ensure the centre is more accessible than ever.

The Resource Centre is also benefitting from a greater digital presence with new Facebook and Twitter platforms launched following the creation of the centre’s dedicated website last summer.

The investment is clearly paying off with bookings from business and community groups continuing to increase. New clients include Kumon Maths and English tutoring who are also utilising office space in the centre and Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY).  The Resource Centre has also become home to Actes’ project delivery staff for the New Directions programme.

Angie Kelly, assistant facilities manager, said: “The Resource Centre is going from strength to strength. We continue to retain many of our longstanding clients like the Asian Welfare Forum and Destination Judo, while attracting new bookings from community groups and businesses alike.

“We’re always looking for ways to improve the facilities and the changes to the reception area are just one example of how we’ve taken on board feedback to improve the customer experience.”

Café Connect is marking this Mother’s Day with a special afternoon tea event taking place on Monday 27 March.

Located within our sister venue the Acklam Green Centre, Café Connect will be serving a traditional afternoon tea comprising of a selection of finger sandwiches, savoury and fruit scones served with preserve and whipped cream, homemade cupcakes, tray bakes and a choice of tea, coffee or herbal tea.

Priced at £6.50 per person or £12 for two, the afternoon tea event is a chance to treat mum just after mothering Sunday on 26 March. The event follows the introduction of afternoon tea to the Acklam Green Centre delegate catering packages which have been well received since they launched last month.

Paula Baxter, Café Connect supervisor, said: “Everyone loves an afternoon tea, especially on Mother’s Day, so we have decided to mark the occasion by hosting an event on Monday 27 March so people can treat mum or other special ladies in their life.

“We recently introduced afternoon teas to AGC’s delegate catering packages which have proved very popular, so it made sense to make this available to the wider public.

“We want to let the local community know that Café Connect is somewhere everyone can visit and enjoy, it’s not just for those attending events and meetings in centre, so this is a great opportunity to showcase our lovely café and tasty catering offer.”

The Mother’s Day Afternoon Tea will be served between 1pm and 3pm on Monday 27 March and places must be booked in advance by Wednesday 22 March, 2017.

For further information about catering packages contact 01642 811120 or email info@acklam-green-centre.com

Our in-house caterer, Café Connect, has expanded its catering offer in response to customer feedback.

New Breakfast Buffet and Afternoon Tea menus have extended the range of catering packages available from Café Connect, after the team took on board feedback from visitors attending conferences, meetings and events here at the Resource Centre and at our sister facility the Acklam Green Centre where the caterers are based.

The Breakfast Buffet includes a selection of freshly baked croissants and pastries or hearty bacon or sausage rolls along with fresh fruit and yoghurt. Priced at £3.90 per person, the menu also includes plenty of tea, coffee and orange juice.

Meanwhile, the indulgent Afternoon Tea menu represents fantastic value at £4.50 per person. It includes a selection of finger sandwiches, savoury and fruit scones served with preserve and whipped cream, a selection of homemade cakes or tray bakes and a choice of tea, coffee or herbal tea.

Café Connect has also extended its hot and cold buffet packages to suit customers’ needs.  The menu now includes three hot buffet options including lasagne, chicken curry and chilli as well as a deluxe hot and cold buffet including sugar baked home roast sliced ham with a selection of salads and quiche. Vegetarian options are also available.

The catering packages include additional healthy items to reflect the organisation’s commitment to the North East Better Health at Work programme, for which it has just received the Bronze Award. 

Donna Smith, facilities manager, said: “We take the views of our clients very seriously and always look for ways to adapt our offer to best meet their needs.

“We get lots of great comments about our catering supplied by Café Connect, however, based on feedback, we thought it was time to revise our offer and introduce some new options for visitors to enjoy. The new Breakfast Buffet and Afternoon Tea menus and tasty new additions to our hot and cold buffets are already proving very popular.”

For further information about catering packages contact 01642 811120 or email info@acklam-green-centre.com