A COMMUNITY owned social housing provider and pub operator has received boost thanks to a scheme launched by an award winning house builder and a UK charity.

Great Oakley Community Hub received a grant of £1,000 from the Hopkins Plunkett Communities scheme, which supports new and established community businesses across Norfolk, Suffolk, rural Essex and Cambridgeshire.

The scheme is a partnership between Hopkins Homes and the Plunkett Foundation, it is being relaunched after a successful round in 2020 when it helped businesses with challenges resulting from the pandemic.

Mark Godfrey, Chairman of the Great Oakley Community hub has welcomed this grant.

He said: “The Hopkins Plunkett support is enormously helpful; it will help fund the archaeological work needed to move our Red House project forward.

“This important project will provide community owned Social Housing for residents of Great and Little Oakley, Wix and Beaumont-Cum – Moze as well as restoring a derelict eyesore within our village.”

The Hopkins Plunkett Communities Scheme focuses on getting individual support to community groups.

This can be on a range of matters including governance guidance, cash flow advice and business planning, volunteer recruitment and management, accessing funding and navigating government support schemes.

James Hopkins, Executive Chairman and founder of Hopkins Homes said: “Hopkins Homes has been part of the East Anglian landscape for over three decades and we are committed to leaving a positive legacy on our built environment to enhance the community we are part of.

“It has been a challenging time for everyone and it is vitally important that the needs and well-being of our communities are supported.

“We are delighted to have been able to offer support to Great Oakley Community Hub. Together, we hope to make a real difference and help many of our community businesses.

“I wish Great Oakley Community Hub well with their efforts and urge other community businesses who need advice to get in touch.”

Jane Alcock, Chief Executive of Plunkett added: "We are thrilled to be able to help Great Oakley Community Hub thanks to the generous support shown by Hopkins Homes towards community businesses in the East of England.”