A big cheer went up at the Centre when we heard the Government’s announcement on Tuesday June 23^rd allowing the re-opening of cafes, restaurants and, in particular, community centres.  They also announced a relaxation of the two-metre rule to one-metre plus. This is all very helpful for us in our planning. This good news was followed on June 25^th with the delivery of our perspex screens. 

And so, everyone is really happy that from Monday July 6^th, St Luke’s community centre will re-open. We are busy making preparations for that date at the moment. Signage has been posted around the Centre, hand sanitisers are installed at all the main junctures in the Centre. We have even invested in thermometers to check people’s temperature if they feel unwell.    

Our Café will be open on July 6^th. So, please do come and grab a coffee and something to eat.  You will notice many changes but these are all done to make sure people feel comfortable in coming in and remain safe and healthy. 

The lunch-club will be open at 12.00 noon on July 6^th. At the beginning, we are asking people to book in advance if they want to come in. We will also bring food to the table for our transport users in order to reduce traffic around the dining room. We are asking people to pay with card if at all possible. 

Out transport service will also bring people into the lunch-club. It will be slower than usual as we will be making more journeys to reduce the number of people at any one time on the minibus.    

The Online Centre will reopen on July 6^th. Again, we have spaced out the computer stations and installed Perspex screens to ensure people are a safe distance from each other.  We will ensure that disinfectant wipes are available for everyone so that they can wipe down the computer stations, chairs and keyboard before they start and, again, when they finish. It will be necessary to book a time to use the Online Centre and it can be booked for a fixed session. 

From July 13^th, we will have some activities in the Garden room and, if it’s nice weather, people will be able to use the garden itself.  

Our staff will begin to return from July 1^st to start to prepare the Centre for re-opening on July 6^th. Some staff have been here all the time and they have kept things in really good order for everyone.  

It is a very exciting time. We can hardly wait for July 6^th when we will be back to a new ‘normality’. No-one is expecting that everything will be up and running from day 1 but, it will be so good to have some of the services back in action again. The Centre has been so quiet without our service users that it gives us a huge boost to think that that situation is going to start to change from July 6^th.  

Thank you to everyone who have been so supportive of us in the past three months. It is heart-warming to see the help you have given and it also proves to us, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that community is alive and well in Islington.