Author: Karen King

Refurbishment works to start on 26th October 2026

I am writing to let you know that we have a start date for the building improvement works on the Centre of Monday 26th October 2026. We plan to stay mostly open until that date but will be unable to use the building whilst the builders are on site from 26th October until the end of February 2027.

During that 4 month period we have plans to move the Gym and our activities to alternative local venues. We hope that these will be sufficiently convenient to enable you to maintain your involvement with the Centre’s activities during the period of refurbishment. We will post details of the relocation of activities on our website. Thank you, in advance, for your patience and support during this period.

The refurbishment will be transformational, modernising the Centre and creating full accessibility including:

· ramped access to the Community Centre, and to the Gym, on the Cambrian Road side of the Centre

· a small extension to the Gym

· a managers’ office adjacent to the new Community Centre entrance

· double door access from the kitchen area to the patio area at the back of the Centre

· an accessible toilet for wheelchair users and an accessible toilet for ambulant disabled people

· a new door from the corridor into the main community room area to enable independent use of the two sections of the main community room.

We have been working with Richmond Foundation (RF) to develop this project and are extremely grateful to them as they have committed the majority of the funding for the work and to their staff and Trustees who have given their time and skills to enable the project to take shape and develop.

We are excited at the prospect of welcoming you to the refurbished, improved Centre next year and at how we will make even better use of the Centre in the future.

Centre Users Meeting – 7th October 2026, 2.30 pm at the Centre

We are inviting you to a Centre Users meeting on Wednesday 7th October, at the Centre, at 2.30 pm. We will update you on the refurbishment and arrangements during the period of the building work. We will also provide an outline of the Centre’s work and outcomes during the last financial year, 1st July 2025 to 30th June 2026. Please come along – we will be pleased to see you.

Your sincerely

Sue Pendle

Chair of Trustees

What’s Going on At Grove Gardens Chapel?

Local residents are invited to the ‘Richmond Sustainability Forum’ themed ‘Reinventing Resources via Reuse, Repair and Repurpose’ at the reuse and repair hub, The Fixery.

Hear from experts about the circular economy and how we can rethink the way we use our resources, at this Forum at the beautiful, restored Grove Gardens Chapel.

Date: Saturday 13 June 2026
Time: The Forum will run from 11am-1pm. The Fixery will be open until 4pm
Location: Grove Gardens Chapel, Lower Grove Rd, TW10 6HP

On the day you can:   

  • Listen to talks from experts and interesting local organisations,
  • Visit bustling information stalls,
  • Bring clothes to swap and refresh your wardrobe, 
  • Bring a bike, small electronics or textiles for repair,  
  • Purchase pre-loved teddy bears and craft supplies, 
  • Bring containers to fill up on household and cleaning products at a refill station, 
  • Enjoy coffee and refreshments at the on-site café,
  • Relax in the tranquil surroundings of Grove Gardens Chapel and the Old Burial Ground.

For more information and to reserve a space please click here

Tuesday Talks

Over nine weeks, Habitats & Heritage host a range of expert speakers to give evening lectures to the public. Topics include local heritage such as the recently conserved Burton Mausoleum, the gardens at Twickenham Park, and JMW Turner’s life in Twickenham, as well as talks on caring for your local environment through domestic gardening and habitat conservation.

Residents who live within the Queen’s Road Estate in Richmond can access these local talks for FREE! For further information on talk topics, to book tickets or for more information on Habitats and Heritage please visit their website.

NEW TO THE CAMBRIAN COMMUNITY CENTRE-WALK & TALK RICHMOND!

A SIMPLE, NO COST, OPPORTUNITY TO CONNECT

A 30-40 minute easy walk as a small group, followed by a light refreshment. A chance to talk, or a chance to listen. Space for both. Just show up. You will be so welcome.

This is a great opportunity to get out and about, meet new people and get active. For more information check out Walk & Talk
or
NEW Richmond Walk

The Cambrian Community Centre helps you live longer, says national newspaper

In a round-up of places in Britain where people live longest, the Cambrian Community Centre is highlighted as providing ideal conditions for boosting your longevity.

“What is the secret to a long, happy, healthy life?” asks The Telegraph on 13 April, and includes Richmond among top 10 spots nationwide where locals routinely live well into their 80s, according to the Office of National Statistics.

Sociability initiatives, opportunities to get active, and places to take healthy detoxifying meals, are key, the national daily says, and singles out the Cambrian Community Centre as offering just these qualities.

“For some co-mingling, seek out the ‘Chatter and Natter’ table aimed at reducing loneliness – the Cambrian Community Centre hosts one every Wednesday (11.30am-1.30pm),” the paper recommends, and provides a link to the Centre’s website and details of our upcoming refurbishment project.

