The Courtenay Centre - a real community gem

The Courtenay Centre - a real community gem

NEWTON Abbot Town Councillors have received an update on the many activities taking place at The Courtenay Centre.

They were given a presentation by Emily Farrell, Business & Community Development Manager at the Newton Abbot Community Interest Company (CIC), the organisation which oversees the popular facility in Kingsteignton Road.

She told members that the centre had opened in 1968 and was, until 2019, operated solely by the Newton Abbot Centre Association (NACA).

Incredibly, Chairman and Rotarian James Putz only retired in 2023 after serving 59 years as a community volunteer.

The CIC initially supported NACA’s work but the Covid pandemic in 2020 increased its involvement and in 2025 a new body, the Newton Abbot Communities Centre Charitable Incorporated Organisation, was formed to take care of all the legal matters associated with running such an operation.

Today the centre offers a wide range of services including an affordable cafe, free soup Thursdays, a parent support group, community fridge, after school club, free toddler group and refugee support.

Room hire is so popular that it forms 80 per cent of the centre’s income, with the other 20 per cent coming from donations and grants including one provided by Newton Abbot Town Council.

The CIC receives no payment for its support services, helping the Courtenay Centre to break even each year.

A community garden was opened in 2024, with an emphasis on sustainability and social cohesion.

The next big event at the centre is the free tree and seed give away on Saturday February 2.

For more information visit www.newtonabbotcic.org.uk