The Focus Centre

The development of the Wellbeing Swanage hub or ‘Focus Centre’ is progressing well, we will bring you more information as  work progresses.  

A statement from Bob Foster in April outlining the agreement of the Dorset Council relating to The Chapel Lane complex and its transfer from Dorset Council to The Swanage and Purbeck Development Trust with the support of Swanage Town Council. 

“I am delighted to report that Dorset Council Cabinet confirmed, at its meeting, yesterday, that the Asset Transfer of the Day Centre and Children’s Centre, to the Swanage and Purbeck Development Trust, was approved.”  

The Focus Centre will be part of a network of Family Hubs offering one-stop services for families, two of which have already been launched in other parts of the county. It will be operated and delivered by the Swanage and Purbeck Development Trust and supported by Swanage Town Council.

Find out more about our plans: The Focus Centre Introduction

And view our timetable of what’s on here

A woman stretching outdoors in the sunshine.

The Focus Centre will enable children’s and adults’ services to be delivered differently and will enable wider usage of the Chapel Lane site for community benefit. This will be achieved through an intergenerational Family Hub, offering an enhanced range of health and well-being services to the local community provided by a range of different organisations. 

Bob went on to say “We’ve never had anything quite like this in Swanage before and the hub will be a great place for people of all ages to gather and meet socially as well as to access essential services.

There will be a community café which will be open every day and a Welcome Lounge, where visitors can get help to find what they need both in person and by phone. In many cases the help they get will be provided at the hub itself or very locally.”

Work is underway to train staff and redesign the buildings and we hope to open the Welcome Lounge in winter 2024/2025

Services currently available include:

  • Childminding and Wraparound Child Care
  • Growing Together 0-1 Years Baby Group
  • Reach Drug and Alcohol Support
  • A Community Fairshare Larder
  • Newborn hearing
  • Care Dorset Day Services
  • Health Visitor Clinic
  • Speech and Language Therapy
  • Breastfeeding Network
  • Alcoholics Anonymous
  • Dorset Council Family Advisor