Social isolation is statistically linked to shorter life spans, the paper adds. Tight knit communities, low stress and a daily sense of purpose also help you live longer. Richmond’s average female life expectancy is 86.3 years, and 82.5 years for men.

To read the whole article click here: Telegraph Article

LemonBooking support sessions

As you may know, we have been implementing a new booking system for some of our classes here at the Cambrian Community Centre and Gym. This system, LemonBooking (not related to David, Centre Manager at all!!!) is an online system that requires you to register with your contact details and some other information.

We realise that not everyone will find this system intuitive, and we have therefore arranged some drop in sessions where we will provide you with the help you may need to register with LemonBooking.

These will take place from 12 – 2pm on Monday 26th January and on Monday 2nd February. If you would like further information on these sessions, or the new booking system, Centre Manager David Lemon can assist you on 020 8948 3351 or manager@cambriancentre.org

Cambrian Community Library

Just a little update on our Cambrian Community Library. The shelves are full and a wide variety of books are available for you to take home. There has been a steady stream of books coming in and being borrowed and it’s always interesting to see what others are reading.

If you would like to borrow or donate a book (or more) please pop into the centre between 11am and 3:30pm Monday to Friday.

The Community Library is located outside the Centre Manager office within the centre.

If you’d like more information about our activities or events, please head over to www.cambriancentre.org or contact David Lemon, Centre Manager on 020 8948 3351 or manager@cambriancentre.org #supportlocal #cambriancommunitycentre #community #charity #healthandwellbeing #richmond #TW10 #read #books #library #words #stories #fairytale

Gym With Paula

Thanks to some funding from the League of Friends of Teddington Memorial Hospital the Cambrian Community Centre Gym has been able to work in partnership with Richmond Mencap to provide a new service to service users of Mencap.

Gym with Paula provides a one hour gym session for Mencap service users supported by Sarah, one of our gym instructors and a support worker from Mencap. This pilot scheme has allowed 5 service users to begin their exercise and fitness journey in a supportive, safe and friendly environment.

The group are currently half way through their initial 13 weeks and their feedback has been positive, with each service user seeing improvements to their health, wellbeing and fitness.

This project has shown how partnership work between local charities can provide an inclusive opportunity to the local community. We look forward to more feedback from participants, watching people with learning disabilities grow on their fitness journey.

Please contact Mencap directly for more information on 020 8744 1923 or office@richmondmencap.org.uk

Gym Fundraiser

  • Vicki, Gym Manager getting the kilometres in on the bike
  • Walking the Thames map
  • The km are adding up
  • Ashley running on the tradmil
  • Gym users busy accumulating kilometres
  • On your bike…..
  • Centre Manager David popped in to add some kilometres
  • A big push at the end from Becky, the last 12 kilometres takes our total to……346km
  • Scan to donate!

We did it! We successfully ran, walked, cycled and rowed the distance of the River Thames on Saturday 11th October. Alongside gym users the Community Centre and Gym staff team worked tirelessly to cover the full 346 kilometres from source to sea to raise funds for much needed gym equipment.

Thank you to all who participated as well as those who sponsored participants and made donations to this very worthy cause. At 3pm we were 40km short of our target, so a few volunteers and the staff team hopped back on the gym equipment and we were able to make those finish line at 3:20pm.

There is still time to support the fundraiser by donating using the QR code in the above photo gallery!

Gym Fundraising Raffle Results

A big “Thank you” to everyone who bought a Gym Fundraising Raffle Ticket.

The raffle was drawn on Saturday by Sue Pendle, Chair of Trustees, Vicki Hatton, Gym Manager and Hazel McCrory, volunteer. We are proud to announce the winners below.

Winners will be contacted this week to arrange collection of their prize.

PrizeWinning Ticket Number
1Spa treatment and goody bag           (Roko)  617
2Dinner for 2 (Portofino)136
3Digital photo frame541
4Day at Champeneys4
5Box of wine (2)                        369
6Box of wine (2)                        642
7Box of wine (2)                        81
8Candle538
9Six wines  (Dukes Head)         807
10L’Occitane gift set.                    617
11Bottle of Cava                            379
12£50 (Tap Tavern) voucher       67
13Thai package (Rosa’s Thai)205
14Man’s haircut (A&N)    593
15Odeon tickets (Odeon)      374
16Cake – (Richmond Hill Bakery)     23
17Massage with Becky.                  555
18Bundle of package of Tights113
19Har Spa gift set (Har Spa)605
20Breakfast for 2 (Albert’s Deli)769
21£30 (Saffron) voucher855
22Beauty Treatment (50 Hill Rise)415
23Coffee and Pastries (Wildbush)573
24Bundle of books (Books on the Rise) )833
25Bag of oriental snacks 779
26Hypnobirthing voucher            534