Plans for a Community Hub by the Benjamin Adlard School are being welcomed by Gainsborough’s Member of Parliament, Sir Edward Leigh, who is supporting an initiative by Sam Coy, the school’s headteacher, to bring a community hub to land adjacent to the school.

With the announcement that the NatWest Bank is scheduled to close in Gainsborough’s Market Place later this year, Sir Edward is hoping to encourage the bank to support this initiative and potentially have a presence in the proposed community hub, allowing customers access to banking services. He has also written to West Lindsey District Council and Mark Sturgess, the Executive Director of Operations, has welcome the initiative, saying:

“I hope you receive a positive response to your letter to NatWest. The loss of a branch in the town centre is disappointing.

“We will continue to work with Sam and the school and community as best we can. This certainly is a very exciting and welcome project to this community if it can be developed.”

On Tuesday (29th January) evening West Lindsey District Council’s Prosperous Communities Committee supported a plan to support the South West Ward of Gainsborough, to make it a proud and vibrant neighbourhood where people choose to be, with over £250,000 of funding.

Sir Edward Leigh commented:

“I was pleased, but not surprised to learn that Mark Sturgess and the district council is so supportive. He welcomes the project for the community as strongly as I do, and I very much hope it can be developed.

“I hope that the meeting I helped to arrange between the Executive Officer of RBS and Mr. Coy went well, and I look forward to hearing the outcome of that.

“We should all be grateful for the special efforts the Sam and his team at the school are putting in for and within the community.”