Many thousands of people use Hanwell Community Centre each year to play sports, learn crafts, dance, hire office space or book meeting rooms.
The Centre is open Monday to Friday from 9am until 10pm, Saturday hours are dependent on bookings and Sundays from 11am until 1pm and to 3.30pm on Badminton Match days. The office's opening hours are from 9am until noon Monday to Friday. Alternatively please call us or email anytime.
Those using the Centre range from small groups playing badminton for recreation, to groups playing badminton and 5-a-side football matches in various leagues. The Judo club has a long tradition of sporting achievement with numerous champions over the years. Schools use the centre: Drayton Manor High School extensively for physical education throughout the winter months, The National Autistic Society's Leap Service use the ground floor sports hall for physical exercise. Znaniye (Russian School), Opportunity for All and Africare hire rooms for office use throughout the year also occasionally hiring additional rooms for exams, meetings, etc. There are also well established craft classes for pottery and upholstery in the basement studios and workshops.
For a full list of Groups and Regular Users click here.
Hanwell Community Centre is a Charitable Company limited by guarantee with Registered Charity Number 1037095. The Company is non political, non sectarian and recognises that all people are equal regardless of colour, creed or sexuality. Our aim is to serve the recreational and educational needs of people living, working and visiting the London Borough of Ealing at affordable costs as part of our policy to improve quality of life for all ages.
The building you see today started life as The Central London District Schools, built in 1856 for the children of destitute families and orphans. Charlie Chaplin and his half brother Sydney stayed here from 1896 to 1898. The school closed in 1935 and in 1938 Middlesex County Council began plans to use the building as a community centre. By 1939 the outlying blocks and wings of the schools were demolished until only the central administrative block and dining hall remained. The building was used both for storage and for various community activities including as a baby clinic. Under the provisions of the 1945 Education Act, it became the Hanwell Community Centre administered by the London Borough of Ealing and leased to the Hanwell Community Association.
In 1992 the Community Association became Hanwell Community Centre Ltd, when a 10 year lease was negotiated with the Ealing Council. But because of decades of lack of maintenance funding, the building deteriorated badly.
In 2003 Ealing Council put in a planning application for redevelopment of the building into luxury apartments. This was ruled against by, the then Deputy Prime Minister, John Prescott.
In 2004 Ealing Council put the Centre up for auction but after huge opposition withdrew it, but any sources of funding continued to be blighted by short leases.
In 2007, following a change of council, a pledge was made by the Leader of the Council, Jason Stacey, to put in £2.2 million for Phases 1 & 2 of a 4 part renovation of the building. Work commenced in late 2008 with work phased over a year and a total closure of the building for several months.
Reception with refreshment and seating area
Women's shower cubicles and toilets
Men's showers Disabled toilet and shower
In late 2009, with a new roof, renovated windows, re-pointed brickwork, new flooring, and new plumbing and electrics, the building began to be re-occupied. A new reception area, changing rooms, showers and toilets had been installed and parts of the building had been refurbished to accommodate Ealing Council's staff training department.
In 2010 renovation works continue to the third floor which has yet to fully re-open. With a change of Council once again in May, Phases 3 & 4 have been shelved and negotiations with Ealing Council regarding the terms of the lease continue, as do negotiations to receive compensation costs for lack of lack of earnings during the closure. With no lease in place, Ealing Council have now made the decision not to use the Centre for staff training with further financial loss of earnings to Hanwell Community Centre.